Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	holy_a	person_n	sinner_n	4,784	5	9.7476	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04499	An epistle in the person of Christ to the faithfull soule, written first by that learned Lanspergius, and after translated into English by one of no small fame, whose good example of sufferance & liuing, hath and wilbe a memoriall vnto his countrie and posteritie for euer; Alloquia Jesu Christi ad animam fidelem. English	Lansperger, Johannes Justus, 1489-1539.; Arundel, Philip Howard, Earl of, Saint, 1557-1595.; Marulić, Marko, 1450-1524. Dialogue betwixt a Christian, and Christ hanging on the crosse. aut	1595 (1595)	STC 14627; ESTC S105775	112,859	336

towards her whom I make 〈◊〉 taste most sweet in their harts and excite those which are hard harted toward me to performe good works vnto her that is acts of veneration deuotion confidence and inuocation and by this meane I make them vessels fitter and worthier to receiue my grace and greater illumination from me vntill they attaine to a more reformed for the most part a most holy course of life Recommende thy selfe daylie therefore vnto her protection that by her help thou maist rece●ue greater grace and fauour at my hands For I committed vnto her custodie the whole treasure of my grace and mercie to be distributed and bestowed when I recommended vnto her all my sonnes in the person of Iohn as her sonnes but specially sinners for whome I did at that present suffer This she knoweth verie well and therefore is so carefull and dilligent to discharge the office shee receiued from mee as shee suffereth none of those as farre as lieth in her power which were committed vnto her and principallie such as call vppon her to perish but preferreth them vnto mee both with her earnest praiers and by all the other meanes shee is able that they may be reconciled vnto me and ●erciued again into my fauor dost thou think then my daughter that I could haue chosen any more fitte and more meete for this busines Could I haue founde any that had beene so apt and able euery way to haue discharged this office Dost thou thinke that such as be sorrowfull desolate and ouerwhelmed with their sinnes will desire any other mediatour for them vnto mee which may sue more faithfully in their behalfe and bee more graciouslie enclined to receiue them and more ready to bring them vnto me then this woman this most humble most pittifull most meeke and most louing virgin abounding with all sweetnes mercie beeing most mighty of her selfe to relieue sinners and most acceptable vnto mee because shee is my mother yea euen his mother whose wrath is to bee pacified and appeased towards them Alasse howe farre doo they erre how great a burthen of wilfull obstinacie and perdition doo they heape vppon their owne backes which doo mutter and murmure against this holie Virgin which hath the custodie and bestowing of my graces and will not acknowledge her for an aduocate vnto me as I am to my father Dost thou thinke that they can by any meanes throw themselues more headlong into the bottomlesse pitte of hell then by making her their enemie for whose sake I haue so often spared the world and so often forborne to powre my wrath vppon men that when there is none to be a mediator for them or to withholde my hande which is readie bent to punish them I may without any let or impediment strike them as often and as much as I will But what greater paine or punishment can I lay vppon these men then not to chasten them temporally here as children but to deliuer them ouer as my enemies into a reprobate sence that they being blinde may not see into what danger they runne vntill they finde them selues drowned in perpetuall darkenes and ouerwhelmed with eternall destruction I doo vse these exhortations vnto thee as vnto my spouse of meere loue and good will that being instructed by my spirit thou maist not decline either in this or in any other matter whatsoeuer be it neuer so small from the decrees and resolution of doctrine which my holie Catholique Church hath determined and resolued vpon nor yet suffer thy selfe to be deceiued by that wicked and malignant spirit of theirs which pretende in show to bee followers of the Gospell and are in truth nothing lesse Of sensible deuotion IF thou findest not sensible deuotion be not therefore grieued nor deiected in thy soule but doo with a stoute and constant minde although thou feelest it drie and barren whatsoeuer thou knowest to be for my honour and as much as thou art able to performe in that behalfe There are manye which shedding teares doe seeme to haue some spirituall deuotion and sweeet taste in their soule and yet their life is neuer a whitte the holier nor themselues at that time free from