Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	bless_a	father_n	sinner_n	3,690	5	9.1555	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16580	Godlie meditations vpon the Lordes prayer, the beleefe, and ten commaundementes with other comfortable meditations, praiers and exercises. Whereunto is annexed a defence of the doctrine of gods eternall election and predestination, gathered by the constant martyr of God Iohn Bradford in the tyme of his imprisonment. The contentes wherof appeare in the page nexte folovvyng.; Godlie meditations upon the Lordes prayer, the beleefe, and ten commaundementes.	Bradford, John, 1510?-1555.	1562 (1562)	STC 3484; ESTC S118261	91,610	260

small crosses vnto thee Iudas was admonished of thee to beware but when he toke no heed but wilfully went out to finishe his worke contēning thy admonition counsel he could not but vere thy most louing hart After supper there was contention amongs thy disciples who shuld be greatest after thee yet dreaming carnally of thee and thy kingdome hauing this affection of pride ambition busy amongs them notwithstanding thy diligence in reprouing and teaching them After thy admoniciō to them of the crosse y ● wold come therby to make them more vigilant so grosse were they y ● they thought they could with their .ii. swerds put away al pertis which was no litle greife vnto thee After thy comīg to Gethsemane heuines oppressed thee therfore thou woldest thy disciples to pray y u didst tel to peter and his felows that thy hart was heauy to death y u didst wil them to pray being careful for them also least they shuld fal into tentation After this y u wentest a stones cast frō them didst pray thy self falling flat grouelīg vpō y e earth but alas y ● feltst no cōfort therfore y u camest to thy disciples whiche of all others wer most swete dere vnto thee but lo to thy further discomforte they passe nether of thy perils nor of their owne therfore slepe a pace After y ● hadst awaked them y u goest again to pray but y u foūdest no cōfort at al therfore didst returne again for some cōfort at thy derest frēds hāds But yet again alas they are fast a slepe whervpō y u art inforced to goe again to thy heauēly father for some sparcle of cōfort in these thy wonderfull crosses agonies Now here y u wast so discouraged so cōfortlesse that euē streames of bloud came running frō thine eies cares other partes of thy body But who is able to expresse y e infinitnes of thy crosses euē at thy being in y ● garden al which y ● sufferdest for my sake aswell to satisfy thi fathers wrath for my sines as also to sanctifie all my sufferings the more gladelye to bee sustayned of me After thy bloudye praier thou camest and yet agayne foundeste thy disciples a sleepe and before y u canst wel awake thē lo● Iudas cometh w t a great band of mē to apprehēd thee a these so doth leading thee away bound to the high Bysshopps house Annas and so frō him to Caiaphas Here now to augment this thy myserie beholde thy Disciples fle from thee false witnesses be broughte against thee thou art accused and condemned of blasphemie Peter euē in thy sight forswereth thee thou arte vniustly stricken for answering lawfully thou art blindfelde stricken buffeted all the whole nighte in the Bysshoppe Caiaphas house of their cruell seruants In the morning by times thou art condempned againe of the prestes of blasphemie and therfore they bring thee before y ● secular power to Pilate by whō y u art openly arrayned as other theues and malefauoures were when he sawe that thou wast accused of malice yet he did not desmysse thee but dyd sende thee to Herode where thou was derided shamefully in comminge and goeinge to and from hym all the waye wonderfully especially after Herod had apparelled thee as a foole Afore pilate againe therfore thou wast brought and accused falsly no man did take thy parte or speake a good worde for thee Pilate caused thee to be whipped scourged and to be handeled most pitifully to see if any pitie might appeare with the prelates but no māat al pitied thee Barrabas was preferred before thee al the people head taile was against thee cried hange thee vp vniustly to death wast thou iudged y u wast crowned with thornes that pearced thi braines thou wast made a mocking stocke thou wast reuiled re●aited beaten and most miserably handled Thou wentest through Ierusalem to the place of execution euen the mount of Caluarie A great crosse to bange thee on was laid vpon thy backe to beare and drawe as longe as thou wast able Thy bodye was racked to be nayled to the tree thy hands were bored thorow thy fete also nailes were put thorow them to fasten thee ther on thou wast hanged betwene heauen and earth as one spewed out of heauen vomited oute of the earth vnworthy of any place y ● high priest laughed thee to sckorne the elders blasphemed thee and saied god hath no care for thee the common people laught and cried out vpō thee thrist oppressed thee but vinegre onelye and gal was giuē to thee to drinke heauen shined not on thee the sonne gaue thee no light the earth was