Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	full_a	lord_n	psal_n	2,435	5	7.5110	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15496	The anchor of faith Vpon which, a Christian may repose in all manner of temptations. Especially in that great and dangerous gulfe of desperation. Wherein so many ouer-whelmed with the weight and burthen of their sinne, and not resisting themselues by the hand of faith, vpon the promises and inuitations of Christ, haue with Caine and Judas most fearefully fallen and shipwrackt themselues, to the vtter confusion both of body and soule for euer.; Physicke, to cure the most dangerous disease of desperation	Willymat, William, d. 1615.	1628 (1628)	STC 25763.5; ESTC S102508	45,869	112

the law of his spirit which maketh vs to liue in him and hath set vs free from the right of sin and death in such sort that wee may no more feare sinne nor death by Iesus Christ who hath ouercome all for our wealth and hath reconciled vs eternally to his Father who as our deare Father from hence-forth will shew fauour vnto vs for the loue of Iesus Christ his deare Sonne and so will take from vs all our sinnes as though we had neuer committed them Euen so doth he promise saying Mich. 7.18 19. God is one God willing to shew vs grace mercy he wil turn to vs wil be fauourable he wil take away our iniquities cast our sinns into the depth of the sea And again it is said of Gods wōderfull mercies The Lord is full of compassiō mercy Psal 103.8.9.10 c long suffering of great goodnes He wil not alwaies be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for euer He hath not delt with vs after our sins nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities For look how high the heauen is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercy also towards them that feare him Looke how wide also the east is from the west so far hath he set our sins frō vs. Yea like as a father pittieth his own children euen so is the Lord merciful vnto them that feare him for he knoweth wherof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust c. Of the great mercies of God towards sinners read more in Psal 145.8.9 Places of holy Scriptures setting forth Gods great mercies and 147.8.10 in Ioel. 2.13 Math. 18.11 2. Cor. 1.3 Eph. 2.4 1. Tim. 1.13 vnto the 18. verse Surely these places are words of most rare and singuler comfort and they be certaine firme sure and vnchangeable spoken and pronounced by the eternall verity it selfe therefore not to be mistrusted or dispaired of But yet let vs take heed least that verse be verified in vs Stulti cum vitant vitia in contraria currunt Let vs not abuse Gods mercies making a cloake thereof to couer our sinnes Let vs not presume too far and say as in Ecclesiastic 5.6 The mercy of God is great he wil forgiue my manifold sins for mercy wrath commeth from him c. CHAP. 4 The fourth Chapter concerning the Remedies to be vsed against the fourth cause of Desperatiō arising of the doubts suggested by the Diuel vnto many men to bring them into dispayre of their saluation by meanes of the small number of those that shall be saued in comparison of the great nūber of the reprobate A catalogue or rehearsall of many thinges whereby the Diuell craftily tempteth men to sin and desperation GReat indeed is the power manifold meruailous are the polices deuices wiles subtilties assaults and suggestions wherewith and wherby that wylie Foxe that old bitten Dogge that subtle Sathan the Diuell dayly and hourely practiseth to entice allure and euen as it were to force multitudes of men heare on earth into one sinne or other wherunto he findeth and proueth them to be naturally inclined and last of all vpon one occasion or other into Desperation If he espieth a man to be rich How the diuel tempteth by riches and to haue worldly blessings through the gift of God then will he apply him earnestly by his prosperity to lull him asleepe in the forgetfulnesse of God in worldly Pleasures pleasant Vanities transitory delights comforts and solaces and by trusting in his riches to lift vp himselfe arrogantly aboue others to swell in pride and to contemne his brethren committing and that with great sawcinesse and boldnesse manie fond palpable and grosse errors and follies against Gods word euen as if hee should say Who is the Lord On the other side if a man be poore he laboureth therby to make him contemptible before the world How the diuel tempteth by pouerty to pinch and nip him with the want of many thinges necessary both for backe and belly that hee seeth before his face many others haue in great in aboundant measure he soliciteth him to steale Pro. 30.9 to take the name of God in vaine to seeke after gaine by vnhonest vnlawfull and vngodly meanes to murmure distrust blaspheme and despayre How the Diuell tempteth by friends Gen. 3.6 Iob. 2.9 Ester 5.14 If a man haue friends he will vse them as his instruments to tempt vnto some euill by their lewd and wicked counsaile as he did procure Euah to doe vnto Adam Iob his wife to Iob. Haman his Wife vnto Haman How the Diuell tempteth by enemies If thou hast enemies then will he prick thee