Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	lord_n	psal_n	trust_v	3,209	5	9.2539	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15496	The anchor of faith Vpon which, a Christian may repose in all manner of temptations. Especially in that great and dangerous gulfe of desperation. Wherein so many ouer-whelmed with the weight and burthen of their sinne, and not resisting themselues by the hand of faith, vpon the promises and inuitations of Christ, haue with Caine and Judas most fearefully fallen and shipwrackt themselues, to the vtter confusion both of body and soule for euer.; Physicke, to cure the most dangerous disease of desperation	Willymat, William, d. 1615.	1628 (1628)	STC 25763.5; ESTC S102508	45,869	112

Non tam scelus quod eom●isisti quam indulgentiae desperatio facit te penitus interire Not so much the si●● which thou hast done as thy despayr●● of forgiuenesse hath vtterly cast the● away Surely Iudas his despayre and distrust according to S. Augustine his opinion was a more grieuous sin them his treason in the betraying of his Maister Ier. super Psa 108. Wher-vnto agreeth S. Iero. Magis inquit offendit deum Iudas in ho● quod desperando scipsū suspendit quam in hoc quod d●ū tradidit Desperatio enim reddit hominem maledictum et protectione derindignum Iudas saith S. Ierome more offended God herein that in dispayre he hanged himselfe then in tha● hee betrayed his Lord and Maister Fo● Desperation maketh a man accursed 〈◊〉 vnworthy Gods protection And thu● likewise Cain his dispayring in God mercy after his murther committed was a more grieuous sinne then th● shedding of his brother Abell hi● blood For to adde Despayre to fo●mer sinnes is to drawe sinne afte● sinne as it were with Cart-ropes t● heape sinne vpon sinne to fulfill th● measure of iniquitie and so to pu●chase swift and most certaine damnat●on It is indeede the fashion and olde wont of Sathan When especially the Diuell beginneth to tempt to despayre to perswade man when hee hath once committed many haynous sinnes after his owne sinnes to despayre and so to commit the greater sinne after the lesser which is as if an vnlearned ignorant ond a murthering Physition should cause his Patient for the remedring of a little cold taken to drinke the iuyce of Hemlocke which by adding cold to cold is most sure to bring present death Or as if a man hauing an Ache in one of his fingers should cut off the whole hand to take away the Ache of a finger Note what kinde of phisick and surgery the Diuell practiseth Euen such like Phisicke and Surgery doth the Diuell practise to minister vnto lewde and wilfull sinnors when hee inticeth and draweth them after many precedent haynous sinnes through despayre of finding mercie and forgiuenesse to shorten their liues by killing and murthering them-selues by poysoning by stabbing by throat-cutting by drowning by Iudas-like hanging of themselues finally by casting off all vse of faith all vse of hope and so quite to despayre of Gods mercy then the which what can be a more dangerous course for any man to yeeld vnto What can be more foolish or contrary to all reason if a mans reason were not blinded and bewitched that hee could not see nor perceiue nor consider well of it then whiles a man is afraid of water presently to cast her selfe headlong into it The absurd de●lings of such as easily yeeld to desperation and so seeingly and wittingly to drowne himselfe or then whiles a man is afraid of fire presently to runne into it and to dispatch himselfe therein Or whiles a man is afraid of hell fire out of hand most desperately to plunge himselfe into the daungers thereof And yet such as these are the perswasions and temptations of the Diuell to a man whose barking conscience continually pangeth and plagueth him for his sinnes Such as these are the fruites of the most monstrous sinne of dispayring of Gods mercy and grace May not he be accounted worse then madd * Marke this O man least thou yeeld to Desperation before thou be awa●e what great inco●● niences thou yeeldest vnto that is so foreward and ready to yéeld vnto and to follow after the Diuells whistle alluring and entising vnto desperation seeing it is no meanes to diminish but to encrease sinne and the rewards of sinne seeing that it is no reliefe but an euerlasting burthen and griefe of the soule seeing that it is not a deliuery of the soule but a certaine destruction of the soule seeing it is not a redemption but an vndoubted condemnation of