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
A08025	Iacob's ladder consisting of fifteene degrees or ascents to the knowledge of God by the consideration of his creatures and attributes.; De ascensione mentis in Deum per scalas rerum creatorum opusculum. English	Bellarmino, Roberto Francesco Romolo, Saint, 1542-1621.; Isaacson, Henry, 1581-1654, attributed name.; H. I., fl. 1638.; Marshall, William, fl. 1617-1650, engraver.	1638 (1638)	STC 1839.5; ESTC S122555	138,468	472

all away and that it is sometimes mercy not to remove misery that a place may be prepared for greater mercy The Apostle prayed three times to have the prieke of the flesh taken from him but was not heard because Gods power might be shewne in weaknesse GOD tooke not away from Lazarus the misery of poverty and sores that with the greater mercy he might be carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome and where would there need the worke of mercy from the rich if there were not poore hungry thirsty naked sicke pilgrimes and prisoners upon whom they should be exercised and if there were no tentations of the Devill where should be the reward for them which withstand them if labours and sorrowes were not where would be the crowne of patience and if no persecutors what would become of the crowne of Martyrdome and therfore in this pilgrimage both of these sayings may be true that the Earth is full of miseries because even sinnes themselves are miseries and great ones and the earth is full of the Mercy of the LORD because conversion of sinners and many almost infinite spirituall and temporall blessings of GOD what are they but continuall and great mercies of the LORD our Creator Let us then give thankes to our good GOD for his mercies in that as our tribulations increase in this our pilgrimage so our comfort increaseth by his mercy to us Thy mercy reacheth to the heavens saith the Psalmist to GOD because there shall be mercy without misery and because mercy shall take away all misery altogether Now the longitude or length of Gods mercy is his long suffering or patience which the Scripture useth to joyne with mercy as a part or species of it for so speaketh the Psalmist The LORD is full of compassion and mercy long suffering and of great goodnesse And indeed the long suffering or patience of our most mercifull LORD is very admirable such as we cannot finde either in masters towards their servants or in parents towards their children though both sorts of them be men 1. And first GOD is long suffering towards sinners expecting them with incredible patience sometimes from their childhood to the extremity of old age bearing the breaking of his Law and the tearing of his name and in the meane time doing them good from heaven giving them raine and fruitfull seasons replenishing them with food and their hearts with gladnesse as the Apostle speaketh And where will you finde among men either a master or a parent so gentle and facile who if he perceive himselfe to be sleighted or abused by his servant or son and that they persevere long in this obstinacie at the last doe not turne them out of dor●s But the mercy of the LORD is not overcome by the wickednes of men but it dealeth patiently with them not desiring that any should perish but all men to come to repentance and even making as though he saw not their sinnes because they should amend 2. Againe his patience is seen more in that many sinners by his grace are drawne out of the lake of misery and the mire of dregges and of children of darknesse are made sons of light and from the guilt of eternall death to the adoption of the sons of GOD and called to the hope of the Kingdome of heaven and though they relapse often to their former filthinesse and ingratitude yet are they not forsaken by the long suffering of GOD but are lovingly expected and invited to repentance and if they shall heartily repent at any time they are received to a kisse of peace and attonement and restored to former favour as the prodigallson was of a most mercifull Father It was not without cause that St. Peter demaunding of our Saviour how often he should forgive his brother sinning against him was thus answered by him I say not unto thee unto seaven times but unto 70. times seaven times for he would have us do the same which he himselfe doth in pardoning sinners And he hath set no bounds to his reconciliation but onely the end of our life for as long as we live if it be to 100. yeares or upward yet wee are received at any time before death by a most loving Father if after many relapses we seriously repent there is no repentance comes too late if it be serious and from a heart truely contrite and humble to receive mercy from GOD. But yet no man ought therefore to abuse the lenity and goodnesse of GOD and de●erre his repentance from day to day seeing no man knowes what houre or day the soule will leave the body and appeare before the Tribunall of a most lust ludge but rather all men should be invited and allured to repentance by this so great and incredible goodnesse of GOD For if GOD be so gracious towards sinners often relapsing how great will his favour be to those who after they have once tasted of it can never be drawne to be separated from it notwithstanding any tentations beating against them 3. There is also another admirable patience and long suffering of GOD which he useth in tollerating the offences of godly men for GOD of his goodnesse hath made us of enemies his friends sons of servants and heires of his Kingdome being guilty of eternall