Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n
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A54011
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A plain representation of transubstantiation, as it is received in the Church of Rome with the sandy foundations it is built upon, and the arguments that do clearly evert and overturn it / by a countrey divine.
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Pendlebury, Henry, 1626-1695.
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1687
(1687)
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Wing P1141; ESTC R15015
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70,794
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77
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height of Delusion Men may be left to believe a Lie a Lie that hath scarce any Vail to cover it a Lie that hath no Sense or Reason in it a Lie that bears upon its Forehead monstrous Absurdities and portentous Contradictions Verily in this according as was foretold 2 Thess 2.11 we have a visible and tremendous Instance of one of the greatest depths of the Judgment of God upon them Let it warn to beware to watch and pray that we enter not into Temptation Some are confident enough and think they can never so far lose themselves as to take up the Doctrines and Practises of Rome But Sirs we have need to shake off Carnal Security to maintain a holy Fear and watchful Care and live in a continual dependence on God for preventing and preserving Grace and Help in an hour of Temptation and day of Tryal For if once we begin to warp but a little to leave God his Truth and Way and God leave us I know no Delusions so strange and monstrous but we may be given up to believe them even to this that is made up of nothing but portentous Absurdities c. 5. How just a Cause our blessed Martyrs in the Marian Days were engaged in and suffered for Some Protestant Pens and Tongues in our Days have made unhandsome and sinister Reflections upon that noble Army of Martyrs of whom the World was not worthy But a Reflection upon this monstrous Fiction that most of them went to the Stake and sacrificed themselves in Flames in opposition to is enough to clear their Innocency and justify them in their Sufferings in the Consciences of all that are not given over to a Reprobate Mind Secondly Transubstantiation sets before us matter of just Admiration And we may wonder and stand amazed 1. At the monstrous Impudency of the first Founders of it That ever Men bearing the Name of Christians should arrive at such a height of Impudence as to obtrude upon the Christian World the Entertainment and Belief of a Tale and feigned Devise so portentous and prodigious even beyond all the Poetical Fictions of the Pagans I may without any Breach of Charity pass the Censure on Transubstantiation that Ludovicus Vives passed on the Golden Legend viz. That it was written by a Man ferrei oris plumbei cordis who was lost to all Shame and whom nothing could dash out of Countenance So I say Transubstantiation was minted by Men to be wondered at for their Confidence and Impudence 2. At the lamentable Simplicity and Credulity of the first Receivers and Believers of it As it is a matter to be wondered at that any Men could be so impudent to invent it so it is no less wonderful that any Men should have been so very sottish and simple as to receive such a putid Trump into their Belief It is unimaginable how this could be possible if Men had been waking when it came upon them 3. At the horrible Induration of the present Supporters and Maintainers of it This is yet the greatest and most amazing Wonder of all that now after the breaking out of the clear Light of the Gospel and the frequent exposing of this Monster by such a number of learned Men of the Reformed Churches there should still any appear in the patronizing defence and supportation of it Here is infinite Cause to wonder and we might wonder our selves into an inextricable maze if the Holy Ghost had not given us a Clew to lead us out 2 Thess 2.11 Thirdly Transubstantiation presents unto us matter of Commiseration Matter that calls lowd on us for Bowels of Pity and Compassion towards Myriads of Souls in the Papacy 1. That have such grievous Impositions laid upon them and have no other choice left them but either to swallow down such Contradictions and monstrous Doctrines as this or to be sacrificed in merciless Flames 2. That are compassed about with such a thick Mist of Popish Darkness that they do not in the least see or discern this and other Mysteries of Iniquity that fill the Synagogues of Antichrist This is a most deplorable Case and God knows it is the Case of Multitudes at this day in the midst of the Papacy 3. That are running such infinite hazards of their Souls and eternal Estates from one Generation to another It is far from me to think of using that Uncharitableness