Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	father_n	lord_n	spare_v	2,118	5	9.2354	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B08235	The ymage of both pastoures sette forth by that mooste famouse clerck, Huldrych zwinglius ; [and] now tra[n]slated out of Latin into Englishe, By John Veron Sinonoys. A most fruitefull [and] necessary boke, to be had [and] redde in all churches, ther wyth to enarme all symple [and] ignorant folkes, agaynst the raueninge wolues and false prophetes.; Von dem predig ampt. English	Zwingli, Ulrich, 1484-1531.; Véron, John, d. 1563.	1550 (1550)	STC 26143; ESTC S111785	87,055	198

The ymage of bothe Pastoures / sette forth by that mooste famouse Clerck Huldrych zwinglius now trāslated out of Latin into Englishe By Iohn Veron Sinonoys A most fruitefull necessary Boke to be had redde in all Churches ther wyth to enarme all symple ignorant folckes agaynst the raueninge wolues and false prophetes M.D.L. Cum Priuilegio ad Imprimendum Solum Actu xx Chap. ¶ Take hede to your selfes and to the whole flocke whervpon thee holye ghoste hath appoynted you Byshops to gouerne the Church of God whych he hath purchased wyth hys bloude Math vii Chap. ¶ Beware of false Prophetes that come vnto you in shepes clothinge but inwardely they are rauening wolues ¶ To the Most mighty Prince Edwarde Duke of Somerset Earle of Harforde Vycount of Beaw Champe Vncle to our most souerayn Lord the King Iohn Veron wysheth peace grace health of soule body encreace of diuine knowledge and godly honour frō God the father through our Lorde sauiour Iesus Christ COnsydering wtin my self moste redoubted Prince the vnspeakeable exceding great mercy of our mooste boūteous heauēly father whych so plēteously hath now at this present sente amōg vs the most pleasaūt ioyful light of his holy sacred woorde that sens the byrth natiuitie of oure Lorde sauiour Iesus Christ it was neuer in thys illustre florishing realme so purely sincerely preached as it is now in our tyme set forth to the great cōfort cōsolatiō of our poore wretched cōsciences which so lōge haue bē detēted holdē captiues in the thicke darknes of mēs traditiōs I haue a good cause to wonder meruail at the īgratitude vnthākfulnesse of manye and sundrye folkes whyche in thys moste gracyous tyme that saluatyon is so frely in the word of God and holye scryptures offered euerye where vnto them yet to theyr vtter vndoynge and destructyon haue rather to stycke to the dregges of mennes dreames and deuyllysshe inuencyous of Antichriste than to embrace the ioyfull tydynges of thee Gospel where onely they maye fynde reste too theyr poore wearye soules Chryste the euerlastynge wysedome of the father doeth crye oure there sayinge Math. xi Come vnto me all ye that laboure and are laden and I wyll ease you And yet these madde and bewytched persons wyll in noo wyse harken vnto hym but moste wretchedly labouryng and sweatynge vnder the intollerable burden of Antichriste tradycions do wyttynglye and of all obstynate purpose and mynde renne head longe into perdytyon folowynge in it theyr blynde guydes whyche doo yet at thys presente contrarye bothe to gods worde and the kynges moste godlye procedinges leade them into all kyndes of deuelysshe erroure One of the princypall causes of the blyndenesse that yet now a dayes raygneth amōge the people These blynde guydes I saye are the● that poysone the symple and ygnoraunt people and are causes of their vtter vndoyng and destruction Then wyl they not suffre to come into thee ryght way and to folow the for goinge lyght of the gospell of oure sauyoure Iesus Christe whose doctryne and worde they perswade these poore ygnoraunte and blynde folckes to bee playne heresye and that they whych now preache set forthe and bryng vnto theym the gladde and comfortable newes of saluatyon are moste pernytyous heretykes whyche goo aboute to bryng all men from thee olde and auncyent relygyon that was sette vp alowed and establysshed by the holye fathers of the prymatiue churche in to a newe kynde of relygion that they inuented them selfes out of their own braynes thereby too take awaye and banyshe from amonge men thee true worshyppynge of the lyuing God The vngodly perswasyons of the papistes Are not wyll these Antychristes say thoroughe thys newe learnynge all lamable ceremonyes dryuen out of the churches where bee nowe thee holye Saynctes become that ye in al youre afflyctyons and trouble were wonte too flye vnto As for thee holye and blessed Sacramente of thee Aultare they haue moste vngodlye plucked it downe Within a while syth that they haue also put downe that most holy sacred Masse they wyll leaue no God at all vnto vs. Beware take hede too your selfes good folkes herken not vnto them We waraunt you they shall not continue longe Wythin there two or thre yeares and lesse ye shall see all thinges clene altered and chaunged Those and many other lyke thinges doo these rauenynge wolues and false Prophetes not only whysper in mens eares but also most boldely as though they feare nether God nor King blow out abroade among the