and growing and is so surely kept that no man can depriue vs of it either by force or craft And then another benefit there is Luk. 12.34 Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also This is of so good effect that if one lay vp treasure in Heauen his heart will follow it What is the reason then that many men can come so hardly to speake of Heauen and heauenly things that one may as easily make a great milstone ascend vp to the Skie as draw their thoughts to heauen-ward the reason is plaine their treasure is not there This knew Salomon when hee said Pro. 11.17 He that is mercifull to the poore rewardeth his owne soule As if he had said euery man will yeeld it is a good thing to bee beneficiall to himselfe and to doe good to his owne soule but it is most certaine that nothing in the VVorld no purchase no bargaine shall bring so much profit to the soule as a mercifull heart and liberall hand to the poore members of Christ Iesus Acts 9.39 This caused Dorcas to bee so full of good workes and almes whose continuall custome was to buy cloth cut it forth and prepare garments for the naked Master Fox recordeth in the story of the Right worthy Lady the Lady Anne Bullen Mother to the late Queene of famous memory Queene Elizabeth that shee vsually sent her messengers into the Townes next adioyning to her abode to vnderstand both the number and state of their poore and where greatest want was shee contributed her almes to the reliefe of their necessities yea and that continually so great was her compassion towards the afflictions of Gods people Let vs then by these examples Remember them that are in bonds Heb. 13.3 as though wee also were bound with them and them that are afflicted as if we also were afflicted Neither let the rich man thinke whom wealth and nobility maketh haughty and proud that therefore hee was formed of gold siluer or some purer substance then the beggar who hath nothing to stand vpon but beggery patchery and penury for of the same masse of the same vile and abiect peece of earth both rich poore were taken Let them againe remember that they are mortall corruptible fraile and subiect to as many chances and changes as any other though neuer so poore and contemptible in the world Iob hauing found this by experience Would not see any perish for want of cloathing Iob 31.19 20. nor any poore without conering yea many blessed him that were warmed with the fleece of his sheepe And hee found the truth of that blessing pronounced by the Prophet Dauid saying Blessed is the man that considereth the poore and needy Psal 41.1 the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble VVhy then despisest thou thine owne flesh why art thou an enemy to thy selfe This consideration should breede in vs such a fellow-feeling of the good or euill ioy or sorrow weale or woe of the members of the same body that wee should Reioyce with them that reioyce Rom. 12.16 and weep with them that weepe Againe 1 Cor. 12.25 That the members should haue the same care one of another Otherwise if wee haue lost this feeling and affection of members it argueth plainely that wee be no true members of the misticall body that we are not ingrafted into the body of Iesus Christ And therefore Saint Iohn assureth vs 1 Ioh. 3.17 That whosoeuer hath this Worlds goods and seeth his brother hath neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him that the loue of God cannot dwel in him If then the loue of God be in thy heart it is knowne by the loue that thou shewest to thy neighbour and if thou louest thy neighbour thou wilt not shew thy selfe hard-hearted and straight laced vnto him in his miseries Euen as the heart that is placed in the middest of the body inclineth most to the left side though indeed it inspireth life to the whole body so though a Christian ought to manifest his loue to euery man and our charity is to bee diffused vnto all men yet should hee bee most prone to the afflicted part and to bestow his charitable beneuolence where there is most neede of succour Charity and loue to our neighbour in humane societie is like the blood in the naturall body which amine streth and conserueth life for as the blood in euery necessity of the body runneth to the indigent parts to succour where is most need so is true charity ouer readie to minister succour and to conuert it selfe thither where is most need and necessity Lucullus hauing sumptuously entertained for some time certain Grâ—â—cians and when they saidâ— vnto him they maruelled that for their sakes hee would bestow such liberall expence and magnificent cost be answered Much my friends was for your sakes but the greatest part was for Lucullus sake So the good Christian who sheweth himselfe mercifull to the poore needy doth surely much for their sakes because hee loueth them as his neighbours and fellow members but much also for his owne sake because hee is delighted in doing good and ioyfully doth the worke of mercy The Holy Ghost compares our deeds of charity to seede sowne Gal. 6.7 They that sow plentifully shall reape also plentifully Now wee know that after sowing in time comes the Haruest and when the haruest commeth there is many for one the Husbandmans labour is recompenced keep your seed by you it will corrupt cast it forth it shall bring in