Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	apostle_n	eternal_a	sin_n	4,819	5	4.9760	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

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

heaven be made and it was made Let the earth be made and it was made Let the light the Sun and Starres be made Let trees creatures Men and Angels be made and all were made and adde to this which hath been said that the same GOD may if he will destroy with one be●ke all these things and the whole world as we said before out of the Booke of the Maccabees 4. To these wee may adde one depth more that all these things so many so great and composed of so many members and parts were made by GOD in a moment With us art and nature must have long time to bring any worke to perfection we see seeds sowen long before the herbs grow trees aske oft times many yeares to fasten the roots to sprout spread and beare fruit the fruit of the womb is long in the womb and long in the nursing before it come to any growth to speake nothing of art seeing it is so obvious to us that artificers must have much time to perfect any thing they take in hand How great then is the power of GOD who sooner then a word can be spoken can perfect so great workes It is not my purpose to dispute whether GOD in one moment absolved and finished heaven earth and all things in them or whether he spent sixe whole dayes in the first creation of things for this Treatise was intended for our ascent to GOD and not for dispute but this is it which I affirme and admire that every thing should be made perfect by the omnipotent Creator in a moment and concerning the earth the water ayre and fire no man doubts but that together with all the Angels they were created in a moment Concerning the firmament and the dividing of waters it is well known that they were all made by the onely power of the word speaking Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters and that in a moment for it followeth that it was so done upon which place St. Chrysostome thus He onely spake and the worke followed and the same Authour upon the words Let the earth bud forth c. Who saith he will not be astonisht to thinke how the Word of GOD Let the earth bud adorneth the face of the earth with an admirable embrodery of divers flowers you might suddenly have seene the earth deformed before and untilled and untrimmed to contend with heaven in comlinesse and bravery and upon the words Let there be light he saith He onely spake and this admirable element was brought forth I say the Sun and what if I added that the Moone and all the Starres were made by the same word and in the same moment by the same Creator and lastly upon these words Let the waters bring forth in abundance c. he thus speaketh What tongue can be sufficient to set out the praise and glory of the workeman For as he onely said of the earth Let the earth bud and presently a plentifull variety and multiplicity of flowers and herbs appeared so by saying here Let the waters bring forth so many creeping things and foules were created as no speech can recount Who therefore is like unto thee ô Lord among the Gods By all this thou mayst understand plainly the great power of thy Creator who by his latitude extends himselfe to all things by his longitude continues alwaies and without wearinesse supports and governes all things by his altitude attaineth to the making of those things which seeme to be and are impossible to all but himselfe and by his depth and profundity doth so make all things as that the manner and meanes of making them passeth all created understanding considering that he makes them of nothing into nothing without instruments without time onely by his word and command Hee spake the word saith the Psalmist and they were made hee commanded and they were created By this thou mayst gather if thou be wise how much it concernes thee whether it were best to have him thy angry enemy or thy well pleased friend For he can suddenly bereave thee of all good and load thee with all misery nor is there any that can deliver thee out of his hands for who dares contend with him that is omnipotent If thou shouldst being naked meet with an implacable enemy bending a sharpe weapon against thee what wouldst thou doe but in trembling and fearefull manner prostrate thy selfe at his feet and implore his mercy and yet he being a man thou mightst perhaps escape him by flight or resistance or wresting the weapon from him but what canst thou doe against an angry God from whom thou caust not flee he being every where nor resist him being omnipotent nor make delayes seeing he doth all in a moment and by his sole command and therefore not without cause did the Apostle say It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living GOD. On the other side if thou make him thy friend who more happier then thou for he can if he will and he will if he be thy friend satisfie thee with all good things and deliver thee from all evill and it is in thy power either to make him thy friend or enemy while thou livest here GOD himselfe and he by his Prophets and againe by his Son and his Apostles in the Scriptures ever call and invite sinners to repentance and the just to keepe his Commandements that so he may