teacheth vs to cōmend our selues and all our petitions to the will of God The fourth that it was with sorrow for hee was in an agony and this putteth vs in minde of that of the Apostle Rom. 8.26 The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what to pray as wee 〈◊〉 but the spirit worketh 〈◊〉 for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed The fift that it was with perseuerance for hee came three times vnto his Disciples three times and in three places was hee tempted and three times did he here pray and willed his Disciples Mat 26.41 To watch and pray that they enter not into temptation Oh what deuotion was here his last supper being ended he goeth forth accompanied with his Disciples and speakes vnto them as a louing father vpon his death-bed when hee hath not much to say giues his Children precepts at parting which they should remember when he is gone from them of which precepts this was not the lest Watch and pray Mat. 26.41 that you enter not into temptation And surely wee haue no sweeter incense then our deuotion offered vp by prayer we haue no better Oratours to pleadeour cause no surer Ambassadours to conclude our peace then our humble supplications to Almighty God who healeth our sicknesses and forgiueth our sinnes who sitteth euer in commission to heare our suits and looketh that wee should send vp prayers and petitions to him that hee may also send downe his mercies and graces to vs. By which meanes we enter into a spirituall traffique with God himselfe we giue a cup of could water and he returnes a fountaine of the waters of life to vs. Wee giue him with the poore widdowe two mites Ioh. 4.14 and hee giues vs againe the whole treasure of the temple The mercy of God saith one is like a vessell full to the very brim if once his children by the hand of faithfull prayer beginne to take of it it doth ouerflowe vnto them It is not with God as with men amongst whom those who are petitioners are wont to be troublesome vnto him but with God the more we offer vp our praiers vnto him the more wee are accepted of him For with him the gates of mercy are wide open to all poore sinners that will make their prayers vnto him Come and welcome 1 Sam. 2. Hannah being barren by prayer obtained a sonne Elias 1 King 18. raine Elisha a sonne 1 King 4 for the Shunamite which being dead was also by his prayer restored to life Acts 9.20 Peter by prayer raised Dorcas and Paul Eutichus from death to life It is recorded in the life of Martin Luther that a certaine yong man hauing by an indenture of couenants writen and sealed with his owne bloud giuen his soule in reuersion to the deuill that the fiend was forced at the instant prayer of the said Martin Luther to giue to the young man his deed againe Russinus and Socrates also write that Theodosius the Christian Emperour in a great battaile against Eugenius when he saw the huge multitude that was comming against him and so in the sight of man there was an apparent our throw at hand he gets him vp into place eminent in the sight of all the army fals downe prostrate vpon the earth be seecheth God if euer hee would looke vpon a sinfull creature to helpe him in this time of greatest neede suddenly there arose a mighty winde which blow the darts of the enemies backe vpon themselues in such wonderfull manner as Eugenius with all his hoast was cleane discomfited Wherefore being compassed by such a cloud of witnesses let vs sometimes with Abraham Gen. 22. leaue our terrene affaires as he left his seruants beneath when he want into the mount to sacrifice to God so in sicknesse principally and in times of distresse then should wee fly vnto our surest stay of repose then should we ascend into the contemplation of heauenly things and haue recourse to Gods mercy as to a City of refuge Psal 50.15 Therefore as Austin counselleth Demus operam vt moriamur in precatione Call vpon me in the time of trouble and I will heare thee thou shalt prayse me In the time of trouble there is a refuge for extremitie And I will heare thee there is a reward of mercy and thou shalt praise me there is a reflexe of a thankfull duty Christ wils all Mat. 11.28 that are weary and heauy Laden to come vnto him and they shall not loose their labour for he will refresh them In time of neede no surer sanctuary then by humble prayer to repayre to God Psal 123.2 Wherefore as the eies of seruants looke vnto the hand of their master and as the eies of a mayden vnto the hand of her misereis so let our eyes wayte vpon the Lord our God vntill hee haue mercy vpon vs. But as prayer and thanksgiuing is our Christian sacrifice so must it agree with that of the Israelites in sixe points 1. As theirs was seasoned with salt so ours must be with the truth of a good conscience 2. As theirs was brought to the priest so ours must be presented to God 3. As theirs was slaine so when we pray we must kill all our lewd and malicious affections 4. As theirs was washt with water ours must