crease VVhat more praise-worthy in a Christian then where God hath blessed industrie gathered and frugalitie saued thereby charitable almesdeeds and workes of mercy to pittie the distressed estates of others especially considering that if we sow but a cup of cold water in conscience and in loue it is sowne vpon Christ Iesus Mat. 25.35 he is the ground For I was hungry and ye gaue mee meate I thirsted and ye gaue mee drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me c. Therefore vnlesse yee thinke that Christ will bee a barren ground it is most certaine that he which scatters seede here shall reape a large increase that which is cast abroade in mercy shall returne againe in goodnes the more good a man doth the more good hee shall receiue for God will restore it But oh what vaine of eloquence or stile of perswasion may now serue in this congealed age of charity to mollifie the steely hearts and thaw the frozen affections of worldlings and make them relent at the miseries of the poore members of Christ Let vs neuer forget that the sentence which the supreame Iudge Iesus Christ shall pronounce at the dreadful day of iudgment shall be grounded vpon the workes of mercy how wee haue discharged our stewardship in the succour and reliefe or in the neglect and contempt of his poore members which hee reputeth as done vnto himselfe And contrariwise he shall send
lift vp his eyes to heauen Eccles 9 but smote his breast saying God be mercifull to me a sinner Hee would not come neere vnto God therefore God in mercy commeth neere vnto him for the text saith Hee went away rather Iustified Oh happy therefore and thrice blessed are they who groning vnder the burthen of their sinnes seeke quietues of minde in Christ alone Thus much touching greefe of Conscience The next speciall duty of consolation is to bee performed toward those who stand in feare of death wherein you are to require the aide of your Minister with him to ioyne in prayer to our heauenly Father for the sicke Patient that if it so stand with his great goodnesse he may restored to his former health if not yet to forgiue him his sinnes and so to arme him with patience that he may the better bee prepared to enter into glory And of this sufficient hath beene spoken in the place of Ecclesiasticall consolation In the third place wee are to speake of the comforting of those who suffer immoderate greefe for the death of their friends as wiues doe for the deaths of their husbands children for their Parents and one friend for the losse of another To whom I say that although it bee commendable to powre forth teares ouer the dead for so did Iacob for Ioseph supposing him to bee dead Ge. 37.35 Surely I will goe downe into the graue to my Sonne mourning And likewise great was the lamentation that Dauid made when newes was brought him of the death of Absolon Oh Absolon my Sonne 2 Sam. 18.35 my Sonne Absolon would God I haddied for thee Oh Absolon my Sonne my Sonne Nay Christ himselfe saith Saint Ierome went not to his Sepulcher without weeping eyes yet saith the Apostle Paul 1 Thes 4.13 I would not haue you ignorant concerning them which are asleepe that ye sorrow not euen as others that haue no hope And therefore saith Saint Barnard Non culpamus affectum sed excessum Wee blame not the affection but the want of moderation Hee that said Eccle. 38.17 my Sonne power forth thy teares ouer the dead said also comfort thy selfe Amongst other meane comforts saith Tertulllian Resurrectio mortuorum fiducia Christianorum Christians who beleeue a Resurrection to a better life should raise vp themselues by faith from such too dolefull passions for as in all other things so in this a moderation should bee had Hast thou lost a good Father Friend Husband Wife or Child say with the holy man Iob Iob. 1.21 The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. They are not cleane taken from vs but gon a little before on the way wherin we must al follow we shall all one day meete againe by the grace of God at what time there will be no meane ioy when friends shall for euer liue reioyce and sing an Halleluiah to our heauenly King And surely saith the prophet Esay Esa 57 1. They are taken away from the euil to come And our Sauiour Christ Iesus a little before his passion seeing his Disciples sorrowfull for his departure which was so shortly to ensue said vnto them Ioh. 14.29 If you loued mee you would reioyce because I said I goe to my Father So if wee loued our friends wee cannot but reioyce because they are gone to Christ Iesus their Redeemer For they are taken from misery to happinesse from vanity to glory and from fading pleasures to euerlasting ioyes Let vs therefore rather praise God for their so happy deliuerance then any way seeme discontented thereat Thus much touching the death of our Friends In the last place we are to comfort such as haue sustained losse of worldly wealth which hapeneth either by casualty of fire inundations of water shipwracke Pirates or theeues To al which kind of worldly losses these fiue principles following are to bee propounded First consider what our blessed Sauiour taught vs when he willed vs to pray That Gods will might be done in vs what reason then hath any man to withstand the performance of that for which hee dayly prayeth And our