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	son_n	trinity_n	4,094	5	10.4029	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07467	The admirable history of the posession and conuersion of a penitent woman Seduced by a magician that made her to become a witch, and the princesse of sorcerers in the country of Prouince, who was brought to S. Baume to bee exorcised, in the yeare 1610, in the moneth of Nouember, by the authority of the reuerend father, and frier, Sebastian Michaëlis, priour of the couent royall of S. Magdalene at Saint Maximin, and also of the said place of Saint Baume. Who appointed the reuerend father, Frier Francis Domptius, Doctor of Diuinity, in the Vniuersity of Louaine, ... for the exorcismes and recollection of the acts. All faithfully set down, and fully verified. Wherunto is annexed a pneumology, or discourse of spirits made by the said father Michaëlis, ... Translated into English by W.B.	Michaelis, Sébastien, 1543?-1618.; W. B., fl. 1613-1617.	1613 (1613)	STC 17854; ESTC S107052	483,998	666

Adam had transgressed God was highly ●●spleased against him yet would he not by and by in●ct his vengeance and indignation vpon the soule ●hich was so goodly a creature although it had recei●ed a taint and blemish by the pollution of sinne and ●as growne refractarie and mutinous against him who ●d showred downe so many blessings vpon the same ●at had shaped and created the whole world for man ●d did assubiect all creatures vnto him to vse them as ●e thought good euen downe to the very beasts This ●ould man haue excused when he said Eue did cause me to doe this but in this he did bewray the impotencie of his iudgement that would so facilely beleeue the counsell of a woman Yet if hee had humbled himselfe without excusing his faults he should not haue felt so much displeasure as he did God loueth not that men should endeuour to euade by excuses If that Adam had craued pardon God would presently haue forgiuen him yea the very Angels that fell if they had humbled themselues should haue tasted of his mercy Now the blessed Trinity held their counsell vpon this point concerning man The eternall Father according to true iustice would haue him punished but presently did the diuine word giue himselfe vp to be your pledge saying that hee would be incarnated and take your flesh vpon him and would be euer readie to endure whatsoeuer the father would thinke fit to be inflicted Then presented themselues the two daughters of the eternall Father to wit Iustice and Mercie and made them readie for the encounter Iustice as the younger daughter said that they were to be punished for their disobedience and that they did very well deserue it Mercie as the elder said My Father I am thy eldest daughter and my sister here is much younger then my selfe it therefore standeth with reason that I be beleeued and that for many causes As first to what end haue you created a creature thus beautifull to cast him headlong into hell There is a remedie to saue him For there will come a woman called Mary that will be more humble then Eue hath beene proud after her transgression and will bee more replenished with simplicity then euer Eue was with curiositie Mary will be more obedient then euer Eue was rebellious and more prompt to say I am the handmaid of the Lord then euer Eue was to take and taste the apple From thence shall proceede that great pay-maister of debts that shall giue satisfaction more then a hundreth fold On the contrary part Iustice pleaded that they did well deserue sharpest castigation who doe yet stand vpon their iustification although they are guilty of the highest treason in rebelling against their Prince yea such a Prince as their God is That they knew the Edict of their King yet would not obserue the same and sinned not through ignorance but through their too much knowledge that brought them to their destruction To this the diuine Word made replication Father Father you are to pardon them you are to pardon them repeating the same often not in words but by the power of vnderstanding and euer saying that hee would take vpon him your flesh for your sakes The eternall Father according to the rigour of Iustice and as being iustly prouoked against them would not haue ●t so but alwaies the diuine Word did oppose himselfe vnto it and said Father I will endure for their sakes a more ignominious death then euer any creature shall be able to suffer The eternall Father hauing regard vnto the person which was to suffer and giue plenarie satisfaction and that by no other meanes then this could a thing of that nature be accomplished as also knowing how much hee was to suffer for in God all things are present and there is nothing past or to come did yeeld vnto this ouerture yet what Father would haue consented to giue vp his Sonne as he did For he fore-saw ●he ingratitude and disesteeme which you would beare vnto him yet was he contented to agree vnto this because his sonne alwaies said Father some or other will be conuerted The Holy Ghost gaue assistance vnto the Word for he is the God of loue the Father is the God of power and of vengeance the Sonne the God of wisedome and the Holy Ghost the God of bountie But the Diuels themselues doe confesse that there is but one God in three persons and haue made confession of the same at Baume the place of S. Magdalens penitence in the presence of the whole assemblie Then spake Mercie and said Father it is expedient that the voyd seates of the cursed Angels that fell should be filled vp and why was this goodly fabricke and frame of