Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	david_n	great_a	lord_n	5,127	5	3.9179	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03627	An exposition vpon the .23. psalme of Dauid full of frutefull and comfortable doctrin, written to the citye of London by Iohn Hooper, bushop [sic] of Gloceter and Worceter, and holye martyr of God for the testimonye of hys truth. Wherunto is annexed an apology of his, agaynst such as reported that he cursed Quene Mary, wyth certaine godlye and comfortable letters in the ende.	Hooper, John, d. 1555.; Bull, Henry, d. 1575?; Hooper, John, d. 1555. Apologye. aut	1562 (1562)	STC 13752; ESTC S113071	47,811	140

he calleth the heauenly father the God of all consolation in thys psalme a shepheard or heardman f●dynge hys fl●oke and the people wyth hym selfe he cauleth sheepe pastured and ●edde by the shepehearde And by these two meanes as by a most conuenient allegory or transla●ion me●e for the pourpose frome the office of a shepheard and the nature of shepe he setteth out meruaylously the safgard of man by Goddes prou●dence and good wyll towards man And in the same allegory or translatyon he occupyeth the foure fyrst verses of thys psalme In the fyrst verse and so to the ende of the psalme he declareth styll one matter and argumente of gods defence towards man and how man is preseru●d But yet it semeth that he expresseth the same by o●her wordes and by an other translation shewynge the nature of God almightye in feding and nourishing of man vnder the name of a Lorde or kynge that hath prepared a table and plenty of meates to fe●de the hongry and nedye and setteth f●orth man poore and destytute of consolation and necessarye helpe vnder the name of gestes and bydden folkes too a kynges table where is plentye of all things necessarye not onely to satisfy honger and to quenche thurste but also too expell and remoue them that the poore manne shall neuer honger nor thyr●te agayne And not onelye that but also for euer worlde withoute ende thys poore manne shall ●well and inherete by the mercy of hys heauenlye kynge the ioyes euerlastinge And thys laste translation or allegorye is in manner not onelye a repetytion of the fyrste in other woordes but also a declaration and more plaine openings of the prophets mynde what he meaneth in thys celestiall hymne The texte of the psalme   ¶ The partes of the psalme The Lord feedeth me c. 1. Who it is that hathe the cure and charge of mannes lyfe and salvation In pleasaunte pastures 2. Wherein the lyfe and saluatyon of manne consysteth He shal conuert my soule 3. Howe man is broughte to the knowledge of lyfe and saluation For his names sake 4. Wherefore man is broughte too lyfe and saluatyon Althoughe I walke throughe the valley 5. What trouble maye happen too suche as haue lyfe and saluation For thou arte wythe me 6. Whereby the trouble of Goddes people is ouercome I wyll dwel in the house of the Lorde 7. What the ende of Gods troubled and afflycted people shall be ¶ The first part of the psalme .1 Who it is that hathe the cure and charge of mannes life and saluation The Texte ¶ The Lorde feedeth me and I shall want nothinge The explanation KYng Dauid saith the lord feedeth him wherfore he can lack nothing to liue a vertuous and Godlye lyfe In this first parte some thynges are to be consydered First of God that feedeth and nexte of man that is fedde God that feedeth Dauid calleth by the name of a shepeheard and his people he calleth by the name of sheepe By this name of a shephearde the prophete openeth and disclosethe the nature of God to all his miserable and lost creatures that he is contente not onely to wish and desire manne that is loste to be founde and restored agayne but also doth seke and trauayle to restore and bringe hym home agayne As it is written in Esay the porphet he shall gather togeyther hys lambes in hys arme And in Ezechiell the prophet the lord sayth behold I wyl requyre my flocke of the sheepeheardes c. And I wyll delyuer my slocke frome theyr mouthe and they shall be no more their meate for thus sayth the Lorde beholde I wyll searche oute my sheepe and wyll vysit them as a shepehearde doeth visite hys sheepe when he is in the myddes of his scattered sheepe so wyll I visit my shepe and delyuer them frome all places where as they haue bene scattered c And Ieremy the prophet in the same sorte declareth the nature of God towards the loste flocke saying he that despersed Israel shall gather him together agayne and keepe him as