Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	faith_n	grace_n	repentance_n	2,335	5	7.5639	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A72769	The exercise of a Christian life written by G.L. ; being the first ground and foundaion [sic], whence the two treatises appertaining to resolution, were made and framed, by R.P.; Esercizio della vita cristiana. English	Loarte, Gaspare, d. 1578.; Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610.; Banister, Mr.	1594 (1594)	STC 16644.5; ESTC S2211	82,607	248

restore or h●●le one of thine eies or any other mem●er that thou lackest The benefite of preseruation howe euery moment The benefit of preseruation he preserueth and keepeth thee which if hee did not thou shouldest foorthwith returne to that nothing which thou wert first made of And this is asmuch as though hee created thee anewe besides thy preseruation he hath made al the other Creatures that be in the vniuersal World whereof some bee to nourish thee some to cloath thee other to yeelde thee honest delight and recreation to all thy sences other to cure thy griefes and sicknesses and finallie al the creatures thou seest vnder the Cope of heauen yea and Heauen it selfe too shalt thou find how God hath created for some vse and seruice of thine Weigh now wel if thou wouldest thinke thy selfe so greatly bound to one that had bestowed some Iewel or other gratious guift vppon thee howe much more art thou to repute thee bound and indebted to him that hath heaped so manie gifts togither vpō thee that without any mite of thine own meriting Think afterwards of the benefite of redemption which containeth in it al the things thy sweet Sauiour did and suffered for thy raunsome paying first how he discended from heauen to earth for thee The benefit of redemption and beeing borne was for thee laid in a maunger for thee began he the eight day after his birth to shed his precious blood for thee did hee all his life long endure so innumerable annoiances paines persecutions in going sweating preaching fasting watching praying and finally for thee did hee suffer the most grieuous bitter torments anguishes and ignomious reproches that may be possible rehearsed being obedient euen vnto the death of the crosse If thou ponder these things more particularly and by peece-meal they will yeelde matter enough to enflame thy heart with zeale be it neuer so frozen and prouoke thee to loue him who hath so dearly loued thee and with so great a price redeemed thee Secondly call to mind the particular benefits thou hast receiued chiefly Particular benefits The benefite of vocation that of thy vocation how god through his great mercie hath called thee to his holie faith and baptisme wherein hee bestowed his grace gifts vpon thee whereof an infinite number of other nations neuer tasted Think how many times thou hast lost his grace through thy sinnes and yet God hath forborne and staied for thy repentance yea prouoked thee thereunto by many godly inspirations and after hath receiued thee againe and forgiuen thee Consider also the remedies he hath left thee to recouer keep encrease this grace and spirituall life withall which are the holy Sacraments for the which he deserueth to bee highlie thanked as hauing vouchsafed to leaue vs so great a treasure Thinke also how manie other particular benefites he hath done and doth daylie bestowe vpon thee giuing thee more temporall riches more honour more abilitie more powers more prosperitie then others recuring thine infirmities deliuering thee from many perils relieuing thy necessities with other innumerable and hidden benefits that thou thy selfe art ignorant of Thirdly consider that if thou hadst receyued the aforesayde benefites or any one of them of what man so euer how entirelie thou wouldest haue loued and thanked him and how willinglie thou wouldest haue drudged to do him anie kind of seruice thought no paines too great to haue shewed thee gratefull vnto him howe much more reason is it then thou shewe thy selfe such a one towards thy heauenly Lord and God to whom for his great goodnesse thou art more deepelie indebted and the more woorthie to bee beloued and serued Do that Dauid sayeth Let thy soule blesse the Psal 12. 