Sauiour praying a little before his passion said Mat. 26.39 Neuerthelesse not as I wil but as thou wilt Oh excellent Patterne for obedient children patiently to content themselues with what cross soeuer it shal please our heauenly Father to lay vpon them Secondly Psal 24.1 consider the Earth is the Lords and all that therein is the round world and they that dwell therein If then all the riches of this world belong to the Lord who in mercy hath but lent them vs and made vs to be Stewards ouer them Luk. 16.1 As by the Parable of the vniust Steward may appeare Saint Paul also auoucheth it when he saith Wee brought nothing into this World 1 Tim. 6.7 and it is certeâ—â— wee can carry nothing out Why then should men bee too much deiected seeing the Lord hath but taken his own we couÌ„t him a very vnthankful debter that is not as willing to pay as to borrow Man is the debter God is the lender let vs not herein deale with our heauenly Father more vniustly then we would haue our Brother deale with vs. Let vs say with the holy man Iob Iob. 1.21 The Lord giueth the Lord taketh away blessed be the name of the Lord. When I had them I was not the better I trusted not to them they therefore being gone doe nothing dismay mee Thirdly consider the Lord hath done this for the tryall of our Faith Patience and perseuerance as he dealt with his seruant Iob who said Iob. 13.15 Though hee slay mee yet I will trust in his mercy For when the Lord shall perceiue that our confidence is not built vpon fading ioyes and transitory pleasures but firmely cast vpon him he then will drawe neere vnto vs and vnto al that truly feare him trust in his mercy as he did to his seruant Iob To whom God gaue twice so much riches as hee had taken from him Fourthly call to minde the prouidence of God towards all Creatures Behold saith our Sauiour the fowles of heauen Mat. 6.26 for they sowe not neither reape nor carry into barnes yet your heauenly Father feedeth them are you not much better then they The Phylosopher Bias cast his goods into the Sea being demanded why he answered Omnia mea mecum porto My goods and I are neuer parted It were to be wished in like manner that Christians would cast away the leauen of too too worldly carefulnesse into the sea of eternall forgetfulnesse to that end especially that Christ and they might neuer be parted The fift and last principle and not the least which wee are to performe to our poore brethren in this behalfe is to yeeld them our charitable releefe for saith Saint Iohn Who soeuer hath the worlds goods 1 Ioh. 3.17 and seeth his brother haue neede
and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him or how can he be said to loue God whom hee seeth not when he loueth not his brother whom he daily seeth Let vs therefore be mercifull as our heauenly father is mercifull Thus far of the third worke of mercy to the soule expressed in comforting the sorrowfull mentioned in this word Solare Remitte THe fourth worke of mercy towards the soule consisteth in pardoning and forgiuing offenders This duty and the rest that follow are all generall euery man must forgiue all men as our Sauiour Christ Iesus plainely shewed when he taught his Disciples to pray Luk. 11.4 Forgiue vs our sinnes for euen we forgiue euery man that is indebted to vs as if he should say expect no forgiuenesse at the hand of Almightie God vnlesse ye likewise freely from the bottome of your hearts forgiue one another yet now a daies among your swaggering and roaring gallants there is but a word and a wound and among your ciuill lawlesse Lawyers but a word and a writ Ephes 4.32 Neuerthelesse S. Paul willeth vs to be Courteous one towards an other and tender hearted freely forgiuing one another euen as God for Christs sake freely forgaue vs. Wherein the Apostle meeteth with an obiection that might be made I am as gentle quiet affable curteous and patient as any man can be so long as you doe not wrong me iniure disgrace me or take away my good name but indeede if you abuse me or crosse me of my will in any thing Oh then you must pardon me I am somewhat passionate I may not endure or put vp such abuses at any hand No may you not endure them What then may you endure Surely no more then a beare a dog a horse or a hog may But it is the propertie of all those that will be the Disciples of our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus to forgiue and forget with meekenesse all iniuries and wrongs they will not only be kinde to the kinde and shew curtesie for curtesie for this the veriest reprobate and deepest dissembler in the world may doe but they will ouercome euill with goodnesse they wil shew mercy to the mercilesse by putting vp many wronges and offences And as they looke for pardon from God for far greater offences so will they not stick easily to giue pardon for these lesser offences An excellent example may be seene herein in Ioseph whose brethren after the decease of Iacob their father fearing his displeasure and submitting them selues to him he said Gen. 50.19 Feare not for I also am vnder God As if he should say If I should be so hastie in reuenging my selfe vpon the wronges which you haue offred me may not God pay the same fourefold into mine owne bosome Plainly teaching euery true Christian so to behaue himselfe towards