the shepehearde kepeth his flocke Christ our sauiour nameth him selfe a good shepehearde and sayeth that he was sent to call such as were not sheepe of the vtt●r marke signe in y e world to be his shepe This nature of the heauenly father saw kinge Dauid when he said at the beginninge of this heauenly himn● The lord feedeth me c. When he is assured of Gods mercifull nature that seketh the lost shepe he openeth farther the nature of god what he will do w̄t the shepe which he findeth feade hym sayth the prophet Dauid and putteth him selfe for an exsample Here is the mercye of the great sheepehearde farther declared that he killeth not his shepe robbe●h them not but seedeth and nourisheth them Of this speaketh the prophet Ezechiell in the parson of almightye God I my selfe wyll feede my shepe and make that they shall rest quietly saieth the Lorde God That whiche is lost I wil seeke such as go astray I wyl bringe agayn such as be wounded I wyl binde vp such as be weake I wil make strong but such as be fat strong those wil I roote out I wil feede my shepe in reason iudgemēt And the great shepeherd Christ saith whether his shepe go in or oute they shal finde pa●ture After that this kynge hathe opened in this hymne y ● Gods nature is not onelye to seeke the loste shepe but also when he hath founde him to feede him then he addeth in his hymne after what sorte hee feedethe hym So that I shall lacke nothinge saith the prophete Heare is the declaring of the greate shepeheardes pasture wherewith he feedethe the flocke of his pasture Christe expresseth the same wonderfullye in the openinge of hys offyce and doctryne vntoo the worlde in Sayncte Iohn sayinge I came that they mighte haue lyfe and haue it moste aboundauntelye And talkinge with the poore woman of Samaria ●olde her that the drinke he woulde geue her shoulde be water of life And to y ● capernattes he said y t meat which he wold geue them shuld worke eternall saluation As theese properties be in God the shepeherd as the prophet hath marked euen in the lyke sorte be the contrarye condicions in man the sheepe he speakethe of For as the nature of God is too seeke so is the nature of man to go a straye As the p●ophet saieth I haue strayed like a wandringe sheepe And euen so doeth Esaye write of al man kynde All we haue erred sayeth he as sheepe goinge a straye Christ our sauiour also in sainte Mathewe doth bewayle the people of the world that stray as shepe that had no shepeherd Saint Peter likewise sayth vnto his cuntremen that he wryteth vnto ye were as shepe that went a stray but ye be conuerted now vnto the shepehearde and pastoure of your soules And as the nature of man is to stray from God so

hath stretched foorthe his hande alwayes to a rebellious and obsti●ate people that wyll not learne nor knowe his holye wyll Agayne the other sorte that knowe and haue learned the Lordes wyll and pleasure and yet prepare not them selues to do hys wyl shall be beaten wyth manye stripes saye●● oure sau●oure Christ. And the Lorde in Sayncte Mathewe doeth wondē●fully charge both suche as igno●●ntly do offende and those that do● with knowledge offende those also that be ca●led vppon to amendemente in fayth charity and those that b● not called vpon by preachinge of the truthe and sayteh the greater d●●natyo● is vppon suche as knowe or ●yghte knowe or ●s when they do knowe they be nothynge the better for theyr knowledge He putiethe foorth there foure cityes Choro●aim and Bethsaida Li●e and S●●one ●w● of them manye ●ymes admony●he● by Christ to amend The other 〈◊〉 no● so called vppon neuerthel●ss●●othe of them the Lorde wyll iudge but most seuerlye such as negl●●t the worde of God when it is offered Therfore it is not enough for a man to ●arken or beare reade or learne Goddes woorde but ●e must be ruled by Gods worde frame his whole life after Gods worde and before all thinges avoyde ydolatrye by Gods worde as kynge Dauyd sayth i● thi● psalme that the Lorde dyd not o●elye conuerte his soule but ●roughte him in to the pathes of iustyce Let euery man and woman therfore ●●●nke wyth them selues what kno●ledge they haue receyued of God For ●e that hath receaued most shall make accompte for moste and the more he knoweth and abuse th● his knowledge the more shall be his damnation and in case they knowe nothynge at all and he neuer the better for all the preachynge of the Lordes woorde let them take heede what persons they bee and in what place they haue dwelled In case theyr pouertye was suche that they