soule and body for euer And finally seeing that it changeth temporall griefe into eternall griefe and the panges of conscience into the paines of hell for euer And thus is verified that saying of S. Bernard Desperatio auget peccatum Saint Bernard his opinion concerning the 〈◊〉 ●nes of desperation Desperatio maior est omnibus peccatis Desparatio peior est omni peccato Desperation encreaseth sin Desperation is greater then al other sinnes Desperation is worse then all other sinnes This is a thousand times worse then the dangerous rocke Scilla against which so many poore Marriners haue dashed their shippes Scilla and Charybdis not so dangerous as desperation to the great losse both of Shippes goodes and liues or then that no lesse dangerous gulfe Charybdis which haue deuoured vp so many passengers For at this vnfortunate and deadly rocke of Desperation many thousan●s of poore soules ouercharged with the burthen of their iniquities and turmoyled in their consciences with the waues of fearefull thoughts and troublesome conceites by the blustring blastes and surgie stormes of Gods vengeance threatned against sinners both haue and dayly doe make dangerous and fearefull ship-wracke This is a worse dungeon for both soules and bodies of poore desperate sinners then was the Denne of Lyons into the which the Rulers Officers Dan. 6.17 and Gouernours of King Darius caused Daniell to be cast and closed vppe Dan 3.19 Yea and this is seauen times worse then the seauen times heated burning Ouen or Furnace into the which that proud Idolatrous King Nabuchadnezzer commanded Sidrach Misach and Abednago the true seruants and worshippers of the onely true and euerliuing God to be cast in This is that incurable remedilesse and desperate sore wound and maladie which the Prophets of God Ieremy and Micheas Ier. 3. Mic. 1. in their dayes complained of among their people This is that great stop let that hindereth and resisteth Gods holy grace from flowing and entring into the soules of sinfull men This is the Axe that heweth and choppeth a sunder the chaines wherewith God in his great mercy and mercifull kindnesse would drawe the hearts of sinners vnto himselfe by Repentance whereof speaketh the Prophet Ozeas Oze 11. Trust in the Lord and doe good saith the holy Ghost by the Prophet Dauid Psal 37.3 where hee placeth and setteth Trust in GOD in the first place and doing good in the second trusting in GOD goeth before as the Mistris and doing good followeth attendeth on as the Hand-maide For as it is said Spes alit agricolas were it not for Hope the Husbandmans heart would burst Hope nourisheth his heart Euen so Despayre and diffidence or distrust in GOD is a Step-mother to well doing and draweth backe from doing good according to the saying of a learned Writer vpon the said 37. Psal Desperatio diffidentia abstrahit ab omni studio honi nam cogitat omnia fieri frustra Musculus in Ps 37.3 ita namque ex spe et fiducia promanant mortaliū conatus vt ex ipsis conatibus

the law of his spirit which maketh vs to liue in him and hath set vs free from the right of sin and death in such sort that wee may no more feare sinne nor death by Iesus Christ who hath ouercome all for our wealth and hath reconciled vs eternally to his Father who as our deare Father from hence-forth will shew fauour vnto vs for the loue of Iesus Christ his deare Sonne and so will take from vs all our sinnes as though we had neuer committed them Euen so doth he promise saying Mich. 7.18 19. God is one God willing to shew vs grace mercy he wil turn to vs wil be fauourable he wil take away our iniquities cast our sinns into the depth of the sea And again it is said of Gods wōderfull mercies The Lord is full of compassiō mercy Psal 103.8.9.10 c long suffering of great goodnes He wil not alwaies be chiding neither keepeth he his anger for euer He hath not delt with vs after our sins nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities For look how high the heauen is in comparison of the earth so great is his mercy also towards them that feare him Looke how wide also the east is from the west so far hath he set our sins frō vs. Yea like as a father pittieth his own children euen so is the Lord merciful vnto them that feare him for he knoweth wherof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust c. Of the great mercies of God towards sinners read more in Psal 145.8.9 Places of holy Scriptures setting forth Gods great mercies and 147.8.10 in Ioel. 2.13 