afraied to beare thee Sathan tempted thee and thine owne senses caused thee to crie out my god my god why hast thou forsakē me Oh wonderful passions which y u sufferedst In them y u teachest me in thē thou comfortest me for by them god is my father my sinnes are forgeuen by thē I shuld learne to feare god to loue god to hope ī god to hate sinne to be patient to cal vpon god neuer to leaue him for any tentatiōs but with thee stil to crye father in to thy hands I cōmende my spirit A CONFESSION OF SINNES and praier for the mitigation of goddes wrath and punishment for the same O Almightie god king of al kings gouerner of all things whose power no creature is able to resiste to whom it belongeth iustly to to punishe sinners and to be merciful vnto them that truly repent we confesse that thou doest most iustely punishe vs for we haue greuouslye sinned against thee and we acknowledge that in punishinge vs y u doest declare thy selfe to be our most mercifull father aswell because y u doeste not punishe vs in any thinge as we haue deserued as also because by punishing vs thou doest call vs and as it were drawe vs to increase in repentance in faith in praier in contemning of the world and in hartie desiring for euerlasting life and thy blessed presence Graunt vs therfore gratious lord thankfully to acknowledge thy great mercye which haste thus fauorably dealt with vs in punishing vs not to our confusion but to our amendment And seing thou hast sworne that y u wilt not the death of a sinner but that he turne lyue haue mercie vppon vs and turne vs vnto thee for thi derely beloued sōne Iesus christs sake whō thou wouldest should be made a slaine sacrifice for our sinnes therby declaring thy great and vnspeakable anger agaist sinne thine infinite mercy to wardes vs sinfull wretches And for as muche as the dulnes of our harts blindnes and corruption is such that we are not able to arise vp vnto thee by faithful harty praier acording to our great necessity without thy singuler grace and assistance graūt vnto vs gratious lord thy holye and sanctif●inge spirite to worke in vs

so thy children I say which hartely loue thet in that they know thy wisdome and wil is best hawe can they but often talke with thes and desyre thee to 〈◊〉 that which they know is best which they knowe also thou woldest doe 〈◊〉 none shuld aske or praye for y ● same Thy children vse praier as a meane by which they se plainly thy power thy presence thy prouidēce mercy 〈◊〉 goodnes towardes them in granntinge their petitions and by praier they are confirmed of them all Yea thy children vse praier to admonishe them how that all things are in thy hands In praier they are as it were of thee put in mind of those thinges they haue done agaynst thee theyr good lord By reason wherof repentaunce ensueth and they conceyue a purpose to liue more purely euer afterwards and more hartelye to applye themselues to all innocencye goodnes Who now consideryng so manye greate commodities to come by reason of prayer would maruell why thy chyldren are much in praier and in labouring to prouoke others there vnto For as none that is a suter to any other wit vse any thing which might offend or hinder his sute so no man that vseth praier will flatter himself in any thinge that shoulde desplease thee to whom by praier he moueth sute whensoeuer he prayeth so that nothing is a more prouocacion to al kind of godlynes then praier is And therefore not wythout cause we may see thyne Apostles and seruauntes to laboure so dilygentlye and desyre that others myghte vse prayers for themselues and others As concerning outward thynges which thy childrē pray for although they know thy wil decree is not variable thy purpose must neds come to passe yet doe they receiue by their praier no small commoditie For either they obtaine their requestes or no. If they do obtain thē then proue they by experience that thou doeste the will of them that feare thee so they are more kindled to loue serue thee And in deed for this purpose 〈◊〉 art wont when thou wilt doe good to any to styrre vp their mindes to desire y ● same good of thee to thende that both thou and thy gifts may be so muche more magnisted and set by of them by how much they haue ben ernest suters and peticioners for the same For howe can it but en● a 〈◊〉 them with loue towards thee to per ceiue and fele thee so to care for thē heare them and loue them If they doe not obtaine that they praye for yet vndoubtedly they receiue greate comforte to see that the euyls which presse them and whereof they complaine stil doe not oppresse and ouer come them therfore they receyue strength to beare y ● same the better O good father help me that I might hartely loue thee complaine to thee in all my nedes and alwaies by prayer to power oute my heart before thee Amen AN OTHER paraphrase or meditation vpon the lords praser O Almighty eternal god of whō all fatherhode in heauen and in earth is named whose seate is the heauen whose foote stoole is the earth which of thy great clemency vnspeakable loue hast not waighed nor considered