foreward by their procedings and dealings against thee vnto vniust choller wicked anger and diuelish reuenge If thou be carefull for thy family wife and children he will take hold vpon that occasiō to stuffe thy heart with too much desire of hauing How the Diuell tempteth by carefulnes and getting by right or by wrong and thereby through extreame couetousnes make thee to forgoe all godlines and piety How the Diuell tempteth by security and carelesnes On the other side if thou be careles that 's it that he can make vse of also for as S. Bernard saith Infert diabolus securitatē vt inferat etiam perditionem c. In heauē Angels became diuels In Paradise Adam and Euah fel into disobedience In the schoole of Christ Iudas became a traitor to his Lord Maister al this saith S. Bern. through security and retchlesnes to keepe themselues in that good state wherein they were once set Hast thou strength thereby will hee take occasion to embolden and harden thee to doe iniury and wrong and to set vpon thy weaker Hast thou health and a strong able body How the Diuell tempteth by strength by health ablenesse of body beauty by those will hee induce and entice thée to one kinde or other of lewdnes and dissolutnes Hast thou beauty that will he make an instrument for bawdry an inticemēt and an allurement to voluptuousnes wanton delights Hast thou honour and dignity in the world How the diuel tempteth by honour and dignity thereby will he blow the bellows of pride audacity and boldnesse to oppresse to crush and tread vnder foote thine inferiours Hast thou viuacity How the Diuell tempteth by quicknes of spirit sharpnes of wit quicknes of spirit and sharpenes of wit and learning these also will he striue to abuse wrest to serue his turne to excogitate inuent and deuise a thousand vanities yea all the rare and excellent guiftes of God which God doth bestow on any man this Diuell this arch-enemy of mankind will leaue no waies nor meanes vnattempted to procure man to abuse the same to a cleane contrary ende if it were possible to that for which they were bestowed How the diuel tempteth by

Non tam scelus quod eom●isisti quam indulgentiae desperatio facit te penitus interire Not so much the si●● which thou hast done as thy despayr●● of forgiuenesse hath vtterly cast the● away Surely Iudas his despayre and distrust according to S. Augustine his opinion was a more grieuous sin them his treason in the betraying of his Maister Ier. super Psa 108. Wher-vnto agreeth S. Iero. Magis inquit offendit deum Iudas in ho● quod desperando scipsū suspendit quam in hoc quod d●ū tradidit Desperatio enim reddit hominem maledictum et protectione derindignum Iudas saith S. Ierome more offended God herein that in dispayre he hanged himselfe then in tha● hee betrayed his Lord and Maister Fo● Desperation maketh a man accursed 〈◊〉 vnworthy Gods protection And thu● likewise Cain his dispayring in God mercy after his murther committed was a more grieuous sinne then th● shedding of his brother Abell hi● blood For to adde Despayre to fo●mer sinnes is to drawe sinne afte● sinne as it were with Cart-ropes t● heape sinne vpon sinne to fulfill th● measure of iniquitie and so to pu●chase swift and most certaine damnat●on It is indeede the fashion and olde wont of Sathan When especially the Diuell beginneth to tempt to despayre to perswade man when hee hath once committed many haynous sinnes after his owne sinnes to despayre and so to commit the greater sinne after the lesser which is as if an vnlearned ignorant ond a murthering Physition should cause his Patient for the remedring of a little cold taken to drinke the iuyce of Hemlocke which by adding cold to cold is most sure to bring present death Or as if a man hauing an Ache in one of his fingers should cut off the whole hand to take away the Ache of a finger Note what kinde of phisick and surgery the Diuell practiseth Euen such like Phisicke and Surgery doth the Diuell practise to minister vnto lewde and wilfull sinnors when hee inticeth and draweth them after many precedent haynous sinnes through despayre of finding mercie and forgiuenesse to shorten their liues by killing and murthering them-selues by poysoning by stabbing by throat-cutting by drowning by Iudas-like hanging of themselues finally by casting off all vse of faith all vse of hope and so quite to despayre of Gods mercy then the which what can be a more dangerous course for any man to yeeld vnto What can be more foolish or contrary to all reason if a mans reason were not blinded and bewitched that hee could not see nor perceiue nor consider well of it then whiles a man is afraid of water presently to cast her selfe headlong into it The absurd de●lings of such as easily yeeld to desperation and so seeingly and wittingly to drowne himselfe or then whiles a man is afraid of fire presently to runne into it and to dispatch himselfe therein Or whiles a man is afraid of hell fire out of hand most desperately to plunge himselfe into the daungers thereof And yet such as these are the perswasions and temptations of the Diuell to a man whose barking conscience continually pangeth and plagueth him for his