death and yet such is our ingratitude that we daily render evill for good for if the Apostle said In many things we offend all what may wee say who stand in so farre a distance from the Apostles perfection for wee talke with GOD in our prayers and presently we are distracted by our imagination with other thoughts and as it were turne our backs to GOD What Master would suffer his servants standing before him and speaking to him to turne to his fellow servants as it were in contempt of him and to talke with them What shall I say of idle words of vaine thoughts of unfruitfull workes of excesse in diet sleepe apparrell and play of our negligence and loose cariage in our holy service to GOD of our omission of brotherly correction and of innumerable other offences wherein wee daily offend and yet our GOD is good and gracious and of great mercy to all them that call upon him he beares with this rudenesse and incivility and as I may so speake this foolishnesse of his children which certainely men would not indure at the hands of men for he knoweth whereof we are made and deales with us as a mother with her little childe whom she cherisheth and nourisheth though perhaps it strike her Yet though GOD beare with many of our offences here because they doe not so breake the bonds of his love as to deprive us of the right of our inheritance yet they shall not goe unpunished in the day of judgement when we shall give an account of every idle word unlesse we shall in the meane time wash them away by teares of repentance But to end

divers offices ascend descend walke runne move feet armes and hands upwards and downwards every way neither doth the ayre which is diffused in all places any thing at all hinder them insomuch as if it were not of a corporeall but of a spirituall substance and nature nay indeed as if it were nothing at all Laftly the ayre hath a propertie serving for the benefit of Man that is it changeth it selfe into every forme and suffereth it selfe to be divided and as it were broken asunder to comply to the service and use of Man so that it seemeth to be given to him as a Master and instructor to him in humility patience and charity But that which should chiefly stirre up and kindle in thee the love of thy Creator is that the ayre doth represent the great sweetnesse and gentlenesse of thy maker to men For doe but recollect thy selfe and seriously consider his goodnesse thou shalt finde that thy GOD is ever present with his creatures ever working with them and of such infinite gentlenesse that he accommodates his working to the severall condition and nature of them all as if he should say with the Apostle I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes save some hee worketh together with necessary workes that they may worke necessarily with voluntary that they may worke voluntarily with those which are free in their working that they may worke freely The fire he moveth stirreth and helpeth so that it may ascend the earth that it may tend downeward the ayre that it may glide by declive and bending places the ayre that it may passe which way soever it be driven starres that they may keepe alwayes in a circular motion herbs furittrees and plants that they may bring forth fruit according to their natures creatures upon earth in the water and the ayre to doe those things which are agreeable to their nature And if the goodnesse of GOD be so eminent in cooperating with his creatures in the worke of nature what may we thinke it to be in the workes of grace He hath given man free power of his will but so as that he will governe him by his command terrifie him with destruction and allure him by his bounty He will have all men saved but so as that he will also have them to be willing and therefore he sweetly prevents excites leads and guides them in such manner as is most admirable These are the meanes which the wisedome of GOD hath found out for the good of Man of which the Prophet Esay speaketh in these words Praise the LORD call upon his Name declare his Workes adinventiones ejus say some among the people And certainely the wicked sometimes hee terrifies exceedingly sometimes perswades them lovingly sometime admonisheth them mildly and sometime correcteth them mercifully as he in his wisedome thinkes expedient and agreeable to their conditions and inclinations Observe how tenderly he dealt with the first transgressor Adam saith GOD where art thou his answer was I heard thy voyce in the Garden and was afraid because I was naked I hid my selfe the LORD replyed with the like meekenesse Who told thee that thou wast naked Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eate and by this gentle correction or insinuation Adam without doubt repented as the Scripture saith Shee that is the Wisedome of GOD preserved the first Father of the World that was formed and kept him when he was created alone and brought him out of his offence Observe againe how gently and sweetly he by his Angell in the Booke of the Iudges rebuked and provoked the people of Israel to repentance What shall I say of the Prophets who in all their sermons as we may call them teach this and beate upon this that GOD desires not the death of a sinner but rather that he should returne and live They say saith GOD by Ieremie if a man put away his Wife and she goe from him and become another mans shall he returne unto her againe shall not the land be greatly polluted But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers Yet returne againe to me saith the LORD And by Ezechiel Thus