Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	great_a	lord_n	spare_v	2,993	5	9.3697	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A22910	S. Augustines manuel Conteining special, and piked meditations, and godlie praiers: drawne out of the Word of God, and writings of the holie Fathers, for the exercise of the soule. Corrected, translated, and adorned, by Thomas Rogers.; Manuale. English.	Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo.; Rogers, Thomas, d. 1616.	1581 (1581)	STC 938; ESTC S100327	31,471	117

conioined to God Loue maketh one spirit of two Loue maketh to wil and to nil one thing Loue maketh first to frame our manners afterward to consider things that are as though they were not and thirdlie with a pure sight of the hart to behold heauenlie and spiritual things Through loue first honest things are wel handled in the world secondlie honest things of the world are despised and last of al the secrets of God are seene and beholden Chap. 19. How God requireth some thing of vs like to himselfe GOD the Father is charitie God the Sonne is louingnes God y e holie Ghost is the loue of the Father and of the Sonne This charitie and this loue requireth à like thing in vs euen loue againe whereby we may be linked and ioined to God as it were by some alliance of kindred Loue is ignorant what dignitie meaneth knoweth no reuerence He that loueth approcheth boldlie vnto God and speaketh familiarlie to him without feare and stopping He that loueth not liueth not but he that loueth looketh euermore vpon God whome he loueth whome he desireth vpon whome he thinketh in whome he delighteth vpon whome he feedeth in whome he groweth A man so deuoute doth euermore so sing and so reade and so circumspectlie and warelie behaue himselfe in al his actions as if God were as in deede he is alwaie present before his eies He so praieth as if he were taken-vp and presented before the face of God in his maiestical throne whereas thousand thousands minister to him and ten thousand thousands stand before him The soule which he visiteth with loue awakeneth him that sleepeth it monisheth and mollifieth the soule and woundeth his hart It inlighteneth darke things it vnlocketh things shut-vp it inflameth colde things it mitigateth the froward angrie and impatient minde It chaseth awaie vices brideleth carnal affections amendeth maners reformeth and renueth the minde and restraineth the light motions and actions of slipperie youth Al these things loue worketh when it is present but when it is wanting the soule beginneth to droope euen as à boiling caudron doth when fire is taken from vnder the same Chap. 20. Of the boldnes of the soule that loueth God LOue doubtles is à great thing by it the soule of hir-selfe doth boldlie aproch vnto God and cleaueth constantlie vnto him The soule that loueth asketh questions of God familiarlie and consulteth with him in al matters She can thinke of nothing and speake of nothing beside God al other things she loatheth and contemneth Whatsoeuer she mindeth and whatsoeuer she speaketh it sauoreth of loue and smelleth of loue so wholie hath the loue of God won her vnto him He that would haue the knowledge of God let him loue In vaine doth he giue himselfe either to reade or to studie or to preach or to praie that loueth not The loue of God engendreth the loue of the soule and maketh her to harken vnto it selfe God loueth because he would be loued againe When he loueth he would be loued knowing that through loue they are blessed which loue him The louing soule renounceth al her owne affections and wholie giueth her selfe to loue that in rendering loue for loue she may answere the loue she hath found and when she hath loued what she can yet what is it vnto the euerlasting streame of that heauenlie fountaine For loue and the louer the soule and God the Creator and the creature meete not alike together yet if man with al his hart wholie doth loue thee ô GOD there lacketh nothing where al is Let not the soule then feare which loueth but let the soule shake and tremble that loueth not The louing soule is caried with desire and drawne with longing she dissembleth her deserts shutteth her eies from the maiestie of God openeth them to pleasure reposing her trust in thy saluation and confidentlie reioicing therein Through loue the soule withdraweth herselfe and departeth from the bodilie senses to the end that feeling God she may haue no feeling of her selfe Which falleth-out when the mind allured by an vnspeakeable sweetenes of God stealeth awaie from her selfe yea is rauished and slippeth-awaie the better to enioie God at her ful pleasure And this pleasure surpasseth al pleasure where it is of continuance Of loue springeth familiaritie of familiaritie boldnes of boldnes taste of tasting hunger The soule which the loue of God hath touched can thinke none other thing and desire nothing else but with often sighes saith As the Hart