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
A12258	Heptameron, the seven dayes: that is, meditations and prayers, vpon the vvorke of the Lords creation Together with other certaine prayers and meditations, most comfortable for all estates, & c. By M. A. Symson, minister at Dalkeith.	Simson, Archibald, 1564-1628.	1621 (1621)	STC 22566; ESTC S102416	80,114	236

my fellowes I had no delight to pray nor heare thy word albeit my Parents and Masters many times did commaund mee I spent that time euen the first fruites of my youth in ydlenesse My sinfull life and wicked nature delighted not to bee instructed in learning and vertue which my neglect of time is nowe punished in mine age for the which I craue thy mercy O remember not good Lord the sinnes of my youth neither howe ignorant I haue beene of thy trueth Psal 25.7 But by the holy childhood of thy Sonne purge the sinnes of my childhood and of thy great mercy O Lord pittie mine ignorance But when I passed the yeeres of my childhood Adolescencie I entered into mine Adolescencie in a middle age betwixt a Boy and a Man Alace for pittie when I call to minde that time of my life my soule is astonished fearing that thou wilt make mee to inherite the sinnes of my youth Thou gauest mee strength of bodie and quicknesse of minde but how vyldlie abused I all thy benefites I with the prodigall sonne haue spent all my precious youth in sinne Oh when I thinke vpon the monethes of vanitie when I gaue my strength to sinne and did consecrate the first fruits of my life to Sathan my soule fainteth O Lord I am ashamed when I thinke vpon my lende and beastly behauiour more beseeming a Beast than a Man O Lord thou hast not suffered all my follies to be made patent to the world neither didst thou slay me in my sinne Let not my secrete sinnes stand in the light of thy countenance for thine honour is to couer sinnes therefore let them passe like a shaddow If Ioseph did pardon those sinnes of his Brethren wilt thou Gen. 45.1 O Lord call to minde the follies by the which I haue offended thee Alace I was not onely foolish and insolent but I was mad I contemned all admonitions of thy seruauntes I thought my Parentes and Elders were but foolish and I euanished in my mad rage I was nigh vnto the gates of Hell I posted and ranne as swiftly as the Dromadarie Ier. 2.24 or the wilde Asse But thou tookest mee in my moneth and when I was ladened with sinne then thou mercifully chastisedst mee while I was burning in the flame of my lustes thou tamedst mee by a grieuous disease and sicknesse which thou layedst vpon mee by which my bodie was brought vnder Blessed bee thou O Lord who hadst that care of mee that thou chastisedst me and nurturedst mee that I should not perish with the wicked worlde Thou didst meete thy seruant Paul when hee went to Damascus Act. 9.3 and smotest him to the ground with blindnesse that he might rise againe a new man to honour thee Thou diddest preuent Dauid by the hand of Abigall 1. Sam. 25.23 who stopped him from sheeding of blood O most mercifull Lord thou didst meete mee by thy rodde and didst cast mee downe and raysedst mee vp againe Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I haue learned to followe thy Commaundementes Psal 119.67 Now I thy poore Supplicant vpon the knees of a sorrowfull soule craue pardon and grace for all the transgressions of my youth But O my God as I grew in yeeres so I grew in sinne Age. and I forgot thy former mercies I went to Iericho and mine enemies wounded mee vpon the way Luk 10.33 and left me for dead my fellowes passed by mee but gaue mee no comfort But thou O pittifull Samaritane hadst mercy vpon mee thou filledst my woundes with the wine of thy blood thou powredst in the oyle of thy spirit to soften them thou tookest mee vpon thy shoulders and broughtest mee to the Inne of thy Church where I might remaine vntill I was perfectly cured Prayse bee vnto my God who left mee not in my sinne but had compassion vpon mee But Lord haue pittie for my soule is inwardly tormented when I thinke on my former dayes and how I haue sinned against thee My Senses are defiled my Seeing my Hearing my Tasting The sight my Smelling and my Touching Alace I made not a couenant with mine Eyes but they were full of filthinesse therefore now doe I water my Couch with the teares of my complaint Forgiue O Lord Psal 6.6 my wandering lookes and nowe set min● Eyes vpon thee that the Eyes of min● Heart beeing purified with a pur● Heart I may see God Math. 5.8 I opened the doores of mine Eares vnto the strange voyces of thine enemies I welcomed Sinne The hearing whensoeuer it came to my Soule But alace I repent and wish at God that I had not done so Yet nowe O Lord open the doores of my Soule that thou mayest sound the voyce of joye and gladnesse that the. Psal 51.8 Bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Woe is mee that euer I tasted the delicates of sinne and that as Eua The ●●sting G●● 3.6 by her taste