Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	great_a	let_v	sinner_n	1,997	5	7.5506	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05052	Manassehs miraculous metamorphosis representing to euery sinne-loaden (if sinne-loathing) soule, 1 A conduit of consolation. 2 A comfort against desperation. 3 A con[du]ct to deuotion. A sermon preached before the thrice-famous Vniuersity of Cambridge, at Great Saint Maries, Septemb. 10. Anno Dom. 1620. By George Langford, Master of Arts, preacher of Gods Word, and chaplaine to the right honourable Thomas earle of Exceter.	Langford, George.	1621 (1621)	STC 15193A; ESTC S106794	32,330	42

is Manasses It is Manasses hee that did euill in the sight of the Lord vers 2. It is Manasses hee that went backe and built the hie places vers 3. It is Manasses hee that built Altars in the house of the Lord vers 4. It is Manasses he that caused his Sonnes to passe thorough the fire in the valley of Benhinnom that gaue himselfe to Witchcraft and to charming that did euill yea very much euill that did euill in the sight of Iehouah and that to angel him vers 6. It is Manasses one of Sins greatest Associates one of Satans greatest In-mates an open opprobrious and flagitious sinner one who had drencht his soiled soule in the gall of vngodlinesse Act. 8.23 in the gall of bitternesse with Simon Magus One who Spider-like out of his owne bowels had spun a faire threed and weau'd the Web of vnrighteousnesse it is ipse hee hee it is that prayed He prayed to the Lord his God A lasse fond deathling he how durst he vaile his guilty teare-drowned eyes to Heauen how durst his fainting knees and faultering feete approach before Gods awfull presence He prayed indeed obsequiously he did implore for pardon oh pardon pardon mine outragious sinnes But why rather with Belshazzar Dan. 5.6 was not his countenance changed his thoughts troubled the ioynts of his loynes loosed why did not his knees knocke one against another and his eyes fayle him for feare Nature would deeme that in this deluge of distresse he should rather prey vpon himselfe casting his confused soule into the Chaos of horror horrible confusion then pray for himselfe whose exoticall sins so hideous whose exorbitant sins so hainous might seeme to haue built a Babel of confusion to haue erected a wall of seperation 'twixt him his God But ecce hominem behold with attention looke vpon Manasses with admiration he hath both forme beauty whē you shall see him you must needs desire him you must needs admire him He is despised indeed neglected of himself for he is a man full of sorrowes hath experience of infirmities Can. 1.5 but regard yee him not because he is black because the parching Sunnne of originall pollution and the perpetration of actuall transgression hath lookt vpon him Virgil Eglo●● Alba ligustra cadunt vacinia nigra leguntur Vzziah the Leper 2 Chron. 26.19 Ier 39.18 though white as snow shall be excluded the hoste when Ebed-melech the Blacke Moore shall not remoue one foote For now behold Manasses that Transcendent sinner so superlatiue comming from Labanon and looking from the Tower of Babylon Can 4.8 from the top of Amanah Shener and Hermon from the dens of the Lions and from the mountaines of the Leopards Behold him going about in the City Can 3.2 by the streets and open places seeking him that his soule loueth he sought found him or rather was found of him For which may strike our senses with astonishment hee that suffered him to be led captiue hath had compassion on him he hath made a light to shine into the prison he that sate in the shadow of death hath seene the Sun-shine of life God hath appeared vnto him Acts 17.20 Ipsa vita qua viuimus quam viuimus who is the life which we liue by which wee liue He he smote Manasses on the side Acts 12.7 as that deliuering Angell did blessed Peter Can. 2.4.5 his chaines fell off he raised him vp he deliuered him out he brought him into the wine cellar and loue was his banner ouer him he staied him with flagons and comforted him with apples for he was sicke of loue Can. 1.11.12 Now therefore seeing the winter of Manasses woe is past the raine is changed and is gone away let his voyce like the voyce of a Turtle be heard in our eares Pliny nat Hist Turtur non canit sed gemit saith Plinie the Turtle sings not so much as sighs Gen. 8.11 Ol●e pacales Ouid. 2 Chron. 33.6 Mat. 2.9 yet let Manasses be the Doue to bring an Oliue leafe true Embleme of trucefull peace into the Arke of Noah Let this star-gazing Doctor be our conductour leading vs like that starre to the Babe at Bethlehem Let him bee the messenger to bring these glad tidings of great ioy to all Repentants That so endlesse is the Ocean of Gods liberall mercie so boundlesse the sea of his vnlimited bounty toward man to vntoward man that abiect thrall that enthralled obiect of miserie and subiect of all iniquitie as that an impious and flagitious sinner may become a religious and repentant conuert as that a Manasses may be Metamorphosed as that a Sonne of Satan one of the broode of Belial a brat of fathomlesse perdition may become a naturall sonne of mother Sion a sacred Saint and Citizen of Ierusalen an heire apparent to the Kingdome to the crowne of Heauen inheriting eternall aye-enduring beatitude and felicity Well might the sighfull Psalmist so shrilly sound that deuout though dolefull ditty Abyssus abyssum inuocat Psal 42.7 one deepe calleth another Psal 42. Well doth that worthy saying of that famous worthy Saint Austin Augustin suit and sort it selfe with our present purpose Abyssus miseriae inuocat abyssum misericordiae a deph of miserie cals for a depth of mercy here Mercy and Miserie are met together Miserie and Mercy kindly doe kisse embrace each other Our God is not like Saint Basils Magistrate Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the bowels of commiserating compassion of compassionate commiseration Hos 1 6.9 He loued thee Lo-ammi when thou wast Lo-ruhamah deseruing nothing but desertion hee defer'd the sentence of condemnation When he displayes the bright beames of his Bounty hee commeth forth as a Bridegrome out of his Chamber Psal 19.5 and reioyceth as a Gyant to runne his race But spreading the Sable colours of his Seuerity comming to write vs a Bill of Diuorcement to giue the Deuill a Capeas Corpus and Tophet an Habeas animam Suetonius in vita Neron Clau●● Cas Sect 10 quàm vellem nesure literas oh then with Nero in Suetonius he seemes to wish Vtinam ò vtinam nescirem literas I would I had no cause to subscribe to the execution of this Malefactor With Bias that Iudge of Greece hee neuer giues sentence of death but seemes to sorrow The Sword of his Iustice vnlike to Ioabs is willing to be contained in the sheath of his Mercy Is he enforced to draw it his bowels are rowled and turned within him Is hee enforced to draw blood with it himselfe is wounded at the very heart Isa 1 24. He will ease him of his enemies and auenge him of his aduersaries Esa 1. But it comes with a Sigh with an Eheu Ah or Alas I will ease me of those that disease me Exonerando me magis onero as Bernard speakes in another case may the Lord vpon this occasion The punishing of Israel

for his sinne addes sorrow to the God of Israel For alas I must ease me of those that displease mee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the inexhausted treasurie of Gods Mercy Rom 11 33. Fons vincit sitientem August the infinite Fountaine of his neuer-failing fauour the head of whose euer-streaming torrent is more vnsearchable then that of Nilus 2 Sam 23 15. altogether past finding out Oh that one would giue me to drinke of the water of the well of Beth-lehem was Dauids desire but these Chrystall Currents this celestiall Nectar Psal 42.1 1 Cor 13. is that my heart brayeth for is that that my soule panteth after Yet had I the tongue of Men and Angels tipt with the choicest and chiefest lustre of humane eloquence I could not shadow in maske of words or plainly portray with any pencill this abundant this euer-streaming torrent this super abundant this ouer-streaming Current of Gods Mercie Lift vp then thy head thou drooping soule doe not despaire thou drousie spirit qui dilexit pollûtum deseret politum Hee that loued Manasses wallowing in the blood of his sons can he loath thee washt with the blood of his Sonne from whose side issued those two Sacramentall riuers Blood and Water Ambros in Luc. Aqua quae diluat Sanquis qui redimat saith S. Ambrose Water to clense thee blood to redeeme thee Hast thou with Lot committed incest Hast thou with Dauid committed adulterie Hast thou with Peter denied Christ Hast thou with Paul persecuted the Church Hast thou with Marcellinus sacrificed to Idols Yet wade not in the gulfe walke not in the way of desperation this Almightie this All-sufficient Physitian healed Lot of his Lethargie deliuered Dauid from his Leprosie purged Peter and Marcellinus for their shaking palsie cured and recouered Paul out of his Apoplexie He forgiues Manasses aswell as Hezekias he forgiues a thousand talents aswell as one penie He giues a Sea of Mercie as soone as one drop he giues many Ephas as soone as one Omer Decet magnum magna facere saith Aquinas Aquinas in Mat 8. By this Almightie God all mighty things are wrought are brought to passe He delights to blaze his bountie which most appeares in great iniquitie the Diamond shewes brightest on the blackest lead Starres shine clearest in the darkest nights Pearles shew rarest on the basest rings so Gods bountie like the Diamond his mercy like the Starre his pitty like the Pearle shewes brightest shines clearest seemes rarest on the blackest on the darkest on the basest sinner God is more incomprehensible in mercie then it is possible thou canst be in sinning the value of his bountie so infinitely surpasseth thine iniquitie Hierom. Hence is it that Saint Ierome confidently affirmes that Iudas sinned more hainously in despairing of his Masters pardon then in betraying of his Masters person His Master indeede is Sponsus sanguinum as Bernard stiles him Bernard Exod. 4 26. a bloody husband as Zipporah called Moses yet a husband for vs bloody for vs celebrating here his contract his espousals and hence his mariage his sacred Nuptials Could he then cry with the Beleeuing thiefe Domine memento mei Lord remember me Luk 23 42. then like that blessed thiefe he might steale the crowne coeleste furatur imperium saith Chrysostome of the thiefe hee took the Kingdome of heauen by violence Chrys Hom 2 de latr Tanlerus Med cap. 43. He came to the crosse besmear'd with the blood of others but is washt with the blood of Christ and who then can despaire Who can despaire of pardon when he sees his Sauiour triumphing vpon the Crosse bowing downe his head to kisse the sinner spreading abroad his armes to embrace the Prodigall Who can despaire of pardon when he doth remember that those wolues who shed the heart-blood of the Lambe of God should be washed from their sinnes by the blood that they shed Who can despaire of pardon when he shall consider that where Adam was buried there was Christ crucified as Epiphanius affirmeth Epiphan apud Kemnit de trad Jgnatius Epist 12. ad Roman Can 2 14. Bernard in can Ser 61. Christ is crucified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Ignatius Iesus my Loue my life is crucified that in his wounds the holes of the Rocke the Doue may build her nest as sweetly Bernard Oh then suffer not the surging billowes the stormy Euroclydons of despaire once to appal thy mind Christs head was harrowed with thornes that thine might be hallowed with the Diadē of glory Christs face was besmear'd with filthy spettle that thine might shine brighter then the Sunne in his beauty Christs eyes were darkned with the fogge of death that thine might behold the Beatificall Vision Christs eares were fill'd with the scoffes of Satanicall malignity that thine might be rauisht with Angelicall Harmony Christs lips were scornefully wet with macerating Vineger that thine might carouse the Nectar of Eternity In Christs hand was clasped the Reed of reproach that as a King thou mightst sway the Scepter of Felicity Christs feet were nailed to the Foot-stoole of the Crosse that thou mightst trample on the powers of pitchy darknesse In a word Christs piercing incision his bitter potion his vnsufferable passion his vnutterable compassion his vnsupportable and vnsupposeable temptation affliction persecution prosecution were all for thy sake that thou for his sake shouldest shunne the dangerous shelfe and gulfe of desperation Bern in can Serm 61 Quod ex te tibi deest vsurpa ex visceribus Domini this was Bernards practise Stand we in want of Mercy let vs not bee wilfully wanting to our selues in standing vpon our owne merit workes of Supererrogation are no small derogation to Christs all-sufficient satisfaction Merits of condignitie defended by the Cenuenticle of Trent offer the Crosse of Christ a grosse a great indignity Concil Trident. Se. 6. cap. 11. Erant haec duo non legitima christianorum concilia sed tyrannica Antichristi conuenticula Whitakerus de Synod Florent Trident Yet they call this Absolutissima Trident. Synod Posseuin Biblioth select What incongruitie must there needes be betweene our workes of congruitie and the sempiternall Crowne of felicitie Surely no more proportion is there then between Stillam muriae * Tullie mare Aegaeum betweene a drop of the sea and the maine Ocean Pater terrestris terrestrem te generauit regenerauit coelestis Wast thou defamed yet then thy God aduanced thee Wast thou deformed hee then reformed thee Wast thou quite degenerated hee regenerates thee Nascimur homines renascimur Christiani Wee are not borne Christian but brought to Christianitie yea then oftentimes when we persecute that way vnto the death Hath not God met vs in our iourney to Damascus running our selues out of breath or breathing out slaughter against the Disciples Yes doubtlesse yet then Et donauit bona sua condonauit mala tua then did hee giue vs grace and forgiue our gracelesse aberrations O