louing subiectes of thys Realme I tell the truth I lye not god shall beare me recorde of the same Not longe a goo I was in communication wyth one of the chiefest ringe leaders of that vnlucky companye whose name I do here wittingly passe ouer whych is a man of great learnynge and in the Philosophie and doctrine of Aristoteles moste conninge and experte Thys man after that we hadde reasonned a whyle in matters of Relygyon sodeynlye brake forthe wythe these wordes No no sayde he and called me by my name sette your harte at reste I doo not doubte but that wythin these two or thre yeares al these felowes that now are busyest and mooste earnest in settinge forthe of thys heresye for so dyd he cal the preachinge of the gospell that is nowe vsed amonge vs shall be gladde to recante euery one of them as faste to cal backe theyr erroniouse opinions and to saye tongue thou dyddest lye Now moste myghtye Prince yf thys man not wythstandinge the Kynges proceadinges and other godly actes set forth by the Kinges moste honourable counsayll to thee vtter subuersyon of false doctryne vngodly traditions and Idolatrye and agayne to the mayntenaūce of true relygyon durste be so bolde too haue soche talcke and communication wyth me whom he knewe ryght well though that I haue but very smal learninge and knowledge how beit I do moste hyghely thancke god that he of hys goodnes dyd vouchesafe to directe that lyttle that I haue to his glory yet to be most earnest in the defence of this true doctrine religion What wil both he and other of the vngodly fact do among thē whō they know to be both vnlearned weake Truely they wyl vtterly subuerte thē They wyl make thē that whē thei heare of christ of his gospel they shall stoppe theyr eares crye out wyth the vngodlye multytude of thee Iewes sayinge Awaye wythe hym crucyfye hym Marke ye thys o ye Christyan Magystrates whose parte and duetye it is to beware and take heede that thee people commytted vnto you doo not fall agayne into darkenesse and ygnoraunce math xxi Luke xix marke xi When oure Sauyoure Iesus chryste Kynge of all Kynges and Lorde of all lordes made hys solempne entrye into Hierusalem howe ioyfully with songes and hymnes was he receaued of thee commune people Blessed be the kyng sayde they that cometh

that most hyghest merciful father to haue delyuered vs his one only begotten sonne oure lorde and sauyoure Iesus christ for a moste sure pledge of his grace by whom we haue alwaies a mooste free accesse and passage vnto thee throne and seate of thee dyuyne grace and mercy After then that they haue wyth a sure and vndoubted faith knowen and vnderstanded ones thee hole matter of their saluacyō and that moste sure wrytynge and pledge of the mercye of god so that they are already made the children of god our heauēly father which afore were the childrē of the flesh euerlasting dāpnaciō this duety shal be requireth of thē that they folowe hence forwarde thee lawes and rules or gods holy wyll For they are a newe creature Galat. vi as we maye see Therfore the Pastoure shall wythe an earnest care studye beware and take hede that the shepe whych are alreadye cured and healed from their sycknes disease The knowledge of the worde of God is necessari to a pastour shall not fall agayne into thee same dyseases But syth that this thyng can ought to be ministred by the operacion of gods worde onelye no small knowledge of gods word is requyred in him Which oughte to be soughte none other wher thā in the holye sacred scryptures of both Testamentes But it shal profyt and auayle lytle or nothyng to loke vpon the outward letter except god doeth vouchesafe wyth hys inwarde vertue to draw the harte and mynde of man and cause hym by hys spirite to credit hys word and not too wraste it at hys owne pleasure accordynge too hys inordynate affectes lustes and passyons but rather folow the free syncere and playne meaning sense and vnderstandynge of it whyche the holye spyryte and grace of god hathe inspyred Paule doethe in fewe wordes most lyuelye comprehende all these thynges in thee later epystle too hys dyscyple Timothe ii Tim. iii wrythyng after thys maner All scrypture geuen by the inspyratyon of god is profytable to teache to improue to amende and to instructe in ryghteousnesse that thee man of god maye be perfect and prepared vnto all good workes All institution then or teachynge wherwythe the faythful Pastour wyl fede hys people shal be ordered after thys fourme and rule Whyche bokes bee Canonical which be not I haue no neade in thys place and at thys tyme to declare for I thynke that no man is ygnoraunte thereof yf onely he hathe anye syght in the knowledge of the tongues After that the Pastour The Pastour must rebuke rote away vyc●s is wel instructed in al those thīges that pertaine to his kinsefolkes his owne life doctrine for of the loue of god we wyll speake hereafter in a due time and place that is most necessary for hym to know vnderstand how he ought to be haue him self in other externe outward thīges what reward he oughte to loke for The fyrst thing that offereth it self here in