0 Lorde and neuer forget his so manifolde benefites For if hee see thee thankefull hauing his benefites alwayes in minde and yeelding laudes and prayses to the giuer thou shalt euery day month and yeere receiue more reliefe and new bounties at his most bountifull hand These bee the meditations which thou maist make on Euenings or in an other weeke obseruing alwayes in the beginning and ending of each one what hath beene foretolde thee in the former Chapter Other Meditations wherein the better learned may at other times exercise themselues certaine also for the simpler sort wherein the mysteries of the life of Christ be intreated of Cap. 10. FOrasmuch as this exercise of praier is of so great profite and that wherewith the spirituall life is as it were nourished and sustained I haue thought good as amplie to entreat therof And wil adde somewhat more in this chapter to that which hath beene saide already desiring to satisfie both the learned and the ignorant that is to say both those that bee more capable of this exercise and such as haue not so great capacitie For the first sort wherof the former meditations bee most fit and fruitfull neuerthelesse to the ende they may haue more ample matter to meditate vpon some weeks they may The life of Christ diuided into three parts 1 intermeddle the Meditations of the life of Christ which is diuided into three parts or periods The first is of the incarnation of the son of God vntill his baptisme wherin are contained his incarnation natiuitie circumcision adoration in the Temple flight into Egypt returning to Nazareth and the doctors in the Temple where the blessed virgin had lost him of all the which mysteries S. Luke and S. Mathew write in their first chapters of their Gospels A man may meditate likewise what he did from 12 yeeres vpward vntill his baptisme according to euery one their godly deuotion for that wee find nothing written thereof in the holy Gospel The second part of Christ his life beginneth at his baptisme and continueth vntill his sacred passion wherein are comprehended his baptisme fasting temptation in the wildernesse his preachings and manie miracles hee wrought vntill his last supper whereof the historie of each one may bee gathered out of the holie Gospels The third part comprehendeth his last supper his passion his resurrection and ascention whereof I haue alreadie intreated in the seuenth Chapter These Meditations of the life and myracles of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ may be fitly distributed and meditated in one or two weekes by such as haue ley sure and learning to gather the storie out of the holie Gospell obseruing pardie in all their meditations the aduices and instructions aboue said especially of picking fruitfull notes and doctrine for their soules out of these holie instructions and of gouerning themselues in the beginning and ending of each one as is aforesaid Certaine remedies for such as could not happilie finde sauour or deuotion in the former meditations Cap. 11. WOtting wel as I haue alreadie sayde what great good this exercise of prayer doth purchase to our soules I haue in this respect beene more willing to extende my selfe a little the further in entreating

considering that a good Christian oughte to dispouse himselfe in such wise thereto as if hee were that night to depart this life The manner how to prepare thy self is this first kneeling downe deuoutly Foure principall points to be considered giue god most humble thanks for hauing preserued thee that day 2. and require the light of his grace to vnderstand and knowe thy faults but chiefly those that thou hast committed that present day 3. examine afterwards thy conscience at leysure and with good deliberation discussing howe and in what things thou hast bestowed the same and where thou findest thee guiltie of any offence 4. be sorrowfull for it and ask God hartily mercy Purpose also to amende thy life hereafter but finding not thy conscience guiltie of any such offence yeeld him humble thanks who hath preserued thee And finally beseech him to defende thee the night following from all the deceipts and illusions of the Diuell granting thee conucnient rest for thy soules health and health of thy bodie And thus maiest thou go to bed commending thy selfe to the defence of almightie god disposing thy self in honest and decent wise considering that God and his angels do behold thee to the which God thou must not fail to recommend thy selfe It shall be likewise verie good to remember otherwhiles that euen as thou now laiest thy selfe downe in bed so shall others one day couch thee downe in thy graue and ponder well that this must needes be the ende of all the riches pompes and honours and of the whole pride and glorie of this worlde say therefore as thou lyest some short prayer namely the Lordes prayer crauing Gods good helpe and assistaunce for that last houre of so great dreade and importaunce And beware in anie wise of lying on too daintie and soft a bedde calling to minde that narrowe and hard Couch of the Crosse which for thy sake our Sauiour laie vppon and thus mayest thou fall a sleepe eyther with this or such like godly thoughtes And looke that when thou chauncest at any time to wake thou haue God by and by in thy minde and let thy mouth bee filled with