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

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A72059	The confession and publike recantation of thirteene learned personages, lately conuerted in France, Germanie, and the Lowe-Countreys, from poperie, to the Churches reformed wherein they haue zealously and learnedly set dovvne the reasons that moued them therevnto. The names and degrees of the conuerts. 1. Godefrid Rabin ... 2. Simon Palory ... 3. Iohn Colleij ... 4. Melchior Roman ... 5. Iohn Norman ... 6. Father Abraham ... 7. Antony Ginestet ... 8. Signeur Lewis ... 9. Father Edmon ... 10. Leonard Theuenot ... 11. Sir Francis ... 12. Francis Goupil Angeuin ... 13. Lewys du Boys ... Translated out of the French and Dutch printed copies, by I.M.; Eight learned personages lately converted (in the realme of France) from papistrie, to the Churches reformed.	W. B., fl. 1601.; J. M., fl. 1602.	1602 (1602)	STC 1074.5; STC 20598; ESTC S115544	99,696	118

therefore resolued vvith himselfe to leaue the same and to giue himselfe vnto the fellovvship of the doctrine of the Gospell And came from Prage this yeare about Sexagesimae vnto our most gracious Prince and Lord to Dresden and vpon his graces further appointment likevvise came hither to Wittenberge and presently tolde vs of his purpose to ioyne himselfe vnto our Churches according as he should be best directed vvherevnto vve vvished him Gods blessing and furtherance and also receiued him vvillingly And for that he had heretofore a good vvhile vsed publiquely to Preach himselfe thought it very expedient by preaching to condemne such euident errors vvhich he did vvith a vvell meditated Sermon and great descretion from his heart This recātation was solemnly made before a great auditory of all sorts vpon the day Misericordias Domini this yeare in the Parish Church before a great congregation consisting of the vniuersitie and Schollers out of all Countries together vvith the vvhole company of Cittizens and Commons And after the Sermon ended he confirmed this his confession vvith prayer and the Lords Supper VVherefore vve humbly thanke the Eternall for that he daily graciously calleth his poore strayed sheepe vnto his heauenly kingdome and doe further beseech Almighty God our heauenly Father to vouchsafe by the vvorking of his holy Spirit fatherly to strengthen and confirme this Godefrid in the knovvne trueth mercifully to reduce other strayed sheepe vnto his sheepefould also to direct and gouerne his people and to confound the Romane Antichrists raging kingdome euen for his beloued Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord his sake Amen At Wittenberg the fift of May. 1601. By the Senior and other Doctors of Diuinitie there A Recantation done on the second Sonday after Easter called there Misericordias Domini vpon the Gospell for the day IOHN 10. ver 11. to 17. Iesus spake vnto the Iewes I am that good shepheard the good shepheard giueth his life for the sheepe But an hireling and he that is not the shepheard neither the sheepe are his owne seeth the Woolfe comming and he leaueth the sheepe and fleeth and the Woolfe catcheth them and scattereth the sheepe So the hireling fleeth because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheepe I am that good shepheard and know mine and am knowne of mine As the Father knoweth me so knowe I the Father and I lay downe my life for my sheepe Other sheepe I haue also which are not of this fould them also must J bring and they shall heare my voice and there shall be one sheepefould BEloued and elect in the Lorde Christ we reade in the Booke of the Chronicles of the Kings how that Almightie God did fight for his people and slue a great multitude of the enemies 2. Chro. 20. and obtained the victorie and got thereby such a huge spoile and bootie that in three whole dayes they could not carrie all the same away but in the fourth day they went into the Valley of Blessing Christ by his bitter sufferings hath subdued all our enemies and made vs to reioyce by giuing vs inwarde peace and there praised the Lord. Now hethervnto beloued your well affected mindes haue sufficiently heard how great a combate Iesus Christ hath sustained for vs the like whereof was neuer heard nor the like bootie was euer brought vnto the people of God This was done on Passion Friday past on which day the Sonne of God through his bitter sufferings ouercame and vtterly threwe to the ground all the enemies of mankinde whereby there is giuen vnto vs such a bootie of the which we may reioyce for euer As also the Prophet Esay saith in his 9. chap. ver 3. They haue reioyced before thee according to the ioye in Haruest and as men reioyce when they deuide the spoile Such glorious ioye haue we heard and found vpon the holy Easter day when Christ victoriously rose againe from the dead Now what this booke is that we haue herehence receiued was declared and