and sight brought that guiltinesse vpon her selfe and vs so I by mine abusing of these good benefites haue procured that with the prodigall Childe thou shouldest bring me to pouertie O God keepe mee that I neuer taste the foode of the king of Babel but let mee eate the pottage of Daniel thy seruant Daniel 1.8 The Smelling Oh that the stinking smell of sinne were away from mine head Let mee smell the sauour of thine Oyntmentes thy Myrrhe Psal 45.8 and thy Cassia when thou commest from thine Yuorie Palaces The Touching Oh that euer I stretched foorth mine hand to sinne Now Lord extend d mine hand to thy seruice to bee bountifull to the Poore and to sow my seed vpon m●nie waters that I may reape eternall joye My minde is replenished with ignorance mine heart is indured my will is rebellious to thy will my mouth an open sepulchre and my feete are swift to run to euill O Lord haue pittie on mee and remember that Christ my Lord was wounded in all the members of his bodie and in all the members of his bodie that by his woundes I might bee cured Preuenting grace Preuent mee by thy grace ●●eke thy lost Sheepe and light the ●andle of thy word Matth. 15.24 that thou mayest ●●de thy lost Pennie And when thou ●ast found mee Lord giue mee thine ●●companying grace Accompanying grace that it doe not ●●rsake mee Put the Ring on my sin●er euen the Ring of thy loue and fa●our And last I beseech thee bestow ●pon mee thy following grace ●ollowing grace which ●ay crowne the whole mercies that I ●aue receiued all my life Sinne alace sticketh faster to mee ●an doeth my flesh yea the marrow ●ithin my bones O Lord make diui●on betwixt vs Sinne separateth vs from God and separate it from ●ee which hath made so long separa●●on betweene thee and mee It is a ●urthen which lyeth vpon mee and is ●oo heauie for mee to beare therefore 〈◊〉 my God

ease mee thereof that with ●acritie and readinesse of heart I may ●erue thee all the dayes of my life as I ●aue serued sinne before Alace was ●ot I the cause that thy Sonne died ●ine Angels are offended and thy Church grieued O Lord let mee be ●omforted before my departure that I may bee the occasion of all their joye● by my repentance as I was the cause of their sorrowe by my fall and foule defection But alace when that I haue repented mee of my former wickednesse I am readie to runne backe vnto that filthie puddle of sinne from the which I was newlie washen yea I haue fallen more often than seauen times euerie day but thou O Lord with thy mercifull hand didst lift me vp againe Therefore deare Father haue mercie vpon mee I beseech thee and continue thy loue and fauour towards mee and let mee not fall as doe the wicked who fall and rise no more Sende vnto mee O my God faithfull Admonishers and let the Righteous rebuke mee yea let mee not want the checkes of mine owne Conscience that I durst forsweare my promise to my God Breach of promise to God I promised to amend my life but I haue not performed mine oath and haue come vnder a double guiltinesse I purposed to cease from sinne euen when I vowed thinking to stand by mine owne strength But nowe good Lord I beseech thee that thou wouldest giue mee thy constant Spirit that I may stand by thy power Psa 51.10 and fall no more If thou wouldest narrowlie marke mine iniquities O Lord Iob 5.3 I could not aunswere thee to one of a thousand yea mine owne mouth condemne mee Iob 9.20 and mine owne cloathes would defile mee Wash mee therefore O my God Purge mee with Hyssope Psal 51.7 and I shal be cleane with Myrrhe and pure Water and I shall bee whiter than Snow O passe by my great sins for mercy pleaseth thee Mich. 7.8 Remember not O Lord mine ingratitude and vnthankfulnesse toward thy Majestie Ingratitude for all thy manifolde and rich benefits which thou hast so bountifullie bestowed vpon mee from time to time Ne yet good Lord remember mine hypocrisie and superficiall seruice Hypocrisie which manie times I haue done vnto thee both priuatelie and in thine House I craue pardon for these two sinnes which are most haynous and I most humblie beseech thee euer hence forwarde to giue mee a thankfull minde and heart vnto thee for all thine innumerable benefites and blessinges and sinceritie in thy worship that with a single eye and a true heart I may glorifie thee O my Creatour all the dayes of my pilgrimage heere in this life and heereafter with thy Sainctes for euer Oh and alace I am sorie and doe most heartilie repent mee for those manifolde injuries which I haue done vnto my Neighboures Injuries to our neighbour euen for lacke of loue towardes them But O Lord I am no wayes able to reckon mine hainous sinnes and grieuous offences which I haue committed both against God and man no more than I am able to count the haires of mine head or the sandes of the Sea or the Starres of Heauen But binde thou all my transgressions in the bundle of thy mercie and burne them in the fire of thy loue Oh burie them all in the bowels of thy CHRIST and in