Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	heart_n	lord_n	way_n	4,954	5	4.7237	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03928	The second and last part of Reasons for refusall of subscription to the Booke of common prayer vnder the hands of certaine ministers of Deuon. and Cornwall, as they were exhibited by them to the right Reuerend Father in God William Cotton Doctor of Diuinitie, and Lord Bishop of Exceter. As also an appendix, or compendious briefe of all other exceptions taken by others against the bookes of communion, homilies, and ordination, word for word, as it came to the hands of an honorable personage. VVith an ansvvere to both at seuerall times returned them in publike conference, and in diuerse sermons vpon occasion preached in the cathedrall church of Exceter by Thomas Hutton Bachiler of Diuinitie, and fellow of S. Iohns Colledge in Oxon.; Reasons for refusal of subscription to the booke of common praier. Part 2	Hutton, Thomas, 1566-1639.; Cotton, William, d. 1621.	1606 (1606)	STC 14036; ESTC S104340	264,229	290

dost thou feare death 〈◊〉 Such wauering affections like Pauls ship caught betweene two seas when the forepart stucke and the hinder part was broken and yet the Pa●●ingers ●afe These streights they fall into that fall to prayer and what Saint Paul said of life and death they are difficulties the faithfull are streightned with The presence of his Maiestie to whom they pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip. 1.23 the guiltienesse of their sinne the rigour of the law the multitude of their wants some bid thē pray for mercy aboundance of mercie as if a little would not serue but abundance must be powred downe some againe to their thinking forbid them to pray and demaund how they dare presume and so both waies their speech sauoureth of confidence and infirmitie Such mixture is alwaies in our petitions because such mixture is in our selues flesh and not all spirite some distrust and not all fulnes of faith sometime a feeling that we beleeue sometime complaineing that we doe not beleeue the tongue of our ballance bearing so doubtfull doubtfull it is which scale will preuaile yet the better in the end preuaileth For thorough stitch it goeth commeth ouercometh and ouercomeing triumpheth triumphing concluddeth and the conclusion is through our Lord Iesus Christ so as in the same sentence the fall of the leafe and a spring againe fire in the ashes and stirred vp againe A little faith appeareth not with the soonest but like scuit in the bud whence his nature and substance is so coucheth and so is preserued Thus it flu●t●reth twirt daring and not daring praying and not praying because it would haue aboundance of mercie and yet findeth wants in the petition This striuing in the womb of the same collect argueth the life of faith rather quickened then dying springing then falling so faultlesse it is if all be well considered For as Rebecca when she felt the twins in her womb though it pained bit yet thereby knew she had conceiued and that the childrē were aliue so they who are brought vpon their knées finding the maiestie of God infinite his iustice strict his knoweledge searching the reines his holinesse such as Angels are not pure in his sight and what themselues are on the other side their basenesse odious their ignorance blockish their sinnes abhominable their wants lamentable at what time notwithstanding they conceiue comfort for els could they not pray are fouly abasht and ●eicted as professing they dare not aske somethinges at the hand of the almightie Which to like effect we finde as if an honest good heart laying open his estate in more wordes would be thus vnderstood Whereas our prayers by which we craue that thou power downe the aboundance of thy mercies are thorough the want of a most holie faith ouerlaide with vnspeakable imperfections such as tire them out in the way to heauen therefore we pray thée O Lord with al other transgressions forgiue vs euen our prayers whereof our conscience guiltie as it is that they are so stained as they are presumeth not nor dareth presum to aske what otherwise it would and at other times doth when more comforted then now it is thou well knowest O almighty God the petitions of them that aske in thy sons name Collet 23 sun after Trinitie and after the Communion at dismissing of the Congregation we beseech the mercifully to incline thine eares to vs that haue made now our praiers and supplications vnto thee and graunt that these things which we haue faithfully asked according to thy will may effectually be obtained to the reliefe of our necessity to the setting forth of thy glory c. Thus a faithfule soule in praier sōtime raised anon deiected wrestling with God