taught vnto vs the last Sonday namely that peace which Christ thrise wished his Disciples Peace be with you to shew that through his sufferings death and resurrection now from henceforth all is become peaceable Let this therefore now stand still before vs that we like vnto the antient people of God hasten vs vnto the valley of blessing lawde honor and praise the worlds Sauiour Man soone forgetteth Gods benefits and therefore must often be put in minde thereof and neuer forget so great and vnspeakeable a benefit But because man forgetteth nothing more nor sooner then benefits the whole Christian Church hath set before vs this day such a Gospell in which is brought againe vnto our mindes the great loue and mercy of our most dearest shepheard Christ as namely how that he gaue his life vnto death for vs straied sheepe Seeing therefore I haue hethervnto beene a Fryer and stuck in the manifolde errors of Poperie but am now by the giuen grace of God come vnto the light of the trueth I will ground this my Recantation vpon this dayes Gospell 3. partes and deuide the same into three parts 1. First for that this present Sonday is in Christendome called Misericordias Domini the mercies of the Lord I will speake of the great mercy of God contained in these wordes I am that good sheepheard and giue my life for my sheepe 2. Secondly how God ordinarily bringeth the straied sheepe and sinners vnto his sheepefould seeing Christ saith He hath yet other sheepe which he must bring hithervnto 3. Thirdly how we ought to heare the true shepheard Christ his voyce and therein shew the errors of Poperie which are to be auoided as the very voyce of Antichrist Now the good and mercifull God assist vs herein with his diuine grace Amen 1. Part. Wherein Gods great mercies are set forth It is not without cause that the holy Apostle S. Paule 2. Cor. 1. vers 3. calleth Almightie God The Father of mercies and God of all comfort And Ephes 2.4 A God which is riche in mercie Without all controuersie Paul had some cause giuen him why he gaue God such a notable and glorious title yea surely there was good cause giuen him for he was a blasphemer and a persecutor but yet acknowledgeth he was receiued of God to mercy 1. Timoth. 1.13 Not onely that God had of his mercie forgiuen his sinnes but also had aduanced him to a notable Apostle and Preacher of his holy Gospell Dauid likewise exceedinglye commendeth Gods mercie but not without cause for he was an adulterer and a murtherer and yet God did not onely remit him his sinne but did also establish his kingdome in peace And therefore he iustly saith Psal 33.5 Benignitate or as the common translation Misericordia Domini pleci est terra The earth is full of the goodnesse or mercie of the Lord. And in the 145. Psalm ver 9. His mercies are ouer all his workes But such mercie goeth not

become fountaines our harts to yeld forth vnspeakable sighes considering in the theater of the world the great multitude which through the whirlewinde of sedition is rauished drawne and caried headlong into the gulfe of perdition But O father of light seeing it is thy maner rather to vse mercy then iustice that thy will and pleasure is to vse fauour not fury and that thou doest not desire the death of a sinner but that rather he turne to thee and liue stretch forth thy hand ouer them drawe them to thee teach them sith thy good pleasure is that all shoulde come to the knowledge of saluation Imprint in their soules a desire to founde thy holy Scriptures and let the discretion of thy holy spirite leade them togather in these gardens fit and necessarye hearbs for the physick of their spirituall infirmities the foode of their soules the sacrament of eternity the certayne pledge of felicity But as for me O father and most good God what shall I render vnto thee for those thy exceeding blessings bestowed vppon mee for like a good sheepeheard thou hast sought after my soule beeing a poore wandering sheepe and hauing layde her vpon thy shoulders hast brought her backe to thy euangelicall sheepefould to ioyne her to the flocke of thy true faithfull thou hast vnmasked her eyes layd open to her the abuses of Papistry made knowne to her where she should finde her rest and tranquillity the trueth of her saluation thou hast forgiuen me all my sinnes and healed me of all my infirmities thou hast saued my life from the pit thou hast crowned me with mercy and pitty and satisfied me with all good things Psal 130. so that through this my conuersion and this change by the power of my Creator I am made young and lusty as an Eagle what shall I then giue vnto the Lord for al the good which he hath done me Surely my deare brethren euen as I esteeme and holde this to be the chiefest most excellent benefit among all those wherwith it hath pleased God of his vncomparable bounty and heauenly mercy to make me pertaker so willingly I do acknowledge confesse my selfe vnable