coulde not heare and theyr dwelling where as was no preachinge at all yet be they vnder the iudgement and damnation of God because the know not as Li●e and Sydon were If they were of such state as they might haue come if they woulde and hadde preachers to tell them the truthe in case they woulde haue harde the truthe suche menne and women shall be the more in daunger of Gods seuere iust iudgement For God doth not onelye take an accompte of that menne haue receaued if they vse not gods giftes wel but also straytelye requirethe of them that myghte haue learned the thinge that eyther ●yllingelye or obstinatelye they re●●sed too learne as ye maye see by Chorozaim and Bethsaida God wil as wel take an accompte of him that refused too receaue the gyfte of Gods woorde as he requireth an accompt of him that hath receaued it and abbused it Whereby we learne that not onelye the manne that abuseth Gods woorde shall be damned but also be that wyll not learne Goddes worde Kynge Dauid had the worde offered he receaued it and was caried therebye in too the pathes of iustice and lyued Godlye thereafter Nowe he goeth foorthe and sheweth wherefore manne is broughte to life and saluation ¶ The .4 parte of the psalme ¶ Wherefore man is broughte to lyfe and saluation The Texte ¶ For his names sake The explanation HE brought not me to life and saluation sayeth the prophet for anye m●rytes or deserninges of myne but for hys owne infinite goodnes sake And what so euer euyll hath bene done and synne commytted all theese thinges I ascribe to my corrupte nature and accuse my selfe too be the doet of them ▪ but if any thinge haue bene thought sayed or done that is vertuous and Godlye that I wholye ascribe and attribute vnto the mercy of God that gaue me a good mynde to wyshe too do well and also strength to doo the thinges that he gaue me wyll too wyshe Of this parte of the psalme we learne that manne can neyther wyshe nor speake nor do any thing nor yet vnderstande anye thinge that good is but onlye throughe the mercye of God who maketh of an ignoraunte man a man of knowledge of an vnwilling● man a willinge man of an euyll speaker a good speaker of an euyl doer a good doer Therefore S. Paule when he seeth that the nature of man wil take vpon her to be y ● authour of any good thing he acuseth and condemneth her of arrogancy pride saying what hast thou that thou hast not receaued If thou hast receiued whye doest thou glory as though thou receauedest not And in the same Epistle he sayeth that he preached Christe crucifyed whiche was a slaunder too the Iewes and a foolishenes to the gentiles ye● saith he the foolyshenesse of God is wyser then menne and the weakenesse of God stronger then menne And that had kinge Dauid good experience of when he sayd the Lorde ruleth me and I lacke nothinge he putteth me in a swete pasture and leadeth me by the ryuers syde hee turnethe my soule and conducteth me in too the waye and pathe of iustyce for hys names sake and for his mercies sake He sawe the deu●ll the worlde hys fleshe and sinne all conquered by the power of God and for hys names sake broughte bothe to lyue and also vertuously to lyue to his honour that gaue the lyfe and too his owne saluation that receaued the life All oure teachinge a great many of yeares and also youre whole laboures haue bene ch●fely too knowe the miserye of man and the mercy of almightye God Wherefore it shall not nede longe too tarye in openinge of thys place of the psalme for ye be ryche in God in these two poyntes God geue you grace wel to vse them Yet in anye case we must remember that our soules be turned from sinne and we accepted as the people of euerlastinge lyfe onelye for Goddes mercyes sake So doeth kynge Dauid wonderfullye open vntoo vs in the. xxxii psalme where as he sayeth blessed be they whose synnes are forgeuen and whose transgressions be couered blessed is the man to whom the Lorde imputeth not his synne Of the which wordes we learne that the Godlye kinge called those happy and blessed not that be cleane and pure withoute synne for there is no ●uche man in this lyfe but those bee blessed whose sinnes the mercye of God forgeuethe and they be onelye suche as vnfaynedlye acknowledge theyr synne and stedfastelye fr●me their harts bel●ue that the death and passi●n of Iesus Christ is the onelye exp●a●ion purginge thereof As S. Paule wonderfully expoundeth Dauids words in hys Epistle to the Romaynes As the prophet by thees● wordes for hys names sake ●●clareth that there is nothing in him nor in anye other man wherefore God shoulde turne the soule of man from death to lyfe from errour ●o truth from the hatred of God to gods loue fr●●e wandringe a stray to a stablisshed contynuaunce in the veritye of Goddes worde but onelye Goddes mercye So doeth he in other of