have both sorts of men his friends or rather deare children and heires of eternall salvation Heare Ezechiel As I live saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and live turn you turn you from your evillwaies for why will ye die ô ye houfe of Israel and as Ezechiel so Esay Ieremie and the rest of the Prophets being moved with the same spirit cry for the conversion of sinners Heare the Son of GOD when he began to preach Amend your lives for the Kingdome of God is at hand Heare the Apostle St. Paul speaking of himselfe and his fellow Apostles We are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you through us wee pray you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God What more cleare more comfortable The Apostle in Christs name doth beseech us to be reconciled to God to have him our friend not our enemy Who can doubt of Gods mercy if he seriously returne to him he will receive all converts as the loving Father received the prodigall Son But when we are returned and have found indulgence and favour what doth he require of us even to persevere as frends and children and to keep his Commandements If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements saith our Saviour If thou wilt say without the helpe of God his Commandements cannot be kept heare what St. Augustine saith speaking of the hardest precept of all other that is

Kingdome for he raigned over all Kingdomes from the river Euphrates to the land of the Philistims unto the border of Aegypt and they brought presents and served Salomon all the daies of his life he had besides so great wealth that he had 40000. stalls of Horses for his Charriots and 12000. Horse-men besides his Ships trading to Ophir brought such store of gold and precious stones that silver was nothing esteemed in his daies and was given by him as stones in Jerusalem His pleasure also he tooke after such an unlimited manner that delighting in Women he tooke to him 700. Wives princesses and 300. concubines And yet heare what he saith of himselfe after he had reckoned up these pleasures and many more as you may read at large in the Booke of the Preacher after he had well look'd into them behold all is vanity and vexation of spirit and there is no profit under the Sun Therefore you see he found no true rest either in his riches honour pleasures or wisedome nor could he have found any had they beene many more because the mind of Man is immortall and these things are mortall and of no continuance nor it cannot be that the mind capable of infinite good should be satisfied with finite good For as the humane body cannot rest either in the ayre though it be large or in the water though it be deepe because the earth and not the water or ayre is its center so the minde of Man can never rest in ayrie honour or watry riches which are sordid pleasures but in GOD onely who is the true center of the minde and the onely place of rest for it and proper to it How divinely and wisely then did his Father King David cry out after he had gone into GODS Sanctuary and understood the end of the wicked in their prosperity Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none that I desire in earth in comparison of thee GOD is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Consider this then and thou wilt confesse that GOD is the Rocke upon which thou most rest and relye other things are but vanitie and vexation of spirit which are not things in true existence but in false apparaence they comfort not but torment being gotten with labour kept with feare and lost with sorrow and griefe Despise therefore if thou beest wise all tran●itory things least they snatch thee away with them and set thy rest on GOD alone cleave to him with the bond of love who remaines the same for ever Lift up thy heart to GOD in Heaven least it putrifie in Earth Learne true Wisedome by the folly of many in whose persons the wiseman speaketh Therefore we have erred from the way of truth and the light of righteousnesse hath not shined unto us and the Sun of understanding rose not upon us We have wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction and we have gone through dangerous waies but we have not knowne the way of the Lord. What hath pride profited us or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought us All those things are passed away like a shadow and as a Post that passeth by Againe this foundation the Earth is an Embleme of GOD in another respect which CHRIST himselfe hath explained unto us in the Gospell by his similitude of a house built upon a Rock which though the raine fell upon it the winds beat upon the side of it and the floods attempted to undermine it y●t stood firme and unmovable but the house built upon the sand could resist none of them but fell So the mansion of mans soule which consists of many vertues and graces as of so many roomes and chambers if it be founded upon GOD as upon a Rocke thatis if it stedfastly beleeve him if it put its whole trust and confidence in him if it be rooted and founded in the love of him it may say with the Apostle Who shall separate us from the love of CHRIST The soule so founded may be secure because neither spirituall wickednesses which are above it nor carnall concupiscences which