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	lord_n	sinner_n	2,337	5	7.5568	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20782	The iaylors conuersion Wherein is liuely represented, the true image of a soule rightlye touched, and conuerted by the spirit of God. The waightie circumstances of which supernaturall worke, for the sweete amplifications, and fit applications to the present time, are now set downe for the comfort of the strong, and confirmation of the weake. By Hugh Dowriche Batch. of Diuinitie.	Dowriche, Hugh, b. 1552 or 3.	1596 (1596)	STC 7160; ESTC S111947	34,879	82

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE IAYLORS Conuersion Wherein is liuely represented the true Image of a Soule rightlye touched and conuerted by the spirit of God The waightie circumstances of which supernaturall worke for the sweete amplifications and fit applications to the present time are now set downe for the comfort of the strong and confirmation of the weake By Hugh Dowriche Batch of Diuinitie The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth 1. Samu. 2. 7. Behold now for I I am he and there is no gods with me I kill giue life I wound and make whole neither is there any that can deliuer out of my hand Deu. 32 39 LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet dwelling at Pauls Wharfe at the signe of the Crosse Keyes and are there to be solde 1596. To the Worshipfull and my approued good Friende Valentine Knightly Esquire long prosperitie and peace of conscience in Christ BLessed is hee sayth Dauid whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered c. Here is one Medicine for two maladies here is one salue that heales two sores Sinne is the testie botch that may not be touched All are infected with this plague but heere is the difference some see it not at al some see it too much some feele it feare it some neither feare it nor feele it In some negligent blindnesse and securitie breeds contempt of imminent perill in some the view of great daunger accompanied with feare without faith commits them to the dangerous downefall of a deadly desperation The one seeth not his sinne therfore seeketh no remedie the other ouerwhelmed with sinne findeth not the meanes to applie the remedie Heere is both the remedie and the application Ther is a meane betwene these extremes This meane is to see our sinne our nakednes our wickednes but so as we alwaies haue one eye on our selues and our sin the other on Christ and his merits If we see our sins in themselues they exceede in number the sands of the Sea in greatnesse the compasse of the whole world If we then goe about to match them with our owne power strength or merites how infinitly shall we bee ouerwhelmed in this comparison But if we leauing our selues fly to the power of God by which he can and his mercie in Iesus Christ by which he will deliuer vs from this infecting plague we shall presently see both sin hell and Sathan to consume as smoke before the presence of our God Sin is the plague sinne is the sore The medicine is the mercy of God thorough Iesus Christ in whome and by whome our sinnes are forgiuen This mercie is apprehended by faith and faith is the gift of God Therefore when we haue cast vp all our reckoning we shall find that all our righteousnes and all our merites in respect of perfection to merite saluation are nothing else but the righteousnes and merites of Christ imputed to vs by the mercie of God by which our sinnes are pardoned And therefore with Saint Paule euerie man to his owne Conscience may rightly say What hast thou which thou hast not receiued Yet to this mercie there is tyed a blessing and a curse to shewe the difference betweene the reprobate and the children of God They which by mercy attaine this mercy are truely called blessed They which for want of mercie are depriued of this mercy are iustly accursed But can there bee in one and one so certaine and immutable cause such and such diuers effects Can mercy be found without mercy Can light be seene without light Can fire be felt without heate What more contrarie the one to the other then glorie confusion Yet one and the selfe same fire makes golde more glorious which vtterly consumes wood straw and stubble What is more contrarie then hard and soft yet one and the selfe same sunne doth harden the dirte and mollifieth the waxe These contrarie effects proceede not from any contrarietie that is found in the pure and simple essence either of Sunne or fire but from the diuersitie which lyeth hid in the nature of the subiects on which they work The mercy of God being still one and the same is offered to al without respect as the Sunne shines and the raine fals as well on the vniust as the iust but all receiue it not The wicked see it but despise it and make a iest of it till by the iust iudgement of God they perish in theyr wickednesse as did Pharao Iudas and the wicked sonnes of Elie c. The elect being moued by the spirit of God do see lament and repent their sinnes and so by mercy obtaine pardon So that though both the elect and the reprobate are both alike happie in that mercy is offered to both a like yet because the wicked refuse it they are iustly accursed and the other that receiue and take hold of it are here accounted happie and blessed And yet not blessed in respect of any work or worthinesse in themselues but that by the merits of Christ which they