mortall sinne but it proceedeth from a certaine tendernesse of their hart as is often seene in women and also in men that be by nature passionate and full of compassion Haue no confidence therefore in that deuotion which doth not better amende thy life Thou shalt see some weepe often and be sorrowfull for the death of a valiant Captaine whose worthie and famous actes they haue onely read though hee were a Gentile or a Pagan They will weepe also sometime if they reade a heau●e parting or a pittifull death of two constant louers What wonder is it then if they weepe at my most holie and deuoute seruice by seeing manie patheticall things done in the worshipping of me or by taking compassiō of those things which I did suffer for them or by reioycing at that honour which is done vnto me and yet these teares proceed from a naturall passion of their hart without any vertuous intentiō or profitable frute to their soule as long as they doo not my will and fulfill my commandement If therefore thou findest my hart hardened and barren without such deuotion endeuor thou to haue another kinde of deuotion which is a true perfect and readie will with a determined resolution to doo all those thinges which may honour and please mee Moreouer for the want of the other that is sensible deuotion seeke out the true cause and reason lest perhaps thou hast lost that sweete taste in thy soule by some dissolute motion by lightnes by inordinate loue or vnmeasurable ioy or lest thou hast been too much busied with earthly cogitations or els lest thou hast polluted thy soule with the spottes of pride or hast sought to please thine owne fancie or for some such other vice and offence In which case thou oughtest to be rather grieued for the cause of this barrennesse of thy soule that is thou oughtest to bee more sorrie for the fault which thou hast committed then for the deuotion which thou hast lost Endeuour to cleaue vnto me with a good and pure will seuered from earthly affections and with a naked and simple vnderstanding farre from conceauing of needles or vnprofitable matters and omitte to doo no good thing that either thou wert accustomed to vse before or that may tende to my honour but remaine patient with renouncing of thine owne appetite and expect my pleasure with resigning of thy selfe whollie vnto the same And although somewhat at sometime doo sodainely breake out of thy sensuall disposition and outward man or remaine boyling in thy minde which is not conuenient for thy profession or els if there arise any perturbations in thee if thou sufferest any distresse if thou bee oppressed with th● temptations of heauinesse in thy soule resisting or murmuring take speciall care that at the least thy inwarde

intreat mee by her intercession for the amendment of thy life perseuerance in vertue and obtaining of my grace The third that the worshipping and honoring of mee may bee daily amplified enlarged augmented encreased either by this rule by what other meanes so euer that shall seeme best to me Vse such spirituall exercises as are most agreeable to thy deuotion state and nature wherein thou maiest spend thy time profitably and bee lifted by them in thy hart vnto mee encreasing daily in goodnesse and enforcing thy selfe from time to time to doo better and better He that will vndertake to followe this fraternitie or rule and gouerne himselfe according to the prescript order thereof let him kneele before the Image of me crucified if he be alone or had rather be secrete by himself let him earnestly intreate mee that I will vouchsafe to receiue him for my disciple that I will powre my grace vpon him both strengthen confirm this good will in him so fully as he may resolue constantly vnremouably to liue according to these rules directions Let him also teach others and gaine soules vnto me and bring them vnto my seruice But if there be many that vndertake to follow these rules they may exhort one an other in me and may be vnited in brotherly charitie by the meane of the likenes and vnitie they haue in their course of life in that they all do follow this fraternity And let them not receaue euerie man at all aduentures into their societie specially such as there is no hope of the constancy of their mind perseuerance of deuotion least that their lightnes and instabilitie which doo not endeuour to attaine to the perfection of that course they haue vndertaken may discourage others in theyr good purpose and make them giue ouer their holy intention VERSES FOR HELPING a mans memorie wherein are expressed the principall and speciallest points of those good lessons which are comprehended in these rules HAue speciall care to rule thy tong Forbeare to please thy carnall will Do good to all while time thou hast and what thou