the world created and the heauen so varied with diuersities of beauties Was it for your selfe alone let them liue let them liue they will be repentant and haue vertuous children and iust Abel will proceed from them Hereunto Iustice replied that there should be a Cain as wicked as the other was iust But Mercie did alwaies ingeminate that many of them would proue good as Mary who should make reparation of the fault committed by Eue. And in truth Mary hath been more vertuous then euer Eue was wicked and gaue more reputation vnto good then euer Eue gaue aduantage vnto sinne The Serpent held diuers discourses with Eue to cause her to fall but Gabriel spake but a few words and Mary presently obeyed saying Ecce ancilla Then the Word said to his Father that as the person offended was diuine so a diuine person should giue satisfaction since no other could make reparation of the same the person offended being infinite might iustly expect satisfaction from a person infinite That there was no creature neither men nor Angels that could make vp this offence which was committed by a man that at the time of his tentation was altogether innocent And as this sinne was committed in a garden so reparation thereof should be made in a garden at what time he should say fiat voluntas tua and this should be the act of his giuing himselfe vp vnto death To conclude this transgression came by eating of an apple and ●hould be remitted by the fruite of life issuing from the ●arden of Mary Vpon this mention of the Virgin ●errine tooke occasion to say This was a garden hed●ed in where that goodly fruite of her puritie remai●ed excellently qualified with beautie sent and taste which make representation of the properties of the ●lessed Trinitie In this garden there were all sorts of goodly trees whose roots were humilitie whose leaues were vertuous desires and whose fruites were good workes that might deseruedly bee placed vpon the ta●le of the King of glorie And vpon this table are euer ●trowed all kinds of flowers which signifie her vertues ●nd these she hath kept fresh by her humilitie acknow●edging that all the good which euer she had receiued did streame from her

of your selues and the paines of that other world as a malefactor would doe that waiteth hourely for the sentence of his death I tell you that this expectation is many times more grieuous then the torment it selfe and doth oft preuent punishment by hastening on of death Say vnto your soule Soule remember thy worth and consider how God hath created thee capable of eternal blisse How expedient then is it that thou walke in the commandements of thy God and that the Bride should be obseruant of her Spouse Al that thou canst performe is not able to ballance the least of his mercies yea hee should shew compassion towards thee in punishing thee with the tortures of hell You that goe to Church to heare Masse are to say Soule whether goest thou Thou goest to receiue either thy saluation or damnation I doe not say said Verrine that sinners offend God afresh in going to heare Masse but I affirme that they are like vnto those who when a shower of raine falleth stop all the spouts and conduit-pipes of their cisterne for feare left the water should be conueied into it If those are not watered with the dew of Gods grace the Priest is no cause thereof but they themselues whose heart is fashioned out of stone not composed of earth which is apt to bring foorth fruit Say further Soule let vs goe and craue pardon of God for being a wretched malefactor and worthie of condemnation it is reason the soule should prostrate it selfe and implore his mercie Yet fareth it not with sinners as with malefactors who appeale vnto the Court and Counsell of the King at Paris for oftentimes notwithstanding their delaies and paines they loose their life and the first sentence of death is ratified against them But your God doth inuite you vnto him saying Come vnto me and I will refresh you aske and I will giue you Notwithstanding the requests which you present vnto me must be of vertues and of spiritual blessings which concerne the saluation of your soules not of earthly goods or of riches or of knowledge or of any curiositie whatsoeuer Search after the light of your soules for God doth communicate it to all the world to rich and poore to noble and to men of base condition Your memorie resembleth the eternall Father your vnderstanding the Sonne your will the holy Ghost and all your soule the sacred Trinitie The Father saith vnto you call to mind the benefits which I haue diuided amongst you the Sonne saith in these benefits which you haue receiued from your God contemplate his power and his mercie his wisedome and his iustice the holy Ghost pusheth you on to the feare and loue of your God The memorie the vnderstanding and the wil are three things and yet but one thing the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost are three persons and yet but one God When you heare Masse enter you into a deepe meditation and say thus vnto your selues Infinit God and Saint of Saints I do not know but this may be the last Masse that euer I shall heare for you are to take a strict account of your conscience as if your last houre were pronounced against you since that death doth threaten you all at all times and in all places But alas what man thinketh vpon these things the Angels tremble before the Maiesty of God and the malefactors are lulled asleepe in their stupide repose and securitie the first borne do honour their Creator with all awfull reuerence and the seruants go on in