Math. 18.11 2. Cor. 1.3 Eph. 2.4 1. Tim. 1.13 vnto the 18. verse Surely these places are words of most rare and singuler comfort and they be certaine firme sure and vnchangeable spoken and pronounced by the eternall verity it selfe therefore not to be mistrusted or dispaired of But yet let vs take heed least that verse be verified in vs Stulti cum vitant vitia in contraria currunt Let vs not abuse Gods mercies making a cloake thereof to couer our sinnes Let vs not presume too far and say as in Ecclesiastic 5.6 The mercy of God is great he wil forgiue my manifold sins for mercy wrath commeth from him c. CHAP. 4 The fourth Chapter concerning the Remedies to be vsed against the fourth cause of Desperatiō arising of the doubts suggested by the Diuel vnto many men to bring them into dispayre of their saluation by meanes of the small number of those that shall be saued in comparison of the great nūber of the reprobate A catalogue or rehearsall of many thinges whereby the Diuell craftily tempteth men to sin and desperation GReat indeed is the power manifold meruailous are the polices deuices wiles subtilties assaults and suggestions wherewith and wherby that wylie Foxe that old bitten Dogge that subtle Sathan the Diuell dayly and hourely practiseth to entice allure and euen as it were to force multitudes of men heare on earth into one sinne or other wherunto he findeth and proueth them to be naturally inclined and last of all vpon one occasion or other into Desperation If he espieth a man to be rich How the diuel tempteth by riches and to haue worldly blessings through the gift of God then will he apply him earnestly by his prosperity to lull him asleepe in the forgetfulnesse of God in worldly Pleasures pleasant Vanities transitory delights comforts and solaces and by trusting in his riches to lift vp himselfe arrogantly aboue others to swell in pride and to contemne his brethren committing and that with great sawcinesse and boldnesse manie fond palpable and grosse errors and follies against Gods word euen as if hee should say Who is the Lord On the other side if a man be poore he laboureth therby to make him contemptible before the world How the diuel tempteth by pouerty to pinch and nip him with the want of many thinges necessary both for backe and belly that hee seeth before his face many others haue in great in aboundant measure he soliciteth him to steale Pro. 30.9 to take the name of God in vaine to seeke after gaine by vnhonest vnlawfull and vngodly meanes to murmure distrust blaspheme and despayre How the Diuell tempteth by friends Gen. 3.6 Iob. 2.9 Ester 5.14 If a man haue friends he will vse them as his instruments to tempt vnto some euill by their lewd and wicked counsaile as he did procure Euah to doe vnto Adam Iob his wife to Iob. Haman his Wife vnto Haman How the Diuell tempteth by enemies If thou hast enemies then will he prick thee foreward by their procedings and dealings against thee vnto vniust choller wicked anger and diuelish reuenge If thou be carefull for thy family wife and children he will take hold vpon that occasiō to stuffe thy heart with too much desire of hauing How the Diuell tempteth by carefulnes and getting by right or by wrong and thereby through extreame couetousnes make thee to forgoe all godlines and piety How the Diuell tempteth by security and carelesnes On the other side if thou be careles that 's it that he can make vse of also for as S. Bernard saith Infert diabolus securitatē vt inferat etiam perditionem c. In heauē Angels became diuels In Paradise Adam and Euah fel into disobedience In the schoole of Christ Iudas became a traitor to his Lord Maister al this saith S. Bern. through security and retchlesnes to keepe themselues in that good state wherein they were once set Hast thou strength thereby will hee take occasion to embolden and harden thee to doe iniury and wrong and to set vpon thy weaker Hast thou health and a strong able body How the Diuell tempteth by strength by health ablenesse of body beauty by those will hee induce and entice thée to one kinde or other of lewdnes and dissolutnes Hast thou beauty that will he make an instrument for bawdry an inticemēt and an allurement to voluptuousnes wanton delights Hast thou honour and dignity in the world How the diuel tempteth by honour and dignity thereby will he blow the bellows of pride audacity and boldnesse to oppresse to crush and tread vnder foote thine inferiours Hast thou viuacity How the Diuell tempteth by quicknes of spirit sharpnes of wit quicknes of spirit and sharpenes of wit and learning these also will he striue to abuse wrest to serue his turne to excogitate inuent and deuise a thousand vanities yea all the rare and excellent guiftes of God which God doth bestow on any man this Diuell this arch-enemy of mankind will leaue no waies nor meanes vnattempted to procure man to abuse the same to a cleane contrary ende if it were possible to that for which they were bestowed How the diuel tempteth by