bee with teares of repentance 5. As theirs was without blemish so ours must be without hypocrisie Lastly as theirs was kindled with fire so ours must be with zeale And in this duty we must imitate the blessed Protomartyr S. Steuen who prayed for his enemies saying Lord lay not this sin to their charge we must pray for all men Acts 7. Thus much concerning the sixe duties of mercy belonging to the soule Wherin let vs be mercifull as our heauenly father is mercifull MISERICORS OR Motiues to Mercy The second part Comprehending all duties of mercy belonging to the Body AT LONDON Imprinted by IOHN BEALE 1619. The Argument HAuing dearely beloued brethren finished the former treatise touching all the duties of mercy belonging to the soule I now purpose by Gods blessed assistance particularly to handle the workes of mercy due to the body as they follow in this verse Visito Poto Cibo Redimo Tego Colligo Condo To visit the sicke giue drinke to the thirstie bread to the hungry to helpe the oppressed to cloath the naked to lodge the harbourlesse to bury the dead Visito THe first duty of mercie to the body consisteth in visiting comforting and relieuing all those on whom God hath layd his heauy rod of sicknesse Already sufficient hath beene deliuered in the third worke of mercie to the soule touching spirituall consolation to the sicke and diseased It is the counsell of the Apostle to the Hebrews That we should remember those that are afflicted Heb. 13.3 as if we were also afflicted As if he should say Be ye the members of one body And members be all pertakers of the
non vetat peccare cum possit Iubet Hee that suffereth sinne vncontrouled doth as it were command it But rightly to reprehend is one of the greatest difficulties incident to humane discretion And yet it is easier known then done partly by reason of the way wardnesse of the delinquents dispositiō that may not suffer reproofe partly by reason of the diuers affections of the reprouers themselues whom either ignorance disables fauour withdrawes feare deterres or fury transports beyond the bounds of reason First such I say is the waywardnes of mans crooked nature that for the most part they may not heare of their offences according to the example of Herod who heard Iohn Baptist willingly Mar. 6.20 and did many things after him but when hee told him that it was not lawfull for him to take Herodias h◠brother Philips wife hee laide holde on him and cast him in prison Ieroboam also stretched out his hand from the Altar 1 Kin. 13.4 22.27 saying lay hold on him so soone as hee was reproued and Michaiah must bee fed with bread and water of affliction till Ahab returne in peace Wee can enery one of vs cry out against the sinnes of the time and age wherein we liue saying Hos 4.1 There is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land But what man is hee among a thousand that in the true humiliation of his owne soule will stand out with Dauid and say Behold I haue sinned yea I haue done wickedly 2 Sam. 14.17 〈◊〉 these sheepe what haue they done For albeit in generall we all confesse our selues to be sinners yet so great is the selfe-loue that euery man by nature carrieth in his owne bosome that when it commeth to the particulars he coueteth to lay the burthen vpon another mans shoulders and not to say with Iudah that he or shee Gen. 38.16 is more righteous then I. A first part of Ecclesiasticall Corrigidors there are whom ignorance disables these poast vpon Gods message before they haue learned their errand being more greedy of the gaine then gainefull in the grace of their calling hauing not as yet receiued any warning from the mouth of the Lord to giue to his people and therefore no way fit to execute the charge whereinto they haue thrust themselues There are a second sort whom either fauour withdrawes or feare deterres from reprouing sinne 1 Iohn 1.15 Such who louing the world loue net the Father that is to say when Michael your Minister or Peter Please-man his Curate will not tell Ahab of his cruelty Nabal of his churlishnesse Iezebel of her painting Gehazi of bribery c lest they thereat offended should withdraw their affection from him pleasure another And thus whilest hee preferreth gold before God honour before honesty and money more then the good of any hee is ready euen with the false Prophets 1 Kin. 22.15 to bid Ahab goe vp and prosper In stead of correcting vices he is ready to flatter and sooth men vp in their conceited vertues couering a rusty blade with a veluet scabbard and crying peace peace when warre is approaching whereas Almighty God commandeth Esai 58.1 Crie aloud spare not lift vp thy voice like a Trumpet tell ludah his sinnes Israel their transgressions Shall God bid cry aloud and shall we be silent A third sort of corrigidors there are whom sury transports beyond the bounds of reason those men can winke 〈◊〉 all things till they themselues be first offended and then passing the bounds of charity they lay