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
A14462	The firste parte of the Christian instruction, and generall so[m]me of the doctrine, conteyned in the holy Scriptures wherein the principall pointes of the religion are familiarly handled by dialogues, very necessary to be read of all Christians. Translated into Englishe, by Iohn Shute, accordyng to the late copy set forth, by th'author Maister Peter Viret. 1565. Ouersene and perused, accordyng to the order appointed, by the Queenes maiesties iniunctions.; Instruction chrestienne et somme generale de la doctrine comprinse ès sainctes Escritures. Part 1. English	Viret, Pierre, 1511-1571.; Shute, John, fl. 1562-1573.	1565 (1565)	STC 24777; ESTC S119198	167,989	225

compare it with the age of that lyfe whiche lasteth for euer D. Yet doo we learne Artes and Sciences and occupatiōs in nomber in maner infinite whiche can stand vs in no stede but onely in this miserable and wretched life And on the contrarie we haue but one to learne whiche is able to leade vs out of all the miseries and wretchednes wherin we are here wrapt and to make vs happy for euer and yet we make none accoumpte therof but fiee from it reiect it and persecute it Howe shall we nowe be able to excuse our selues We will ryse three or foure houres before daye yea at mydnight We will ryde runne day and night both by sea and lād with great paine and trauayle and oftentimes in great daunger of lyfe and Heb. 1. Act. x. all this wil we do to gayne a little péece of money But although that God doth send vs his Prophetes his Apostles yea hys owne sonne and that hee doth teache vs by the mouth of hys seruaunts which is hys own mouth through the which he speaketh to vs dayly in hys Church and doth present vnto vs hys giftes and graces in our own houses yea euen in our beddes and tables Yet notwithstandinge we wyl not vouchsafe once to receaue hym we will vnderstand nothing of him nor yet learn any thing of him Shal we then alledge our ignorance and excuse our selues by it Our Lord Iesus Christ did very well vnderstande of thys sycknes and of the daunger thereof wherefore he sayde to those people that did follow him more for their bellye then for any spiritual doctrine Employ your selues and traueil not for that meate that perisheth but for that which endureth Iohn 6. into eternal lyfe the which the sonne of man shal giue vnto you When he nameth by the name of meate hys doctrine which is the doctrine of saluation and the saluation which he bringeth vnto vs by meanes of the same the which we can finde in none but in him onely He therefore geueth vs plainly to vnderstand how much this doctrine and this health are necessary for vs and how earnestly and diligent lye we shoulde labour for them for so muche as they are thinges that are much more necessary to eternall lyfe then is the bodely meate for the corporal lyfe and it is so muche more precious as is the soule more precious then the body ¶ Of the diligence that is in men to do euyl and of their negligence to doo vvell T. THou sayest nothng at all of such as employe theyr whole study and trauayle to do euyl If euery one of vs would take so great trauayle in the searche of this holy worke wherof thou speakest as doth the theefe to rob or the whore in the vse of her whoredome we should accomplishe a goodly woorke The theues rise vp in the night put them selues in great daunger and take very great paynes to cut mens throtes and we wyll not once lift vp our heade from our pillow to waken vs and to open our eyes to beholde and consider those thinges that appertayne to our saluation Satan our mortal enemy is so dillgent and continually lyeth in wayte to find meanes howe to ruinate and destroy 1. Peter ● vs and we of our part are vtterly slothful and negligent in arming our selues againste his ambusshes and assaultes wherby we might auoyde hys snares Wherefore all thinges wel considered I see verye small reason wherewith to excuse men For there is no man but maye fynde meanes sufficient to attayne to this knowledge of God If that we were so careful of the eternal life as we are of this present lyfe and would as wyllinglye seeke for the one as for the other for ther is nothing that might ayde vs in that behalfe but God hath geuen it vnto vs. ¶ Of the vices that make men ignoraunt of God and of hys truth and hovv the seruauntes of God continually bring accusation agaynst them D. SAynt Paule was not ignorant of thys and therefore although he saye that he hath obtayned mercy for hys 1. Tun. 1. persecuting the Churche of God throughe ignoraunce yet doth he not excuse hymselfe by the same nor letteth to shew the greuousnes of hys synne calling hymselfe the greatest of synners a blasphemer a persecutor a man full of violence and oppression and acknowledgeth hym selfe woorthye of deathe and eternall damnacion If God of hys great mercye and grace had not succoured hym whereof he shoulde not haue needed if that he had not synned or if that hys ignoraunce mought haue excused hym For howe good so euer hys meanyng was or howe greate so euer hys zeale was towarde the lawe of God yet notwithstandyng his ignoraunce was not wythoute a great portion of that negligence and carelesnesse whyche is naturallye in men as touching the knowledge of God and godlye thynges nor wythoute