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
deliuering and comforting those that are oppressed touching which duty the Apostle to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 13.3 Remember them that are in bonds as thogh ye were bound with them As if he should say Make their case your owne deale with them as you would be dealt withall your selues if the like misery should befall vnto you Salomon also saith Pro. 24.11.12 Deliuer them that are drawne to death and wile thou not preserue them that are led to beeslaine If thou say Beheld I know it not hee that pondereth the hearts doth not hee vnderstand it and hee that keepeth thy soule knowes hee it not will hee not also recompence euery man according to his workes He shewes that if we see those that be vnrightcously drawne to death or oppiossed wee must not stand by and say Alasso who euer sam such a World as this is who euer saw such wrongfull appression vsed as in these times But wee must put to our helping hand and labour to our power to rescue them and to deliuer them For saith he Wilt not thou preserue them As if he had said Art thou so mercisesse that thou wilt not helpe the oppressed But then he meets with our excuses which we are ready to make in such cases Alasse I knew not that hee had such neede of my helpe or if I should meddle I should bring an old house vpon mine owne head and trouble my selfe when I needed not yet he cuts off all when he saith Doth not God see thee and know thy heart As if hee should say Well these excuses may dazell mine eyes and make a faire shew with them that can see nothing but shewes but God lookes not so much to the tongue and what one can say for himselfe he ponders the heart and that not lightly he knowes and considers euery particular thing and circunestance and therefore it is no shifting nor doubling when he comes to take triall of vs. For he knowes that all those excuses come from selfe-loue and the loue of lucre and commodity that one might spare cost and liue at case and rather see another oppressed with wrong then hazard himselfe any way to helpe him Last of all hee saith You that be so loath to suffer a little trouble and to bee at a little charges to helpe another man in misery know you not that God recompenceth men according to their workes That hee causeth them to reape like for like may not you come to the like misery your self and then because you had no heart nor will to helpe another you shall see others fit as quietly by you and not venture to minister any succour vnto you Now men are come to such selfe-loue and senslesnes of other mens wrongs as if they were things done in a farre Countrey and in another age as if it nothing appertained to them they haue nothing to doe with them The better for t onely will haue a little idle pitty and mercy in the mouth saying Alasse I am sorry and it is a pitty that honest men should be thus wronged iniured and disgraced yet they will neuer put to an hand to helpe they will not stirre a finger to doe any good to their reliefe neither will they take any paines or be at any charges to ease and deliuer the oppressed for most men beare this minde that they could take more paines and spend more money to compasse their owne pleasures to satissie their lusts and carnall appetites yea to pul one of their own beasts out of the ditch then to deliuer a poore wronged Christian out of the pawes of the persecutor But Ionathan was not of this minde 1 Sam. 20.38 hee ventured his owne life to saue Dauids and deliuered him out of the hand of Saâ—l his Father though it seemed Dauid onely stood betweene him and the Crowne Obadiah likewise being Ahabs Steward 1 Kin. 18.4 when his Master raised an hot persecution and would haue slaine all the Prophets of God and hee in likelihood should haue escaped but hardly if his Master had perceiued that hee had borne any fauour and affection towards them and the famine was so great that scarce bread and water could bee got for money So that it was not onely dangerous but exceeding chargeable to feede an hundred Prophets now whom the King sought with all diligence to bring to destruction yet notwithstanding all these impediments Obdiah stood faithfully for God and his Prophets and kept them with bread and water sufficiently both in the heate of persecution and in the middest of famine But on the contrary most hellish and cursed of all are those that be so farre from helping and succouring Gods afflicted Saints as that they reioyce at their troubles recounting it one to another as very ioyfull tidings and matter of meriment when they heare that such a man is in prison such a Minister suspended depriued or the like yea peraduenture they will not sticke to put an hand to it and to their power to helpe it forwards These be cruel wretches indeede inspired with the malice of the Diuell vnlesse they repent shall bee most miserable hereafter being plagued with the vengeance of God as a iust recompence for their cruelty whereas in this case they ought rather so to shew mercy vnto others as they would expect the mercy of God towards themselues Let vs therefore bee mercifull as our Heauenly Father is mercifull Thus much touching the fourth worke of mercy towards the body Tego THE fift worke of mercy to the body consisteth in shewing mercy to the poore and needy according to our ability their necessity This duty our Sauiour Christ commandeth saying Luk. 12.33 Sell that you haue and make you bagâ— that waxe not olde VVhere Christ exhorting vs to bee mercifull meetes with a common obiection Indeede I would willingly bestow somthing vpon the poore members of Christ Iesus but lasse I haue nothing Haue you nothing to sel neuer a strike of â—orn neuer a parcell of Land no Merchandize no housâ— old stuffe that you could spare for Christ If you haue sell it and giue to Christ and to his Members imitating therein a wicked man who to compasse his pleasures and to satissie his owne carnall appetite will come by money what shift soeuer he make Doe you as much for Christ and his Members as a wicked man will doe for the fulfilling of his vaine desires Oh but if I should sell and giue so I might be beggered Nay Christ wils no man to beggar himselfe But make you bags This is such a treasure as no other is like it for no other will multiplie and increase lying by vs but is of that nature that either of it selfe iâ— will corrupt the canker and rust wil set vpon it and bring it to â—â—ught or else a thiefe may meete with it so that one is in continuall danger to bee poore But this is such a kind of treasure as in it selfe is eternal
