Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	good_a	sin_n	sinner_n	3,410	5	7.5691	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10731	Seuen poems diuine, morall, and satyricall : the [brace] viz. Celestiall publican, Spirituall sea-fight, World, Flesh, Vicious courtier, Iesuite, Deuill : together with sundry epitaphs and epigrams / by N.R. Gent.	Richards, Nathanael, ca. 1600-1652.	1631 (1631)	STC 21010.3; ESTC S4444	28,419	138

SVSPICE CAELVM DESPICE MVNDVM RESPICE FINEM SENTIT E. SVPERA NON TERRESTR Vera ac viva Effigies NATHANAELIS RICHARDS Gen TR sculp Seuen Poems Diuine Morall and Satyricall viz. The Celestiall Publican Spirituall Sea-fight World Flesh Vicious Courtier Iesuite Deuill Together with sundry Epitaphs and Epigrams By N.R. Gent. Coelum Cupio Printed at London for Roger Michell dwelling in Charterhouse-lane 1631. TO THE HEAVENLY LOVER OF DIVINE POEMS GOod Bookes Good Minds best please where bad Mindes be Desert shall still be raild at Vice passe free Enuie Debate Pride Flatterie and a whore The Vicious minded Foole mindes nothing more Harlots for hot sinne-offerings shall finde Fauour and Friends to them the World is kinde But when the wealth of Soules in Vertues Line Leuells Man's crooked Thoughts to thoughts Diuine 'T is sleighted then Most Worldlings like false Friends Loue not for Vertue but their owne base Ends. Times Lordly Churle deepe read in Errors Schoole Esteemes Plaine-Dealing but a Vertuous Foole Therefore to thee whose Sacred Soule desires Celestiall Solace Heauenly Holy fires To thy Religious thoughts apt to preuent And fly from Sinne to thee I this present Here 's no Luxurious Verse to please the Eares Of Whorish Mindes stranger to blessed Teares No Court-Confounding Complement nor stile Of feigned Poesie nor base Flatries Guile Soule-suffering Griefe for sinne I here expresse Wishing to All Immortall happinesse True Penitence gaines Heau'n throwes Sinners downe To raise them vp to an Immortall Crowne Deuoted to Your Vertues NATHANAEL RICHARDS THE CELESTIALL PVBLICAN I That haue imperfections on my head Past Starres in number or those sands that spread The vast Seas bottome shall not I confesse How oft ' gainst God I desp'rately transgresse Put off Repentance still from day to day Abuse his Mighty Patience still delay His dread Command And like a senselesse Sot Vnmindefull of his Mercies minde them not No sooner doe I finde a good thought take me But from that Vertue Flesh and Blood doe shake me The longer life the more I sinne and fall From bad to worse from worse to worst of all Let others boast their goodnesse for my part Wretch that I am I haue a sinnefull Heart So tyde and bound fetter'd and chain'd within So strong a Prison such a Maze of sinne That 't is as farre vnlikely for me worme E're to winde out as for to raise a Storme Or slacke a Tempest Workes of Wonder stand Farre from the Reach of Mortals weake command None but the Hand of God his speciall Grace Can pull me forth the Dungeon of disgrace 'T is God that frees poore Man from all the Vices Of this Worlds wicked villanous Entices And shall I then in impious wayes vneuen Offend so good a God Defend me Heauen My trembling Conscience tels me I haue beene A very fearefull Sinner Slaue to sinne Of all Men most vnworthy of Saluation My sinnes deserue Heauens wrath Hell damnation Yet Mercy Mercy Lord Mercy I craue Shield my sad soule from th' infernall Graue * Strangle my growing sinnes in their beginning * Demollish Lord in me Custome in sinning * For that is such a kinde of desp'rate thing * Men dreame not on O 't is a damned sting * And thus it creepes on vs thoughts that are bent * To Euill get Delight Delight Consent * Consent drawes Action Action Custome breedes Simile * And as the Sick-Man whom his owne death feedes * Custome at large takes sense of sinne away * Sends soules to Hell when 't is too late to pray The Doome supernall neuer findes returne To call thee backe to Grace thinke on 't or burne Thinke Heau'ns sweete siluer Saints-Bell toles all in To fright thee eu'ry Morne from vggly sinne Let Mercy eu'ry Euening