some portion of the pride rashnes wylfulnesse presumption and arrogancie of the Phariseis and of the leauen of hipocrisye and superstition which are verye great vices from the whych euen those that are most perfect and holy cannot well shyft them although they doo not appeare vnto men T. If then thys doth happen to such as are of the most perfect sorte as to Saynt Paule what shall become then of a sort of glorious and arrogant hipocrites which are much more full of hypocrisy then of good conscience and haue a greater care for their owne glory and profyt then for the glory of God and the edification of hys church and haue such an opinion of their owne knowledge iustice and perfection that they thinke that no man may amende or correct any iot thereof For there be very few such ignorant ones amongst the persecutors of the church as was saint Paule before his cōuersion D. Ther is no doubt of that Saint Peter doth also impute vnto ignorance in the sermon that he made in Hierusalem Act. 2. vpon the day of Pentecost that which the Iewes cōmitted against our Lord Iesus Christ in the deliuering of Math. 17. Iohn 18. him to death preferring of Barrabas before him yet not withstanding doth not he let to lay it greatly to their charges as very murtherers of the true autor of life and verye sonne of God T. I perceiue by that thou sayest that God requireth of vs very great diligence and a great humility abiection and despising of our selues and that our negligence slothe presumption and arrogancye and our vayne glory and opinion that we haue of our selues are most commonly the cause of our damnable ignorāce D. It is euē so ¶ Of such as doo contemne the knovvledge of God euen as though they dyd knovv all thinges that appertaine to true Christianitie and also of the knovvledge that men maye attaine vnto in this life and hovv to encrease it T. I May well vnderstande by these what excuses those men may alledge that saye when they are wylled to enquire of the wyll of

goodwil will bestow vpon vs and cōtrarely that God by his great goodnes and mercy doth fight agaynst our malice and frowardnes euen as to bestowe of hys graces vpon vs will we nill we and to withdraw vs frō these bottomles pittes of wickednes into the which we go about to throw our selues most willingly ¶ Of the cause of the fall and ●uyne of mankind and of the remedy and meane hovv to recouer the same D. THat same was the first fountaine and spryng of all the disorders mischiefes that euer entred into the worlde That same was the very pathe that our first parentes tooke That same was the very meane by the which they fell from that hye degree and state of felicitie peace quietnes and ioye in the whiche God had placed thē in the beginnyng throughe the whiche they haue dampned them selues withall their rase and are fallen into this greate disorder and confusion in the whiche we are euen at this present bycause that we as their proper children folow euē the selfe and same councell that they folowed Therfore seyng that we do knowe the cause of the euill why do we not trauayle to finde out the remedies contrary to the same for so much as the euil doth procede of that that we refused to folow the councell and will of God and folowed the councell and persuasiō of the deuil Let vs now leaue the deuill withall his intisementes and persuasions and let vs enquire at the mouth of God and take councell of him howe to learne to knowe his will and to folow the same and then all disorder and confusion shal be cleane put away and euery thing shal be brought into good order For in dede the onely wil of God and the obedience thereunto belongyng is the mother and nource of al good order It is onely she that doth beget it nourish it and maintayne it and is the onely rule wherwith if you measure all things wel al disorder shal be chaūged into good order ¶ Of the difficultie that is in men to acknovvledge their errours and faultes and of the argumentes that they hold of aūcient custom and of the authoritie of their predecessors and of auncientie and of the multitude vvherevvith they arme them selues T. I Do like all that whiche thou hast sayde very well but there are very fewe that will take that waye for there are that are so hard harted and obstinate that a man shall not make them beleue that they ar in errour what reason soeuer he bryng agaynst them out of the booke of God nor they will not acknowledge their abuses faultes although they be so filthie and apparent that euery man doth see thē and that euery man doth handle them These men alledge their predecessours and say that they wil be no wiser nor better then they for they say that they wer honest men and wise ynoughe for to know the wil of God Wherupon they conclude that if those wer dampned they wil be also dampned with them An other sort alledge aunciēt customes and the multitude of men and the continuance of tyme and the auncienti of their order of lyfe ¶ Of the proces that men brynge agaynste God and of the shyftes that they seeke to cloke their rebellion agaynste hy● vvorde D. FOr so muche as men wil not be brought to that passe to yelde that obedience vnto God whiche they owe vnto him but will go to the lawe with hym it must nedes come to passe that they searche out some shifte and some starting holes and excuses to giue some