their vneuen courses without any feare at all Then he cried vnto God saying of a truth thou art the God of might and puissance and makest thy selfe to bee obeyed by men and Angels yea by the Diuels themselues as it plainely appeareth at this instant Herein thy Omnipotencie doth make full declaration of it selfe and amazeth the world with this new wonder for O great God thou doest not esteeme the wisdome of this world but al they that humble themselues shall participate of thy light and those that are puffed vp shall remaine obstinate in their pride You should demand three things from your God before all things else whatsoeuer first the glory of heauen then whatsoeuer appertaineth to your saluation and thirdly the good of your neighbour You are also to beg of your Creator in humility of spirit that hee will make you prosper and grow by the dew of his grace and this you are to doe as malefactors vpon your knees with an halter about your necke and must say My God and my Lord grant me thy light to consider confesse my sins implant within me a penitent and broken heart that I may bewaile my offences and haue my sinnes in detestation that so I may bee accounted worthy to receiue absolution from the Priest If thy body may stand thy brother instead to saue his soule doe not delay to bestow it vpon him or if his body haue need of sustentation by thy goods thou art not to deny them vnto him for it is not the will of God that you should giue a soule for a soule or a body for body or goods for goods but that you should preferre the saluation of a soule before the life and the life before goods and worldly possessions not that you should alwaies be tied vnto this but that hee who putteth it in practise doth doe the will of God for God hath said thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe but how few are there that doe this Then he cried out and alleaging an example answerable vnto what he formerly spake he said Ha Thomas thou wert not ignorant of the death of thy master thou knewest well that hee was to rise againe yet diddest thou say except I touch the prints of the nailes and put my hand into his side I will not beleeue I doe not speake this to disgrace thee but I say that if thou haddest beene more pregnant to beleeue thy Sauiour had not reproued thee neither shouldest thou as afterward thou diddest haue had experience of thy frailty yet wert thou named in the roll of the Apostles as well as the rest and diddest afterward constantly suffer death in confirmation of that truth whereof thou haddest formerly doubted God pardoned Dauid that you might know he hath power to remit sinnes hee did eate with the Publican to declare that hee came not meerely for the iust nay I say further that your God doth make narrower search and inquisition after the lost sheepe which is the sinfull soule then after that soule that standeth in her sanctity and innocency O great God thou art that true shepheard who hath laid downe his life for the saluation of his wandring flocke thou hast searched and at last found thy sheepe which stragled away from the pasturage of their shepheard The same day Magdalene said that there came a certaine Diuell from abrode to speake with Carreau who was one of those that resided in her body saying come

of that reformation Then he tooke an oth after this forme I doe here sweare by that God whom you worship and who is your Creator and Redeemer that whatsoeuer I haue here spoken is true and that all is done for his glorie the saluation of soules and instruction of the Clergie and Laytie and all sorts of people for the good and the bad and for the reformation of many Monasteries as well of men as of women All which is most true I sweare this according to the intention of God and his Church which I neuer did before and this oth I haue taken vpon the blessed Sacrament and without being spoken vnto by you and haue sworne this with all the solemnities that are required to a true oth according to the intention of God and his Spouse the Church that whatsoeuer I haue deliuered was for his glorie as also for the conue●sion of soules and the extirpation of Heresies and Magicke All which is true and nothing is heere vttered against the glorie of God or against his Church And I haue said that it shall haue approbation from the Church and that I neuer tooke such a kind of oth before And when I was to take this oth I said I doe sweare by the liuing God which is the greatest oth that may be taken After this he said Those that are so preiudicate as to say these things are false and very vnsutable to truth shall doe a wrong to God They affirme that God is omnipotent and yet in effect denie his omnipotencie and perhaps 〈◊〉 that God is lesse puissant then the Diuell And in regard these euents runue in a course beyond ordinarie there are many that will rather denie Gods power then confesse that this is true The Diuell by the first article of their Creed Credo Patre●s omnipotentem doth proue that they are to beleeue that God is omnipotent And if it be so he might then haue done all this by a Pismire yea and greater things then these for hee can if the concurrence of his will and power should resolue thereon create a hundred thousand worlds out of nothing After this Louyse retired her selfe into her chamber as being all in a sweate through her exceeding toyle and the vehement action of the Diuell Presently did Belzebub prince of the Diuels in the bodie of Magdalene begin to contest against the mercie of God in manner as followeth O mercie too great O God canst thou not be contented