and matched with swyne too feede like swyne eate lyke swyne suche meate as swyne eate remembringe that the worste in his father● house was a prince and noble kynge in comparyson and respecte of hym then also beinge perswaded of his fathers mercy he returned and his father brought him in to his pleasant swete pastures gaue him his old fauour and accustomed apparell again as a manne to keepe companye with men and no more wyth adulterou● men and vncleane swyne Howe be it be came not to his olde honoure ●gayne tyll the Lorde had practysed in him that he practised in thys prophet kynge Dauid animam meam conuertit h● conu●rted and tourned mysoule It is but a folye for a man to flatter him selfe as thoughe he were a christian man when his hearte and soule is not turned vntoo the Lorde he shall neuer feede in the pastures of lyfe but be an hipocryte all the dayes of his life as the moste parte of the worlde be that professe Christ● name at thys presente daye They saye they bee conuerted frome the worlde too God when there is nothinge wythin the pastures of Gods worde but that they wyll contemne rather then too haue as muche as an cuyll looke of the worlde for it They saye they be conuerted to God when they be contented with the worlde to ●onoure that for God that is b●t breade and wyne in the matter and substaunce as the scrypture of God and the holye churche of Christ haue taught beleued these 1500. y●ars and more Oh. Lord be these menne turned to thee be these the men that shall dwell wyth thee in thy holye mounte of Sy●n and stande in thy holy place Maye doubtlesse for they be not turned ●o thee but from thee and be not with thee but agai●st tho● They speake wyth the and yet theyr deede● dishonour thee they talke of truthe and practise lies What good lorde shall thy symple and poore vnlearned shepe doe Where shall they seeke thy truth For the ●hepeheards say sing this psalme euery weeke at euery dirige for the dead yet thei be not conuerted in their spirites too thee that thou mightest lead thē in to the pathes of righteousnes But lord there is no manne nowe in maner that dare accuse them they destroye them selues and thy sheepe and no man can be suffered with gods word to remedye it Notwythstandyng● good Lorde although in this world none maye accuse them yet they in the worlde to come shall haue kinge Dauid whose psalmes they dayelye reade and in whome they moste glorye too accuse them both of here●ye and blasphemye as Moses shall accuse the wycked Iewes whome they moost glorye of For as the Iewes r●dd● the scripture of Moses and yet w●●●neuer the better so these priestes of Antichrist reade the holy scripture and yet neyther the people nor they them selues are any thinge the better And in this they passe the abhomynation of the Iewes and Turkes For they were and yet be content that theyr bokes of religion shall be vsed in theyr churches in the vulgare and common tonge but these enemies of god and man wold not haue the worde that God hathe appoynted for all mens saluation to be vsed in anye tonge but in the latten The God therfore of ●eace that broughte agayne from death to life the greate shepehearde of the sh●epe by the bloude of the euerlastinge tement oure Lorde Iesus Chris● conuerie the soules and heartes of all those that cause the sheepe of God thus to eate and feede vppon the carine and infected pastures of meunes tradicions Amen Now as kinge Dauid in this text hath wonderfully set forth the miserable nature of all Gods sheepe and put him selfe for an example that the nature and condicion of all menne is corrupt wycked and damnable so that it can not be partaker of gods benediction and euerlastinge grace excepte it be borne a newe amended restored and instructed So likewise he sheweth that none conuerteth the soule of man but the heauenly father the great shepeheard that both seeth the loste state of his shepe wylleth of his mercy the saluatiō and calling of the shepe home again and then he proceedeth further shewethe what the heauenlye shepehearde wyll doe wyth his sheepe he sayeth he wyll leade them in to the pathes of iustice Wherein the prophet declareth that it is not onelye God that conuerteth the man from ●uyll but also