to render any thing comparable to so great a good yet notwithstanding among all those that are bound to yeilde harty thankes to God I do acknowledge my selfe at this time most of all indebted For alas without this benefit what profit should I haue receiued of all the fauours which came from him but condemnation ruine confusion What would it haue auailed me that the welbeloued son of God Christ Iesus who became obedient to his father endured the ignominious death of the Crosse for my reconcilation to God his father if I had beene depriued of so great a benefit if I had continued stil in that spirituall fornication wherin I was altogether ignorant of the pure trueth of the Gospel What vtility I pray you to see my selfe created after Gods Image and yet to haue borne the portrature character of beast What profit to haue had the eyes of my bodie open to the outward light and those of my soule debarred of the inward brightnesse and besieged with the darkenesse of infidelitie Arise then my soule and praise the Lord and all that is within me praise his holy name praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits let his praise be alwayes in thy mouth to the end the meeke and gentle may here it and reioyce Psal 103. O praise the Lorde with me and let vs magnifie his name together I sought the Lord and he hard me ye he deliuered me out of all my feare Psal 34. Iob did curse the day of his temporall birth in this miserable world but I ought to blesse the day of my spirituall regeneration to eternall life for that the God of all mercy and consolation hath caused to appeare in me the effects of his eternall election acknowledging me for his child of adoption and for a lawfull heire of that great and eternall kingdome purchased for the elect through the perfect obedience of Christ Iesus their brother And as at this time I haue abiured that strumpet and her fornication so now I promise and protest before God and his Church hence forth with all my power to liue and dye in the faith of the Churches reformed where I see the Gospell purely preached and the Sacraments faithfully administred the confessiō of whose faith I wil seale not only with pen and Inke vpon paper but also through the effusion of my owne bloud if need be and this I fully purpose to do through the grace of almighty God who hath called me to this resolution and whome with all the powers of my soule I do entirely beseech to ratifie his vocation in me finally to make me feele the full effects of his election that he would likewise fortifie and assist me against all assaults and attempts that may be presented against me seruing me insteede of a strong and inuincible buckler in all dangers both spirituall and corporall I earnestly beseech the present congregatiō of the faithfull to receiue me into their number to the ende that after I haue fought a good fight with them in this church militant I may after my departure hence raigne with them in the triumphant So be it Amen Iohn Colleij The Conuersion of Signeur Melchior Roman a Spaniard sometimes Proctor of the order of Iacobins at Rome for the prouince of Thoulouse which he hath publickly protested in the reformed Church of Bragerak the 27. of August 1600. being Sunday THE holy Scripture telleth vs that the good Jacob seeing himselfe deceiued by Laban who the more he serued him the lesse was recompensed receiuing nought else but ingratitude and iniuries went into the lande of promise carrying away with him all his riches which so soone as Laban vnderstood he came to seeke him in the Mount Galaad and searched or visited all that which Iacob had caryed away where he found nothing that was his And afterwardes they made an agreement betweene them that from thence foorth the one should not come towardes the other to doe him hurt and for a token heere of they named this Mountaine Galaad which is to say the hill of Testimonie Saint Ierome saith and also Pagnine that Laban signifieth whitenesse and Philo the Hebrew that this word Laban signifieth colour so that whether it be in the one or other signification it representeth an accidentall and inconstant thing Who is this Laban A deceiuer a traitor and an vngratefull person who hath so oftentimes deceiued Iacob What is this cursed wretch who hath onely the apparance of good but no solide nor constant good indeed It is euen this papistrie and Sophistrie which we see in these tromperies and deceipts of riches and vnder the title of holinesse of obedience of pouerty of fastings and fained disciplines leadeth many to despaire Surely it is a worke of great pietie to flye