as did Iacob in his conflict with y● Angel diuersly tuneth the phrase of his troubled spirite notwithstanding a supposed discord kéepeth measure concord with faith and with the holy scripture Genes 32.24 But when men set their wits vpon the tenter to reach out their obiections and to deale as if they had to deale with Beuis of Southhampton thinking noe more reuerently of the humble duetifull bashfull modest Iob. 1.1 c 9.15 Altercando disceptando gloriando nihilcorā de● obti●e ●imu● La●ater Ibid. Deo indicante nemo i●sons est ipse melius qua● nos ipsinoust quales simus 〈◊〉 vsde● pectatum vbi nos nullu● animaduertimus Ibid. 20. Nō ex toto eredo me velipsi cō scienti● mea quippe cum 〈◊〉 ipsa quidem queat me comprehendere tot●● neque iudicare potest de toto qui totum non audit Bernard epist. 42. Audit deus in corde cog●tantis quod non audit velipse qui cogitat Ibid. Licet integerrimus essem tamā adeo sulgoro maiestatis eius consternarer vt de me-ipso ni hi● scirem Lauater an Iob. 9.21 low and lowly speethes proceding from a broken heart thence it is they make a doubt where no doubting is if the same minde were in them as becometh censurers of the praiers of the church those irreprouable collects would haue greater commendation then be thought a stumbling block of offence as they are Take we example from Iob Abraham and Salomon Holie Iob of whome scripture giueth testimony that he was an vpright iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill confesseth of himselfe though he were iust he could not answer but would make supplicatiōs to his iudge holding it more fit to leaue wrangling disputing boasting for these wil obtaine naught but praying zealously behauing himselfe submisly he may find fauour at the Lords hand yea were he iust his own mouth would condemne him were he perfit the Lord could iudge him wicked because none is innocēt whē God iudgeth he it is that knoweth vs better thē we our selues seeth such sins as we neuer think for Accordingly whereunto S. Bernard speaketh I doe not wholy belieue my selfe nor my own conscience for it cānot comprehend me all neither can he iudge of the whole that heareth not the whole Anon after God heareth in the hart of him that he thinketh which a man 's own selfe heareth not yea were Iob righteous yet should he be ashamed with the brightnes of God his maiestie that he should not know himselfe We see how the look of a Prince dasheth his subiect out of coūtenance therefor much rather may the presence of the Lord who is a dreadful God clothed with vnspeakable maiesty as with a garmēt whose glory surpasseth the brightnes of al the lights in heauē astonish y● brused conscience of Iob who knew if he should wash himselfe with snow water purge his hands most cleane yet should God dip him in the pit his owne cloths would make him vncleane For God is not a man that he should answer him if they should strine in iudgement Iob. 9.30.31 All which sentences debasing him discouer the true estate of an humble soule who vpon due examination made saieth in effect as

they will possesse their soules in patience onely because they will not be thought wiser then the Lord they commend all to his blessed disposition When Zaedok carried the Arke into the Tittle these words Dauid vttred ● Sam 15.25 If I shall s●●de fauour in the eyes of the Lord be will bring me againe and shew me both it and the Tabernacle thereof But if he thus say I haue no delight in thee Behold here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes Here is a doubtfull perplexed speech yet not destitute of assurance which a holy faith ministreth For he was certaine of his saluation Quoad aternā salutem certus erat sed hic de rectitutio●e in regnum agitur At deus ei regnum c. P. martyr Ibid. 2. Sam. 16.22 yea and certaine of the temporall kingdome which God had promised him But here was all the doubt He knew not whether the promise was absolute or vpon condition The like followeth in the next Chapter where the same Prophet maketh this vse of Shimes his railing and reuiling It may be that the Lord will looke vpon my affliction and doe me good for his cursing this day In that he saith Peraduenture or it may be not doubting of his saluation but of being restored to his former estate Cur dicit fortè Non qùod de aterna salute dubitaret sed de restitutione Id. in 2. Sa. 16. or else thinking of the hainousnesse of sinne before committed doubteth whether his afflictions should be asswaged so speedily As who would say Peremptorily I affirme it not my sinnes haue deserued more then all this counneth to This I take as a gentle remembrance to put me in minde of my duety It may be If not I know what to trust to I le not attempt to teach the Lord I neither doe nor dare