to take from vs sinners but must thy mercie also extend to those who haue giuen and made ouer vnto vs bodie and soule and whatsoeuer else they did or could possesse And this they gaue vs in writing and in schedules signed with their blood yet for all this doest thou take them from vs It is strange that thou takest them from vs in such a manner when they haue made renunciation of thee thy Father and the holy Ghost together with all his goodnesse loue and mercie that they might bee made vncapable of the same and bee damned for euermore They haue renounced thy Mother and all her prayers that she might make for them with her wombe and breasts that they might neuer proue compassionate in their behalfe her remembrance that she might neuer be mindfull of them her will that she might neuer pray vnto her Sonne for their conuersion her vnderstanding that she might neuer think vpon them but might abandon and giue them vp into the hands of the Diuels all Angels and all Saints and all 〈◊〉 benefits which God had euer bestowed vpon them or was to bestow vpon them hereafter all inspirations that might be infused into them to draw them vnto him They haue cursed all that euer God created for the good of man all the prayers that Angels Saints and men might make in their behalfe to the end they might be without all possibilitie of returning to God saying they had nought to doe with him his blessings fauours or Paradise They haue renounced his passion and blood with all the merits thereof that they might haue no power or efficacie vpon their soules but might lay a pressure vpon them of greater obstinacie They haue inuocated vpon themselues the wrath of Almightie God of his all-knowing Sonne of the euer-bounteous holy Spirit as also the indignation of the Mother of God of all Angels and of all Saints saying the blood of the Sonne of God fall vpon vs bodie and soule eternally Yet for all this doest thou take them from vs. And notwithstanding that in despite of thee and all that thou hast done for them they are desirous to be ours yet doest thou take them frō vs. They haue taken the Diuell and the Magician for their God Creator and Redeemer Sauiour and sanctifier and will not haue any reference or dependance vpon God but from the Diuell and from the Magician and doe worship magnifie and praise as well the Diuell as the Magician as if they were Gods They haue renounced God who hath created all they haue blasphemed him making retractation of all the good that euer they did for Gods sake and attribute all their subsequent actions to the Diuell and the Magician yet for all this art thou so good that thou wouldest bereaue vs of them and hast thy armes alwaies open to receiue them They were bequeathed and consecrated to thee and notwithstanding this they haue by a sure earnest contracted mariage with the Diuel and the Magician for greater confirmation whereof they did not sticke to signe it with their owne blood witnessing that they had now nothing to doe with God but were affianced wholly vnto the Diuell This mariage was authentically solemnized in the presence of the blessed Sacrament and written by the Priest that was the Magician yet for all this thou art still so good that thou wouldest bereaue vs of them I said to Mary what hast thou to doe with them to present them to thy Sonne for they haue prostituted themselues to all kinde of voluptuousnesse as well of men as of diuels and beasts What hast thou then to do to present such to thy Sonne who is puritie it selfe They renounce their good Angels lest they might infuse some inspiration into them to returne vnto thee And in counterchange they take the Diuell for their gard-Angell to direct them in whatsoeuer they doe yet art thou so good and so mercifull that thou giuest them in exchange theirvsuall Angell and wilt doe the same twentie thirtie fourtie times and in the end wilt cause all the Angels to to bee assistant to plucke them from betwixt our hands They make protestation that they haue conceiued such great anger rage disdaine and indignation against God that they would willingly become Diuels that they might the better hinder others from the fruition of the glorie of God by those temptations which they would lay close vnto them cursing God that hee had made them men and not Diuels inuocating and heartely praying

hate the word of God and not to harken vnto it another into her left eare to make her impatient of correction and exhortation the third into her mouth to make her out of loue with the holy eucharist the mercy and the goodnesse of God Being demanded if any other were giuen her to other ends after many denials he was adiured in the behalfe of Magdalene and by the merits of her patience and penance whereupon he answered that the charme also tended to hinder her from the discouering of their ingling and from the receauing of grace by the Sacrament and to make her vnable to resist them Verrine being put to the question in these words Cur miser vt soleb as non contremiscis he answered I am a poore ignorant idiot which vnderstand not latine Then said Belzebub sir you vnderstand it not because you will not knowe you not what Contremiscis meaneth it is why tremble you not I haue interpreted it now speake Well quoth hee I see he playes the counterfait Scobillon who is the least of the Diuels in hell vnderstands that latine Verrine replied answere thou who art more learned then I I giue thee leaue to speake Belzebub answered with some indignation true sir it is fit indeed that I should obey you The Acts of the 27. of Ianuary being