which do's keepe Thee from Day-dangers Death resembling sleepe Be to thy soule a Prayer Booke t'imprint Teares in thine Eyes Griefe in thy Heart of flint Be it so heauenly Father vnto me To me and eu'ry one Make vs to see And shunne Sinnes Custome with thy sacred wings Guard vs from Danger Blessed King of Kings Thou that at Home abroad at Sea on land Here there and eu'ry where didst euer stand My sure Protector ' gainst griefes infinite Danger the Iawes of Famine Worlds despight Sicknesse sad discontent when I and Care Shooke hands with sorrowes Minion deepe despaire At that most wretched Time my thoughts lockt vp Beyond all hope of helpe then Mercies Cup I freely tasted blessed be thy Name To me my Gratious God proue still the same In my Extreames of griefe I call'd on thee Mercifull God and thou didst set me free Thou wert my onely Comfort in distresse Food Rayment all my Cure in heauinesse My true Physitian in vnruly madnesse Celestiall Musicke in my sadest sadnesse Though all the World forsake me God is kinde He solace giues to my disconsolate minde O be the same for euer may no ill Seduce my soule to disobay thy will While others carelesse of their Soules true health Greedie like Hell hunger for worldly wealth Preferment Pride th' insatiate Diuell Lust Luxurious Fare and vainely put their trust In glassie Glory couzening State behauiour In valour Conquest and Monarchall fauour While Soules thus erre O thou the Lord of light Make me Heauen 's Champion Vertues Fauourite * Field Honor 's but a Vapour the sound brest * Puts on Church Armour Faith and sleights the rest * In loue to Vertue and true godly feare * Dwells Honour not in Darts Bow Sling or Speare * Not in vaine Beautie Strength the Pride of Wit * Presuming Riches Learning Valour Credit * High Birth Nobilitie nor Grauitie * Humanitie nor yet Virginitie * But in the Humble Soule whom holy Storie * Speakes to maintaine God and the Gospels Glorie * The King and Kingdomes safety Churches Peace * The Virgins Right Widdowes and Fatherlesse * These are the Noble steps which euer waite * On Vertues Court 't is the true way of State * That neuer failes as sacred Scripture saith * The humble meeke Religious Knights of Faith O Heau'nly Father giue me Grace to fly Delight in sinne or suffer me to dye * Pleasures are poysons to this Soule of mine * There 's no true Ioy on earth but what 's diuine Lord teach me for to prize this world at naught Vpon thy Blessednesse be all my thought * Make me my God in hate to impure liues * Kicke at that Life which Life of Heau'n depriues Make me to feele those wonted holy fires Which rapt my soule in sanctifid● desires Rauisht all sense and with admir'd amaze Expos'd me to that blessed burning blaze Of glorious contemplation thoughts diuine Simile Then like Heauens Tapers in my Soule did shine But now that Glory failes my soule hath seru'd Folly so long 't is readie to be steru'd Darke sinnes desire hath dimm'd the Christall sight Of Meditation turn'd my Day to Night To dismall Night where onely I may see My selfe alone stand like

I see Or none at all take true delight in thee * This wanton World farre sooner will approue * Ioy in Pot-Poets lousie Rimeing loue * Or wanton Ouids straine to itch the care * And stirre the blood to lust rather then heare * The Glorious Godly Aime of Noble Verse * Which points at Heau'n and tels vs of that fierce All-threatning Thunderer he that descries Our secret deeds those blackest Actions spies At which amaz'd my Muse stands wrapt in wonder Beggs Mercy Mercy O thou God of Thunder Or we shall shipwracke all All too too blame Farre too vnmindfull of God's Sacred Name His Blessings day by day his great Mercy Long suffering and Excelling Safety Why should we worm's stand pretious in Heau'ns sight And not be damn'd to Euerlasting Night For our Foule erring sinnes sinnes that Excell The least whereof merits the Paines of Hell Hell that this instant Gapes to seize this world Deseruing euery moment to be hurl'd To endlesse Flames but for the Excellence Of OVR FATHER'S wonderfull patience O for the Pen of pure perfection To