are beneath it nor domesticall enemies our kinsmen and acquaintance which are about it shall at any time prevaile against it Great I confesse are the forces and subtilties of spirituall powers but greater is the power greater is the wisedome of the Holy Spirit which is ruler and president over the house which is built upon GOD. Very much and earnestly doth the flesh fight against the Spirit and concupiscences have overcome many strong Men but the love of GOD easily overcometh the love of the flesh and the feare of the LORD the feare of the World Lastly Mans homebred enemies many times draw them by evill example and conversation to the perpetrating of sinne but the soule whose confidence is that it hath GOD to Father and friend easily shakes such friends off and will say with the Apostle I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor Principalities no● Powers nor things present nor things to come nor any other creature shal be able to separate me from the love of GOD which is in CHRIST JEsus our LORD The second property of the Earth consists in this that it is as a good nurse to Men and other living creatures in bringing forth herbs fruits and other sustenance in plentifull manner for their preservation And this property ●eads us to the Creator who is the true Nurse For it is not properly the Earth but GOD by the Earth which produceth these good things For so the holy Spirit speaketh by the mouth of David He bringeth forth grasse for the cuttell and greene herbe for the service of men and a little after These all wayt upon thee that thou mayest give them meat in due season When thou givest it them they gather it and when thou openest thine hand they are filled with good and our Saviour in the Gospell Behold the foules of the ayre for they sowe not neither reape nor cary into the barnes yet your Heavenly Father feedeth them and the Apostle Saint Paul in the Acts Neverthelesse he left not himselfe without witnesse in that hee did good and gave us raine from Heaven and fruitfull seasons filling our hearts with food and gladnesse Yet is that true which GOD commanded at the Creation Let the Earth bud forth the bud of the herbe that seedeth seed and the fruitfull tree which beareth fruit according to his kind but it is by the power and vertue which GOD hath given it and GOD himselfe by the Earth producing increasing and preserving these things And for this cause it was that King David inviting all creatures to praise the LORD among the rest calls upon fruitfull trees to doe the same and that the three Children in Daniel sang All things that grow on the Earth blesse ye

Father who causeth the Sunne to arise upon the good and evill and rayneth upon the just and unjust Imitate the Son who having taking our humane nature for our good upon him spared not his owne life to deliver us from the power of darkenesse and everlasting perdition Imitate the holy Ghost who plentifully powreth out and scattereth his most plenteous guifts that he may of carnall make us spirituall DEGREE VI. By the Consideration of FIRE THis Element is of so pure and noble a nature as that GOD himselfe would bee called Fire as both Moses and St. Paul testifie The LORD thy GOD is a consuming Fire And when GOD first appeared to Moses he would be seen in a bush burning but not consuming with Fire when also GOD came to give the Law to his people he appeared in the shape of fire as Moses relateth it Mount Sinai was all on smoke because the LORD came downe upon it in fire To resemble which mystery when the new law was to be published the holy Ghost appeared to the Apostles in the shape of fiery tongues Lastly they which in heaven are neerest to GOD are called Seraphim because they receive fervor and heate from that most ardent and divine fire more then the other Angels It will not therefore be hard or difficult for us out of this element and the nature and properties of it to erect one greece whereby wee may ascend to GOD by prayer and meditation and lesse difficult will it be with Elias to ascend in a fiery Charriot then to make a Ladder to rise up by out of either earth water or ayre Let us therefore examine and consider the properties and qualities of this element Fire is of that nature and quality that it worketh diversly and oft times contrarily in many things 1. It quickly burneth and consumeth Wood Straw and Stubble 2. It purifieth and maketh more beautifull gold and silver 3. It changeth Iron into contrary qualities as of blacke cold hard and heavie the naturall properties of it it maketh it cleare hote soft and light insomuch as it will shine like a starre burne like fire melt and be liquid like water and by the Artificer be moved and lifted easily All these things apparently agree and meete in GOD. And first Wood Hay and Stubble are by the Apostle compared with evill workes which cannot endure the triall of Gods fire for it is almost incredible how hatefull and displeasing all sinnes are to GOD who is a most pure fire with what zeale hee consumes and destroyes them first by repentance if the sinner be in that state that he can repent for by repentance all sinnes are purged and if the sinner be uncapable of repentance as Devils and men after this life are his wrath is kindled against them