all things open yea peraduenture more then all stuffing their Pulpits with inuectiues and declamations so farre are they transported with the fury of their affections And yet for all this sinne must bee checkt errour must bee restrained and vices must be spoken against lest vnder pretence of supposed defects in our selues or respects to others they gather head and like the vnruly Sea break down the bankes ouerwhelme the Land with Atheisme and superstitious impiety Thus much touching Ecclesiasticall correction Domesticall correction is twofold reproofe and punishment this duty is to be performed by Parents towards their children and by Masters towards their seruants Salomon is very copious in this matter Pro 23.13 Withhold not correction from thy child thoushalt smite him with the rod and shalt deliuer his soule from hell Correct thy sonne and he will giue thee rest Pro. 29.17 and he will giue pleasures to thy soule Againe Pro. 13.24 He that spareth the rod hateth his sonne but he that loueth him correcteth him betimes All which testimonies tendes to this that if we desire our owne peace and not to be molested nor vexed but much comforted by them if we would testifie our faithfull loue to them if wee would purge their hearts from folly and sinne and preserue their soules from euerlasting perdition then let vs bee carefull to giue them due correction which is Gods blessed ordinance to reforme and saue their soules Let all cockering Parents harken what the Lord saith to the Prophet Samuel touching Eli for not correcting his children 1 Sam. 3.12 13. In that day will I raise vp against Ely all things that I haue spoken concerning his house when I begin I will also make an end and I haue tolde him that I will iudge his house for euer for the iniquity which hee knoweth because his sonnes ranne on in a slander and hee stayed them not So that you may see how that the irrespectiue conniuency of Parents vpon their Childrens faults bringeth often times Gods iudgements vpon the whole family and not without great cause Nam tenera est dum virga recensque flectitur huc illuc vt vis at post vbi creuit non rob usta arbos while the twig is tender and greene it is bent hither thither as you wil but after it is growne you cannot it will bee a strong tree And as Gods iudgement fell vpon Ely and his Family for this sinne 1 Sam. 4.17 18. for Hophni and Phinehas died in the battell and Ely at the newes thereof fell from his seat backward and brake his necke so in these dayes many adiudged to execution for murther Fellony or the like haue cryed out vpon their tender hearted Parents for bearing with them too much in their child-hood But whilest I insist vpon this point I beseech you mistake me not for my meaning is that we should haue an eye to the counsel of our Sauiour in this Text so to shew mercy to others as we would expect the mercy of God towards our selues Si quoties peccant homines sua fulmina mittat Iupiter exiguo tempore inermis erit For if that Ioue should strike So oft as Men offend The Poets say his Thunderbolts Would soone be at an end Thus much touching domesticall correction Iudiciall correction is to bee performed by Magistrates towards the Subiects therefore thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts
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
suffice to himselfe without the ayde of another and therefore hee would haue all things to stand Mutuis auxiliâ—s by mutuall succours that the very reason of necessity might inuite vs to mutuall loue As your father which is in heauen is mercifull We shew God to be a heauenly father in that we mention him to be in heauen VVee confesse what a manner of Father we mean that is to say â—eauenly Lest therefore wee should be esteemed as degenerate children let vs also be heauenlie In heauen What more powerfull then to haue a father In heauen And therefore howsoeuer wee are distressed on earth the comfort is wee haue a father in heauen In heauen Then is our inheritance in heauen also In heauen And therefore praying Psal 121.1 Wee list vp our eyes vnto the hils from whence commeth our helpe In heauen Not as placing his diuine power onely there which filleth heauen and earth but we say In heauen because there chiefly his glory doth appeare there hee blesseth his Saints and Angels Well then saith S. Ansten we haue a father in heauen let vs not cleaue to things here on earth Inuenimus Patrem Inuenimus patriam wee haue found our father wee hâ—ue found our country Hence wee learne first of all to acknowledge his goodnesse Secondly to haue recourse to him in the time of neeth and thirdly to be mâ—â—â—tifull vnto others by his example who hath beene so louing and so mercifull to vs. Is mercifull As wee wish that God should be merciful vnto vs our Sauiour would haue vs to shew â—â—â—cy vnto our neighbour And indeâ—de herein consisteth the tripartite iustice vvith conâ—eiâ—â—th the whole duty oâ—â— Christion which willeth vs