ye speake and say If our transgressions and sinnes be upon us and we are consumed because of them how should we then live Say unto them as I live saith the LORD I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live turne you turne you from your evill wayes for why will ye die ô ye house of Israel But to let passe the wicked and consider how great GODS more then Fatherly meeknesse and gentlenes is to those that feare and hope in him Holy David is desirous to expresse it Looke how high the Heaven is in comparison of the Earth so great is his mercy also toward them that feare him And Like as a Father pittyeth his owne Children so is the LORD mercifull to them that feare him And The mercifull goodnesse of the LORD endureth for ever and ever upon them that feare him And in another Psalme Taste and see how gracious the LORD is blessed is the man that trusteth in him and againe Truely GOD is loving unto Israel even to such as are of a cleane heart And againe GOD saith by Esay Can a woman forget her childe and not have compassion on the sonne of her wombe though they should forget yet will not I forget thee and Ieremy in his lamentations The LORD is good to them that trust in him and to the soule that seeketh him Now if I would adde what the Apostles testifie of his Fatherly tendernesse to the Godly I should never make an end Take one place for all the rest of St. Paul Blessed be GOD even the Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST the Father of mercies and G●D of all comfort which comforteth us in all our tribulation c. he saith not that GOD is our comfort barely but of all comfort and not that hee comforteth us in some but in all our tribulation And to end this point take the words of St. Prosper Grace saith he exceeds all justification by perswading in exhortations admonishing by examples terrifying by dangers provoking by miracles giving understanding inspiring counsaile enlightning the heart and endowing it with affections of Faith c. If then thy Creator bee so loving and kind to his servants and with such incredible patience and meeknesse beares with sinners for their conversions comforting the just that they may proceede and grow in righteousnesse and holinesse oughtest not thou to beare the infirmities of thy neighbour to gaine all men to thy GOD Consider with thy selfe to what sublimitie and excellencie the Apostle exhorts thee when he saith Be yee followers of GOD as deare Children And walke in love even as CHRIST hath loved us c. Imitate the

therefore thou canst not see him because he is a spirit more high and sublime and more inward then thou art and that thou after a sort stayest without and he within in his most secret and deep retyring place But shalt thou never be admittted into that secret place God forbid Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see GOD saith our Saviour who cannot lye and Now we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face saith one Apostle And We know that when he shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is saith another And how great will that joy be when being admitted to that s●cret place we shall see and possesse that light that shape that beauty even goodnes it selfe then it will plainely appeare how vaine and fading and like shadowes these temporall things were and with which men as drunken and besotted neglected the true and everlasting good things But if thou truly thirstest after GOD and If thy teares have beene thy meate day and night while they daily say unto thee where is thy GOD be not slowe or slacke to cleanse thy heart with which thou must see GOD nor be weary in erecting these degrees in thine heart untill the GOD of Gods appeare in Sion neither waxe cold in thy love to GOD and thy neighbour nor love him onely in word and tongue but in worke and truth for this is the way which leadeth to life DEGREE XI By the Consideration Of the Greatnes of GODS Power by the similitude of Corporeall greatnes GReat is the LORD and of his greatnesse is neither end nor measure Neither is he great only because his height is his omnipotence his depth unsearchable wisedome his bredth mercy spread and extended every where and his length justice like an Iron rod but also because every one of these attributes are great in the magnitude of his infinite latitude altitude longitude and profundity To begin with his power or rather omnipotence This power of GOD hath its latitude which is so placed in him as that it extendeth and stretcheth it selfe to things altogether infinite 1. First it extendeth it selfe to all things which are created for there is nothing in the whole universe from the chiefest Angel to the poorest worme and from the highest heaven to the lowest abysse which is not made by the power of GOD. Allthings saith St. Iohn were made by him and without him was nothing made and a little after The world was made by him 2. Againe it reacheth to all things which shal be made for ever for as without him nothing could have been made so neither shall any thing be made without him Of him and through him and in him are all things saith the Apostle 3. Thirdly it stretcheth it selfe to all things that can be made although they never shall be for so saith the Angell With GOD nothing shal be impossible And Christ himselfe said With GOD all things are possible 4. It also extends it selfe to the dissolution and destruction of all things made For as God could destroy by the deluge all men and creatures upon the face of the earth except a few reserved by himselfe in Noahs Arke