then is the Creator of Priests viz. the Pope Oh shamelesse vanity Non Stygius tentaret Orcus quod audent effrenes monachi Againe euery one may easilye know what authority he taketh in the Church Militant excommunicating some anathematizing others he taketh the temporall sword hee pulleth downe kinges and Monarches from their thrones he setteth his foote vpon their necks and commonlye makes them kisse his pantable I omit to speake of the excessiue dignities attributed vnto him by his owne Canons Decrees Decretals Clementines being truely extrauagant from all truth as likewise a thousand more points of doctrine issuing out of these three principals That Christ Iesus is deuested of his office of Sacrificer in the Roman Church that his office of Doctorship is taken frō him that his gouernement in heauen and earth is vsurped from him Now seeing these offices are necessary adiacents to the Soueraigne good that the Church of Rome diuorceth them from the Mediator it must needes be that she doth not seeke the Soueraigne good but rather shuns and flyes from it Hence therfore it comes brethren that I haue renounced Papistry and doe purpose carefully and with labour to seeke the right pathes leading to the Soueraigne good wherwith the Church of Rome is not acquainted And for this purpose I haue abiured and do now abiure al her doctrine as blasphemous Apostaticall superstitious and as farre from Christianity as she is from the true ende and scope of mans creation which is the Soueraigne good And finally aboue all other graces wherewith God of his mercy hath made me pertaker I yeelde him most humble thankes for these two which are farre beyond compare of all others videlicet that hee hath shewed vnto mee through the light of the holye Ghost the natural brightnesse of his holy truth that the clearenesse thereof causeth his beames to shine in the Churches of this kingdome reformed both in faith and doctrine according to the purenesse and sincerity of his holy Gospell The confession of whose faith I will not onely seale with pen and inke vpon paper but also if neede be against tyrants with my bloud vpon this base Territority In which reformed Church I protest to dye and finish my dayes praying the Lord Almighty and onely wise who hath called me to the knowledge of his truth that he will establish ratifie this vocation of me and make me to feele and perceiue the full effects of his eternall election and further that of his mercye he will strengthen and assist me against all assaults and temptations that may present themselues before me And to conclude I hartily beseech this Church to make mee pertaker of her holy praiers as I will in like sort be euer mindefull as well to powre forth prayers to the eternall for her long prosperous continuance as also for those that are of the like faith in Iesus Christ To whom with the father and holy Ghost bee giuen all honour and glory both now and for euer Amen So Signed De Beauvall We the Pastoures and Elders of the reformed Church of Saint Amand L' Alher in Bourbony doe certifie that this day being the 16. of Iuly 1600. Maister Edmond de Beauval heretofore a Iesuite hath made a publicke abiuration of all the Papisticall Idolatries wherin he had bin norished and instructed protesting to liue euer hereafter as the reformed Churches of this kingdom do require according to a solemne promise by him made in an assembly of some Pastours Elders aswell of this said Church as others hereabout held at Belt in the house of the Lord of the said place the fourth day of this month and hath signed his confession of the faith of the reformed Churches of this kingdome In witnesse whereof we whose names are here vnder written haue giuen him this present Testimony to the end that he may be knowne in those places where he shall come for a mēber of the true Church Yeouen at S. Amand the day and yeare aboue written Signed Iamet Pastor of the said Church Perrinet an Elder Maget an Elder Perrimet Iudge in the said place Deueras De Foulenay Daniard Limosin Ieneueau Gaillard The declaration of Leonard Theuenot heretofore Priest and Curat of the Parish of S. Sauin in the Citie of Poitiers publickly pronounced in the Church of Poitiers aforesaid at the end of the exhortation on Sunday the 26. of Nouemb. 1600. I Am heere before God the Father the Sonne and the Holy-ghost and the elect Angels this Christiā assembly summarily to declare what I haue been in time past in what minde I am at this present wherto by the meanes of my God I aspire in time to come I am borne and was bred vp vntill this present in the Church which is called Romane where I sucked from the vncleane dugs of the impudent Babel and was one of her fauoured Nurse children euen to the obteyning the marke of the beast to be aduanced to the Priest-hood and sacrifizing of humane inuētion which I haue vsed for the space of fiue yeares I was soothed vp and I beleeued it that I was in Bethell that is to say in the house of God which is the Church the which he which hath not for his Mother cannot haue God for his Father as S. Cyprian and S. Augustin apostolically doe teach But some dayes since that it hath pleased God by his holy Spirit to awaken and with-drawe my soule from the letarge