sinnes Such as these are the fruites of the most monstrous sinne of dispayring of Gods mercy and grace May not he be accounted worse then madd * Marke this O man least thou yeeld to Desperation before thou be awa●e what great inco●● niences thou yeeldest vnto that is so foreward and ready to yéeld vnto and to follow after the Diuells whistle alluring and entising vnto desperation seeing it is no meanes to diminish but to encrease sinne and the rewards of sinne seeing that it is no reliefe but an euerlasting burthen and griefe of the soule seeing that it is not a deliuery of the soule but a certaine destruction of the soule seeing it is not a redemption but an vndoubted condemnation of soule and body for euer And finally seeing that it changeth temporall griefe into eternall griefe and the panges of conscience into the paines of hell for euer And thus is verified that saying of S. Bernard Desperatio auget peccatum Saint Bernard his opinion concerning the 〈◊〉 ●nes of desperation Desperatio maior est omnibus peccatis Desparatio peior est omni peccato Desperation encreaseth sin Desperation is greater then al other sinnes Desperation is worse then all other sinnes This is a thousand times worse then the dangerous rocke Scilla against which so many poore Marriners haue dashed their shippes Scilla and Charybdis not so dangerous as desperation to the great losse both of Shippes goodes and liues or then that no lesse dangerous gulfe Charybdis which haue deuoured vp so many passengers For at this vnfortunate and deadly rocke of Desperation many thousan●s of poore soules ouercharged with the burthen of their iniquities and turmoyled in their consciences with the waues of fearefull thoughts and troublesome conceites by the blustring blastes and surgie stormes of Gods vengeance threatned against sinners both haue and dayly doe make dangerous and fearefull ship-wracke This is a worse dungeon for both soules and bodies of poore desperate sinners then was the Denne of Lyons into the which the Rulers Officers Dan. 6.17 and Gouernours of King Darius caused Daniell to be cast and closed vppe Dan 3.19 Yea and this is seauen times worse then the seauen times heated burning Ouen or Furnace into the which that proud Idolatrous King Nabuchadnezzer commanded Sidrach Misach and Abednago the true seruants and worshippers of the onely true and euerliuing God to be cast in This is that incurable remedilesse and desperate sore wound and maladie which the Prophets of God Ieremy and Micheas Ier. 3. Mic. 1. in their dayes complained of among their people This is that great stop let that hindereth and resisteth Gods holy grace from flowing and entring into the soules of sinfull men This is the Axe that heweth and choppeth a sunder the chaines wherewith God in his great mercy and mercifull kindnesse would drawe the hearts of sinners vnto himselfe by Repentance whereof speaketh the Prophet Ozeas Oze 11. Trust in the Lord and doe good saith the holy Ghost by the Prophet Dauid Psal 37.3 where hee placeth and setteth Trust in GOD in the first place and doing good in the second trusting in GOD goeth before as the Mistris and doing good followeth attendeth on as the Hand-maide For as it is said Spes alit agricolas were it not for Hope the Husbandmans heart would burst Hope nourisheth his heart Euen so Despayre and diffidence or distrust in GOD is a Step-mother to well doing and draweth backe from doing good according to the saying of a learned Writer vpon the said 37. Psal Desperatio diffidentia abstrahit ab omni studio honi nam cogitat omnia fieri frustra Musculus in Ps 37.3 ita namque ex spe et fiducia promanant mortaliū conatus vt ex ipsis conatibus

satis liqucat quid quisque sperat Desperation and Mistrust draweth back from all desire of well doing Desparation draweth men back from all wel doing and why for it thinketh all to be but lost labour for so doe all mens labours and endeauours flowe and spring from Hope and trust that euery mans doings doe plainly testifie what he hopeth or trusteth for And now let this suffice briefely to giue a taste how great and grieuous hurtfull and pernitious this sinne of Desperation is CHAP. 3. The third Chapter conteining the chiefest and most principall causes of Desperation THat memorable and notable saying of S. Gregory in one of his Homilies moueth mee to thinke and here to commit it to writing that one cause of Desperation and not the least but rather the primary and principall cause of all other ariseth from the subtile cunning and cosoning counsell inducement perswasion and allurement of the Diuell for saith S. Gregory Greg. in quadam Hom. Quum in graui peccato miser homo labitur suadet ei diabolus ne peniteat ne cōfiteatur peccatum leue et modicum in corde affirmat misericordiam praedicat longum spaciū vitae promittit permanere in peccato suggerit vt sic in contemptum dei d●sperationem sui inducat pereat When wretched man slippeth into some grieuous sinne the Diuells councell is that he repent not at al for it that he confesse it not hee tells him in his heart The degrees by which the Diuell draweth men on into desperation that it is