Roddâ—â— vnicuique quod suum est to giue ouery one his due to God our selves and our neighbour Mercy he wils for two respects first because we haue alwaies in our eyes those that haue need of mercy as we are men so Nihil humani à nobis alienum putemus Let vs thinke no humaine accident strange vnto vs. For if it be true that Herodotus saith Nihil aliud esse hominem quam miseriam calemitatem Man is nothing else but misery and calamity Surely then there is no man good or euill but needeth mercy and that for this cause for that he is nothing but misery And according to the prouerbe Miseria res est digna misericordia Miserie is a thing worthy of mercy because Misericordia non causam sed fortunam spectat mercy looketh not into the cause but to the present state and necessity And therefore Augustine thus defineth mercy Misericordia est alienamiseria in nostro corde compassio mercy is a fellow feeling in our hearts of anothers miserie Mercy saith Gregory hath the denomination and etymology a misero corde from a miserable or wofull hart because as often as wee behould a man in misery the minde through commiseration being touched with griefe at his miseries doth as it were cor miserum facere vex and torment the heart with a sympathy and fellow feeling of his miserie And hee that hath compassion of a wretched though wicked man non mores eius sed hominem miseretur doth not pittie the manners which are euill but the man who by being sinfull is also miserable We commend them that loue men saith Aristotle If it be but as they are men and therefore being on a time reproued for that hee gaue an almes to a wicked man answered Misertus sum hominem non Iniquitatem I had compassion on the man and not on his manners Homo qui Calamitoso est misericors meminit suit he that hath pitty vpon a man in misery remembreth himselfe Cuiuis potest accidere quod cuiquam accidit That which chanceth vnto one man may happen also to another So that nothing should more incline our hearts vnto mercy then the consideration of our owne misery And hee that is mercifull deserueth mercy againe when he falleth into misery Habet in aduersis auxilia qui in socundis commodat He findeth succour in aduersity which sheweth the same in prosperitie saith Publius The second respect why God willeth mercy is because to him it is more agreable and more acceptable for by it wee are most like him and by likenesse wee best please him Psal 145.9 His mercy is aboue all his workes VVell wils he therefore that man being the best of his creatures should be like him in the best of his actions as plainely appeareth by this text Ye shall therefore be mercifull as your father which is in heauen is mercifull He bids vs not to imitate his power which Lucifer proudly aspiring to was deiected into hell nor his wisdome which Adam vainly affecting was elected out of Paradice but his mercy which wee humbly practising shal be erected and lifted vp to heauen Now that wee may bee mercifull let vs first learne who are miserable Not euerie one that is sicke or hungry or naked or in prison is simply or onely the obiect of mercie but many that are also strong in body fat with cheere braue with cloathes rich in Lands and free from bonds those are sicke in soule empty in spirit bare in minde poore in vertue slaues to sinne For as there is a corporall necessity so there is a spirituall misery and in both there is a work of mercy in the one the rich seeing the want of the poore may pitty him in the other not knowing his owne may bee pittied of him in that the distressed hath nothing but what hee receiues in this hee hath somewhat of his owne to bestow there a Potentate may shew his bounty here a beggar may giue Caesar an almes so then there is mercy to the bodie mercie to the soule and he that doth either shall haue mercie both for body and soule that consists in those seauen works aforenamed visiting the sicke giuing drinke to the thirsty bread to the hungry redeeming the captiue cloathing the naked lodging the stranger and burying the dead But this hath as many formes of pittie as there be acts of charitie and all or more then Saint Paul ascribes to it is true of this 1 Cor. 13.4 It giues it forgiues it enioyeth not it boasts not disdaines not seekes not her owne is not angry thinkes no euill reioyceth not iniquity suffers all things belecues all things hopes all things indures all things And to conclude it doth all things that may bee done though for a sinner for a stranger for an enemie as our deare Lord by conuersing with the conuerting of sinners in the precedent verse teacheth vs To be good with the euill Luk. 6.35 and kind to the vnkinde not as proud Pharifies contemning or condemning those that erre in life or beliefe but sometimes instructing otherwhiles admonishing vpon occasion tollerating if neede be reprouing and when it is requifite comforting Thus to be a Proteâ— iâ— no hypocrisie but perfect pietie And though perhaps there bee not alwayes effecting