the graue of perpetuall obliuion For why O Lord thy Name is Mercie 1. Gods Name is Mercie and thy nature mercifull yea thy mercie is aboue all thy workes and in dureth for euer 2. His nature mercifull Thy promise is O God that thou wilt not cast off those that come vnto thee Thou hast sworne that thou delightest not in the death of a sinner 3. His promise and oath but that hee bee conuerted and liue Thou commandest all that are wearie 4. His Commandemēt Matt. 11.28 Luke 18.1 and laden with sinne to come vnto thee and thou wilt ease them Thou commendest the vnjust Iudge who at last yeelded to the importunitie of the Widow Therefore O Lord according to the riches of thy mercies looke vpon mine infirmities Bestow vpon ●e O Father the Comforter Ioh. 14.26 euen the Spirit of trueth who may leade mee in all veritie through this Wildernesse and thy constant Spirit who may establish mine heart by his grace and who may sanctifie me and purifie the sountaine of my soule that all good actions may aboundantlie spring from thence And finallie O Lord I resigne my bodie and soule into thine hand beseeching thee most intirelie that thou wilt keepe thine owne Lodging that I may bee directed by thine holie Spirit in the course of this transitorie life that I hauing the assurance of the forgiuenesse of all my former sinnes and likewise a care feare and reuenge of my corruption I may learne to number my dayes Psa 90.12 redeeme the time and spende and ende my life to thine honour praise and glorie through IESVS CHRIST my Lord and onelie Sauior Amē So bee it MEDITATIONS AND PRAYERS vpon the Lordes seuen dayes worke MOSES albeit hee was borne after the Flood yet he prophecieth of thinges done from the beginning of the Worlde and hath written fiue Bookes of the same GENESIS GENES which signifieth Generation because it containeth the beginning both of the Worlde and of the Church EXOD. EXODVS an Out-passage or deliuerie of the Church from Aegypt LEVITICVS LEVIT setteth downe both the Orders and Offices of the Leuits for the right ministration of Gods seruice NVMBERS a Reckoning of men NVMB. wherein God performeth his promise to Abraham Gen. 22.17 that his seed should be like the starrs of heauē DEVTERONOMIE DEVT. or a Second Law or Declaration of the will of God before the death of Moses He beginneth at the Creation by which he confuteth the Opinion of the Eternity of the World To such as inquire what God was doing before the Creation What God was doing before the World I answere with S. Augustine Hee was preparing Hell for such curious braines And to such as aske where he was I say that God needed no place who is comprehended in no place Places are made for bodies which are conprehensible the Creatour beeing incomprehensible hath no neede therof Neque tempus habet quando neque locum ubi Augustine neque modum quomodo neque causam cur fit that is Hee hath neither a place wherein hee is nor a time when nor a manner how nor a cause why he is But he was in himselfe and had a perfect delectation in his owne Trinitie A MEDITATION VPON THE LORDS first dayes vvorke THE first Creature which GOD made out of the Chaos and Masse was the Light Light admirable which is admirable in two respects First 1. Out of darknesse because it proceeded out of Darknesse as hee doth produce one Contrare out of another 2. Without

Beastes and get the names of such Beastes whose fashions and conditions they are moste addicted to followe They are called Lyons Rauens Beares Bulles of Da-shan Swyne Dogges Vipers c. The couetous Pastours are called dumbe greedie Dogges who cannot barke and neuer are satisfied Issachar is compared vnto a wylde Asse which concheth betwixt two Burdens and Dan vnto a Serpent and there are manie of the Trybe of Dan which byteth the Horse heeles and the ryder also And albeit there bee manie Adulterers and Murderers of the Trybe of Dan which shall enter into Heauen yet the Serpent-kynde of the Trybe of Dan shall not come there Plinius sayeth that there are three kyndes of Serpentes One which killeth all Strangers and spareth Countrey folks Plin. lib. 8. cap. 59. another which killeth Countrey folkes and spareth Strangers and the third which spareth none of them and there are people of all these sortes But I marke one thing in the Serpent wherein it differeth in crueltie from all other Beasts A remarkable marke of the Serpit against Man for the Lyon and Wolfe seeke after Mens Blood for the loue of the Bloode wherevpon they feede but the Serpent which feedeth vpon the Dust out of an hatefull desire of naturall reuenge thirsteth after Mans Bloode albeeit it getteth none other gaine thereby but onelie the satisfaction of her cruell minde representing manie deuilish and serpent-like people Nota. who albeit they get none other commoditie by the destruction of godlie persons yet they holde their selues satisfied that they haue gotten the malicious intent of their wicked heartes brought to passe Man of grea●est price