apprehend by faith they are by mercy and imputation made worthy of this blessing This then is the golden meane that makes the godly blessed to beholde their sinnes by faith in Christ and not as the reprobate either not to see them at all or without faith to behold them Of this meane Dauid himselfe tooke happie hold-fast For now conducted by mercie and faith we see how lustely hee leapes out from the hote-house of desperate temptations in which it seemes at the making of this Psalme he was deepely plunged by the terror of a guiltie conscience touched by the hand of God for the sinne which he had committed with Barsheba The extremity of his passions and the vehemencie of his conflicts are described in the 3. and 4. verses of this Psalme Now this is not Dauids case alone but it is certaine that all the children of God that are elected in his eternall purpose in their times appointed shal heare the like calling and tast of the like mercy For manifestation of the which wee may see an example of the same mercy which the Lord shewed vnto a simple and sinfull man the common Iailor of Phillippy of whō in the 16. of the Acts ther is an honorable memorie left to al posterity K. Dauid this Iaylor were both sinners both of them acknowledged the hand of God heauie vpon thē for their sinnes the one called to repentance by the voice of a man the other shaken from his drowsinesse by the terror of an Earthquake both felt comfort in their miseries by the mercy of GOD which kept them from desperation The rarenes of which example the great mercy of God and the singular instructions that rise to the profit of such as deepely waigh the whole action besides the earnest desire of some whose request I could not denie haue drawne me now to set downe certaine notes and considerations touching the singular working of the spirit of

of the Gospell make the glorious word and preaching of Christ to be blasphemed among the Papists and they hinder many from professing and beleeuing the same because they walke not wisely toward them that are without because there is as much whordome couetousnes drunkennes vsurie periurie simonie subtiltie briberie iniurie amongst them as euer was among the Papists or can be among the Turkes and infidels because there is as little faith as litle regard of promise or word or lesse then euer was in the time of ignorance c. But what shall become of these wicked hypocrites of these Painted wals of these stincking Sepulchers and fruitlesse Figtrees which defame their callings abuse their places pollute their Offices and dishonor the Lord by their sinfull liues Surely they shall leaue a deadly curse vpon their posteritie the filthie mawes of the hungrie Dogges shall bee thought to be a Sepulcher worthie and sufficient for such cursed carrions The Lorde shall plague them by taking from them their sonne begotten in a dulterie their Offices their dignities and the thing they loue best the Lord shall punish them by rebellion in in their sonnes in their subiects and heauie mishappes within their owne houses Some of these wicked abusers of their Office and calling the Lord doth notwithstanding as we here see cal home to a consideration of their miserable estate to the knowledge and sight of their sinnes to a true humiliation of their proude stomackes and to an effectuall repentance because it is certaine and sure that the wickednesse of man cannot alter the purpose of the Lord. Where we learne that as God doth suffer his elect for a time to be seduced and to wander out of the right way as Dauid by his lust Paule by blinde zeale Mary Magdalene by lewde concupisence and this Iaylor by crueltie blindnesse yet as many as pertaine to Gods election haue the times and meanes of their conuersion appointed and they at that calling obey as we see here this Iaylor doth though before oftentimes they haue refused Here we see the great mercy of the Lord which calleth all sortes of men which despiseth no Office nor the vilest callings which refuseth not to thinke vppon the greatest sinners in the middest of all their blindnes but vseth louing and fit meanes to call sinners to repentaunce As according to the qualitie greatnesse and continuance of any sinne so wee see his motions to repentance fitted for them Dauid had not long beene forgetfull neither remained any great time in the sincke of his sinne therefore the voice of the Lord in a simple man wrought a sorrow and repentance in him Peter had not long continued in his Apostasie hee was brought vnto that forgetfulnes of his good master and duetie by the frailenes feare that was in his flesh and bloud and not by any malice or wilfull contempt therefore the voice of a Cocke was sufficient to awaken him to make him see the foulenes of his finne and to lament his weakenes with bitter teares But of the contrarie where the sinne is setled of a long continuance where the sinners after admonition haue taken delite in it haue continued it with mallice and wilfull contempt there the Lord must vse great and mightie motions to remoue them as Earthquakes throwing downe some tower in Siloe stirring vp great enemies and shewing great and vnusuall wonders c. And yet these great motions moue not all for there are some which pertaine to the Lords inheritance that are conuerted by them as this Iaylor and many other But such againe as bee none of this number but those whome the Lord hath forsaken and cast off