our great vnkindnes and wilfull disobedience but according to the good pleasure of thy eternall purpose hast in thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ chosen vs out of the worlde and doest accept vs farre other wise then we be in dede to be called yea and to be in dede thyne adopted sonnes and doest vouchesafe oh louinge father that we as it were heauenly children shuld euery one of vs confesse declare and call thee oure heauenlye father graunt deare father that amonge vs thy poore children by purenes of mynds and couscience by singlenes of hart by vncorrupt and innocent life and example of vertue and godlines thy most holy name maye be sanctified and that so many of al other nations as thou hast ther vnto chosē and predestinate beholding our godlines vertuous dedes that thou workest in vs may be the more styrred to halow and gloryfy thy blessed name Oh faithfull father we beseech thee that the kingdome of thy holy spirit of grace and prayer of thy louinge kindnes and mercy and of all other thy holy vertues and of thy holye most blessed word may continually raygne in our heartes so that thou woldest vouchesafe therby to make vs worthye to be partakers of the realme kingdome of thy gloriouse and blessed presence Oh deare god and heauenly father we humblye desyre thy goodnes to bowe our hartes vnto thee to make vs humble of mind to make vs low in our owne fight and obedient that like as thy deare sonne our only sauiour Iesꝰ Christ coūted his meate workes prayse and life to be onely in obeyng to thy most blessed wyl where in for our sakes he became obedient to the death of the crosse so we may euē vnto the very death in lowlines in mekenes pacience and thankefulnes ohey vnto thy holye wil and not to murmur and grudge norrefuse whatsoeuer thy fatherlye pietie shal thinke good to lay on vs be it pouertie hunger nakednes slcknes slaunders oppressions verations persequutions yea or deathe it self for well doing but in all thinges seke and laboure to make these our earthly bodies seruiseable to do thy wil and to refuse that thou wilt not neuer to stryue nor wrastell against thy holye will but with thy heauenly citizens and houshold bull ded vpon the foundation of thy holy prophetes and apostelles thy sonne Iesus Christ being the heade corner stone all selfwill and controuersye in opinious secluded the lustes desieres affections of the fleshe mortified the flatering assaultes of the vaine world y ● cruel and subtyl layings a waite of y ● deuil ouercome agreing together quietly and vnited in spirit we may frely obey vnto thy most blessed will therein to walke all the daies of oure life Oh deare god geue vnto our nedefull bodies necessatie sustenaunce take from vs all loue of worldelye things all carefulnes and couetousnes that we may the more frely worshippe serue thee Oh mercyful father we besech thee to geue vnto vs that heauēly bread to strenghtē our harts I meane y ● bodye of thy deare sōne Iesꝰ christ y ● very foode health of our soules that we may alwaies w t thankfulnes firmely feede on him by faith vtterly forsake abhorre al false doctrine perswasiōs of mē and all lying spirites that shall perswade vs any other wise of him then thy holy word doth teache assure vs satisfie our hungrie soules deare father with y ● mary fatnes of thy riche mercy promised to vs in y ● same thy sonne and of our eternall election redcmption iustificatiō glorification in him Make vs Oh gratious god to contempne and despise this world with the vaine thinges and pleasures therof and inwardly to hunger for thy blessed kingdome and presence

I shuld haue outragiously done hast stirred me vp to do good to my brethrē if at any time I haue done any euen as thou hast also kept and dost kepe presently others from doing me hurt hast and dost stirre vp those that do me good to do so vn to me Oh how great is y e multitud of thy benifits good lord wherwith thou hast ouerwhelmed me and the which through this cōmaundement I perceaue my self to haue receiued presently do receiue so longe as I liue am like to receiue for thou commaundest al men euery where to do me good loue me defend me cherishe me suche is thy loue to me in this present life that for my body oh how great is thy loue then to me in euerlasting life y t for my soule If in a straūg cōtrey so great is thy protection how great is it at home But alas dere lord how vnthākful haue I ben am yet stil for these thy fatherli benifits oh min ingratitud yea lord horribly haue I trāsgressed still doe transgresse this thy gracious precept in pride enuie disdaine malice hardnes of hart vnmercifulnes contēnīg thy childrē saints seruāts Self loue all together raigneth in me and desire of praise rule fame I am so farre frō loue mercy in hart good lord that no man cā here it in my tonge nor see it in my works but rather cleane contrary and y t generally and to thē to whom I am most bound perticularly By reason wherof I haue deserued euer lastinge damnnation and to be cast awaye from thy presence for euer Oh moste gratious father forgeue me for