he alone that keepeth him in goodnes an vertue And therein is shewed a wonderfull myserye and wretchednes in the soule and bodye of man that can neither begynne nor yet continue in a lyfe acceptable vnto God except● that God wholye wooreke the same hymselfe And as it declareth the wonderfull wretchednes of man so doeth it many felte and sette foorthe a wonderfull and vnspeakeable mercy and compassion of god towards man ▪ that so meruailouslye and graciously he can be contente to healpe and saue his ennemye and verye aduersar●e But herein is required of as manye as the Lorde conuerteth frome iniquity and synfull lyuinge that they walke in the same lawe and vse their conuersation in equitye and iustice as it becometh obediente men and women redemed with the shepeheards precious bloud For the Lor● do●th not teache his sheepe the trut● that they should liue in falshode neither g●ueth he them the remission of theyr sinnes that they should returne to the same agayne but because they shoulde ●tudiouslye applye and ●●lygentlye excercyse the● selues in vertuous woorkes too the honour of almightye God There be two sortes of people that the Lorde wyll iudge and punishe in the later daye wyth extreame ire and ●ustice The one sorte ●e called vpon to learne the knowledge of god and of Gods honoure as gods word co●maundethe but they wyll not heare nor obey the calling but know god learne God as the custome and maner of the world is to knowe him and learne him thoughe it ●e neuer so farre frome the truthe And the other sorte be contented to heare and learne to knowe God and too serue ●im as he teacheth in his holye and most pure worde but in theyr harts consente not to theyr knowledge but contrarye to it they do out●ward seruice to a false god frame their conuersation both in religion ●owards God and their maners toward men as men of the world do So that god hath no more reuerence of hym that knoweth the truth thē of him that i● ignoraunte of the truthe Esaye the prophet speaketh agaynst y t first sort of menne that wyll not heare when they be called nor learne when they be taught and saith when other men shall laughe they shall weepe when ●ther be merye they shall be sorye when other be whole they shall bee sycke when other men shal lyue they shal die and when other men reioyce in myrthe they shall lament● in sorowe And good cause whye sayth saint Paule for the Lord

hys psalmes alwayes when hee entreateth of ●●ddes mercye and of mans synne set foorthe manne so naked and vyle as a thynge mooste des●itu●● of all bra●●he and saluatyon and she w●th that none of these gyfts remyssion of synne acceptation in to Goddes loue and fauoure pasturinge of ●h●m wy●h his moste blessed worde canne happen vnto anye other sauinge vnto suche as do knowe and earnestlye confesse that they bee synners and infected wyth manye contagious and daungerous infirm●tyes And therefore he sayeth in the seconde verse of the psalme aboue mencioned blessed is he to whom the Lorde imputeth no synne and in whose spirite there is no guyle For there is no geater guyle nor more daunger in man than to thynke hym selfe to be somewhat when he is nothinge in dede or elles to thinke hym selfe to be of such purity of mynd as thoughe he needed not thys free remission and fauoure of God And as there is nothinge more proude and arrogant then such a mind so ther is nothing in man more detestable and miserable Of the contrary part they be blessed that honger and thurst for iustice for God fylleth the hongrye with good thyngs but the proude he sendethe a waye emptye And that knewe this holy prophet right well that it was humility and the casting doune of him selfe y ● was most acceptable vnto God and the seekinge of wealth and saluation onelye for hys names sake that is too saye for his mercye promysed in the deathe and passion of his onely sonne oure sauioure Christe In the ende of the. xxxii psalme kinge Dauid that hadde thus humbled hym selfe bringeth in god that speaketh vnto him whyles he is thus makinge his complaynte of his corrupte nature and synfull lyfe saying in this maner intellectum tibi dabo c. that is to say I wyll geue thee vnderstandinge and instructe thee in the waye thou shalte go and wyll haue myne eyes euer vppon thee Wherin he declareth that such humbled menne and lowelye persons as knowe theyr iniquitye shall haue vnderstandinge of God and shal not swarue from the right waies not for theyr dedes and their deseruings but for his mercye that vouchsafeth to instruct