is made last Now when the Lord had furnished his House with store of al good things as a louing and carefull Father hee builded an House to his Sonne and he ●illed it with all plenishing Simil. and then hee putteth his Sonne into it as God placed Man Hee maketh Man with aduisement Let vs make Man sayde the Father to the Sonne and to the Spirit Gen. 1.26 For this aduisement telleth vs that the Creation of Man is more than the Creation of the whole Worlde for Man is called a little Worlde because in him is comprehended a worlde of wonders in his Bodie and Soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When hee sayeth To our Image then hee clearlie designeth the Trinitie of the persons Trinitie by the worde plurall And when hee sayeth Image in the singular Vnitie then he noteth the Vnitie of the substance The Image of GOD standeth not in the bodilie representation Wherein Gods Image standeth Isa 40.18.20 c. but in the giftes of the mynde therefore it is a grosse Idolatrie for Christians who knowe God to bee an infinite Spirite to close him within the compasse of a finite Image or to picture him with coloures who is capable of no qualitie Levit. 26.1 and which hee himselfe dischargeth by his Lawes For his Image standeth in Righteousnesse and Holinesse Mercie and Loue. GOD made Man and Beast of one substance The substāce wherof wee are made should teach vs humilitie euen to teach vs humilitie and if wee had not soules wee differ verie little from Beastes But the power of God appeared so much the more who could produce out of so base a Subject such a glorious Workemanship As the cunning of the Artificer is much more admired Simil. who out of a base matter can worke fynelie than of a strong Mettall Then Mans bodie being so artificiallie made he breathed in him an heauenlie substance which is a spirit as God is who can neyther bee seene nor felt As the Heauens are more excellent than the Earth The wonderfull vniō betwixt the Soule the Bodie and could worke without it which the Earth could not doe without the Heauens so can the Soule without the Bodie prayse God as it doeth in Heauen which the Bodie could not doe without the Soule In this life they haue mutuall operations the Soule directeth and the Bodie is directed the Bodie is blinde without the Soule and the Soule would bee creeple without the Bodie Let the Soule therefore commaund the Bodie in those thinges which are lawfull and let the Bodie obey the good direction of the Soule which both being made vp to the Image of GOD they may represent Him in all their actions A PRAYER Vpon the LORDES sixth Dayes Worke. O Lord God Father of Mercies and God of all consolation looke downe vpon mee I beseech thee with the Eyes of thy mercie and sithence thou hast created Man vpon the sixth Day create mine heart anewe and anoint it with a fresh remenberance of thy power and goodnesse that I may become a newe creature Vpon the fifth day thou plenishedst the Aire with Birdes and the Sea with Fishes innumerable Genes 1.21 and now the Earth yeeldeth all sortes of Beastes likewise euen to mans vse and they are brought vnder subjectiō that I might bee free they lay downe their liues for mee that I may liue by them and albeit both I and they bee made of one substance yet thou hast preferred mee aboue them all and hast put them vnder my feete Psal 8.6 so deare am I vnto thee I thanke thee O Lord that thou of thine vndeserued mercie and loue hast made thy choyse of mee Nota. God made choyse of ●s let vs ●herefore make choyse of God Genes 2.20 Oh Lord cause mee to make mine onelie choyse of thee Amongst thy creatures there is none like vnto thee Adam could not finde one equall to himselfe amongst all thy creatures till out of himselfe thou madest one like vnto himselfe O Lord there is nothing in Heauen nor in the Earth can satisfie my soule thou art the perfection of beautie thou hast giuen me the rest giue me thy selfe without whom neither the creatures visible nor inuisible will content mee Yet seeing it pleaseth thee that they should be appointed to feede cloathe and ease me make me the more able by them to goe forwarde in thy seruice let not that malediction and curse fall vpon mee Let vs beware that wee fight not against the Lord with his owne benefites that I should fight against the God of my life with his owne benefits to whom I am so infinitly oblished for his gracious gifts bestowed on me O Lord I haue receiued some new comfort in the day of my tryall when for my humiliation it pleaseth thee to punish me with pouertie then Sathan biddeth me turne the stones into bread as he did vnto Christ and seeke vnlawfull meanes for my reliefe But Matth. 4.3 Lord augment thou my fayth and let me depende vpon thy promises that I may build vpon them as vpon a sure Holde and speake boldlie with thy seruant Dauid The Lord is my sheepheard I shall not want Psal 23.1 No Prince of the Earth can say this word Nota. but a poore christian depending vpon thee may