so will he be able at the last day to destroy by fire not onely all men and living creatures but Trees Cities and other things in the earth also The day of the LORD saith St. Peter shall come as a thiefe in which the heavens shall pass● away with a great noyse and th● Elements shall melt with heate● the earth also and the workes th●● are therein shall be burnt up Great without doubt is ●hi● latitude of Gods power which no man can sufficiently admire unlesse he could number the multitude of things which God partly hath partly will and partly can make but who can number such a multitude but he onely whose knowledge is infinite 5. Againe the greatnesse of this power encreaseth much if we consider how great a work it is in a moment to dissolve with great facility the things which are made or as Judas Maccabeus speakes Vno nutu delere at a becke to destroy the whole world Let us then say with Moses Who is like unto thee ô LORD in fortibus among the Gods Now the longitude of Gods power is seene in this that he cooperateth daily with those things he hath made neither is or shal be at any time weary in cooperating for this power of God can neither be diminished weakned nor broken by any meanes being joyned with true eternity the divinity being eternity 1. Many men mervaile how the Sun Moone and Starres for so long time have continued their motions with such swiftnesse and without intermission and it were a thing worth our admiration but that we know that they are carried by Almighty GOD Who beareth all things by his mighty word 2. Others wonder how it comes to passe that in hell either the fire is not consumed with burning so long or that the bodies of the damned should not be dissolved with so long burning And this were not on●y to be thought wonderfull but impossible also were it not that he is eternall and omnipotent that makes the fire so to burne alwaies that it shall never be extinguished and so keepes the bodies of the damned in that fire as that they shal be ever tormented and never consumed 3. Lastly others there are that wonder that GOD should sustain and beare all things and without wearinesse support so great a weight almost infinite It is true that a strong Man a Horse an Oxe or an Elephant can carry a great weight but it is for a small time onely but to carry so great a masse for ever without wearinesse passeth the strength of all things created And yet they might well mervaile if GOD had strength by weight and measure as things created have but inasmuch as the strength of GOD exceeds all measure and that he is wholly infinite it is no mervaile at all if an infinite strength beare a great weight or masse without defatigation although it be for an infinite time Let us heare againe say with the holy Prophet Who is like unto thee ô Lord among the Gods The next thing to be considered is the height of Gods power which is chiefly manifested in two things 1. His omnipotencie may be called most high because he onely made most high things Those things which are under the Moone onely GOD made in the first creation and they may by the act of creatures be begotten changed and corrupted for the elements are changed by course according to their parts and of the earth are Herbs and Trees begotten of animals are animals increased and propagated fishes are borne in water clouds and raine in the ayre and comets in the fire But the heaven and starres which are the highest bodies GOD onely created onely preserves neither can the creature have any act

justice GOD the just Iudge punisheth the very least offences such as every idle word as we reade in the Gospell Of every idle word that men shall speake they shall give account thereof at the day of judgement Now there are many faults which men punish not either because the offenders make resistance or escape by flight or because they are ignorant of the committing of them and want sufficient proofes to convict the malefactors or because they are corrupted with bribes or favour so that they will not punish them or else they themselves are as wicked as the offenders and so connive at them But GOD is omnipotent so that no man can withstand him and is omnipresent so that none can be hid from him Whither shall I goe saith David from thy spirit or whither shall I goe from thy presence If I climbe up into heaven thou art there if I goe downe to hell thou art there also Againe GOD is most wise and knoweth all things even in the most secret and inward corners of the heart neither stands he in need of witnesses to prove the faults of men when their owne consciences are instead of a thousand witnesses to him Lastly no bribes nor favours can corrupt his justice because hee needs none of our goods nor feareth our favour or displeasure It remaines then that there is no sinne neither great nor little grievous nor light that can escape the revenging justice of GOD unlesse it be washed away before by repentance for by how much the more plentifull his mercy is towards us now in pardoning by so much the more rigid and severe will his justice be after this life in revenging Of this time of repentance the Prophet Esay speaketh In an acceptable time I have heard thee and in a day of salvation I have helped thee which the Apostle thus expounds Behold now is the accepted time behold now the day of salvation And of the other time after this life the Prophet Zephaniah speakes thus That day is a day of wrath a day of trouble and heavinesse a day of destruction and desolation a day of obscurity and darknesse a day of clouds and blacknesse