and teach thē And so lykewise doeth this godlye kinge shew in this psalme The Lorde rulethe me and I lacke nothynge he ●eedeth me in sweete pastures and leadeth me by the riuers syde he tourneth my soule and bringeth me in too the pathes of righteousnes and all for his names sake When he hathe opened the saluation of manne and also the cause thereof and wherein it consisteth he procedeth to the v. parte of his oration and holy himne ¶ The .5 parte of the psalme ¶ What trouble maye happen too suche as God geueth lyfe and saluation vnto The texte ¶ Althoughe I walke thorowe the valley and shadowe of death I wyl feare no euyl for thou arte with me ¶ The explanation SEinge I haue suche a guyde and defendour ther is no difficultye of perryll nor feare of death that I wyll passe of For what harme can death do to him that hath God the authoure of all lyfe wyth hym Or what can the tyrany of man do where as God is the defendoure In this first parte kynge Dauid sheweth how the Lorde God doeth exercise his shepe that he fedeth with his blessed worde in daungers and troubles and also howe he wyll defende them in the myddes of theyr troubles what so euer they bee In the firste wordes of the. v. parte of this sacrate and holye hymne the prophet declareth that the lyfe of Gods sheepe and people in thys worlde canne not bee wythonte daungers and troubles Therefore Christ sayth that he came too ●ut fyre in the worlde and that the same fyer should burne meaning that he came too preache suche a doctrine as ●●oulde moue dissention and dyscorde betwene frende and frende the father and the sonne and sette them at debate Not that his worde is a learninge or doctrine of dissention and discorde of it selfe but that by the malice of men that can not abyde t● be rebuked by the woorde of God they wyll be alwayes at discorde and variaunce with the woorde of God and wyth anye freende or ●oo that teacheth it And the same doth Christ onre heauenly shepehearde shewe vs both in his doctrine and in his lyfe who was hated and troubled more then anye manne before or sythens hys tyme and assurcthe all hys too haue troubles in this world yea and death also But it forceth not for he fayeth I haue ouercome the worlde And what so euer the daun●ers bee and ●owe horrible so euer they seme Christ beynge wyth vs we nede not to feare Therefore in thys ●●ynte the prophet correcteth the foolishe opinonion of manne that would lyue as one of the sheepe of God in thys world wythoute troubles It is contrarye both to the personne that professeth God and also to the religion that he is professed vntoo for in the worlde bothe shall be as Christe sayeth hated Of whych hatred cometh persecution and troubles so that the people of God shall whether they wyll or wyll not passe throughe manye daungers and no lesse perylous then the shadowes and verye ymage of death as here kinge Dauid sheweth in this hoolsome and blessed hymne And as he seeth righte well that the state and condicion of Gods people and shepe is too be troubled for Christes sake and his woorde Euen so dyd Zacharye the prophet speake of Christ and his people howe that not onelye the shepe shoulde be troubled and scattered abroade but also the shepehearde shoulde be strycken with the swearde that bothe sheepe and shepehearde shoulde be condemned in this world But nowe as Dauid and Zac●arye declare that th● lyfe and condicion of Christe and his shepe be troublous in the worlde So do they bothe declare that what so euer the troubles bee they be bothe knowen and appointed vpon whom they shall fall and in what time they shall trouble the shepe of God so that they canne come no sooner then God appointeth nor do anye more har●● then the heauenlye shepehearde shal appoynte them to doo And this we may see and learne as well in Christ as in hys sheepe How manye tymes dyd the priestes and Phariseys conspyre Christes death Yet because his tyme was not come they hadde not theyr purpose but when the tyme of God was come Christe sayed too his sheepe ye shall be all troubled this night for my cause for the shepe●earde shall bee strycken and the sheepe shall bee scattered abroade Then as God hadde appoynted the tyme it could be no longer differred And because they shoulde not mysse of hym whose death they sought he came and mette them and offred hym self vnto them and said that he was the same manne Iesus of Nazareth whom they soughte And when they had taken him and vsed as much crueltye towards hym as theyr wycked malyce and deuylyshe