braieth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee ô God Chap. 21. The singular loue of God to man ward THrough loue GOD himselfe came vnto men came into men was made man Through loue the inuisible God became like vnto his seruants Through loue he was wounded for our transgressions In those wounds of our Sauior sure and safe rest is for weaklings and sinners There I dwel without care his bowels of mercie are laid open to my sight through his wounds Whatsoeuer I lack of my selfe that I doe boldlie take out of the bowels of my Lord For his mercies abound and there want none holes for them to issue out by Through the holes of the bodie I behold the secrets of the hart I see the great mysterie of godlines and the bowels of the mercie of our God whereby the daie spring from an high hath visited vs are open to mine eies The wounds of Iesu Christ are ful of mercie ful of clemencie ful of sweetnes and loue They boared his hands and his feete and pierced his side with à speare By these holes I may taste how gratious the Lord is for doubtles the Lord is good and merciful and of great kindnes to a which cal vpon him in truth to al yea which cal vpon him but especialie to such as loue him Great redemption is giuen vs through the wounds of our Sauior Christ great goodnes much grace and al virtues perfectlie Chap. 22. The refuge of à Christian in the time of tentation WHen I am tempted with anie filthie cogitation I runne forthwith vnto the wounds of Christ when my flesh subdueth me I rise-againe through the recordation of my Lord his wounds when the diuel laieth snares to entrap me I doe flie vnto the tender mercie of my Lord and he leaueth me If burning lust doe inflame me it is quenched through the calling of the wounds of our Lord the Sonne of God into mind In al extremities I can find none so good à remedie as the wounds of Christ In them I sleepe securelie and rest without feare Christ hath died for vs Nothing is so bitter vnto the death but may by the death of my Lord be holpen His death is my merit my refuge saluation life and resurrection The Lords mercie is my merit I can not lacke merits so long as the Lord of mercies is with me And if great is the Lords mercies

doubtles great are my merits The more able he is to saue the lesse care doe I take Chap. 23. Special medicines against sinne and despaire GReatlie haue I sinned ô Lord and my conscience accuseth me of manifold offences yet doe I not despaire For where sin abounded grace abounded much more He that in consideration of his hainous wickednes doth despaire denieth God to be à merciful God He greatlie defaceth the glorie of God which doubteth of his mercie and as much as in him is denieth God to haue loue truth power in him wherein al mine hope consisteth to wit in the loue of his adoption in the truth of his promise in the power of his redemption Then let my foolish cogitation murmur as much as it wil saieng who art thou how great is that glorie by what merits hopest thou to obteine y e same And I wil boldlie make this answere I knowe whome I giue credit vnto for of his tender loue he hath adopted me for his Sonne who is both of his promise true and also mightie in performance and he may doe what he wil The multitude of my sinnes can not dismaie me if the death of Christ come into my mind for my sinnes are not able to ouermatch his mercie The nailes and the speare doe crie vnto me that I am reconciled to Christ if I loue him hartilie Longinus with his speare hath opened to me y e side of Christ and I am gone-in and rest there quietlie He that feareth let him loue For perfect loue casteth-out feare There is no such remedie against the heate of lust as the death of my redeemer He stretched-out his armes vpon the crosse and held-out his hands to show how he is readie to embrace the penitent sinners Betweene those armes of my Sauior I both wish to liue and desire to die There I wil sing without care I wil magnifie thee ô Lord for thou hast exalted me and hast not made my foes to reioice ouer me Our Sauior bowed his head and gaue vp the ghost euen to kisse his beloued And so often doe we kisse God as we are pricked at the hart with the loue of him Chap. 24. A zealous meditation to mooue vnto the loue of God O MY Soule thou which art endued with the image of GOD redeemed with the blood of Christ betrothed through faith endued with the Spirit adorned with virtues and counted with the Angels Loue thou him who hath so loued thee care thou for him who hath a care of thee seeke thou him who seeketh thee Loue thy louer of whom thou art loued who in louing hath preuented thee who is the cause of thy loue He is the merit he the reward he the fruite the vse and the end Be thou careful with the careful be thou at leisure with him that hath leisure cleane with the cleane and holie with the holie As thou offerest thy selfe in the presence of God so wil he appeare in thy sight A good and merciful God of