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
same paine and griefe if any one yea but the meanest sufferany thing the rest are also pertakers thereof For whosoeuer trippeth at the toe his purpose is to bring the head to the ground If therefore we haue the loue that ought to be in the hearts of Christians we cannot chuse but in some part as hauing a fellow feeling of the miseries of our brethren be ready to helpe them and relieue them and to doe workes of mercy toward them And herein Iobs friends may be commended vntovs Iob. 2.11 It is said that hauing heard of the misery wherin Iob was suddēly cast they came to him not as the common custome is to bid him be of good cheere and wee hope you shall doe well feare not we will helpe you the best wee can c. but they came to lament with him they wept with him they rent their clothes and sat downe with him mourning they hearing their friends woe would let him know they were touched with it and therefore they shew it by weeping wayling and lamenting in the dust making his cause theirs so neere as might be And surely hee that is throughly and sensibly affected with other mens miseries will be very ready and willing to relieue them and to doe workes of mercy to them But for want of this partaking of other mens griefes it commeth to passe that men be so hardly drawne and haled to any worke of mercy that it must be pulled from them by maine strength yea by many forcible arguments reasons and inducements must they be constrained to it before they will yeelde there vnto and when all is done they bestow a thing of no valew nothing to the purpose yea they that are bountifull enough in matters of lust and vanity in playes vaine shewes gaming wantonnesse and the like are so sparing in works of merey that one can hardly wring a penny from them by all the perswasions he can make But why should they be so slow and vnwilling Surely because they neither haue nor will haue any sense of other mens griefes but put away al consideration and regard of these things and giue themselues wholly to pleasure In those matters which will cost them many teares much lamentation great griefe of hart bring them no good hereafter but much sorrow they care not how farre they run and what charges and expences they be at but for visiting the sicke duties of compassion and workes of mercy such as will further their soules and doe good to the church and Saints of God they come off so slowly heauily as though all were lost that were that way bestowed And thus it falleth out because their heartes are mercilesse and voide of compassion Whereas affliction should makes v◠more mexciful pittifull and compassionate towards others as hauing our selues endured the like crosses and miseries and our hearts which are hard in themselues should be softned and made the more tender and in fellow feeling of their griefes more ready and willing to yeeld vnto them any comfort refreshing Thus those who haue beene sicke are apt to pitty those most whom they see payned with the like diseases Those who haue bin imprisoned do more readily compassionate and accordingly helpe and relieue those who are restrayned Those which haue beene pinched with penury and paine with hunger doe aboue others pitty them who being poore want foode to feede them and clothes to couer them Now therefore to conclud this point in as much as in this life there is nothing certaine it being often incident for men to flourish in a moment and on a sudden to be plunged into the pit of miserable pouerty or a affliction Neither is there any man that would refuse comfort when occasion necessitie doth require it why then should wee with-hold that from our brethren which wee should expect at their hands towards our sclues if neede were Let vs therefore be merifull towards others as we would expect the mercy of God toward our selues And thus much touching the first worke of mercy to the body Poto Cibo THe Second and third worke of mercy to the body consists in giuing bread and drinke and other foode to such as want it These two are as twins which may not be parted touching which duty S. Rom. 12.20 Paul saith If thine enemy hunger feede him If he thirst giue him drinke If thine enemy much more thy friend yet such is the hard hartednesse of the age and time wherein wee liue that charity is not extended to a friend nay scarce to a brother how then shall an enemy expect any fauour Neuerthelesse the spirit of God reacheth vs by the mouth of Salo mon. To cast our bread vpon the waters Eccle. 11.1 2.3.4 for after many dayes we shall finde it Giue a portion to 7 and also to 8. for thou knowest not what euill shall be vpon the earth As if he should say be liberall to the poore for though it seeme to be as a thing ventred on the sea yet it shall bring thee profit If the cloudes bee full they will poure forth raine vpon the earth As the clouds so the rich that haueal oundance should distribute liberally If the tree fall toward the South or toward the North in the place that it falleth there it shal be Be beneficiall there fore whilest you liue for after life there is no power He that obserueth the winde shall not sow and hee that regardeth the clouds shall not reape So he that feareth inconueniences when necessity requireth shall neuer doe his duty And thus you see Salomon in this Metaphoricall speech stirreth vp the people of God to the workeof mercy liberality towards such as are with misery and want afflicted What we should giue he sheweth when hee saith Cast thy bread by which word bread he signifieth all kinde of foode and meate for the preseruation of the life of man or necessary to the reliefe suslentation of our needy and distressed brethren We are bound therefore to giue whatsoeuer is requi sit to supply the want of such as are in neede necessity There is also an Emphasis to be obserued in this word Cast the latine word Mitte signifieth to send any thing as if the almes wee giue to the poore were sent by them into heauen So it is reported of Laurence the Martir who hauing distrito the poore the treasures which Sextus left him āswe red Decius the Emperour in this māner The treasure of the Church which thou requirest In celestes The sauros manus pau perū deportauerunt the hands of the poore haue carried them into the heauēly treasury If we will then lay vp our corne our garmēt our money in a safe place where the the eues cānot steale thē the mothes cate nor the rust consume them letys send them to heauen by the hands of the poore where weshall be fure to haue thē safe kept that which we cānot carry with