this place is that he must wythe a bolde and stoute courage rebuke all noysome and pernicyous vyces neyther fearyng the vayne pride threateninges of thys worlde The pastoure oughte too dreade nothynge nor yet beynge abashed that he is on euery syde layd wayte for for the lorde doeth inioyne the same to Hieremy Hierem. i. saying Behold I put my wordes in thy mouth and behold this day do I set the ouer the people kyngdomes that thou mayst rote out breake of destroy make waste that thou mayst build vp plante Let therfore the pastour be mighty of ablenes to ouerthrow euery hygh thing that exhalteth it self against the prescript of gods worde ▪ let him ▪ with a bold stomack assawte and destroy all such thynges as Paul doth teach in the later epystle to the Corinthians ii Corin. x Christ him self did leaue a most sure euident exāple of the same thing which example is to be folowed of al mē The example of christe For after that he had ones by his euerlasting wysdō perceyued that the hipocrysie vnsatyable couetousnes of the prestes scribes was the cause occation that the rude vnlearned people dyd fall from the true and euerlastynge god whyche symple people beynge as yf a man myghte saye captyuated and snarred wyth the couetous deceates tradityons dreames and fayned inuentions of thee pristes dyd he wrapped in al kyndes of errour he dyd rebuke no kynde of men wythe soche seueryte and sharpenesse as he dyd vse agaynst them speaking alway openly agaynst theyr paynted hypocrysye fylthy coueteousnesse for he dyd and not wythout great grief of mynd pytye alwayes the poore people whom thee deceyptfull craftes of thee priestes dyd deceaue and that because that he dyd se thē destituted of the fode of gods worde Mathe. i● which is that most pleasaunte gratious meate of thee soules and that they dyd wante a true faythful Pastour whych shoulde beare a fatherlye mynde affiction towardes thē Many tymes also he doth teache and instruct thē gentely And yf at any tyme necessytie doth requyre that he must also rebuke them yet doth he neuer vse soch austerite sharpenesse in rebuking as he was wont to vse agaynst the vngodlye priestes that so deceaued and seduced the people For layinge to theym lacke of knowledge ignoraunce of the trueth he calleth them blinde guydes vipers generation of Sathan hypocrites shameles crauers lyers and other lyke names whych thinge any man may see learne in the bokes wrytinges of all the Euāgelistes wherfore we shal haue no nede here of many testimonies But now syth that in our tyme this poysoned euyl of hypocrisye is growē to so great a power hath gottē pourchased lo great a strength myghte is come vp to that poynte that it can or dare no more for shame hyde it selfe but rather defende wyth stronge hand theyr deuylyshe craftes and deceates that moste shamefully what I praye the o faythfull mynyster in thee house of God is beste for the to doe for yf thou doeste holde thy peace the bloud of them that perisshe shal be requyred at thy hande which thing Ezechī iii. we may learne by the wordes of God in Ezechiel And thou seest that the hypocrisye of the Papistes here I do call papistes Al the spiritualty and clergie are Papistes except they do ether fauour or preach sincereli gods worde al the sorte of thē that are called spirituall or the clergye thē beynge excepted which preache purely and sincerely the worde of God hath gotten pourchased so great treasours of ryches and so great myght strēgth that they haue no more nede of a cloke to cloke theyr deceytful craftines with all whyche thynge neuerthelesse was moste necessarye to the Priestes of thee Iewes in the tyme of christ but rather be not ashamed to defende them selfes openly wyth most myghty and stronge armes

vnderstand of what Prophetes the Lorde doth speake truely of dreamers lyers tale tellers But what rewarde doeth he promyse vnto theym Wherefore sayth he theyr waye shal be slyppery in the darckenesse wherin they may stacker and fall c. And a lyttle after I wyll fede them wyth wormewood make thē drinke the water of gall Behold how he doth denaunce tell forth theyr slyppery waye greuouse fall of ignoraūce also theyr exceading great bitternesse whych as it doeth dayly encrease so at length theyr greuous and peryllous tuyne or fall as the broken walles shall ensue and folowe Esaye xxx The scriptures are full of such Testimonies whereby we may knowe and espye out false Prophetes but they are most lyuely depicted and set forth Ezechiel xxxiiii Chapter Which place the shortenes of oure matter wyll not suffre vs nor admytte to wryte oute here Yet the ende of theym is shewed euery where of thee LORDE Thee ende of false prophetes that they oughte wythoute remedye to be rooted out of the earth How by whō false pastours must be taken away and roted frō the earth But now it is doubtfull by whom they ought to be roted out of the earth For there bee some that are desyrous to kyll them where soeuer they fynd thē But it is playne that it is lawfull for no pryuate person to kyll any man wtout the law a iudgemēt geuē vpō him or without a speciall