wherewith it was possessed working inwardly in me and there stirring vp and executing a great desire to reade the holy Scriptures to conferre of that which concerneth eternall saluation especially with the pastour of this church I perceiued and acknowledged that I was in Bethauen that is to say in the house of Iniquitie of corruption and of abhomination where the puritie of the word of God is defiled the sinceritie and truth of the Sacraments corrupted and the holy commandements of God by mens traditions are brought to nothing and haue euer since continually heard a voyce soūding in the eares of my conscience saying vnto me Depart frō Babilon get thee out of the middest of her for feare that continuing in participating in her sinnes thou receiue of her punishment Now to obey this voyce which the holy scriptures teach me to be of the Spirit of God I am retired into this place to you which I acknowledge to be of the sheepfolde of our Lord Iesus Christ for as you heare his voyce and will not giue eare to strangers and mercenaries I protest that I do abhorre and detest the Romish Idolatries and Superstitions and do renounce the Pope whome I acknowledge to be the sonne of perdition the man of sinne described by Saint Paul 2. to the Thessaloni 2. and the papacie Pope is Antichrist which is the great whore described in the Apocalips And that I desire to liue and to dye in the confession and profession of the faith of the reformed churches of

alone ouer one people and such mercy is not promised alone vnto one Nation Gods mercie cōmeth vnto all nations and sortes of people Cittie or Towne but it goeth ouer all mankinde The which Moses with great and feruent earnestnesse prooueth saying Exod. 34.6.7 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slowe to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and trueth reseruing mercie for thousands that is without end As also God himselfe saith againe Deut. 5.9.10 I am the Lord thy God and shew mercie vnto many thousands In the second Booke of Samuel chap. 14. ver 14. the mercie of God is mightily declared by a notable speech Though God spare none that sinneth yet he appointeth means for the elects conuersion so receiueth to mercy the truely penitent A comfort to all afflicted consciences where the widow of Tekoah dealing with Dauid concerning Absolon whom Dauid for the murther he committed had banished amongst other things said thus God doth not spare any person yet doth he appoint meanes not to cast out from him him that is expelled But what are there any examples ready at hand whereby it may appeare to be so For otherwise surely the holy Scripture should be but of small accoumpt with afflicted and wounded consciences if it did but onely comfort vs with bare words without setting before vs any one example on whom God had also shewed his mercy But the holy Ghost hath besides the Scripture also set men before vs on whome we may cleerely see the exceeding great mercie of God Adam is iustly the first to be accompted of seeing also he was the first that was ouercome by Sathan and driuen from obedience to disobedience from the trueth to lyes for yet God would not that Adam should altogether perish but bethought him how Adam might be brought againe which was thus done After that Adam had perfected his sinne When soeuer man feeleth any motion or heareth any thing condemning his sinne it is of God that hee should repēt which he refusing casteth God off whatsoeuer he be he hid himselfe and then God asked Adam where art thou which God asked not as if he had not knowne where Adam was or sawe him not seeing there is no man that can hide himselfe from the sight of God but God therefore asketh that Adam should haue discended into himselfe and acknowledged his sinne and as after Dauid did should haue said Peccaui I haue sinned and should haue called vpon the mercy of God for grace and forgiuenesse Which because he did not but much more went about to hide excuse and extenuate his sinne God thrust him out of Paradise into the valley of miserie amongst all kinde of crosses sorrowe and trouble and yet that Adam might not altogether perish and dispaire vnder his crosse sufferings and sorrowes God doth forthwith vouchsafe him a most comfortable promise as namely that he would raise out of the woman a meanes and mediator which should helpe him and all his posteritie againe out of that miserie and breake the Serpents head The like occasion of bethinking himselfe gaue God to Caine Gens 4. whom also Satan had perswaded to murder for God notwithstanding dealt fauourablye with him to the end he might acknowledge his sinne and intreate for grace and pardon but in the end because he would not thus doe but onely say coldely his sinne was greater then might be forgiuen him he was through his owne fault temporally and eternally cast away and condemned God deliberateth much before he punisheth What a notable