shew to their cause Wherefore if we shall gyue them place they will neuer be vnfurnished of shiftes But it is greate follie for them to pleade their cause with God for he must be the iudge and not they wherefore they may well assure them selues that all their reasons and excuses shal be of no greate value before hym when they shal be wayed in the ballances of hys iustice and iudgementes But bycause that men haue bene alwayes accustomed to flatter them selues and that they do so dilighte in their errours that it is a hard matter to bryng them to acknowledge them selues to be so foule and filthie as they are I am well contented that we do examine their fayre discourses and their goodly allegations T. I would be very glad therof ¶ Hovv that al false Religion may be vvel defēded if that antiquitie the authoritie of predecessours may haue place D. LEt vs nowe see what foundation that hath whereof you haue nowe spoken There is no errour secte heresie false doctrine nor wickednesse so greate but that it may easely be defēded if such reasons mought be allowed For a Iewe a Turcke and a Pagane may well alledge as much T. I confesse the same D. If then these Christiās as they name thē were Iewes Turkes or Pagans borne they woulde so continue because they were so borne also their predecessours before them T. There is no doubt of it D. These kind of men haue none other reason to main tayne their order and maner of lyfe but onely wilfulnes obstinacie by the which they do right wel declare that they haue not well considered what the Lord sayth by his Prophet Ezechiell Walke not in the wayes of your fathers nor be Ezech. 20 you filed with their Idoles for I am the Lord your God you shall walk in my commaundements see that you swarue neither to the right hād ne yet to the left hād It is also writtē you shal not do as those the ar gone before you neither file Leu. 18 you your selues as they haue done Take hede that you do not according to the custome of the land of Egypt in the which you haue dwelled Nor yet after the custome of the land of Chanaan So the you walke not in their statutes but se the you obserue my ordinaunces that you giue good hede to my cōmaūdemēts to the end that you may walke in thē Let vs cōsider also how the spirite of God did blame reproue the aūciēt 1. Reg ●● Samaritanes These people did not hearken at all but did liue according to their aūcient custome These people then feared the Lord but yet they serued their Idols notwtstāding They folow their auncient custome euen to this very day They do not feare the Lord nor kepe that ceremonies that iudgements the law the cōmaūdemēt that the Lord gaue to the son of Iacob which is surnamed Israell If our predecessours haue walked in the wayes of the Lord we may iustly alledge thē for God hath cōmaūded vs to folow such personages not for their own worthynes for they are but mē as we are not Gods but bycause that they haue followed in the way of the Lord which saith that it is he that is the Lord our God not our fathers For he is the most aūciēt father that we haue which onely is the father of veritie

witnesses onely which notwithstanding ought to haue some authority but before the eyes of all the people which were in no small number For before that time in their comming out of Egypt they were about sixe hundred thousand men valiant Exod. xii and able to weare weapons beside the women and children and a great number of other people T. Then was ther a great number of witnesses D. Yea and that of such witnesses as did see the thing with their own eyes and did heare it with their own eares If Moyses had come to the people and should haue sayd that God had spoken to hym and that he had geuen him the lawe which he presented to the people in Gods name ther is no doubt but y● he shoulde haue found mockers and euill speakers and a great number of rebels and Mutiners in so great a people to haue scoffed at Moyses and to haue mutined rebelled against him saying that he had bene a lyar and a craftye and deceitful man which would couer him selfe with the name authority of God to erect a tyrannye ouer that people and to deale with them according to his pleasure T. It is not vnlike by that that happened after that this was done for if Core Dathan and Abiron with their adherentes which Numb xvi were thē selues witnesses of al these maruels by the which God did authorise the ministerye of Moyses durst to conspire and rebell againste Moyses and Aaron and did finde such a number of followers after suche an authorising of their voeation what woulde haue become of them if that God had not so armed them with his authority ¶ Of the declarations and aduertismentes that God did gyue to the people of Israel before he gaue them hys lavv by Moyses D. ANd therfore God did first commaund Moyses to declare vnto the people the workes which he most marueilously had done as well in the lande of Egipt as in the Exod. xix going forth out of the same by the which he did shewe hys great power in ouerthrowing the force of the Egiptians through his wrath and deliuering his people from their tiranny through his mercye to the ende that they might the better vnderstand of what power he was to punishe those whiche shoulde rebell agaynste his lawe and to shewe mercy vnto those that should submit them selues