offendors here in this life as they would haue God to reward them hereafter If then you would haue forgiuenesse at the hand of Almighty God freely from your hearts forgiue you your bretheren remembring that you your selues are likewise vnder the same condemnation Now to forgiue it is not enough to moderate the tongue which is loues broker and interpreter in not iudging euill of our neighbour but also the simpathy and affection of the heart is required which is the treasure of loue in forgiuing to which Christ himselfe annexeth a most cōfortable promise and it shall be for giuen you because we approue shew our selues thereby to be the true children of God Great is the equity of this precept that we should forgiue one another because we are brethrē But vnspeakable is the mercy of God in promising vs forgiuenes In forgiuing our brother wee do no more then equity it selfe requireth Tu quidem eum habes inimicum quiteeum creatus est saith S. Augustine Deus vero eum quem creauit thou hast him to thine enemie which was created with thee but God hath him to his enemie whom he created thou forgiuest when thou thy selfe needest forgiuenesse for who is he that sinneth not but God who wanteth nothing and cannot sinne forgiueth thee And that euery good Christian should doe this it is not onely meete but for many reasons necessary The first is the commandement of God which should be the rule and direction for euery Christian mans life Mat. 5.45 But I say vnto you loue your enemies saith Christ If thy friend should haue a seruant that should greatly abuse and offend thee and thou in thine anger shouldest rise vp to strike him yet remembring that he is the seruant of thy deere friend thou wouldest bridle thy wrath and forbeare for thy friends sake to strike him least thou shouldest offend or loose thy good friend This mildenesse and modestie God requireth at thine handes that for his sake thou shouldest forgiue and spare thine enemie his seruant his creature least thou loose his fauour and friendship Somtimes we see a brother to spare a brother lest they should displease their earthly father Esau a reprobate malicious man who bare a deadly hatred to his brother Iacob could say Gen. 27. The daies of mourning for my father will come shortly then will I stay my brother Iacob He would not lay handes vpon his brother while his father lest hee should greeue and offend him and should not we much more refraine from hurting and seeking reuenge vpon our enemie for the loue and reuerence we owe to our heauenly father to whom wee are so many waies indebted especially Christ saying vnto vs So shall my heauenly father doe vnto you Mat. 18. that is deliuer you to the laylors vntill you pay all that is due Except yee forgiue from your hearts each one to his brother their trespasses Ad tam magnum tonitru quinon expergiscitur non dormit sed mortuus est He that is not awaked at this so great thunder is not a sleepe but is a dead man saith S. Augustine If this can little moue thy flinty heart yet let these examples of heathen men preuaile something with thee of whom to be excelled and to come be-bind them in the practise of vertues is not only a shame vnto Christians but shall also condemne them at the day of Iudgement Phillip king of Macedon being counselled to punish one Archadius which continually railed vpon him when hee met him spake kindly vnto him and sent gifts vnto him and afterwards willed his friends to enquire what he said of him among the Greekes And when they answered hee was become a great prayser of the King I am then said hee a better Phisitian then any of you are Hippocinus a noble man conceiuing deepe displeasure against Alcibiades by reason of some iniury done vnto his son The next day early in the morning Alcibiades came vnto his house and being no sooner within his dore cast off his garment and offered his naked body willing him to whip him at his
the mercilesse and such as haue heene negligent in the workes of charitie into eternall fire Of earefull sentence to be tormented with the Diuell and his Angels Oh that this sentence were continually sounding in our eares But you are to note that these workes of the faithfull are not here set downe as the causes whereby men merit saluation but because these workes of charity are the infallible fruits of our faith to shew the same to be liuely and working through loue Gal. 5.6 and so consequently the markes and signes of our election and that way wherein God would haue vs to walke towards the possession of his heauenly Kingdome Many men pretend many excuses that they may not giue some for feare of diminutiō of their goods that if they extend liberally to the poore they themselues shall want others cut of their bounty to the poore vnder pretence of prouiding for their children that they may leaue them the richer but what is this else but to distrust God then not to be lieue his word then not to trust him vpon his promise Hath not truth it selfe said which cannot lie Pro. 28.27 Hee that giuth to the poore shall not want Luke 6.38 Likewise doth not our Saniour Christ say Giue and it shall bee giuen you a good measure pressed downe shaken together and running ouer shall men giue into your bosome And doth not God assure thee that this honouring of God with thy substāce