great kindnes requireth such as are good and merciful and louing and humble and kind Loue thou him who hath brought thee out of the horrible pit out of the mirie claie Choose him for thy friend before al friends who when al things shal faile wil keepe his faith In the daie of thy burial when al thy friends wil depart from thee he wil not forsake thee but protect thee from the roaring of them that be readie to deuoure and conduct thee through an vnknowen contrie and bring thee vnto the streetes of supernal Zion there place thee with the Angels before the face of his maiestie where thou shalt heare that angelical musicke Holie Holie Holie There is the song of mirth the voice of ioie and welfare and thankes-giuing and praising and Halleluiah for euer and euer There is perfect felicitie excellent glorie surpassing ioie and al good things O my soule sigh hartilie and earnestlie desire to attaine vnto that supernal citie whereof such glorious things are spoken in which who so dwel are al euen like such as triumph with ioie Through loue thou maiest ascend To the louer nothing is hard nothing vnpossible The soule that loueth doth often-times ascend and boldlie runneth about the streetes of celestial Hierusalem visiting the Patriarches and Prophets saluting the Apostles wondering at the armies of Martyrs and Confessors and beholding y e flockes of virgins Heauen earth and al things in them contained do cal vpon me continuallie to loue my Lord God Chap. 25. Of true knowledge what it is WHat is the knowledge of the truth It is first to knowe thy selfe and that thou both studie to be such as thou oughtest to be and also amend that which is to be reformed Secondlie it is to knowe and to loue thy maker for this is al mans happines Consider therefore how vnspeakeable the loue of God is to manward He created vs of nothing and whatsoeuer wee haue he gaue the same But forsomuch as we loued the gift more than the giuer the creature than the creator we fel into the snare of Satan and became his bond-slaues Neuerthelesse God of his great loue sent his owne Sonne to redeeme seruants and sent also the holie Ghost whereby he made seruants his sonnes by adoption He gaue his Sonne for a ransome the holie Ghost for a pledge of his loue and reserueth himselfe wholie for the inheritance of adoption And thus God as he is verie gratious and merciful of his good wil and loue to mankindward bestoweth not his goodes onlie but himselfe also to redeeme man and that not so much for his owne sake as for mans behoofe That men might be borne of God God first was borne of man Now what hart is so flintie but wil be softened by this loue of God so preuenting man O vehement loue that God for mans cause can vouchsafe to become man Who can hate man whose nature and likenes he beholdeth in the humanitie of God Doubtles who so loueth not man hateth God and so abideth in death For God became man for mans sake that he might be a redeemer as he was before a creator and that man not onlie might be ransomed through his riches but also loue him the more entirelie God appeared in the similitude of sinful flesh that each sense of man might be made blessed in him and as wel the eie of the hart be renewed in his diuinitie as the eie of the bodie in his humanitie that whether it go in or out mans nature which he hath created might in it finde comfort and refreshment Chap. 26. VVhat the sending of the holie Spirit worketh in vs. FOR our

am made to see yet hitherto haue not I attained the thing that I was made for O miserable condition of man seeing he hath so vndiscreetlie forgone that for which he was created ô heauie and ô hard chance Alas alas what hath he forgon and what hath he found what is lost and what hath remained He hath forgon happines for which he was made and he hath found miserie for which he was not made He hath lost that without which nothing is happie and that remaineth which of it selfe is meerelie miserable Man did then eate euen the Angels meate which now he desireth and now he feedeth vpon the bread of sorowe which then he knewe not O Lord how long wilt thou forget for euer How long wilt thou hide thy face from vs when wilt thou respect and heare vs when wilt thou inlighten our eies and show vs thy countenance when wilt thou restore thy selfe vnto vs Behold and heare vs ô Lord our God lighten our eies and show vs thy selfe Restore thy selfe to vs that we may prosper without whome we are in such miserie Inuite vs and helpe vs Lord we beseech thee Mine hart is become sorowfu● being made desolate ô make it cheereful againe Lord with thy consolation I haue begun to seeke thee with an hungrie stomach ô let me not giue-ouer vnrefreshed of thee I come with a greedie appetite let me not depart vnfed I who am in pouertie com● vnto thee that art rich in miserie vnto thee most merciful ô let me not go-awaie emptie and contemned O Lord I am bowed and crooked verie sore erect me that may looke-vp