towards them which they with one Consent practise against us viz. To pronounce all that are in that Communion to be in a State of Damnation This is a Piece of Cruelty that doth no way become Christians There is a Distinction to be made of Persons Times Places and Practices See the excellent Discourse of Mr. Durham on Revel 14. Lect. 3 about the Salvation of Papists But this I say they run an extreme Hazard on many accounts that live and dye in this Communion tho they do not give an explicite Assent to the complex Body of her Doctrine and Worship Even the Adoration of a piece of Bread rising out of Transubstantiation as very God is the grossest Idolatry that can be used Now in all these Respects the common Multitude are the Object of our Compassion and the Consideration of their hard and hazardous Condition should move our Pity Oh Christians Pity them and pray pray that God would open their Eyes reveal this great Mystery of Iniquity unto them and bring them out of Babylon where they are running such an Adventure Pray down the Antichristian State and pray home the poor lost Sheep into Christ's Fold that are in the Pope's Pinfold and Tents of Antichrist Fourthly Transubstantiation brings matter of great Gratitude and Thankfulness unto all our Doors Sirs when we think of this how can we be enough thankful unto our God for his Goodness 1. That we were brought forth from under the Clouds and Darkness of Popery and in the days of the glorious breakings out of the Gospel Diis gratias agere debeo non quia natus est mihi filius sed quod tuis temporibus ipsum nasci contingit When Alexander was born his Father Philip blessed the Gods not so much that he had a Son as that he had him in Aristotle's Days But how should we bless God for bringing us forth in Gospel-Times This is the Priviledge which that eminent German Divine Abraham Bucholâ—zer was so affected with that he always accounted it his great Happiness that he was born after the Light of the Gospel break forth and bred up under Melancthon And Chytreus acknowledged it as a singular Mercy that God had made him a Man a Christian and that he had his Education under those excellent Lights of the Church Luther and Melancthon Let this be thy Song O Christian and say with the Psalmist I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live Psal 104.33 I will sing Praise unto my God while I have my Being who hath brought me forth not in days covered with the dismal Darkness of Popery but crowned with a clear Discovery of the Gospel 2. That we have enjoyed a Freedom from these Popish Impositions while other poor Protestants have had bitter and bloody Storms falling on them If we look back to the last hundredth of Years now past who can reckon up a thousand Part of those Sufferings that have fallen heavily upon the French German Bohemian Hungarian Netherland Polish and Irish Protestants for refusing to admit of and submit to these things Oh! Transubstantiation and other Romish Abominations have cost Millions of Lives and Rivers of Blood while we have sat in a Calm and not once tasted of the Popish Fury and Cruelty 3. That to this day we are delivered from this and the many other grievous Impositions of Rome O what a Complication of Mercies have we in this one great Mercy that after all the Contrivances and Attempts of the Papists for this hundred years we may at this day set up our Stone and call it Eben-ezer saying 1 Sam. 7.12 Hitherto hath the Lord helped us Fifthly Transubstantiation doth moreover suggest unto us matter of daily Supplication and calls us to our Knees to beg with Eyes Hands and Hearts lifted up to Heaven for Protection Preservation and Deliverance from the return and re-enterance of the Religion of this degenerated and Apostate Church that brings this Monster in its Womb which if embraced will destroy and damn our Souls and if rejected will destroy and burn our Bodies to Ashes and cost us no less than our Souls or our Lives I find that there was in the Liturgy of Edward the sixth a Prayer to be delivered from the Usurpation Tyranny and Enormities of the Bishop of Rome which was afterwards taken out to take away as is said the Offence that it gave unto the Papists but verily how much soever it may offend them we have much need to put it into our daily Litanies or humble Supplications and to pray without ceasing that we may never fall back into that most woful lamentable and forlorn Estate that a Return of Popery will quickly plunge and sink us into The Pope solemnly curseth us upon Good-friday whereupon one prayed that he may so curse us still and never bless us more as he blessed us in Queen Marie's Time. To this Prayer let all that have any Love for their Religion any Detestation of the worst of Errors and Idolatries any Concernment for their Souls any Care of their Estates Lives and Posterities and would not run unspeakable Hazards for both Worlds say AMEN FINIS