cannot be moued nor conuerted by all the signes wonders and Earthquakes that can bee shewed such were the Scribes and Pharisies the masters of this Iaylor such was Pharao such were the sonnes of Elie and many in Ierusalem such are our great and grounded Papists such are our libertine professors and fleshly Gospellers such are our Atheists and Iesters in religion c. 2. His Charge It seemeth that his Charge was very great and that it stoode greatly vppon him to restore againe such as he had receiued It shuld appeare that these Apostles were deliuered vnto him with such a straite commaundement that if he did let them escape his life should go for theirs For being now awakened by the suddaine shaking of the earth rysing out of his bed at midnight in great feare and comming vnto the prison and finding the doores open and thinking assuredly that his prisoners had beene fled in a desperate minde determined rather to kill himselfe then to stand to the curtesie of that sentence which his good masters the enuious Scribes and Pharisies should pronounce against him Which wicked act the fearefull and desperate man had committed in deede had not Paule by the spirit of God in the darke seene his intent and with this ioyfull voice at that instant comforted him Do thy selfe no harme for we are all here Application and Doctrine First by his straite Charge which the Scribes and Pharisies gaue for the keeping of these Apostles we learne with what great heate and hateful mallice the wicked world with the blind potentates thereof doe persecute the truth wheresoeuer they shall see it but once to shew it selfe or appeare neuer so little and how loth they are that the messengers of this newes should escape with life or libertie when they once come within their fingers The estate of Gods trueth in this world is maruelous and miserable For the euerie murder whordome drunkennes c hath alwaies found more friendship in it and hath beene better alowed of then the simple truth There was a theefe and a murderer preferred before Christ himselfe The illusion of Sathan and a Deuill that deceaued them by blinde toyes and telling of fortunes was a great deale better accepted in this blinde Cittie of Phillippie then Paule and Silas the true preachers For wherefore were Paule and Silas cast into prison with so straite a commaundement after they had beene buffeted and whipt most cruelly before Surely the holy Ghost layeth downe no other causes but these First They preached the truth and assayed to turne them from their Idolatry blindnesse Secondly They cast out the Deuill that did deceaue them Where wee learne how vnwilling the world and the wicked are to haue the Deuil cast out of themselues of their sonnes and daughters especially if the Deuill bring any kinde of commoditie with him as this Deuill did For that was the cause of this commotion because Paules new doctrine could not agree with their olde Deuill because they might not follow Paules Religion and yet still retaine their former profite and commoditie By which we see how hard a matter it is to plant the true Religion among the couetous and worldly minded wretches Wee see now the cause why the godly in the primatiue church why the blessed martyrs in Queene Maries

estate Therfore the Lord sent them the voice of a more terible preacher which shooke both bodies and houses all at once assaying by this meanes to bring their impenitent harts to some shaking feeling and feare of conscience for their sinnes But as Which was felt about the yeare 1580. that Earthquake shewed them so our last Earthquake and other tokens sithens shew vs plainely now the estate wherin we stand which is that we yet continue in our sinnes That we despise the voice of the Gospel neede a more sharp preacher it openeth our securitie it threatneth Gods iustice in seueritie it promiseth our punishment shews vs that it is very neere the last time of warning Happie wee see are they which come when the Lord calleth them for many bee called but few are chosen few come What callings should we looke for more then wee haue had Wee haue had our daughter diseased our sonne sicke our seruant like to die wee haue seene fearefull signes ouer Ierusalem we haue heard of the gatherings of the confederacies and conspiracies of many nations against vs we haue found little faith in our friends little loyaltie in our owne naturall children great falsehoode in friendly face great diuisions quarrels and hartburnings amongst our selues many Malcontent dayly rising and a thousand other such callings besides the consideration of the silly threede of our happie estate depending vpon one and in earthly respects but one onely the vncertaintie of all things when God shall visite vs the turmoyles and hurliburlies that we may long before plainely see if God of his mercy helpe not These thinges are considered of few of many not accounted of and feared of none What will the ende of these things bee Let all the inhabitants of England crie Lord saue our Noble Queene Elizabeth from treason at home and from forraine enemies abroade Lord forgiue her her sinnes and vs our wickednes and graunt if it be thy will that she may yet long and long time in peace and in saftie preserue this her Noble Realme of England Amen Lastly we learne the great mercies of our God For he chideth before he stricke hee warneth before he destroyeth he punisheth not till he haue vsed all meanes to haue vs returne Hee giueth sinners both grace and space to repent and to seeke which waye they may be saued with this sinfull Iaylor The fift and last circumstance The time when he fell to haue this care what hee might doe to be saued He neuer fell to this consideration till the Lord drew him vnto it by his spirit For in the nature of mā ther is no good thought motion or power to returne from euill to consider and see our sinnes or to lament and be sorrie for them and at the word to seeke for remedy against them but rather a desire will and affection still to remaine in them Therefore Christ said No man can come vnto me except my father draw him This man Iohn 6. 