character Man's imperfection Open the blinde excessiue sinner's eyes Force Teares for sinne make him himselfe despise 'T were Musicke to the Soule Diuine delight Th' vndoubted Path to pleasures infinite Holla Commanding Empresse of my Braine Whether thus flings my Muse diuert thy Straine Man is so farre from making God amends That all his waies to wicked Actions bends The World 's a Racke Times Tenter-hooke to ketch At mindes most honest makes a man a wretch Thousands in 〈◊〉 finding no way to cure it Hazard the Gallowes rather then endure it Mis'ry of Miseries when Coyne growes scant Man's Fortun 's Foot ball ther 's no woe to want It dulls braue witts when nothing else can doe it Tames and makes desp'rate when Time brings vs to it Want makes a man turne Slaue vnto a Slaue Scoft scorn'd and flouted at by eu'ry knaue By eu'ry silken sodden-headed Foole That neuer felt Heau'ns scourge nor Mis'ries Schoole Want broacheth Mischiefes neuer thought vpon Makes many an honest woman wanton Simile Want like a Madman makes Men sweare and Dice Forget their God turne Vertue into vice Husband and wife the Sister and the Brother Compel'd through want deuoure one another Merchants Lawyers yea some Diuines will fall When want do's soundly Gripe tw'ill trie them all And therefore As an Antidote be sure First that thou pray to God that 's the maine Cure Gainst Woluish-want and then bethinke thee sure Vpon some honest meanes 't will new Create Thy vnderstanding put thee on a way With Reu'rent Soule on bended knees each day To serue thy God aright so he from falling Proues thy Protector giues thee a Vertuous Calling Heau'n grant the Honest Minde may neuer know The fierce Assaults of want that Hell of woe Torture of Minde Murderer of Modestie High-way to Theft Cut-throate of Chastitie The Key of Whoredome Bane of that true Loue Which many boast but few did euer proue Many vow Loue for euer to be true Yet when want comes Whores are not more vntrue How sweetly did that Sacred Psalmist sing And runne Times true Diuision on the string Of Misery when he of God did craue Nor Want nor too much Wealth least in the Graue Of damn'd Despaire much want might haile him in And Riches Mount him to the highest sinne Lackey his way to lewdnesse to mistrust God's Mercies and to practise wayes vniust A Holy feare seiz'd on that blessed King To dread want's Dangerous Dart Proud Riches sting May the Good Man still thirst for Mercies Cup Climbe Jacobs sacred Ladder and mount vp Into a fiery Chariot Burning Zeale Liue a bright Angell in Heau'ns Common weale Free from this World whose Pompe and Brauery Is but a Land of Durt meere slauery THE FLESH SInne Acts foule Lust vpon the Soule while it Stands Puritan Punck-like willing to commit The Flesh vnto the Soul 's a bitter Pill Sweet guilded Poyson Candide o're to kill Hurrid Carocht in Pride which glit'ring showe Of swelling Pompe whose sweet Effect is woe Fleshly delights beget much Misery Makes Couples marrie vnaduisedly Thinking Loue tittle tattles can feed their wishes Loue soone growes cold where there is empty dishes Of all the sinnes that are when nothing can Ruine the Soule the Flesh preuailes with Man His Eyes no sooner on Deuotion waite But in steps Carnall Concupiscence straight She 's at his Elbow still to itch him on Th' vnhappy path to his Confusion * Chaste wiues are Saints women that wantonize * Witches all poyson Hell is in their Eyes In which as in a Wildernesse of woe In striuing to get out on mad men goe Starke mad past sense spight of all Books and Schools Ruine their Fortunes proue the Slaues to Fooles For an alluring Minutes trifling Ioy A lewd Insatiate Longing a meere Toy * O woman woman thy bewitching motion * Fooles wisedome mads reason and blinds al deuotiō The Flesh false Traitor like striues to betray The Soule to Hell for an Infernall Prey Fleshly delight in Man feares want of Breath More then his God sinne or Eternall Death * When iust plagues come thē sin-sick sots can tremble * Make knowne to all the World how they dissemble * Pray with the lip not heart wrest sacred Text * To serue their owne