And not onely shall all sinnes be punished but they shall be punished with horrible torments which wil be so great as scarce any man can imagine for as the eye hath not seene nor the eare hath not heard nor hath it entred into mans heart what the LORD hath prepared for them which love him so likewise hath not the eye seen nor the eare heard nor hath it entred into mans heart what GOD hath prepared for them which hate him for the miseries of sinners in hell shall be great 〈◊〉 and pure that is not tempered with any comfort and which infinitely addes to their misery they shal be for 〈…〉 shall I say be many beca●●e every power of the soule and every sense of the body shall have their severall tormentors weigh well the words of the chiefe Iudges sentence in the Gospell 〈◊〉 from me ye cursed into everl●sti●● fir● Depart saith he that is separate your selves from the society and company of the blessed deprived for ever of the vis●●n and sight of GOD which is the chiefest and most essentiall happinesse and the last end for which ye were created Ye cursed that is hope not hence forth for any kind of blessi●● for ye shall be deprived of all spring or growth of grace of all hope of salvation the water of wisedome shall no more raine upon you nor the 〈◊〉 of good inspiratio●● the 〈◊〉 of heavenly light 〈◊〉 no more shi●e upon you 〈…〉 of repentance shall bud 〈…〉 more in you nor the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 nor the fruit of good w●rkes shall not grow in you for the Sun of my favour shall rise no more upon you hereafter you shall not onely want spirituall good things but corporall nor eternall onely but temporall you shall injoy neither riches delights nor solace but ye shall be like the figgetree which being cursed by me dryed up immediately Into fire that is into a f●●nace of burning and unquenchable fire which shall take hold of all your members and torture them with unspeakable paines Everlasting that is into a fire which needs no supply of fewel to make it burn ever but is kept burning at the appointment of the omnipotent GOD that as your sinne will never be blotted out so your punishment shall never be ended and therefore the Prophet Esay most justly demandeth Who shall dwell with the devouring fire who shall dwell with the everlasting burnings as if he should say no man shal be able to beare them patiently but though they be impatient and desperate beare them they shall and he addes Their w●rme shall not dye neither shall their fire bee quenched which words our Saviour diverse times repeats in S. Marks Gospell for there shal be added to the t●rments of fire the worme of conscience and of remembrance of this time wherein the wicked might with a little labour if they had beene willing have escaped their punishment and have injoyed everlasting comfort And least any should imagine that the damned by changing of place may receive any ease heare what our Saviour saith Binde him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkenesse there shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth Therefore those miserable creatures being bound hands and feet in everlasting bonds shall lye for ever deprived of the light of the Sun Moone and Starres boyling in the heate of fire weeping and mourning and gnashing their teeth for madnesse and desperation And they which are cast into this horrible and disconsolate place shall not onely suffer the intollerable paines of hell but all kind of penury and want together with shame ignominie and confusion for in a moment of time they shall loose their possessions and riches and bee brought to such want that they shall beg with the glutton in the Gospell one drop of cold water and shall not obtaine it And these proud and high minded men which in this life were impatient of any injury and prefer'd their honour before all other things shall in the presence of all men and Angels a greater never was or will be see all their offen●●● openly revealed though they were committed in darknesse or though they were hid in secret 〈◊〉 of their hearts for ●s ●he Apostle saith When the LORD shall come who will lighten things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest and then shall every man have praise of GOD and without doubt every wicked man shall 〈◊〉 dispraise and condemnation and so great shal be the rebuke and confusion of wicked men in that assembly that St. Bernard is confident that this wil be the most grievous punishment of all others especially to hypocrites and proud men who accounted honour their GOD or Idol in this World But if these fore-mentioned

losses pains and shame might either have an end or some kind of comfort mingled with them as the miseries of this life have they might in some sort be accounted more tollerable Now since it is without all doubt most certaine that as the happinesse of the blessed is to continue for ever without mixture of misery so the unhappinesse of the damned shall for ever be without any temper or mixture of comfort they must necessarily be accounted blind and foolish that labour not with all their might and strength to come to the Kingdome of heaven and heavenly blessednesse through all tribulatious and perills infamie and death all which the Apostle calls but light and momentanie And if any should happily mervaile why a most mercifull GOD hath appointed so sharpe and lasting punishments for the sins of men which quickly passe away and seeme not so grievous let him heare St. Augustine whosoever thinkes this condemnation too much or too unjust