communication had God with Abraham before he ouerthrew the sinfull citties Sodom and Gomorrha Gen. 18. God accorded and yeelded so farre vnto Abraham that if they might haue found in those citties but ten righteous persons he would haue spared them What should I speake how God stood in contention deliberating with the holy man Moses concerning the stiffe-necked Iewes that he once said to Moses Exod. 32.10 Dimitte me Now let me alone that my wrath may waxe hote against them and consume them And what can with-holde God why he should not forthwith seuerely punish sinne but euen his mercy Examples whereof if the time would permit there might be manie alleadged But vnto any one euen of meane vnderstanding these alleadged may suffice where-hence he may aboundantlye learne how our good and mercifull God euen from the beginning vnto this present and will also hould and continue the same rule as long as the world indures according to his naturall mercie hath euer at all times so louingly and earnestly bethought him before he hath wholy ouerthrowne and destroyed any poore sinner As also the Lord Christ giues the same to vnderstand by the example of the vnfruitfull Figtree Luke the 13. Well and iustly therefore is it said by the Wiseman in the 11. chapter of his booke of Wisdome vers 20.21 Lord thou hast mercie vpon all for thou hast power of all things and makest as though thou sawest not the sinnes of men because they should amend For thou louest all the things that are and hatest none of them whome thou hast made And presently after in the last verse But thou sparest all for they are thine O Lord which art the louer of soules And againe Christ saith Math. 18.14 Man not repenting prouoketh God and procureth his assured wrath It is not the will of our Father which is in heauen that any of his little ones should perish And the holy Apostle S. Paul saith thus Rom. 2. ver 3.4.5 O thou man knowest thou not that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance But thou after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vp as a treasure vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Consider it with thy selfe thou Christian hart and thinke vpon it well how oft hast thou giuen thy selfe lewdly and wilfully to any notorious sinne as to adultery All sinne seperateth vs from God or otherwise to any kinde of whoredome to theft murther blaspheming of God and to such other heauie sinnes which as the Scripture witnesse seperate vs from God so that God hath had iust cause euen in the dooing of that thy sinne to haue cast thee aliue into hell But now notwithstanding thou abidest yet and liuest yet Gods mercies for our preseruation are dayly renued and God hath not as yet reuenged himselfe vpon thee And wherefore not I pray thee where marke and obserue vpon what occasion the Prophet Ieremie saith in his Lamentations Lamen 3. ver 22.23 It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions faile not but are renued euery morning It is much saide and nature also teacheth that parents loue their children exceedingly and therefore sometimes are very slowe and lothe to take the rodde although the children haue well deserued it Gods mercie in part set forth by the loue of parents to their children although indeed there be no comparison therein for their loue preuaileth herein But what

is the loue of Parents to their children to be compared to the loue of God towards vs Doth not God expreslie say by the Prophet Esay cap. 49. ver 15. Can a woman forget her children and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe though shee should forget yet will not forget thee Yea no father no mother no brother nor sister yea no friend whatsoeuer could so long beare with and indure thy wickednesse as God hath borne with it so that God may iustly complaine as in Esay 43. ver 24. Thou hast made me to serue with thy sinnes and wearied me with thy iniquities Yea whosoeuer will rightly indeede learne and knowe the mercy of God It is feareful to make God serue with our sinnes and thereby obserue how God bethinketh him before he punisheth sinners let him onely reade the 42.43 and 44. chapters of the Prophet Esay where he shall finde how God behaued himselfe towards the wicked stifnecked Iewes First he rebuketh them with wordes shewes them their disobedience calles them blinde and deafe By and by therevpon as in the 43. chapter he comforts them againe bids them not to feare and tels them he would giue people for them and nations for their ransome yet notwithstanding presently therevpon reprooueth them againe charging them to be hardned and abide in their sinnes And all that comes now from the alone mercy of God Then only man layeth holde on Gods mercie when he wholy antēdeth his wicked life yet so indeede that the sinner confesse his sinne and laye holde on God his mercie Which he doth when he forsaketh his sinnes and wicked life for then will God not onely blot out and forgiue him all his sinnes but also therevnto bestowe vpon him all good things As it also is saide by the fore aledged Prophet Esa 44. ver 2.3 Feare not O Iacob my seruant and thou righteous whom I haue chosen For I will powre water vpon the thirsty and flouds vpon the drye ground I will powre my spirit vpon thy seede and my blessing vpon thy buds Behould this is now that vnspeakeable goodnesse of God wherevpon we stand All our prosperitie commeth from God alone are and liue Who would not 〈◊〉 then with ioye say and sing with the Prophet Dauid Psal 89. 