Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A13397
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A catechisme or institution of the christen religion. Newely set forthe by Richard Tauerner
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Taverner, Richard, 1505?-1575.
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1539
(1539)
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STC 23709; ESTC S105103
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28,747
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144
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tychled with no maner of lust contrary to the lawe of charitie and that we be redy wyth all our hert to yelde euery man that is his Now that muste we recken to be euery mans own whych by our boundeÌ„ duty we owe vnto him The pyth of the law TO what purpose al the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes of the law pertayne sufficiently declareth Christe oure Lorde where he sayth that the hole lawe is conteyned in two principal coÌ„mauÌ„demes that is to loue the Lorde god wyth all oure herte with all our soule and with all our power to loue our neyghbour as our selues whiche exposition he toke our euen of the selfe lawe for the firste parte is red Deut. vi and the other Leuiti .xix. What profyt commeth vnto vs by the Law onely LO here a true exemplar president of the ryght and holy lyfe yea a very perfecte ymage of ryghtwysnes it selfe so that yf any maÌ„ can inlyuing expresse y e law of god the same can lacke nothinge to hys perfection afore god In so moche as he hym selfe is wytnesse he promiseth to those that kepe his lawe not alonly excellent prosperities and commodities of this lyfe which be reckened Leuiti .xxvi. and Deut. xxvii but also the rewarde of euerlastynge lyfe On the contrary part he thretneth punyshment of euerlastynge deathe to those that haue not fulfylled what so euer he hath gyuen them in coÌ„maundement to be done Moses also wheÌ„ he had publyshed the law called to wytnesse heauen and earthe that he had setforth to the people good and euyll lyfe and deathe Nowe where as he shew vs the waye of lyfe we must se what profyt we haue by thys appoyntynge and shewynge of the waye Uerely yf our wyl were al togither framed and bent vnto the obedience of gods wyll then were the onely knowledge of the law ynough for our saluacion but seynge oure nature beynge flesshely and corrupte warreth lyke an extreme aduersary agaynst gods lawe a thynge of the spirite and is in nothing amended by her good nurtur and instructions therfore the lawe it selfe whiche was vnto our saluation yf it coulde haue had good hearers is nowe become an occasion of synne and death for asmoche as we be all cast conuict as transgressours therof So the more openly it declareth y e ryghtwysnes of god the more hemously dothe it vtter our wyckednes And agayn the higher transgressioÌ„ the law hathe to laye to our charge the more greuous iugemeÌ„t are we condemned to Thus nowe the promyse of lyfe is vtterly takeÌ„ awaye and onely remayneth y â— curse and that vpon al our neckes by occasion of the lawe The law is meane vnto Christ. NOwe thoughe the wyekednes and damnacion of vs all be sealed vp and confermed with witnesse of the lawe yet this is not therfore done to the intent we shoulde fall into despayre or in this extreme pluÌ„ge run hedlong to oure ownede struction for the Apostell declareth vs all damned by iudgement of the lawe to thintent euery mouthe shuld be stopped and all the worlde be brought vnder gods daunger And yet the same Apostle sayth in an other place that god hath shut vp all men vnder vnbelefe not to destroye all nor to suffre theÌ„ to perishe but to haue mercy vpon al. The Lorde therfore will that we by y e law thus beynge warned of our owne weakenes and vnclennesse shoulde take comfort vpoÌ„ the trust of his power and mercye and that in Christ for whose sake he sheweth him selfe so tender mercyfull a father vnto vs. In the lawe can it not be sene that he rewardeth but onely perfecte rightwysnesse whiche all we â—acke where as otherwyse he is a strayght iudge of synnes But in Christ his face is all ful of fauour grace euen toward wretches and vnworthy synners This so wonderfull a token of his exceding loue he shewed vs by gyuyng vp his own sonne for vs in whom he hath agaynst other he extendeth the rygorousnes of his iudgemeÌ„t let vs suffer the cause to rest in his handes for thys thynge he woll haue vnknowen vnto vs all and that not without good skyll for neither the dulnesse of ourewyt is hable to abide such a lyght ne the skleÌ„der capacitie of the same is in any part sufficient to conceyue so greate a power of his wysedom For verely here who so euer wyll attempte to aduauÌ„ce him selfe not refreynynge the rashnes of hys wyt shall fynde it true y t Salomon sayth whoso woll serche the maiesty shal be oppressed of the glory Let vs only determyne this wyth our selues that this same ordinaunce of the Lorde though it be secret vnto vs yet it is righteous and holy for yf he wolde destroye al mankynd doubtles he maye of ryght do it And surely in those whom he calleth backe agayne frome daÌ„nacion we can se nothinge but his hygh goodnes Let vs thaÌ„ conceyue with oure selues that the choseÌ„ be y e vessels of mercy as they be in dede and that the forsakeÌ„ be the vessels of wrath and not but of a iuste cause But of theÌ„ both we maye take occasioÌ„ and matter to aduaunce gods glory Neyther yet shall we as many men do for a sure establyshment and knowlege of our saluacioÌ„ clyme vp to heaueÌ„ and sawcely enserch what God hath decreed of vs afore the worlde began whiche thought can no other thing do but bring vs in a miserable doubte and trouble But let vs rather be coÌ„tent wyth the wytnesse wherwyth y e Lorde hath sufficiently made our saluacion strong and sure for lyke as in Christe were all the chosen euen as many as afore the foundatioÌ„ of the earth was layd ordeined vnto lyfe so is he y e person in whom resteth the assurauÌ„ce of our saluacion yf we by faith receyue and embrace him For what other thiÌ„g do we serche in the election but to be partetakers of the euerlastinge lyfe And this saluacioÌ„ we obteyne in Christe whiche was the selfe lyfe frome the begynnyng and was made ruler ouer vs vnto lyfe that all those that beleue in hym shulde not peryshe but haue euerlastynge lyfe Wherfore yf we possessinge Christ by fayth possesse also in hym euerlastynge lyfe it is no point of oure charge to make any further enquirye of gods eternall counsell Christe is not onely a glasse wherin gods wyl is represented vnto vs but also an euidence wherin it is after a maner sealed vp for vs. What is true fayth THe christiane fayth ought to be taken neyther for a bare knowledg of God neyther yet for suche an vnderstandyng of scripture as lyke a fansye flyeng here there in the brayne â–ª worketh no good mocion noâ— goostly affection in the herte as wheÌ„ commenly men conceyue in their heades certayne opinions of suche matters as seme to haue strong reasons to make with them But it is a sounde stedfast belefe of herte wherby we safely rest aud staye our consciences in gods