37. 44. 3. 27 had his part of two motions The one outward by the miracle the other inward by the holy Ghost Application Doctrine Where first we see that all our labour trauaile is lost in preaching and opening the Scripture outwardly to the eare except the spirit also preach inwardly to the heart For men are of themselues deafe and dull till God doe open their harts and giue them a new vnderstanding as he gaue to Lidia to this Iaylor and many other Againe we see how naked weake miserable we be of our selues and that if wee were not gouerned and nourished by better power then our owne how quickely miserably wee should perish Therefore this consideration may serue to conquer the spirit of pride in our freewill men when they shall know that in their flesh and humaine nature ther is no goodnes at all that they can performe nothing that is good without him that said Without me ye can do nothing 1. Cor. 4. 7. Act. 20. 35. What hast thou saith Paule which thou hast not receiued We learne that faith is not in the power nature of mā to beleue or not to beleue whē Ep. 1. 18. 19 1. Cor. 12 ● 9 11. it pleseth him but that it is the free gift of God for Christs sake vnto those that are his chosē For if it were in the nature of man then all Phil. 1. 29. 2. Thes 3 2. men shuld beleue But Al men haue not faith therefore it is in vs a worke supernaturall wrought by the spirite of God onely The want of the presence and working of which spirit in the harts of men makes them that they haue no desire to heare the word and when they doe heare it they take no profit by it for it is saide But the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixted Heb. 4. 20 with faith in them that heard it Where wee see a notable relation betweene fayth the word The one can neuer be effectual without the other They goe both together Therefore as soone as there was a fayth kindle in the hart of this Iaylor by the holy Ghost he seekes presently for the word as the body for the soule For as the body is a dead thing without the soule so the word also hath no life effect or motion without faith Now wee see why many Gentlemen Countriemen and others are yet either Atheists ●esters in Religion or despisers of the word because as yet with this Iaylor they haue not receiued the gift of faith c. Here we vnderstand that all shall not be saued against the error of Origen for without faith none can be saued but none haue faith but they onely whome God the father gaue vnto his sonne Christ But hee saith I pray not for the world but for them which thou Ioh. 17. 9. hast giuen me Therefore the elect which are separated from the world that is the reprobate by the free election and donation of God and are garded by the continuall prayer of Christ are they onely that shall bee saued Of which number wee see now this Iaylor by his calling and faith to bee one For Gods election oftentimes lyeth hid vnder a wicked life till the time of their conuersion come which the Lord hath appointed All are not wee see drawne to Christ in one manner for there bee many which professe Religion and talke much of Christ whome God the father by his spirite neuer drew but either their bellie hope of honor vaine glorie c. No maruaile though they belieue not rightly and though they continue not long in a good course Such are many of our earnest Iesuites Papists and libertine professors of the Gospell of Christ Lastly when it is saide that this Iaylor was drawne to this Religion to this godly care and in like manner all the elect wee learne what vnwillingnes what slacknesse what negligence wee vse in our comming to Christ and that wee of our owne nature haue no list affection or good will to come longer then God by his spirite moueth vs and compelleth vs. Therefore if Christ should looke for vs till wee should come of our selues wee should surely neuer see him nor haue any part in him Let vs therefore desire the Lord that as he by his holy spirit drew this Iaylor from the miserable thraldome of ignorance error and iniquitie and planted a desire in him to seeke the truth and by the same gaue him both comfort saluation So in like manner that he will by the same spirite moue our hard hearts to lament our sinne open our blinde eyes to see our imperfection and draw our proude stomakes to humble our affections to the obedience of the word and kindle in vs a loue to like and seeke the same that wee also in our most extremities may by Christ receiue light helpe and euerlasting comfort which the Lord God graunt vnto vs for his deare Sonne Iesus Christs sake to whome with the holy Ghost three persons and one eternall God be al honor power praise glorie and dominion both now and euer Let all praise and glorie be giuen to God alone FINIS