〈…〉 I will lawde praise and sing the mercies of the Lord for euer And in another Psalme as namely the 59. ver 17. he saith God is my defence and my mercifull God Which is as if he had said All that euer I haue and whatsoeuer I am commeth wholye from Gods mercie Well then beloued in Christ I suppose I haue not herein done amisse in setting forth and praising the goodnesse of God Seeing that our God and mercifull God though I were a persecutor of his holy worde and of all true Christians a blasphemer of God and a superstitious Fryer hath of his free loue and mercy sought me found me and graciouslie deliuered me from those errors I had beene long time nusled in So that I may well and iustly say with Dauid Loqueus contritus est ego liberatus sum The snare is broken and I am deliuered Psal 124. v. 7. Let this suffice for the first part Now we will proceede 2. Part. The maner how God brings vs to his knowledge so to saluatiō and heere the second part how that God doth shew his mercie and bring vs first to his knowledge and then vnto saluation And this is not done vnto me alone but for the comfort of all sinners whereby they may learne to acknowledge Gods goodnesse and amend themselues Although Gods wayes are not as our wayes and his thoughts farre otherwise then our thoughts and besides God in the Scriptures hath reuealed so much of his will vnto vs as is needfull for vs to know his counsell is without searching out and also we cannot certainely know how God deales with man yet our louing God hath so farre forth reuealed his will vnto vs in the Scriptures his holy and diuine word that we may easily know how and wherewith God calleth and leadeth vs to his sheepefolde The worde of God is that sweete and notable voice through the which God hath from the beginning in the old Testament Gods word is his voice wherby he calleth vs to repentance brought many wilde straied sheepe to the true sheepefold which God did by Moses and all his true Prophets Lastly he sent his beloued sonne himselfe vnto vs as the right and true shepheard This is the true shepheard who saith by the Prophet Ieremie Ier. 23. ver 3. I will gather the remnant of my sheepe out of all countries whither I had driuen them and will bring them againe to their fouldes and they shall grow and increase In Ezech. 34 ver 11. saith this shepheard Beholde J will searche my sheepe and seeke them out which the sonne of God hath done by the preaching of his holy diuine worde After him did his Apostles and their successors the same and euen at this day all true shepheards and carers of soules doe which by the word of God call all straid sheepe It is Gods word and not force that must content men And there were euer at the beginning thereof many tyrannous Emperours and Kings Princes and Lordes yea and the whole world brought vnto the true sheepefold not with sword and armes nor with might and fier but by the word This is that word wherof the Lord speaketh by the Prophet Ieremie 23.2.29 that his word is euer like a fier and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Gods word is of nature like the Sunne euer hauing forcible effect either to mollifie the elect as the Sunne doth wax or to harden the wicked as the Sunne doth clay And in the Prophet Esai cap. 55. v. 10.11 God compareth his word vnto the Raine and Snow which come downe from heauen and water the earth and make it fruitefull So shall his word be that goeth out of his mouth it shall not retu●ne vnto him voyde This is that word mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 4. v. 12. That it is sharper then any two edged sword it intreth through euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirite Paule reioyceth 1. Cor. 4. v. 15. that through this word he had begotten his Corinthians But some man may say or thinke in his hart that he hath indeed often and much heard Gods word yet hath not foūd any such change in himselfe nor perceiued any such powre To whom I answere I beleeue it very willingly for alas we see in this our time but little of that fruite which should come and arise out of the word of God The cause why men of all sorts profit no more by the word of God is for that they esteeme of it but basely therfore prepare not themselues aright vnto the hearing reading and meditating there●f But the reason or fault must not