Ends first and then God next * Prouide to liue in pestilent Times beginne * Take greater Care to flie from death then sinne * Ther 's nothing in our Flesh but wickednesse * Desire to liue and obscene wantonnesse We forget now that dreadfull dismall chance The Terrible Arrow of Gods vengeance When Death buried farre more then th' Earth could swallow And no man to the Graue his Friend durst follow O why should Mortals wish long life to liue What Comfort what true Ioy do's this life giue * Ther 's nothing not one thought that do's vs good * But it is strangled straight by Flesh and blood * Holy Saint Paul finding the Flesh Rebell * desir'd to be dissolu'd proud Flesh to quell * And Sacred Symeon sung ' gainst sinnes encrease * Lord let thy seruant now depart in peace Shall such soule-sweetning preparations be Forgotten quite O blinde securitie * Life louing Fortunes how yea puffe Men vp * To hugge their Follies drinke damnation's Cup. What is it we behold in this vaine life But dayly griefes and dangers sinne and strife * When my soule-erring Eyes staring behold * A dang'rous Strumpet flame in glit'ring gold * And murd'ring Beauty sparkling from her Eye * Burning Temptation then me thinkes I spie * My most apparent mischiefe plainely see * How I ne'r striue to please my God as shee * Striues to please Men such is the flaring Pride * Of the vaine Flesh it hurts on euery side There 's nothing constant in vs if to day Vertue we loue to morrow Vice obay Man at the best is now become so fraile As what cannot a spruce Queane with a smooth Tail

most need goes astray * Is euer sure still to be out o' th way What shall I doe Where whether shall I fly Here there I know not where lie downe and dye Vp soule to Heau'n there get a glorious Crowne I am too weake too vile sinne puls me downe O my vnworthinesse my shame my sinne When shall I shake thee of when when beginne No wilt not bee can I not doe the good I would Must I be rul'd by flesh and blood Weepe on weepe on dissolue hard heart of flint Melt melt thou stony rocke Teares neuer stint Drop Marble Mount drop to a crimson flood Sinke my sinnes in Seas of penitent blood Come folded Armes and you sad Eyes sad Heart Come Soule opprest with sorrow play thy Part Haste to some gloomy-groue there all alone On the greene mantled Earth sigh sob and grone Spend pretious time with sacred thoghts that beares Heau'n in their Eyes true Vertue in their teares Complaine I will to fortune not that whore Which makes leane art pale-fac'd wisdome poore I le not complaine to her but to that En● Almighty Fortune in diuinest sense Groueling on Earth for sinne I le cast forth groanes Sighes shall conuert to Teares Teares into moanes Then will I start from ground my Body raise Shoote mine Eyes vpward against Heau'n I 'le gaze Thinke on my God my God whose sacred Will I haue abus'd my God most iust to kill Damne Soule and Body my rememb'rance blot Out of the Booke of Life I that forgot In midst of all vaine ioyes Intemp'rate healths Loose wanton chambering lasciuious stealths All-seeing Heauen a God so good so great He that to feed vs with Spirituall meate The Natiuitie of Christ Tooke humane shape came downe from Heau'n to Earth Enter'd the World at whose soule-sauing Birth The euerlasting gates of Mercy stood Open to all His houre of flesh and blood Turn'd night to day Heau'ns glittering Angell came And to poore men poore sheepheards did proclaime A Sauiour borne sinnes fury to controule Neuer was such sweet musicke to the soule Before his comming the Natiuitie Of Christ brings mortals firme felicitie * Milde was his Birth his Life creations wonder * His death deaths terror O thou God of thunder * Master of mans saluation all the Earth * Reapt plenitude of Ioy when thou tookst Birth * Mortalls were bigge with sinne villany ripe * Hells dreadfull Dragon ready for to gripe * Soules in his vggly pawes But then stept in * Our Sauiour he redeemd lost soules whose sinne * Gaue them to death eternall blessed houre * Blessed Natiuitie thrice blessed powre * Me thinkes at thought of thy Natiuitie * I lie perfum'd in Immortalitie