and behold thee Mine iniquities are gon-oue● mine head and as a weighti● burden they are too heauie fo● mee O vnwrap and vnloade me that the deepe swalowe me not vp Teach me to seeke thee and show thy selfe to him that seeketh thee for I can neither seeke thee without thou teach me neither find thee except thou reueale thy selfe Let me seeke thee in desiring and desire thee in seeking let me find thee in louing and loue thee in finding Chap. 31. Of God his woonderful mercie I Confesse LORD thankes vnto thee therefore that thou hast made me after thine owne image to the end I should remember thee thinke on thee and loue thee Notwithstanding through the corruption of wickednes thine image is so defaced and so blurred with the smoake of sinne that without thou renew and reforme the same it can not do the thing for which it was created Wherefore Lord who giuest the gift of faith I beseech thee giue mee grace perfectlie to knowe how great thou art For according to our beliefe thou art and we beleeue thee to be such à thing than which there can be imagined nothing either for quantitie greater or for virtue better Then what art thou ô Lord God than whom nothing is either greater or better but euen that which being onelie the soueraigne good thing of al others of it selfe hath made al other things of nothing Then what good thing is there wanting to y e soueraigne goodnes through whome is euerie good thing Wherefore thou art righteous and true and blessed whatsoeuer is otherwise better is it not to be atal than to be But if thou art altogether most singularlie good how is it that thou sparest the wicked Is it because thy mercie is ouer al thy works But this lieth hid in the light which none can attaine vnto Verelie the fountaine whence the riuer of thy mercie doth flowe lieth-hid in the deepe and most secrete bottome of thy goodnes For although thou art wholie and souerainglie righteous yet thou sparest of thy goodnes the wicked because thou art wholie and most singularlie merciful too For in verie deede thou shouldest not be so singularlie good vnlesse thou wert gratious to some offenders For he who is good both to the iust and to the vniust is better than he who sheweth fauour onlie to the good And he which is good to the wicked both by sparing and by punishing thē is better than he who is good onlie by punishing So thou art therefore merciful because thou art altogether and soueraignelie good Chap. 32. The happie state of such as enioie the ioies of heauen O Infinite goodnes passing all vnderstanding Let that mercie come vpon me which proceedeth from such riches Let it haue influence into me which floweth from thee Spare of thy mercie but reuenge not in thy iustice Rise vp now ô my soule and lift vp al thine vnderstanding consider so wel as thou canst how great and what maner of good thing God is For if each particular good thing be delectable waie aduisedlie how delightful that good thing is which conteineth the sweetenes of al good things and not such as commonlie we perceaue of things created but so much differing there from as the creator differeth from the creature For if the life created bee good howe good is the life that created it If the welfare that is wrought delight how shal the welfare which worketh al saluation delight If the wisedome consisting in the minde or in the knowledge of knowne things be louelie how louelie is that wisedome which made and created al things of nothing To be short if there be much and great delight in delectable things what and how great shal the pleasure be in him who made these delectable things Oh what shal he haue or what shal he not haue that enioieth this felicitie doubtles whatsoeuer he can wish he shal haue it and what he would not haue shal not come to him For there shal be the goodes both of soule and bodie such goodes as eie hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans hart Chap. 33. That soueraigne happines is to be sought for WHIE then rangest thou about ô sillie man seeking the goodes of thy soule and of thy bodie Loue one good in which are al good things and it sufficeth Desire the simple good which is al that good is and it is inough For what louest thou ô my flesh what desirest thou ô my soule There it is whatsoeuer thou louest there it is whatsoeuer thou desirest If beautie delight thee the iust men shal shine as y e Sunne If either such swiftnes strength or libertie of the bodie as nothing may withstand they shal be as the Angels of God in heauen For it is sowne à natural bodie but shal rise a spiritual bodie to wit by the power of God not through the strength of nature If a long and an healthful life there shal be founde eternitie and eternal soundnes because the righteous shal liue euer their rewarde also is with the Lord If satietie when the glorie of the Lord appeareth they shal be filled If drunkennes they shal be satisfied with the fatnes of the Lords house If pleasant musicke