Chrystes sake I beseche the. For to this ende diddest thou geue this commaundement that I seyng my corruptiō and deprauate nature by synne might come to thy mercye deserued by christ and through faith in him might finde not onelye pardone of that which is paste but also thy grace and holy spirit to beginne in me the obedience to this and al other thi holy precepts for euer more so be it For this thy Christes sake deare father I besech thee therfore to take from me and all other for whom thou woldest that we should praye all enupe pryde arrogancye dysdaine hatred and all suspitiousnes and graunt vnto vs bowells of mercy humilitie pacience mekenes longe sufferinge gentillnes peace charitie and al kinde of brotherly loue cōfort the feble releue the poore help the fatherlesse heale the sycke blesse the afflicted shewe thy great mercy vpō all poore prisoners deliuer thē in thy good time remember thy pitye toward straungers captiues wydowes and suche as be oppressed ¶ Thou shalte not commytte adulterye HEre good lord thou gost about to commaunde vnto me as loue in the other so purenes and chastite in this and therfore thou saiest I shoulde not commite adultrye in the which word thy sonne oure sauiour Iesus Christ doth comprehende al vncleannes yea the very concupiscence and abusing of the hart in lusting after any mans wife or otherwise vnchastly By the which in that thou woldest haue vs to loue in our selues and others purite cleanes that we might be holy as thou oure god art holy and our bodies beynge temples of thy holy spirit mighte be kept pure and accordinglye easelye we maye see that as thou forbiddest all vncleane dedes wordes lokes and thoughtes so doest thou commaunde vs to loue and exercyse all puritie chastitie cleannes sobryety temperancye c. By reason whereof I haue greate cause to be thankefull vnto thee which not onely for the helpe commoditie of man but also for remedie of mans infirmitie hast made womā kind and ordained the state of matrimony which in thy sight is so holye and pure that thou accomptest the bedde and acte of generaciō betwene man and wife in this state of matrimonye to be an vndefyled thynge and such care thou hast ouer the personages marryed and their condition that vnto damnation they sinne which not onely goe about to defyle that bed but within there harts doe wishe or desire it yea which doe not indeuer thēselues w t thought word and dede to helpe that purite cleanes betwene married folks be kept But the greate causes thou geuest vs to thanke thee for this state and ordinaunce and for thy defendynge vs by thys commaundemente are innumerable Full wel I see that it is thou whiche by thys commaundemente not onely refraynest me but also kepest my wyfe from impurytye whyche ells we might bothe commyte Greate is thy lous Oh good lord and more then I am able to cōsider whych declarest thy selfe to be thus carefull ouer me concernynge the benefyttes whyche come vnto me bothe for the mynde bodye and goodes by sobryetye and tem perauncie whyche here thou requirest Onely thys I cannot but see that I haue greate cause to thanke thee whiche arte so carefull ouer me as by thys commaundemente I well see But alas good lorde what shall I saye whiche am and haue bene so farre from thankefullnesse that I am to be accompted amongest the most vnthankfull yea y u knowest it good lorde Fylthely haue I broken thys lawe caused other so to doe of whose repentaunce I am vncertain as also my tonge alas hath oftē ben to shamfully exercised mynetes my thoughts to wickedly abused All this geare I haue encreased by myne intemperauncye in catynge drinkinge cherishingemy bodye c. I haue also hurt my bodyly health minished that whiche I and others should lyue on and horribly hindred all good prayers and meditations wherin though I haue time place yet alas I nothing exercise my selfe as I should doe By reason whereof I haue deserued euerlasting damnatiō Oh good lorde and gratious father doe thou for thy names sake and in Christes bloud pardon me and forgeue me I besech thee as thou hast most mercifully hitherto spared me so of thy mercy put awaye my trespasses the transgressions of those whom I haue caused to synne let that loue which moued thee to pardon Iudas with Thamar Dauid Berthsabe and the greate synner of whom we reade in S. Luke moue thee to pardone and forgeue me also Thou gauest this commaundemente to thys ende that I might knowe my sinne and sinnefull nature and so thereby be driuen to thy Christ crucified for whose sake I aske mercy also that thy good spirit maye be geuen vnto me to purifie me and worke so in me and with me that I may trewelye know hartly loue faithfully obey this thy holy precept inwardly and outwardly now and for euer Amen Gracious good lord graunt to me my wife that we may dwel together accordinge to knowledge and maye kepe our vessells in holines graunt Oh lord that we may be pure and vndestled and graunt the same to al that be married and to them which be vnmarried graunt that they may liue a pure chast and vndefyled life and if they haue not the