cōmandement of god Wherefore certayn hote and fierce Christians do greatly erre whyche as sone as th●i se a faile prophet do thinke that any man may kyl hym for so they stycke to the letter of gods lawe seeke or searche out no deper sence or vnderstandinge We must beware then that we geue not to much the brydell to our affections For al this whole matter and busynesse ought to be cōmitted to god who yf he wyll haue thē to be taken away shal casely bring it to passe by hys mynisters that is to saye by the Magistrates In the meane season be thou of a good comfort thinking within thy self of whose spirite thou arte submit thy self obediently to the meke iudgemēt of our most mercyfull master and sauyour Iesus Christ which sayeth Math. vii Euery tree that bringeth forth noo good frute shal be hewed downe caste into the fyer Yf his craftes deceyptfull subtilties were knowe of the whole church he ought to be deposed and put from the office of teaching by the commune assent agreement of all the congregation But yf the churche hath no soch auctorytye nor may do it lette no man herken vnto hym but rather suffre death than ye shulde hearken vnto a raueninge wolfe who wyth his doctryne and traditions goeth aboute too plucke you awaye from the one onelye God and heauenly father All these thinges are manyfeste playne by the plages of the scriptures afore alledged so that they haue no neade of any more demonstratiō Besydes that the Lord him selfe Math .v. bydeth vs to plucke out and cast awaye from vs Mathe .v. our ryght eye yf it doeth offend vs. Therfore it is our part duetye to pluck out that wicked eye that is to say the false pastour whiche leadeth not to the true pastures and to pulle vp by the rootes the rotten and vnfruytefull tree but after that it is done let vs commit the iudgement vnto the Lord who wil cast it into the fyre when he shal thinke beste when he is remoued put frō the office of teaching we shall reken hym amonge the tares Mat. xlii whyche oughte not be pulled vp tyll the tyme of the haruest be come as our sauiour him self sayth After the same maner ●●et xxxiiii the Lord speaketh Ezech xxxiiii I my self wyl vpon the shepehardes requyre my shepe from theyr handes make them ceasse from fedinge of my shepe Yea the shepehardes shal fede thē selfes no more By whō the sentēce of Lorde Deut. .xiii oughte to be executed Wherefore lette theym that beare the swearde of iustye delyuered vnto theym by God put too execution that sentence of the Lord which is expressed Deu. xiii For they shal easely vnderstand what they ought to do for the glorye of god when they must punish extremely those false prophetes And yf they beyng of that mynde that the false pastours are wyl neyther punishe them nor kepe thē shorte we must patiently beare thys yoke layde vpon vs as yf it were another capt●uitie of Babylon tyll the Lord hym self vouchsafe to delyuer vs wyth hys myghtye hand For this that we suffre in the meane season is no losse nor harme vnto vs but an exercyse and tryall wherby our faith being exercised Psalm ● xxxviii shal shyne afterwardes with greater glorye The lord is gētyl meke of moch mercy in many thinges also he doeth spare is wont to differre lōge the plage punishmēt for no mā is able to escape his hād Besydes that no soch example of crudelitie is set forth to vs in Christ or in hys Apostels which neuer punished no mā with death sheding of bloud In dede it is lawful for al churches to put awaye reiecte the false pastour that he do not teache And yf they begin obstinately stubburnly to perseuere cōtinne nor wyll cease to pluck away from god it is the parte and duetye of thee Magistrates to kyll them vp with the sweared But thou that art a pryuate mā do not raye and defyle thyne handes wyth bloude For the Lord shal not fayle yf these rauening wolues can not peasibly or wtout tumulte and insurrection be expelled out awaye he wyl wythout fayle rayse vp some Helias iii. re xviii which shall at one clappe kyll vp iiii hundreth and .l. priestes of Baal and .iiii. hundreth prelates of groues hyll aulters He shall not fayle I saye take the onely in good worth this differringe and delayinge Christ wolde not cōdempne to death the wycked woman as we may sie Iohn viii which was takē in adulterye and whom the lawe dyd cōdempne But agayne what great calamities and miseries hoe horrible a destruction dyd he bringe vpon the whole people Reade ye Iosephus Sabellicus vpō that whē Titus both gotte the towne and subdued all the whole countreye We must therfore folow the leuge sufferaunce of our moste bounteous father In the meane season as moche as in vs lieth we must take hede that rauenynge wolues doo not occupye the towmes of Pastours whych thynge yf we can not lette we muste paciently abyde the delyueringe hande of the Lorde for the gētyll meke and mercyful example of christ doethe moue me more thā that seuere cruel sentence or punishmēt of Moses How be it in the meane seasō I know that the dreadeful iudge Christ wyll come whyche wyl arme eyther the Prynces or the people theym selues to vengeaunce ¶ The Epilogus or