presume to aske that it may be thus and no otherwise The Prophet Amos hath the like It may be Amos. 5.15 the Lord God of Israel will be mercifull to the remnant of Ioseph He meaneth in preuenting their captiuitie But whether deliuerance or no the reckoning is made they forgot not all comfort well perswading themselues that if the mercy of God faile them one way some other way it shall meete with them and they with it knowing of a truth that God is good vnto Israel in not giuing vs many times what we would Bonus dominus qui non tribuit saepè quod volumus vt quod malimus attribuat August Paul●epist 34. that he may giue ouer and aboue that which we should rather So as to winde vp all on a small bottome and comprehend much in fewe words our prayers dare not presume to aske many things which God giueth because they dare not set the Lord a time nor binde him to such and such meanes but resoluing of the general making faith of our duety therein refer our selues wholy to the Lord for all such changeable circumstances knowing that fall they out so or not so or contrariwise Rom. 8. ●8 they fall out for the best to them that feare the Lord Cap. 3 Almighty God those things which for our vnworthinesse we dare not and for our blindnes we cānot aske vouchsafe to giue vs c. These words directly fight against gods word true faith Iam. 1.5.6.7 If any lacke let him aske in faith wauer not c. For such receiue not And Rom. 14.25 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin THese words are in the collect after the offertory Almighty God the foūtaine of all wisdome which knowest our necessities before wee aske our ignorance in asking we beseech the to haue compassiō vpon our infirmities those things which for our vnworthinesse we dare not for our blindnesse we cannot aske vouchsafe to giue vs for the worthines of thy sonne c. This the last chap. for their neighbourhood may cōmunicate each vnto other mutuall helpe Much hath been said already whereon we might be content to stay our selues without farder procéeding but the we are drawne on to a larger discourse by reason of their so great importunity that hold these words matter of fresh complaint There is no doubting nor Stammering nor vncertaintie in saying these words for our vnworthinesse we dare not nor for our blindnesse we cannot aske They are the words of sobriety humility not of feare nor despaire Non desperatio●● dictum est sed sobria pia humilitate August de verb dom serm 23. Iam 1.5 6. Rom. 14. 23. For we are certainely perswaded as of an article of our faith that we are both vnworthy blind Yet some vrge scripture to the contrary S. Iames say they bids vs aske in faith without wauering Whereunto we answer So doth a penitēt person aske that is fully assured he hath naught to cōmend him before the Lord. Againe they vrge Rom. 14. whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin So thinke we the man sinneth that continueth doubting of Gods mercy whē he cometh to God in praier A conscience not resolued in such a point of doctrin shameth the worke in hand be it neuer so specious Happily these men whose obiection this is thinke that the faithful Quando nihil prorsus sumus et minus quam nihil visentiamus nostram 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abiecta ōni fiducia tam nostri quam totius mundi Caluin in Iere. 17. To tobsequiis defaenerati quot defungs non possumus etiamsi omnes nostra cogitationes omniaque membra in legit officia verterentur Marlo in Luc. 17.10 Mat. 9.20 Luc. 15.21 Ad filis affectū qui omnia quae patris sunt sua esse nō ambigit aspirare nequa quam praesumit sed mercenaris statumiam proseruitatis mercede desiderat Bede lib. 4. super Luc m. c. 63. Non proponitur vt admiremur tantum sed etiā vt imitemur Marlo in Mat. ● because of the full assurance of Gods mercies therefore may not be cast down in sight of their sin As if the voice of a man vilifying himselfe before the Lord were not the voice of a man that builds vpon the Lord his comfortable promise Then surely M. Caluin mistooke what he praied for when vpon occasion of the words in the Prophet Ieremie 17. The heart of man is deceitfull wicked aboue all things who can know it maketh this praier Grant almighty God since we are plaine nothing yea lesse then nothing that feeling this naughtworth estate casting aside all confidence both of our selues of the whole world we may learne to flye in all humility vnto thee c. But M. Caluin mistooke no more then they that of our sauiour learned to hold themselues vn profitable seruants not the they had done iust nothing but when they had done all and all if possible that was cōmanded For we are seruants in so many offices indebted as we cānot come out though all our thoughts all our