For the ungodly and his ungodlinesse are both hated alike of GOD saith the wiseman and the Kingly Prophet David confirmes this saying Thou hatest all them that worke vanity How much and great this hatred is the Devill can witnesse who sinning once and being as St. Gregory saith an Angel most noble and glorious and the Prince of the first order of Angels and the most excellent creature of GOD yet was forthwith cast out of Heaven and deprived of all honour and grace turned into a most deformed monster and bound to eternall perdition Christ himselfe is a witnesse who came from Heaven to dissolve the workes of the Devill sinne and therefore is stiled the Lamb of GOD which taketh away the sinnes of the World Yet who is able to declare nay to conceive what and how great things he suffered to destroy the workes of the Devill and fully to satisfie Gods justice Who being in the forme of GOD tooke on him the forme of a servant and being rich was made poore for our sakes not having whereon to lay his head was reviled suffered bare our sinnes in his body on a tree humbled himselfe and became obedient unto the death even the death of the Crosse was derided spit upon scourged crowned with thorns crucified with all ignominie and grievous torments shedding his life and blood and all these things to destroy the Devills worke sinne Witnesse the Law of GOD which forbids and punisheth all sinne leaving not unpunished so much as an idle word And how doe we thinke he detesteth heynous sinnes that cannot endure an idle word For the Law of the LORD is an undefiled Law without all spots and what communion hath light with darknesse or what fellowship hath righteousnesse with unrighteousnesse Lastly let Hell it selfe be witnesse which GOD hath prepared for the wicked and sinners which refused to be washed with the blood of the undefiled Lamb For it is but just that in whom sinne alwaies remaines punishment should bee perpetuall now what the punishment of hell shal be is horrible and fearefull to thinke of which we shall have occasion to speake more at large in the last Degree Therefore seeing that Gods hate to sinne is so extreme if thou love GOD above all things thou must also above all things detest sinne take heed thou be not deceived by those who either extenuate or excuse it take heed that thou deceive not thy selfe with false and ungrounded reasons for if sinne either committed by thy selfe or others displease thee not thou lovest not GOD and if thou lovest not GOD thou shalt perish everlastingly Againe if thou be not unthankfull to Christ how much dost thou conceive thou owest to his love to his labours his blood his death who washed thee from thy sinne and reconciled thee to his Father and shall it s●eme grievous to thee hereafter to suffer any thing for him either in his grace and favour and with his grace to resist sinne even to the losse of thy blood and life Lastly if thou canst not endure the fire everlasting in hell patiently neither oughtest thou patiently to endure sinne but flee from it as from a Serpent and let it be thy resolution to joyne thy greatest hate to sinne with thy greatest love to GOD. But fire destroyes not but makes Gold Silver and Iewels more perfect and shining because as S. Paul in the place before cited declares that those mettalls signifie good works and perfect which are allow'd and aprov'd by the fire of Gods judgment and shall receive their reward Those workes GOD ratifies for good because they are his guifts and St. Augustine saith he crowns his own guifts whensoever he crowns our deserts for they are perform'd by his command and by his aid he bestowing power upon us and enabling us to doe them and himselfe directing us by the Law and rules which he hath made and appointed And indeed gold denotes unto us the workes of love and charity and how is it possible but the workes of love should exceedingly please GOD who is love it selfe Silver signifies the workes of wisedome namely of those which

this point GOD is mercifull and long suffering he will not alwaies be chiding neither keepeth his anger for ever The height or altitude of Gods mercy comes next in order to be spoken of which is taken from the cause moving him to be mercifull which certainly is most high and exalted above the heavens according to that in the Psalme His mercy reacheth to the heavens and Mercy shall be set up for ever thy truth shalt thou establish in the heavens which mercy of his differs from that of men in diverse respects 1 Some men are mercifull to other because they stand in need of their helpe and this is the lowest Degree of mercy because it reflects upon their owne profit and commodity as to our Dogges Horses and other cattell 2. Others are pittifull for co●sanguinity or friendship because they are our children brethren friends or familiars to whom we extend our mercy and this is a Degree a little higher and begins to have some reason or resemblance of vertue 3. Lastly others are mercifull because they are their neighbours and in that respect men created by the same GOD out of the same mould and therefore they make no difference whether they be friends or enemies good or bad kindred or strangers but pitty all alike whom they know to be created after the image of GOD