thereunto and how woorthye he was both to be feared and loued and in what reputacion they oughte to haue his seruaunt Moyses by whose hand he had done these greate woorkes and afterward to cause his people the more to loue hym the better to encourage them to heare his woord to obey his law he doth renew the auncient promises which were made to them and to their fathers and more strongly doth confirm and establish them declaring vnto them the great honour the great profyt and the great wealth that should happen vnto them if that they did obey their God serue him according to his wil and lawe After that he had made all these declarations he then gaue them to vnderstande how he was determined to shewe him selfe and to speake vnto them and to geue vnto Moyses in their presence hys law according to the which he will be honored and serued and then he declareth the cause and the reason why he wyl do it To the end sayth he that the people doo heare whilest I speake to thee and also that they beleue thee for euer T. These are godly admonitions ¶ VVhat tokens God gaue of his presence in the mount Synay vvhen he did geue and publish hys lavv D. IT cannot then be sayde hers that these thinges were fayned and that Moyses did vniustlye make them beleue that God did speake vnto him and gaue him that law Exod. xi● whiche he brought to the people and yet that there was no suche thing at all For the people did see the cloude in the which God spake vnto Moyses to declare therby his maiesty To wyt that he is the chiefe King and Prince of heauen and of earth vnto whom al creatures must obey And forsomuch as God doth more manifest his presēce his glory his power and his maiesty in the heauen in the ayre then in any other of his creatures he tooke the cloudes for to declare his maiesty and soueraigntye that he hath ouer al. But he was not yet contented with this but before he would discend into the mount Synay in the thick darck cloude he caused the thunder to burst out in a marueilous sorte in the ayre whose crackes were heard al ouer made a horrible and a fearfull noyse He did also sende foorth the great lightnings in such sorte that at the ayre was lighted and was fylled with great fyres which were sene in al places very terrible On the other syde the people did see all the Mountayne in a smoke as it had bene of a great fyre or of a burning furnace They hearde also the cornet and the trumpet found which did ring with a marueilous violēce made a very feareful noyse in such sort as ther was neither great nor small that was not wonderfully afrayde did not tremble with great horrour and was not as it wer halfe dead for feare All that whyle the whole mountayne was couered with the great cloud in the which God spake with a mighty voice in the hearing of al the people and did pronounce from his own mouth the verye same woordes which he had written with his owne finger in the two tables of stone the which Moyses did afterward bring down from the mountayne of Synay and of the talke whiche he had with God in the same hyll ¶ Of the signification of the signes vvhich God dyd geue in geuing his lavv and of the reasons vvhy and hovv much they are agreable vvith the nature of the lavv T. WHat was the meanyng of al that for it was not done without cause D. It serued for the more strong cōfirmation of the thinges whereof we haue already spoken for there was none of them but that they did knowe ryght well that there was neyther illusion nor enchauntmente in those thinges and that they were done by no power of man but of God wherefore they serued againe as a new seale for the confirmation of the ministerye and vocation of Moyses of the maiesty and power of God to saue hys to destroy his aduersaries for by that he did declare that he was the God of nature and that he did dispose of her euen as it pleased him and that he dyd all that he woulde as well in heauen as in earth And therfore he would him selfe euen from his own mouth preach vnto his people he would also ring to the sermon that he would make vnto them and prepare them and make them hedefull to heare him He had then for his belles for his Musike the Cornet and trumpette to cause them to heare his voyce and to

steade of that horrible voyce and of the Trompettes and of the thunders whiche dyd shake the heauen and also the earthe whyche made the Mountaynes to tremble and rynge whiche accordyng to the testimonye of Dauid is Psalm xxix of that force that it breaketh and teareth downe the Ceders of Libanus and maketh them to leape lyke Calues and the Mountayne it selfe lyke younge Vnicornes and it maketh the greate floudes of water to come and also to returne and it cutteth a sunder the flames of fyre and launceth them forthe as dartes and maketh the wyldernesses to shake and dothe vnclothe the forrestes and maketh the Mountaynes to breake and the Hyndes to Calue Wee heare that sweete and louynge voyce of the chylde Iesus the Sonne of GOD the true Immanuell Math. 1. 2. Esay vii Luke ii Math. xi by whome we maye lawfullye saye GOD is wyth vs wee heare that amyable voyce whiche saythe Come vnto me all ye that are laden and weeryed and I wyll case you and you shall fynde reste to youre soules Take my yoke vpon you for it is easye and lyght Wee heare that sweete voyce that comforteth all those whyche are poore and myserable whiche come to hym and declareth to all poore and wretched synners the grace Esay 61 Luke 4 Heb. v Mat. 27. and the mercye of GOD and the forgeuynge of synnes whiche prayeth wyth lamentynge and teares for poore synners Yea euen for hys verye ennemyes and is hearde and doth reconcile vs to God It is he that hathe broughte to vs from heauen the resolution of the greate Councell of God to the whiche all the Patriarches Prophetes haue consented and agreed The which he hath confirmed Heb. iii Rom. 3. 5 not only by signes and miracles which were much more excellent then euer were those that were wroughte by the handes of Moyses but also by his deathe by his resurrection and by his ascension and laste of all by the holye Ghost whome he sent to his Apostles and disciples in wonderfull maiestie in the likenes of firy tongues and with a founde from heauen as it had bene of a mightye wynd Mat. 27. 28. Luke 24 ●cte 1. 2. 3. which was sodenly risen but more louyng thē the fire and whirle windes which were perceaued and sene in the Mount of Synay T. The difference is very great ¶ Of the last seale and of the laste declaration and confirmation of the doctrine of God and of the nature and vertue of the holy Ghost D. IT is he that was the great seale of the whole eternal purpose and Councell of God by whom he declared with greater authoritie thē euer he did how he did put his church in lawfull ful possession of his holy spirit with signes and testimonies declaring his nature vertue For it is a wind Iohn iii. whose spring and rising none doth know whose being and nature is vnsearcheable who by his power beateth downe all those that resiste him and pourgeth and refresheth the soules and consciences and geueth life comfort and health to all those which geue ouer thē selues vnto him It is a fire which lighteth which pourgeth which doth warme heate the hartes and the tonges of the chosen of God which proueth the faythful and the vnfaythfull and consumeth al the reprobates wherfore in vayne do the enemies of God conspyre agaynst thys mightie winde in vayne do they kindle their fires and lighten their fornaces to quenche and put out this diuine fyre in vayne doe they holde their Councels to blotte out the decrees of thys eternall Councell of GOD sealed with such a seale For when we haue Iesus Christ the very sonne of God which was sent vnto vs frō Iohn 1. 6. the bosome of the Father we haue hym that bringeth the true seale and printe and the very marke of God with the which he is signed and allowed of the father to witnes vnto vs that he did sende him vnto vs as he vpon whom we ought onely to dwel And euen as he is allowed by God his father as is that which is allowed by the authoritised signe and seale of a prince so doth he also marke with the seale of his holy spirit al those which are marked with the seale of his eternall election which is sure according to the testimonye ii Tim. ii of Saint Paule And therfore he saith that the Lord dothe know all those that are his and that it is he that doth streng then vs and it is he that hath annoynted vs and marked vs and hath geuen vs in our heartes the earnest of the holy Ghoste for the daye of oure redemption Wherfore euen as the children of God be marked with thys marke and seale euen so can they not denye hym whose sygne and seale they ii Cor. i. Ephe. 1. 4. beare but for their parte also do seale and alowe the truthe of God in receiuing hym which he dyd send with his seale Seyng then that it is so we may not alledge the multitude Iohn 3 to take away the authoritie of that smal companye of sixe score personnes in the which the Apostles were who by the vertue of the holy Ghoste whiche they there receyued haue published the determinations of this great Councell For the truth and the Spirit of God ar bound neither to times places nor persons no not in dede vnto them which do possesse the seate of the very seruauntes of God and doo abuse their office and are gouerned by a contrary Spirite For al be it that the Bishoppes the Priestes the Scribes the Pharises the Councel of Ierusalem did occupye the place of the true seruantes of God and had authority ouer the temple and ouer the people and had all the worldly power and pompe on their syde did brag of the promises of the word of God Yet for all that the holye Ghost did neuer preside in their Councel as he dyd in the Councell of this small companie and their decrees agaynst the truth had not so great power to ouerthrowe it as the decrees of this small companye had to establyshe confirme and aduaunce it and to destroye all lyes and vntruth ¶ Of the examination of the true Christian doctrine and of the spring and laste determination of the same and of the curses agaynst those vvhich do falsefye it D. THese be the decrees of y● which it is written in the Prophets The law shall come forth frō Sion the word Es●y ii of God frō Ierusalē it is not sayd The law shal come forth frō that Mount Capitoline or Palatine or Aduētine or from any other of the seuen which are in Rome but frō the mount Sion frō Ierusalem therefore it behoueth vs well to consider whether the doctrine that is set forth vnto vs for Christian be agreable to that law word which came frō Sion Ierusalem and not to that which came forth from Rome frō the Mountaines of