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
Misericors ΜΙΚΡΟΚΟΣΜΟΣ OR Medeleyes Offices Containing an iniunction to all duties of Mercy belonging to the whole Man Miser esto in corde mecum ROM 12.16 Reioyce with them that reioyce weepe with them that weepe and be of like affection one towards another Consider these matters consult and giue sentence Printed at London by I. B. 1619. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE EDVVARD Lord Wotton Baron of Marleigh L. Lieuetenant of the County of Kent and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuy