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
A07358	A patterne for women: setting forth the most Christian life, & most comfortable death of Mrs. Lucy late wife to the worshipfull Roger Thornton Esquire, of Little Wratting in Suffolke Whereunto is annexed a most pithy and perswasive discourse of that most learned & holy Father Ierom, being his last speech before his death, which is able to rouze vp the most drowzy and dead in firme. And finally, the last most heauenly prayer of the sayd Ierom, a singular help for a poare soule, wrestling with the pangs of death, to addresse herselfe towards her saviour. By I.M. Bachelour of Diuinity.	Mayer, John, 1583-1664.	1619 (1619)	STC 17742; ESTC S100842	34,723	168

you because yee desire these temporall ioyes yee shall suffer though most nilling the paines of hell Behold ye haue but a litle time remaining fill vp the measure of your wickednesse that all the wrath of God may come vpon you Enioy this short time in sports drunkennesse and dancings and wantonnesse let not your time bee spent without these Why delay you whilst yee liue gather for your children riches honors preferments increase your nobilitie and name that your children also may fulfill that which ye haue done that yee may altogither suffer the greater tortures in hell But some man will say the Lord is good and mercifull and receiueth in mercy euery sinner that commeth vnto him This is true indeede I confesse the Lord is better than he is thought to be he spareth as is meet euery one that commeth vnto him Is he not a most kinde God that tolerateth so great iniuries done vnto him by sinners giuing them space to amend But thou must know this that as he is kinde in forbearing so he is iust in punishing But some man perchance will say again he which hath done euill all his life becomming penitent at the very point of death obteineth pardon of the Lord. O how false an opinion and how false a meditation is this Scarce one of a hundreth thousand whose life hath bin alwaies ill hath found this fauour at the Lords hands A man begotten and altogither nourished vp in sinne which hath neither seene nor knowne God neither hath bin willing to heare of him neither taketh notice of his sins nor what repentance is being altogither bound vp in secular businesses whom the strait of forsaking his sonnes presseth whom weaknes paineth whom the sorrow of riches and temporall goods now about to be lost shaketh when he seeth that he cannot enioy them any longer can such a man make repentance acceptable vnto God who would not repent if he did thinke that he could be healed I may verily conclude truly that he which doth not feare to offend God whilst he is young and sound shall not be found worthy in death of the Lords pardon What repentance is that which a man receiueth only because he seeth that he can liue no longer who if he should recouer from his sicknesse againe would become worse than he was before I know no meane monyed men who hauing repented them in their extremide haue waxed well againe in bodie and worse in life I hold this I thinke this to be true and haue learned it by manifold experience that he atteineth no good end that hath alway led an ill life which hath not seared to sin but hath alwaies liued in the vanities of the world Pretious saith he in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints and most accursed the death of the wicked And therefore my beloued sonnes gird your selues with power be ye mighty sonnes and feare not the slender power of the rich mighty here in the doing of righteousnesse For he that suffereth for righteousnesse is blessed and if he suffereth death he is more blessed If thou desirest to haue life through Christ feare not death for Christ for thou canst not indure those things for Christ which are worthy of the glory to come which shall bee reuealed when our glory which is from aboue shall appeare Let him not looke for a reward that doth not labour the name of a Christian alone doth not suffice but if thou beest a Christian imitate Christ Hee hath in vaine the name of a Christian who followeth the Deuill He is no Christian but an Antichrist according to that of Iohn Ye haue heard that Antichrist commeth now there be many Antichrists Wilt thou therefore reigne with Christ then suffer with Christ If Christ the Lord and King who hath a name aboue all names ought to suffer that he might enter into his glory what hope hast thou to enter without paines O how foolish are we and slow of heart to beleeue We will here passe our time in pleasure with the world and afterwards reigne with Christ Seeing the master entred naked shall the seruant expect to enter being laden with the superfluitie of apparell of gold and pearles He was full of fastings this man of surfets and ryotings he died vpon the crosse for him this man sleepeth vpon a delicate bed Shall seruants do that which the Lord doth not The Lord promiseth his kingdome to the sonnes of Zebedee if they could drinke the cup that he should drinke Be yee wise come hither and heare me and I will tell you the things which I haue heard and knowne It is good to cleaue to the Lord and to walke as he hath walked Euen as Christ hath laid downe his life for vs so we if need be ought to lay downe our life for the truth which is God himselfe He that loueth his life in this world shall loose it Christ hath suffered for vs leauing vnto vs an example that we should follow his steps Let him not thinke himself a Christian which doth not finde himselfe ready to die for Christ Let the minister of Christ follow Christ Answer me ô thou man which art a Christian onely in name and in word dost thou hold and preach the faith of Christ this is a good thing but where be thy workes faith without workes is dead Let mee tell thee truly thou which praisest Christ with thy word and not with thy worke doest indeed denie who if thou didst beleeue his sayings thou wouldst at the least be afraid and blush to commit sinne And if thou dost beleeue and dost euill thou art to be punished an hundreth fold more Is not the sin which is done out of malice infinitely worse than that which is done out of ignorance The Angell sinned and the man sinned the one could finde pardon the other not For what cause the Angell sinned out of malice man sinned out of the Deuils suggestion Where vpon say I thou doubtlesse canst haue none excuse if thou saist that thou sinnest by the Deuils suggestion euen as he did because thy suggestion is not like vnto his He knew not yet what the Deuils suggestion meant neither how greatly sinne would displease but thou knowest well and beleeuest as thou saist and yet cōmittest so many thousand fins And what shall I conclude they that are such Christians beleeue him in word and lye vnto him with their tongue but their heart is not right with him neither haue they faith in his testament If any man loueth Christ if any man be a true Christian specially a Priest in whom as it were in a glasse perfection doth shine he must deny himselfe that he may be altogither dead vnto the world because that vnlesse a graine of corne falling vpon the earth dieth it remaineth alone He wandreth in the way that hastens to goe by riches and delights It is a signe of manifest damnation to follow the pleasures of this world and to

After these and other graue and comfortable speeches he vttered this heauenly praier following The Prayer of Ierome being now ready to die OHoly Iesus my virtue my resuge my taker vp my deliuerer and my praise in whom I haue hoped in whom I haue belecued and whom I haue loued my cheife sweetnesse my tower of strength and my hope euen from my youth Call me ô the Guide of my life and I will answer thee Stretch foorth the right hand of thy clemencie to the worke of thine owne hands which thou the creature of all things hast made of the mire of the earth and ioyned together with bones and nerues to whom thou dying hast giuen life and mercy Bid me come ô Lord doe not delay it is time that dust returne to the dust and that the Spirit returne to thee the Sauiour who hast sent it hither Open to me the gate of life for thou hast promised mee that thou wouldst receiue it when thou didst hang vpon the crosse for me Come my beloued let me lay hold vpon thee and not let thee go bring me into thy house Thou art my Taker vp my glorie and the lifter vp of mine head my saluation and my blessing Receiue me ô mercifull God according to the multitude of thy mercies Thou dying receiuedst the Theife vpon the Crosse running vnto thee O eternall blessednesse let me possesse thee Inlighte with the light of thine eternall sight mee blinde man crying by the way Iesus thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me O inuisible lights what ioy can I haue when I sit in darknesse and see not the light of heauen O light without which there is no truth there is no discretion no wisedome no goodnesse inlighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death that my enemie say not I haue preuailed against him My soule is weary of my life I speake in the bitternesse of my soule I am sicke my life is weakned through pouertie my bones are fried as it were in a frying pan And therfore I runne to thee Lord the Phisitian Heale mee O Lord and I shall bee healed saue me ô Lord and I shall be saued and I shall not be confounded because I put my trust in thee But who am I most holy God that I should speake so boldly vnto thee I am a sinner altogether begotten borne and brought vp in sinnes I am a rotten carcase a slinking vessell euen wormes meate Woe is me ô Lord spare mee what victorie is it if fighting with me thou shouldst ouercome mee who am lesse then the stubble before the fire Forgiue all my sinnes lift mee poore Wretch out of the mire O Lord if thou wilt giue me leaue I will say that thou oughtest not to put me away comming vnto thee because thou art my God Thy flesh is of my flesh and thy bones of my bones For for this cause not leauing the right hand of the Father thou hast cleaued to my nature and becamest God and man And why didst thou this so hard and vnthought of thing but that I might come confidently vnto thee as vnto a brother and that thou mightest mercifully communicate vnto me thy diety Wherfore arise helpe mee ô Lord arise and reiect me not finally Euen as the Hart braies after the riuer of water so my soule thirsteth after thee the liuing fountaine that it may drinke waters of ioy out of the fountaine of my Sauiour and neuer thirst againe O Lord when wilt thou haue regard and restore my soule from euill deeds and my da●●ing from the Lyons● If my sinnes were weighed whereby I haue deserued thine anger and my calamitie were put in the ballance it would be heauier then the sande of the sea and if thou stay a little longer I shall finde tribulation and sorrow Come the ioy of my Spirit that I may delight in thee reueale vnto mee thy mercie the ioy of mine heart Let me finde thee my desire Euen as a seruant longs for the end of his worke so I long for thee O LORD Let my request come into thy sight that thy hand may saue me I haue bin a great sinner in my life time and done much euill in thy sight I haue not knowne thee I haue bin vngratefull for thy benefits I haue not praised thee as I ought I haue often cōcealed thy truth when thou didst knocke at the doore of my heart I was slow to let thee in reuerently I haue loued my rotten body which goeth away like a shadow with too much affection I haue defiled my mouth with vaine words my minde hath not bin alwaies in thy testimonie I haue not turned mine eyes from beholding vanitie I haue polluted mine eares with vnprofitable words I haue not stretched out my hands oftentimes to the necessities of my neighbours I haue made hast with my feet to iniquitie What should I say more from the sole of my foote to the crowne of my head there is no whole part in me Surely vnlesse dying vpon the crosse thou hadst holpen mee my soule had dwelt in hell O holy Iesus I am part of so great a price for mee hast thou shed thy pretious blood ô reiect mee not I am the ship that haue wandred ô good Shepheard looke me vp and bring me to thy fold that thou may est be iustified in thy sayings For thou hast promised mee that at what houre soeuer a sinner repenteth he shall be saued I am greeued I know my sins and mine iniquitie are alwaies before me Truly I am not worthy to be called thy Sonne for I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Speake ioy and comfort in mine eare turne away thy face from my sinnes blot out mine iniquities according to thy great mercy Cast mee not away from thy sight neither deale with me according to my sinnes but helpe mee ô God of my saluation and for the honour of thy name deliuer me Deale benignly with me according to thy good will that I may dwell in thy house all the dayes of my life that I may praise thee togither with those that dwell there for euer and euer Arise and make haste ô the most beloued husband of my soule do not consider that it is tawney black through sinne Shew hir thy face vtter thy voice in her eares for thy voice is pleasant and thy face is comely Turne not away from me shun not thy seruant at this houre I waite vpon thee O Lord I beleeue to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liuing Therefore come my beloued let vs goe out togither into the field and see if the vine hath flourished Turne my mourning into ioy incline thine eare vnto mee make haste to deliuer me out of this vale of teares miseries Trinitati in vnitate Gloria

Amen Soone after midnight shee sayd that shee had agreat conflict neither could wee conceiue what shee felt but soone after most comsortably He is come said she hee is come the Diuell is ouercome the world is ouercom and the slesh is ouercome Into thy hands ô father I cemmend my spirit and so fell asleep her eyes being shut and teeth set But breath being perceiued to be in her they stroue to reuiue her which was a great trouble vnto her Yet through the mercy of God shee obtained her olde comfort againe by many signes testifying her assurance to the end and departed vpon the Mun day-night quietly falling at it were into a sleepe And so shee is departed in peace and resteth in ioy with her beloued Sauior So then happy is she but woe is vs from whom she is departed we may iustly weepe and lament Her husband may lament from whom is departed a heauenly wise humble louing and obedient wife Her children may lament from whom is departed a mother by nature a mother by grace who as the Apostle laboured till Christ was formed in them The poore may lament from whom is departed a faithfull Patronesse full of good workes towards them Wee Ministers may lament from whom is departed a carefull hearer yea an helper in our labours Women may lament from whom is departed the ornament of women And al the neighbours round about may lament both men and women from whom is departed a great light a starre shining in a darke place following which wee may bee sure to see light Shee is departed but her memory diueth and shall liue for the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed Pro. 10.10 And let her memory liue in vs as long as we liue we treading in the same steps and being transformed into the same image of heauenlinesse wisdome loue and humility that when wee shall be infeebled and death shall approach we may also ioyfully dispose our selues heereunto and say Lord now lettest thou thy sevuint depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saltiation Which the Lord grant vnto vs for his mercies take in lesus Christ To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost bee all honour and glory now and for cuermore Awen The last words of that holy and learned father Ierom who died the 96 yeere of his age Anno Dommi 422. translated out of Latin and transferred hither as most a uaileable to stir vp true Piety and to mortifi worldly Vanity and to prepare to a comfortable departure WHen the time of his death was now come through a hot burning-Feuer he willed his sonnes to come together about him whom like young-plants hee had established from their youth vp-ward Whose mourning when his graue countenāce beheld through piety and mercy being moued a little while hereat hee sighed in his Spirit and weeping lifting vp his eies he spake thus O my sonne Euse bius why dost thou shed those vnprofitable teares is it not a vaine thing to shed teares ouer the dead What man liuing is there that shall not see the dissolution of this mortall body Darest thou speake against that which the Lord hath once spoken and thou hast heard seeing thou knowest that no man can resist his will Now I beseech thee O sonne walke not according to the flesh cease to weepe surely the weapons of our warfare are not carnall Then with a merry countenance and chearefull voice hee said vnto the rest Let sadnes cease let mourning bee put away let there be one voice of ioy amongst you all for behold the acceptable time behold the day of iubilation and of gladnesse aboue all the daies of my life in which the faithfull Lord according to his word doth open his hand that he may call backe to the supernall Countrey recouered by the pretious death of his owne sonne my soule hitherto in banishment in the prison of this deth for the guilt of my forefather Alam O most dearely beloued sonnes doe not hinder my ioy doe not seeke to keepe from the earth that which helongeth vnto it For ye ought as the Ministers and houshold Seruants and friends of God to aspire after spirituall things that yee may be an example vnto others Why doe yee that are spirituall poure out those so many vnfruitrull teares Let the remembrance of sinne make you alwaies to weepe bee as ready to weepe as you haue beene to offend Weepe if any man dieth in sinne for if when a wicked man ari seth from death by repentance the Angels reioyc in heauen surely if any man that hath bin good dyeth in sin the Angels sorrow But bewaise not me as one dying but reioyce with mee as one touching the hauen of saluation What is weaker than the miseries of this life which is compassed bout with so many troupes of sorrowes and passions as that there is almost no houre wherein any liuing man whatsoeuer may passe free from sorrow If the rich man bee pressed on euery side with feare lest hee should loose that which he doth possess if the poore man be neuer it rest that hee may get ●iches if a good man doth on this side feare the daager of the Deaill and on that side lest the ship of this mortall body should suffer shipwracke in the sea of this world and no age or sex or condition doth passe free from sorrow as long as it remaineth in the misery of this life If ye know any thing in mee an hinderance to my iourney sorrow Alas how many of those that saile through this great spacious sea in which are so many diuers kindes of enemies wrestling togither according to the quantitie of ech ones strength after much happinesse in sayling after many victories thinking euen now to obtaine their wished for end haue come in this very houre into the snare of perditict by some diabelicall suggestion Alas how many doth both life and same here recommend ouer whom by the onely consenting vnto sinne cruell death and ruine hangeth Therefore whilst yee liue feare ô brethren the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom our life is a warfare vpon earth he that ouercommeth here shall be crowned else-where Whilst wee are coucred with this skin v. e haue no complete victorie If our forefather had feared he had neuer fallen Presumption of a mans selfe is the beginning of all euils and he that feareth not doth presume vpon himselfe How can any man laden with gold goe securely amongst theeues What other thing doth our Sautour teach vs but to feare when he saith Watch for yee know not at what houre the theefe will come S. Peter saith 1 Pet. 5. Be yee sober brethren and watch bicause your aduersarie the deuill goeth about like a roaring lion seeking whom hee may deuoure No man dwelleth securely amongst serpents He which is more holy and more wise let him alwaies feare more for he which is higher if he falleth receiueth the greater fall