Thursday AT the very entrance of the Exorcisme the wicked spirits which possessed the body of Magdalene hauing cunningly dissembled their feare two dayes before began now to tremble strangely manifesting that outwardly which inwardly they suffered and Belzebub beeing adiured to speake which of the Saints were the greatest aduersaries to the Synagogue of the Magicians refused to answere a long time but after sundry punishments inflicted on him for his often refusals at length hee answered that they were specially two namely Cyprian and Gregorie Nazianzen Cyprian by reason that he had beene a Magician labouring to seduce Iustin and Gregorie who persecuted the Magicians in his Country and wrote an history of Cyprian the Magician but said hee of those kinde of people there are many more now adayes then were in those tymes Afterwards Verrine being demanded and adiured to tell wherefore he had been so bitter against S. Chrysostome it fel out then to be his holiday he answered that there were other aduersaries of the Magicians as Aegidius of your order who was himselfe a Magician and Theophilus but aboue all Peter the Apostle who incountred Simon the first Magician in the Church yet for mine owne particular my speciall aduersaries are Dominicus Sebastianus and Chrysostome but aboue all Dominicus by reason of their great patience Being adiured to tell wherefore he said that he had tempted Eue and what garment she wore he answered a garment of innocencie all made of one peece by a master-worke-man and innocency quoth hee hath no need of couering Being demanded wherefore the day before Belzebub was mute he answered in latine erat ligatus Being demanded wherefore Belzebub suffered himselfe to be bound by a Magician sithence he was Princeps daemoniorum hee answered the one bestowes a dinner vpon the other and the other againe a supper vpon him as much to say that by the power of Lucifer the Magician bound Belzebub but otherwise Belzebub mastered him Being demanded how it came to passe that himselfe was neuer bound by the Magician hee answered because he cannot bind me being heere on Gods behalfe Towards the euening Magdalene fell a singing and dancing and playing many tricks in the chamber so that they threatned to carry her to the holy house of Penance which being done Belzebub made her sleepe so soundly as if she had been dead for the space of three or foure houres At last after many Prayers Psalmes Letanies and Exorcismes fetching a deepe sigh she began to awake affirming that the Magician had againe inchanted her and would haue strangled her and indeed shee was like to die at that instant feeling herselfe extremely perplexed yet recommending her selfe to God the Diuels power ceased and how beit the night before whiles they held their assembly the Magician had presented himselfe vnto her vpon his knee with an haltar about his neck praying her to returne vnto him not to discouer him and the other Magicians and in her presence had adored her statue all gilded ouer drawing bloud out of the hands of the Witches with rasors and saying vnto her behold what honour wee would doe your person considering wee doe so much to your picture yet would shee by no meanes yeeld her consent but remained victorious O that wee were so carefull and would take so much paines for the conuerting and the sauing of soules as these Magicians doe to peruert and destroy them for they watched euery night during the moneth of Ianuary to recouer to thēselues this poore soule Magdalene added that the Magician seeing her continue in her constancy cryed out saying to the whole company is there any heere present that would die for her and presently there presented himselfe a young man declaring that himselfe was ready for that purpose whom the Magician twice stabbed with a poniard yet would shee by no meanes yeeld her consent Now whether this History were acted truely and indeed or onely in imagination yet was it surely for her a very great temptation The Acts of the 28. of Ianuary being Friday AT the morning Exorcisme Verrine began to cry out against those who voluntarily offend God giuing themselues to the Diuell of their owne accord O Belzebub quoth he thou alwaies gainest some one or other and registrest him in thy bookes And as the Exorcist made mention of the paines of hell Verrine cryed out vpon there damnable state who rather chuse the paines of hell then the ioyes of heauen O Belzebub thou art eased of much paine which the Magician Lewes beareth for thee For we must vnderstand that Belzebub being commanded by the Magician to torment Magdalen in all sorts that might be to the end to constrain her to resume her former course of magicke or at least wise to make her mad sottish his answere was that the Exorcist would then impose so much punishment on him as he should not be able to endure it the Magician replyed that hee would vndergoe the third part of the torments which were imposed on him and oftentimes hath Belzebub spoken to father Michaelis when he imposed punishments on him impose them on the Magician who is the cause of that which I doe and oftentimes they haue confessed in their Exorcismes that the Magician suffered inwardly so great tortures that he would willingly haue taken his bed vpon it had it not been for feare of discouering himselfe and yet notwithstanding was hee euery day more obstinate then other During the Masse father Michaelis came from the Cloister to the Church the doore of the cloister being shut at which Belzebub cried out behold father Michaelis is come and instantly the said father