When Christ was borne all were new borne agen Nere came like Musicke to the hearts of Men Angels for ioy clap their Celestiall Wings And eu'ry Saint eu'ry Crownd Martyr Sings Magnifico Deum to mortalls peace The calme of Conscience and shall mortals cease Their glad expressions No let hate to vice Dissolue sinnes cloud Eccho to Paradice Our Sauiours welcome let vs neuer more Simile Lie downe to our dishonours like a whore Dead to good councell neuer let darke deedes Defile the Soule Le ts roote vp all the seedes Of Pride Lust Enuie Hatred and in place Plant wisedome meeke humility and grace * Christs Glory came cloathd in humility * To teach our Hell-bred Pride Ciuility * Borne of a Virgin came to the world a stranger * His Palace an Oxe-stall his Bed a Manger O're whose obscure aboad Heau'ns Taper shinde And to the soules of wisest Men diuinde Great Natures wonder pointed them the way To finde the worlds Redeemer they obay Made towards that fixed starre which in the skie Was the blest Virgin Maries Canopie To Beth-lehem they came there with hearts glad Ador'd the King of Glory poorely clad Nor could blood thirstie Herods strict command Nor bloody butchering of Babes withstand His blessed Birth whose admiration brings Ioy to the world blest be that King of Kings He that to cure sinnes Leaporous disease A Heauenly Progresse fetcht the Geste these The Adamant of Glory CHRIST'S Setting forth from 's Celestiall PALACE Lodg'd in the Virgins Wombe from that blest PLACE To th' Manger went from Manger to the Crosse From Crosse departed with his deare Blouds losse Vnto the SEPVLCHER there made all euen And so Return'd Gloriously Home to HEAVEN To HEAV'N from whence LORD let thy SACRED FIRE GLISTER vpon my SOVLE whose sole Desire Begges MERCY for my Sinnes makes knowne to THEE THOV that hast RAVIHST ALL hast Rauisht Me. The Passion of Christ. Thirty three yeeres Christs sanctity did were The Cloth of our Redemption and did beare Times heauy yoake of crosses that we might With ease sustaine all wrongs in him delight Simile * Like Martyr'd Stephen whose lowd crying grones * Gain'd Heau'n i th' middle of a storme of stones * Loue lead him on in Death this Saint was Taster * And first that follow'd his Immortall Master * Christ Crucifide whom none that truly heares * But sure 't will thawe their frozen hearts to teares * Christs whole Life was a Martyrdome and Crosse * Actiue and Passiue and his deare bloods losse * The Tragicke Part the bloody Sceane which none * But he himselfe must Act and Act alone Alone for vs Heau'ns Glorious Lampe of Grace Grou'ling on Earth fell on his sacred Face He that is euer Lord of Mercies seate Water'd the Garden Cedron with the sweate Of bloody Browes and Body heauinesse And deadly sorrow seiz'd his blessednesse A kisse betray'd him and a periur'd lie Was the Reward for all his puritie ●n scorne this Prince of Heau'n was buffetted Spighted spitted at Extreamly scourged Yet Torture ne'r mou'd him he was silent In all his bitter suffrings patient Neuer did Earthly King free from annoy Receiue his Crowne nor with a greater ioy Went to his Coronation Dignifide As Glories King went to be Crucifide In him the Iewes derided Maiestie Condemned Innocence scourg'd Pietie * Head Hands Side Feet they to the Crosse did Fi● * Made him all o're a bloody Crucifixe Simile * Satan and Death like sawcie serieants went * To seize on him to sheere that Innocent * Blest Lambe of God But he who was to saue * All that belieu'd they had no power to shaue * His Patience Death and Diuels force did quell * He tooke the Great Leuiathan of Hell * With the hooke of his Crosse made him his slaue * Captiu'd the Diuell and subdued the Graue Simile * Like a long lookt for Booke Christ in the Presse Was kept to come in Print forth for to blesse * Our soules with that Saluation which do's giue * New Life whereby Eternally wee liue INRI The Key of Heauen ●are Sauiour sweet sweet was thy deare Compassion ●arely exprest in that most bitter PASSION ●hen whipt and scourg'd thou mildly suffer'dst all ●owes Buffets Blasphemies VIN'GER and GALL ●ulting