art remember still Forsake thy self it is not much Christ tooke for thee much greater paine Be meek in minde that thou with him in endles glorie maist remaine By the rule of thy tongue is vnderstood that thou must refraine from all idle backbiting contentious and quarrelling wordes and from all complaining speeches By forbearing to please thy will is meant that thou must wean thy selfe from the desire of all vaine pleasures transitorie things and earthly delights and that thou must mortefie all thy senses By dooing good to euerie man thou art exhorted to performe all the works of mercie and charitie towards thy neighbours And in that thou art willed to remember what thou art it is to make thee know thy selfe and to humble thee because if thou looke into thine owne abilitie thou shalt plainely finde that thou art meerely nothing of thy selfe nor yet able by thy selfe to do any thing at all By forsaking of thy selfe is meant that thou must renounce thine owne will deny thine owne selfe and seeke to please God onely and wholy with a pure intention Lastly thou art exhorted to be meeke in minde whereby is signified that thou must vse all meekenes curtesie and benignitie towards thy neighbours and thou must euer retaine all peace quietnes and tranquillitie in thy soule patiently expecting the pleasure of almighty God and accepting alwaies in the best part of his prouidence whatsoeuer it shall be his will to send thee ¶ CHRISTO LAVDES ET SANTAE MATRI EIVS HONOR Amen FINIS ❀ A VERIE SHORT EXercise of Loue vnto God the Father God the Sonne and God the holie Ghost the most blessed Trinitie and one true GOD wherewith a man ought once euerie day to offer himselfe with his whole soule vnto his diuine Maiestie and to giue him most humble thankes for all the benefits which hee hath receiued at his most gracious hands O Lord my God which art infinite goodnes it selfe and both vnchangeable and vnspotted according to all the perfections which I can conceiue of thee alwaies remaining the very same that thou wert from the beginning Thou madest euery creature for thy glorie thou dooest preserue and gouerne them with such wisedome that beeing so manie so great and so diuers as they are there is none which doth withdrawe himselfe from being vnder thy subiection and yet thou dooest neither digge nor labour but alwaies remainest in most blessed quiet Thou hast created me according to thine owne Image and likenes and dost preserue mee in that being which I am Thou hast redeemed mee of moste pure charitie by the death of thy blessed Sonne and in most painefull and troublesome manner that thou mightest shew vnto me the riches of thy grace the bountie of thy mercie and the exceedingnes of thy loue towards me Thou hast made me to come in a noble sort to the acknowledging of thy most holie name thou hast brought mee to that most holie Religion and thou hast raised me to so high a dignitie Thou hast directed mee alwaies in thine owne presence and hast carried a single regard towards me and thou hast made mee to finde fauour in the eies of thy seruaunts that they might take care of my saluation Thou hast deliuered mee also from many daungers and tribulations both of bodie and soule from infirmities from sicknesses from beggerie from fallings headlong from sundry perrils from wicked men from drowning and from infinite other mischiefs which might haue hapned to mee as well as to others if thy loue mercie had not deliuered me from them Thou hast also most often deliuered mee from sinne from falling into the gulfe of sinners from being deuoured by them and from eternall damnation Thou hast moreouer giuen mee a firme confidence to beleeue that thou hast chosen mee to eternall happines wherein thou will manifest thine owne selfe vnto mee Oh I shall then plainely know and see thee my Lorde and God I shall loue thee perfectlie and most purelie I shall finde most blessed peace in enioying thee onely and I shall alwaies most sincerely praise and glorifie thee with all thy Saints O mercifull God confirme this and performe this quickely in mee O Lord my God for all the benefites that thou haste wrought and shalt worke in mee and in euerie one of thy creatures bee all honour glorie thankes duetifull seruice hartie affection chaste feare and sincere loue to thy diuine Maiestie world without ende Amen O mercifull God make me thankfull and pardon mee I beseech thee most gratiouslie for all those abhominable ingratitudes intollerable negligences innumerable sinnes which I haue committed against thee And if thou hast communicated thou maiest adde to this and say for thine owne sake and by the vertue of thy blessed Sacrament which I haue receiued roote out of my hart all mallice graunt me an humble confession a hartie sorrow a