rest of the Apostles saying Men brethren Act. 2. what shall we do Euen thus I say let vs come vnto Gods Ministers Counsell f●r the ignorant very necessary and confesse acknowledge our great blindnes and ignorance and say vnto them Help vs instruct vs teach vs set vs in the way guid vs in the paths of the knowledge of God and of our saluation What the true Ministers of gods word are for surely they are the Phisitions and Surgions of our soules so that if w● repayre vnto them they shall giue vs t● drinke of the holesome waters of knowledge to quench our thirst of Ignorance they are the dispencers of the manifolde graces of God the Lords Stewards to giue each one of vs our portions in due time We haue not Christ alwaies amongst vs as appertayning to his bodely presence but as himselfe saith we haue the Poore alwaies amongst vs euen so also we haue not Christ himselfe that body I meane which sitteth at the right hand of God the father alwaies with vs but yet our Lord Christ ascending vp on high gaue vnto men among other giftes this gift also if we could rightly cōsider of it of no smal value euē Pastors Doctors that is the Ministers of the Gospell of Christ that might instruct informe and teach vs in the way of life that might declare vnto vs the secret counsailes hiden misteries of God How the true ministers of Gods word are to be accounted of thet might arme vs with the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God to encounter resist our deadly enemy the Diuel therwith Let vs ioyfully receiue them for who so receiueth them as they ought to be receiueth also with thē him that sent them whose Messengers they are Let vs heare them for they bring vnto vs the word of life Let vs giue credit vnto the Lords Ministers Glory vnto the Lord himselfe that hath giuen in his great loue this blessing vnto vs to haue his messengers and Ambassadours abiding among vs to declare and make known vnto vs by them what his own good will and pleasure is in all thinges to the auoiding of this blind ignorance the very mother of Desperation and so consequently of eternall Damnation with the Author thereof and his cursed Angels for euer CHAP. 3 Of the great seruitude bondage of sins and of the remedies thereof COncerning the great seruitude and bondage of sin being the third before noted cause of Desperation for the helpes and remedies thereof this haue I briefly to say that what though we haue bin seruants vnto sinne and haue bene pressed and surpressed with the bondage thereof so that we must néedes confesse vnlesse we should proue our selues lyars and thrt there were no truth in vs that we through our often doing of those thinges which we should not haue done on the other side through our leauing off those things vndon which we should haue done haue most iustly deserued Gods threatned curses and plagues to light on our bodies our soules our children our stockes our croppes euery thing else we goe about put our hands vnto What though our sinnes fight against our soules and gnaw our consciences and be ready euen out of hand to lead vs into the most dangerous state of Desperation Examples tending to the strengthning of our faith hope and patience against desperation What though wee haue contended fallen out with our brethrā as did Paul and Barnabas who were so hot in contententiō one against another that they forsooke one an others company in high displeasure and heat of their stomacks the one taking with him Luke the other Iohn What though wee haue yeelded vnto practised and followed Oppression Extortion polling pilling and wresting that wee can by hooke or crooke from our brethren Luke 19 2 So did Zaoheus yet notwithstanding after his repentance his forsaking ceasing from bad getting his restitution and almes giuing receaued that most chearefull and comfortable saying of Chiist This day is saluation entred into thine house Luk. 19 9 What though we haue bin théeues robbers stealers of our neighbours