his prayses saying some verse to thanke and blesse him or to recommende thy selfe to his diuine mercie and when thou risest againe in the morning behaue thy selfe as is aforesaid The exercises wherein a good Christian ought to occupie himselfe on holy daies Cap. 4. HAuing declared alredy what order thou oughtest to keep in thine exercises each working day through the week it resteth now to teach thee how thou art to behaue thy selfe on the Sabboth day the which wee are precisely commaunded to sanctifie and keepe holy It behoueth therfore that we toile not onelie and take no seruile paines on those dayes but that we dedicate our selues more diligently to gods seruice and to the exercise of spirituall good and godly works that by those meanes wee may sanctifie the same dayes by indeuoring our selues to haue more holinesse on them On sundaies therefore thou shalte dispose thy life and exercise in this order After thou art got vppe in the morning offer and commend thy selfe to thy Lorde and maker as on other daies and make thy praiers read some parte of Scripture with mediration preparing thy selfe to go to Church to praie and to heare the worde of God and to receaue the holie Sacrament if thou be minded so to do that day When thou hast thus don and left such order for thy temporall matters at home as shal be meet get thee then to Church to prayer and to some sermon especiallie at such times as thou purposest to receaue if conuenientlie thou canst And take heede in the waie to Churchward thou rolle not thine eyes vppe and downe gasing here and there especially at thine entry into the Church but retire then home in modest and deuoute wise and calling to mind thine owne vnworthynesse and manifolde sins be sorrow full for them asking God mercie and forgiuenesse And then maist thou say that sentence of the Psalme Putting my trust and confidence in thy mercie O Lorde I Psalm 5. will enter into thy holie Temple in thy fear Place thy selfe afterwards in humble and contrite wise like to the publican in some conuenient roome there to heare atteutiuely both praier sermon which are by the Preacher declared in that place and alwaies to remaine in the vnitie of the holy Church and al the faithfull and liuely members of Christ that thou maiest afterwarde enioy euerlasting happines with them in the triumphant church aboue Now at such time as publike praier beginneth lift thou vp thy minde and heart with thanksgiuing praising God when shee praiseth him praying when shee praieth and for the same things shee praieth giuing thanks when she doth and so in all things imitating her and conforming thy selfe to hir If there be a sermon that Sunday or holy day giue eare thereto with good and great zeale and attention preparing thy selfe before it beginne by estraunging thy minde from forraigne thoughts and making thy praier to God that it may please him to minister such speeche and spirit vnto the Preacher wherwith he may both profite thee and others and then maiest thou say with Samuell Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth 1. Kin. 3. Of such thinges as the Preacher shal deliuer in his Sermon thou oughtest to committe some such lessons to memorie as shal most concerne thee and that chiefly hath mooued thee supposing our Lord himselfe had deliuered the same vnto thee These be the chiefest exercises wherein thou art to spend the forenoon till dinner time and then behaue thy selfe as on other dayes Hauing then paused a little while after dinner it were a verie fruitefull exercise if thou couldest conueniently vse it to instruct and teach thy familie in the Christian fayth or learne thy selfe if thou vnderstand it not well whereby euerie way doth ensue great gaine for if thou teach others that bee ignorant thou exercisest one of the seuen spirituall woorkes of mercie and if thou Iam. 5. learne thy selfe of others thou winnest that which it behooued thee to know and that is more precious then mountaines of worldly wealth After this exercise thou maist goe and heare Euening prayer and some good lesson if there be anie gouerning thy selfe in all things as is abouesayde in the morning This being done imploy the spare time till night in doing some deede of mercy as in visiting some hospitall or prison comforting performing som Iames 1. charitable office to those weake and comfortlesse Creatures or otherwise thou mayest associate thy selfe with some vertuous companions to report or heare some spirituall discourses or reade some godlie booke or finde thee occupied in some such like honest exercise and if so bee thou thinkest it otherwhile expedient to walke abroad for recreation let it bee in some secrete and solitarie place where other secular persons come not to disturbe thee and with their prophane