Pro. 3.9 shal be so far from diminishing thy wealth That it shall fill thy barnes with aboundance And doth not the Apostle confirme this 2 Cor. 9.10 That God will multiply your seede and increase the fruite of your benenolence If thou wouldest prouide for thy children what better course canst thou take then that which S. Ciprian giueth If thou hast many children be the more carefull by distributing to the poore to leaue them Gods blessing commit to his custody the goods thou wouldest lay vppe for thy children make God their tutor and protectour and so shalt thou be sure to haue them safe kept Otherwise thy niggardlinesse and sparing frōthe poore to make them rich what is it else but a subuersion of thy selfe thy house and thy children We are all not Lords but Gods stewrds of the goods commited to our charge and the poore be but Gods receiuers which come to receiue Gods blessings at our hands to deny then to pay vnto thee poore which beare Gods Image that which we owe vnto God what is this but an heinous theft and an intollerable sacriledge Christ saith saith S. Augustine giue vnto mee of that which I haue giuen thee I aske but mine owne giue and restore thou hast found me liberall make me thy debtor thou giuest vnto me temporall things I render vnto thee eternall Surely there is nothing more dishonoureth God then disobedience and distrust in his prouidence and promises for it deroguteth from his goodnes as if he would suffer vs to want if we obey his will Euen as mothers which haue many small children haue ouer bread by them that they may giue vnto their children when they craue so our God aboundeth with all treasures of goodnesse and is ready to impart vnto those that serue him and craue at his hands As did the Leaper Mat. 8. Master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Then would the Lord presently answer I will be thou cleane thou shalt haue sufficient thou hast obeyed my will in giuing reliefe vnto the poore I will not faile thee Luk. 16.9 nor for sake thee Make you friends saith Christ of the unrighteous Mammon that when you shall want they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations Damasoene telleth a tale of the rich mans three friends his goods his kinsfolkes and his workes of charity His goods when he dieth can afford him but a shrowding sheete a few mourners and so forsake him his kinsfolke follow him to the graue and there leaue him but his almesdeedes and vertues neuer forsake him This this I say is the friend wee should most regard and as for the drosse of the world and all other friends we must leaue them and they will forsake vs. And surely there is nothing more effectuall to the good of a family then when the Master of it opens his hands aboundantly with all plenty of good workes of mercie I will therefore conclude this fift-branch with this saying Who helpes the poore and pittieth the oppressed He liues to God and doubtlesse dieth blessed Let vs therefore be merciful as our heauenly father is mercifull And thus much touching the fift worke of mercie to the body Colligo THe sixt worke of mercy to the body consisteth in lodging the harbourlesse and in the entertaining of strāgers And this the Apostle cōmendeth vnto vs saying Receiue yee one another Rom. 15.7 as Christ also receiued vs to the glory of the father But so great was the loue of Christ that he sticked not to offer vp his body and bloud as a liuely sacrifice to God the father for our attonement and reconciliation How great then should ou◠Christian loue be one towards another to further the good one of another to relieue the wants necessities one of another The Apostle to the Hebrewes calleth to vs with a remembrance Heb. 13.2 saying Be not forgetfull to entertaine strangers for thereby some haue entertained Angels into their house vnawares Wherein he eanswereth an obiection made by many saying I could be willing to entertaine any honest man but I did not remember that any stranger past by my dore at any time vnregarded Did you not And why I pray you would you be so forgetfull can you tell to whom you denied entertainement and vpon what occasion they trauailed this way Gen. 19.1.2 For had not Let entertained the two Angels when hee saw them he might peraduonture haue had his destruction amongst them of Sedom Gomorrah 1 Kings 17 10.22 Had not the widdow of Sarcphath enter tained Elias neither could she haue continued her meale in her barrel nor her oyle in her cruse neither had her sonne dying bin restored to life Iosua 2.1 And Rahab had not saued her selfe her household neither could she haue obtained this priuiledge that afterwards Christ Iesus according to the flesh should haue come of her stocke posterity if she had not entertained and defended with the hazard of her owne life those spies which Iosua sent It is recorded that the Lucans had a law which condemned that man to be sined which suffered a stranger to passe vnlodged after the sunne was downe And surely were the like law in England practised vpon our Inhoulders and victualling houses our poore trauailers should be better respected For albeit the law tolerate those houses rather for the reliefe of strangers then for the maintenance of drunkards and other shifting mates Let a trauailer neuer thelesse be his occasion neuer so