goods so was the théefe that was crucified with Christ and yet vpon eis humble contrite and sorrowfull confession of his sinnes he heard this most sweete word from Christ This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise What though we haue murthered and sh●d the blood or caused the bloud to be shed of some of our brethren so did Dauid to Vrias and yet vpon his zealous inward true vnfained sorrowfulnes repentance hee was not taken away in his sinne but found pardon And so did the Iewes which put to death the Lord of life 〈◊〉 Manasses was an Idolater he def●●● th● Temple of God hee with stood 〈◊〉 beat downe the truth 2 K●●● hee set vp Ido●●●ry he was a coniurer a Southsa●●● 〈◊〉 shed aboundance of Innocent 〈◊〉 so that the streets flowed therewith he committed more abhominations thē the Cananites or Amorites whō for their filthines the Lord cut off out of the land of the liuing he sacrificed his sonnes and daughters to Diuells and yet vpon his true returning to the Lord from the bottom of his heart he found fauour and mercy If our sinnes then 2. Chr. 33. or the sins of any one of vs were as grieuous as euer were the sins of Manasses yet vpon our true and vnfained returne to the Lord shall we despayre of his mercy shall we or may we or daie we thinke that the mercy and power of the Lord is shortened or that God is not the s●●●e God he was Is he not as ready to pardon forgiue sinnes the sinnes of a m●● repenting returning faithfully c●●ling vpon him as euer he was the sinnes of Manasses All these examples and many more are written for our learning comfort strengthning of our faith hope and patience that we should in no wise despayre vpon our true repentance neither for the multitude nor grieuousnesse of our sinnes And likewise also it is written for the brusing as it were euen for the breaking of the backe of all damnable Desperation and to hold the hearts and to restore the fainting and dull spirites of all such as the seruitude and bondage of sinne this our third cause of Desperation doth vexe and presse downe It is I say written that the Sonne of man is come to saue mens liues Luk. 9.56 And he himselfe hath said I am come to call not the iust but sinners Math. 10. Math. 20 Ioh. 3. Wherfore Christ came into this world And againe Iesus Christ is come to giue his life a redemptiō for many Also God the father hath not sent his Son to iudge the World but to the end the world may be saued by him Now what is it to saue not to iudge but to deliuer from death and damnation wherein we lay in

liues before it be too late CHAP. 6. The Sixt Chapter concerning the remedies against Desperation arising and growing by long custome of sin by delaying putting off the forsaking of sinne from day to day The great danger of custome of sinn● of delaying of amendment of life IT is written that the continuall and long cu to●e of sinne and the delaying and putting off from time to time of the amendment of life is one of the greatest and most dangerous deceites cunning stratagems and pollicies which the enemy of mankind doth vse towards the children of Adam for hee is not ignorant how that like as links in a chaine one catcheth hold and hangeth by another and one draweth another Euen so by continuance long custome and secure sleeping in sinne one sinne draweth on another and so euery day sinne is added to sinne so that by toleration and procrastination sin so mightily increaseth and by this meanes waxeth so headstrong that in the end the saying of the Poet proueth very true to wit Qui non est hod●e A comparison shewing the d●nger f ●ong ●ustome and w●ltring in ●inns cras minus aptus erit He that is not ready to day to forgoe forsake sinne to morrow-day shall he be more vnfit The Diuell knoweth wel enough how that like as old festred and long growne sores and diseases of the body are farre more dangerous more troublesome and harder to be healed require a longer time by much to be cured then if they had beene looked to at the first Euen so the diseases of the soule as swearing theeuing whoring drunkennesse such like being once long accustomed setled and hauing gotten an habit are either neuer or seldome and that with greater difficulty afterwardes rooted out then at the first beginning they might haue bene And so by these diseases of the soule the habit thereof hauing once taken root in man and the Diuell by them hauing gotten the surer hold and possession he endeauoureth and most diligently by all w●ies and