but a light and small offence hee saies God is full of mercie hee promiseth him long life he suggesteth vnto him to lie still in sinne that by these meanes hee may bring him at last into contempt of God and into vtter Desperation and so hee may become a cast-away for euer Here doth S. Gregory in most manifest and plaine words describe and decipher the Diuell himselfe to bee the author and so consequently the cheefest causer and cause of this horrible soule murthering Desperation and here also doth he set down by what steppes and degrees hee brings and leades a poore carelesse wretched man into despayre Now consider this moreouer that if Satan that arch-enemy of mans welfare Iob. 1. durst very boldly and sawcely without any bidding presume to thrust himselfe into Gods presence amongst his holy Angells if hee durst so subtelly and cunningly dissemblingly and lyinglie assayle and assault our first Parents Adam and Eue Gen. 3. being yet innocents vnstained and pure from all sin Nay more then all this if he durst approach and with diuers temptations assault and allure Christ Iesus himselfe Ma● 4.3 both God and Man and yet Man frée from any spot or blemish of sinne endeuoring himselfe to the vttermost of his skill and power if it had beene possible to haue brought him and wrought him to his owne wicked will Alasse is it any maruele then if he doe as diligently and busily bestirre himselfe with his manifould wiles and guiles to assaile vs weake poore and miserable sinners Who without the dayly and howerly strengthning of Gods holy spirit are of our selues prompt apt and ready The forerunners of desperatiō except we looke to our selues in time euery hower to decline and fall away from God and to fall vnto Idolatry Blasphemy Periury Murther Whoredome Theft Pride Disobedience and what not wherin after wee be once plunged ouer head and eares and ouer runne with thee guilt of many sinnes then will Sathan lay about him and apply his busines like a most valiant Champion to catch vs in the most dangerous snare of all other euen deepe Despayre He will challenge our soules by the seuere iustice of GOD let vs say against him whatsoeuer we can and argue against him as long as wee will yet will hee insult reioyce and reply saying Neither Gods mercies nor Christs merits can any thing help but thou must needs be damned What the Diuell wil obiect against vs to bring vs to despaire so lightly heretofore hast thou esteemed God and his precepts so smally hast thou regarded Christ Iesus and his merits or rather so willingly wittingly and seeingly hast thou vilipended and contemned them and so obstinately carelesly and desperately troden them vnder-foote that euen as thou hitherto hast made noe reckoning of God and hast not opened the doore of thy heart to receiue him and giue him entertainment when heestood without and knocked to bee letten in there so now God will requite thee with Legetalionis with like for like hee will make no reckoning of thee hée will not open his eares vnto thee when thou cryest vnto him hee will not let thee haue though thou aske hee will not let thee finde though thou seeke hée will not open vnto thee though thou knocke Behold now art thou tossed like waues of the Sea thy Faith wauereth betwéene Hope and Dread and therefore canst thou receiue nothing at the Lords hands with these and infinite such like disputations will Sathan set vpon and vexe the very elect of God to bring them if it were possible to desperation And if the elect shall bee thus fifted as Peter was in what case then shall the wicked and reprobate bee CHAP. 4. The second cause of desperation THe second cause of Desperation is ignorance of God want of knowledge of the will of God vnto mankind reuealed by his holy word Mat. 22. for as ignorance of the scriptures as it was pronoūced by the mouth of Christ Iesus himselfe speaking against the Saduces 2 Kin. 17.26 Ps 23.10.11 Pr. 28.29 30.31 Esa 1.34 Hos 4.7 Eph. 4.18 concerning the resurrection of the dead was the cause of that their so great error Euen likewise the ignorance of God is oftentimes the occasion cause of Gods heauie displeasure and so of diuers sundry inconueniences and mischiefes Ber super Cant. and amonst the rest it is also a cause of this cursed Desperation as writeth S. Bernard Vtraque cognitio dei scilicet tui tibi necessaria est ad salutē quia de ignorātia tui venit superbia ac de dei ignorātia venit desperatio The knowledg both of God of thy selfe are necessary vnto saluation because out of the ignorance of thy selfe ariseth pride Ignorance the mother of desperation likewise out of the ignorance of God commeth Desperation Out of this ignorance of God must Desperation needs arise for how can it otherwise be but that hee that is altogither without any knowledge of God must despayre to receiue any good thing of him for as no man can take pleasure nor any profit by hid and vnknowne Treasure so no man can looke for grace mercy and forgiuenesse of sinnes or any other benefit or good gift at his hands of whom he is vtterly ignorant and of whom he hath no knowledge CHAP. 5. The third cause of desperation THe third cause of