cannot measure how great the iniquity was in sinning when there was such a facility not to have sinned and againe Who can sufficiently declare how great a sinne it may be not to obey in an easie matter and in the command of such a power and so great a punishment terrifying this he speakes of Adams sinne but there is the same reason for all sinnes for if we will weigh with just balances we shall finde that all sinnes and offences are most grievous in three respects 1. First it is a fearefull thing that the creature should not obey the Creator confidering the dignity of the Creator is infinitely distant from the basenesse of the creature 2. If the commands of the Creator were heavy and hard yet the creature is bound to obey them but his Commandements are not grievous saith St. John and our Saviour saith that his yoke is easie and his burden light how great an offence is it then that the wormes of the earth should not obey their Creator in so easie a matter 3. If GOD had not threatned sinners with the punishment of everlasting death man perhaps might have covered his sinne with excuse but since GOD by his Prophets and Apostles hath so perspicuously denounced everlasting punishment for sinne who can excuse the contumacie of offendors 4. Lastly if the faults of the damned were not eternall we might mervaile why the punishment of sinne should be everlasting But forasmuch as the obstinacie of the damned is eternall why doe we mervaile though their punishment be eternall And this obstinate will in evill which shall be common with the damned and the Devils this perverse and averse will from GOD which will ever remaine immoveable and firme with them causeth just and holy men to abhorre sinne more then hell Edmer the English man writeth thus of Anselme My conscience beares me witnesse I lye not I have often heard him professe that if he should see on this side the horrour of sinne and on that side the paine of hell and that of necessity he must be plunged in one of them he had rather choose hell then sinne Another thing he was woont to say no lesse wonderfull That he had rather be in hell pure from sinne and innocent then reigne in heaven defiled with the spot or staine of sinne If this holy man so spake and thought because being enlightned by GOD he knew that the grievousnesse of sinne was greater then the paines of hell how much more GOD who searcheth the wickednesse filthinesse and perversitie of sinne to the bottome and will most justly punish and judge it to be most worthy of that punishment which he hath appointed for it from eternity Therefore be not deceived erre not be not like to those who professe themselves to know GOD but deny him by their workes for many have saith but in habit not in act like a sword hidden in a scabbard If they would beleeve in act and by beleeving would seriously consider that GOD is faithfull and just and without doubt hath prepared grievous torments for the wicked never to have end nor to be tempered or qualified with any comforts it could not be that they should consume their time as they do drinking iniquity like water that is so easily so without feare yea with much pleasure and delight without any reluctancie as if there were a reward not a punishment due to sinnes and sinners But let us all beleeve most assuredly and by beleeving seriously consider that GOD in this life is a Father of mercies and ready to pardon the sinnes of all truly penitent and withall that the same GOD after this life wil be altogether a GOD of vengeance and will inflict that punishment upon unrepentant and obstinate sinners which he hath prepared and commanded to be preached and foretold by his Prophets and Apostles and left upon record in writing for the information of posterity For so it will come to passe that by feare of intollerable paines and the hope of great rewards as lifted up by two wings we shall securely passe and escape the perills of this life and come and attaine to rest and life eternall and that through the merits of our Lord and onely Saviour Iesus Christ Amen The end of the Booke A TABLE OF the Degrees or Ascents to God-ward 1 BY the Consideration of Man fol. 1. 2 By the Consideration of the Greater World fol. 29. 3 By the Consideration of the Earth fol. 55. 4 By the Consideration of Water especially of Rivers and Fountaines fol. 77. 5 By the Consideration of the Ayre fol. 107. 6 By the Consideration of Fire fol. 127. 7 By the Consideration of Heaven the Sun Moone and Starres fol. 157. 8 By the Consideration of the reasonable soule of Man fo 185. 9 By the Consideration of Angels fol. 213. 10 By the Consideration of the Essence of GOD fol. 239. 11 By the Consideration of the greatnes of Gods power f. 272. 12 By the Consideration of the greatnesse of the Speculative or Contemplative Wisedome of GOD fol. 297. 13 By the Consideration of the Practicall or Operating Wisedome of GOD fol. 315. 14 By the Consideration of the Mercy of GOD fol. 358. 15 By the Consideration of GODS Iustice fol. 385. FINIS July 31. 1637. Perlegi librum hunc cui Titulus est IACOBS LADDER nec in eo quicquam reperio quò minùs cum utilitate publica imprimatur SA BAKER Psal 49. 20. Iob. 35. Iob 5. 14. 12. 25. Es 59. 10. Act. 1. 11 Ex. 19. 21 1. 1 Chro. 16. 11. 22. 19. Am 5. 4. 6. 2. 1 Chro. 28. 9. 3. 2 Chro. 20. 3. 30. 18. 34. 3. Ps 27. 9 16. 9 4. Deut. 4. 29. c. Ps 9 10. 69. 33. Esay 45. 19. La. 3. 25. 5. Acts 17. 1. 2 Chro. 19. 3. 〈◊〉 27 6. 1 Chro. 15. 13. 2. Sap. 1. 1. Mat. 5. 8. Ephes 5. 5. 3. I am 4. 6. 1 Chro. 13. 9. 4. Eccle. 25. 11. Ps 14. 1. 5. Esay