meanes applieth to keep men still on in vre and practise w●th old and long accustomed sinnes vntill at the length in extreamity of sicknes towards the hower of death if not before he may by such causes and occasions plant and worke in the heart of man deep despaire to his vtter confusion for euer To resist therefore to remedy and helpe this canker-like creeping infectious euill let vs to day while it is yet to day study to turn againe vnto God cast out the Diuell and with him this great cause and occasion of desperation euen long custome of sinne and delay of amendment of our liues the thing that so hangeth on and presseth vs downe let vs in time while we haue time take a better course looking vp vnto Iesus Christ and set him before the eyes of our fayth as the onely marke to shoote at And for as much as we can not turne again to the Lord forsake our former wallowing in our former long accustomed sins except the Lord our God reach vs his helping hand to turne vs vnto him and that repentance is not in our own power to take it vp lay it downe at our owne pleasure Whence repentance amendment of life are to be had how they are to be come by 〈◊〉 and that of our selues wée can not put it into our hearts when we list exceept it first come from aboue for that it is an excellent and a rare gift of God Let vs earnestly and heartily with our humble feruent praiers beg the same at Gods hands Let vs practise much often hearing reading meditating the word of God and with care vse all ordinary meanes for the better and speedy attaining of it for it is not so easie a matter to come by as the world thinketh it It is not an howers worke when we lie on our death-beds that will serue the turne It is not Many are may be deceaued in the māner time of their repentance Cry God mercy a little for fashion sake that will doe it It is not a coursing or mumbling vp of a few praiers at a mans last farewel the wil auaile And yet if we were sure that that would serue yet we are very vn-sure whether we shall haue time leasure and remembrance at our last gaspe to do that yea or no to trust to doe it at our last houre is but a broken staffe to be trusted vnto And yet it is not so vncertaine but on the other side it is as certaine that then we shall haue many byasses Note this you that deferre repentance vntill your last end many rubs and stoppes many impediments to lie in our waies and to hinder our course in going foreward at that time with last gasping repentance which many fond and foolish men relye so much vppon 〈…〉 ●●st so much vnto passing away their dayes carelesly neglecting good opportunity when time serueth like vnto those fiue foolish Virgins that made no preparation aforehand to be in a readines to enter in with the Bridegroom till it was too late this is I say a very broken staffe to trust vnto a thing very doubtfull and vncertaine to depend vpon or to make any reconing of for a man to repent and cry God mercy and make himselfe fit and ready for God at his last houre because that very many in all ages and in all places haue been and are taken away oftentimes with a suddaine death haue neither that houres nor halfe houres leasure that they before spake of and trusted so much vnto Lu. 17.27 examples shewing that it is dangerous trusting to the last hower Gen. 19.23 When the World was eating drinking planting and building when they were most secure and carelesse then suddenly came the flood and ouerwhelmed them al. Though it were a faire morning at Lo●s going out of Sodome yet by and by when they least thought of any such matter they were all suddainly destroyed When Nabuchadnezzar was most brag and thought himselfe most safe and sure Dan. 4.12 suddenly neuer dreaming nor once suspecting any such things was he pulled on his knées The Rich man thought himselfe neuer more like to haue liued Luk. 12.20 Acts 5 are two notable examples of suddaine and vnprouided death in Anania● and his wife then when he so busily made such great prouision and laid vp store for many yeares yet was his soule sodainly taken from him the very same night And what knowest thou O man that trustest so much and puttest off till the last day houre whether that day and houre may not come as suddainely on thee and as vnlooked for as it did on any of these Augustine and Ambrose did write one of them to the other what his opinion was concerning the state of an old Adulterer which in their time as hee was going in the night time to his Whore passing ouer