and this is the highest Degree that mortalls can reach unto But GOD hath pitty upon all things because they are his creatures and especially upon men because they are his images and more specially yet upon good men because they are his children heires of his Kingdome and coheires with his onely begotten Son But if thou wilt demaund why GOD created the World why he made man after his owne image why he hath justified the wicked and made them heires of his Kingdome nothing at all can be answered but because he would and if thou askest why he would nothing can be said but because he is good for goodnesse diffuseth and communicateth it selfe willingly In heaven hath hee established his mercy and from his highest habitation from the heart of the Father hath it descended and filled the earth The earth is full of the mercy of the LORD saith the Psalmist Therefore as he found matter enough in us to deserve punishment so hee found enough in himselfe to have mercy upon us Lift up thy selfe then and with the eyes of thy mind in that high fountaine of mercy behold that purity mixt with no intention of his owne profit and when thou hearest the Schoolemaster of all men perswading and saying Be mercifull as your heavenly Father is mercifull strive as much as thou canst to have not onely compassion upon thy fellowservants but be mercifull to them with that pure affection which our heavenly Father pitties us If thou remit an injury to a detractor or malicious accuser doe it heartily committing the offence to perpetuall oblivion for our Father forgets our offences saith Ezechiel and Looke how wide the East is from the West so farre hath he set our sinnes from us saith David least they should doe us harme any longer If thou givest almes to a poore man understand that thou dost rather take then give because he that giveth to the poore lendeth upon usury to the LORD as Solomon saith and therefore give it humbly and reverently not as an almes to a poore man but as a present to a Prince If thou sufferest any ill to profit thy necessitous neighbour consider how farre short thou comest of thy Lord who gave his life and blood to doe thee good So it shall come to passe that without hope of earthly reward or any itch of vaine glory and out of the pure and onely love of GOD and thy neighbour thou shalt be a good proficient in the Schoole of mercy In the last place the depth of Gods mercy comes to be considered and as the height of it shines chiefly in the cause so the depth seemes to be sought in the effects Therefore that mercy which descends onely to words hath little depth in it but may rather be called superficiall and that mercy is to bee reputed more deepe which relieveth and refresheth those which are in misery not onely with comfortable words but reall deeds and benefits and that the most deep of all other which helpeth those which are miserable not onely by speaking and giving but in suffering and co-assisting in labours and sorrowes Now our GOD of whose mercy is neither number nor end is by all these wayes mercifull to us 1. For first hee hath sent comfortable letters his holy Scriptures to us as it is said in the Booke of the Maccabees we have the holy bookes in our hands for our comfort And not onely doth GOD speake to us and promise us ayd and protection by his letters but by the sermons of preachers who are ambassadours to us for CHRIST in this pilgrimage I will hearken saith David what the LORD GOD will say concerning me for hee shall speake peace unto his people and to his Saints that they turne not againe 2. Againe the benefits wee receive by Gods mercy in cu●ing our manifold miseries aswell temporall as spirituall are so many as that they cannot be numbred for every where he crowneth us with mercy and loving kindnesse that is he compasseth us on every side with the benefits of his mercy 3. Thirdly his mercy descended by the mystery of the Incarnation to labours sorrow hunger thirst ignominie repr●●ches stripes and wounds to the crosse and death to redeeme us from all iniquity and from everlasting death due to sinne C●n there be any abysse more 〈◊〉 to which the mercy of God could descend yes there is for he did not this out of due debt but of meere grace He was offered because hee would saith Esay for who compelled the Son of GOD who thought it no robbery to bee equall with GOD to take on him the forme of a servant to make himselfe poore for us that we through his poverty might be made rich and to humble himselfe to death even the death of the Crosse to quicken and exalt us certainely it was onely his love that forced him his onely mercy compelled him And yet there is another thing more deep a deeper degree for in this worke of our salvation hee would have us communicate and participate in his glory and honour The Angels song seemed to be a fit division Glory to GOD in the highest and peace in earth the honour to GOD the profit to men but the mercy of GOD would have all the profit to be ours and the honour part his part ours 4 Lastly the mercy of GOD is most profound and deepe towards men especially good men and fearing GOD in regard that this mercy exceeds the affection of Father or Mother then which upon earth wee finde none greater Can a woman forget her child saith the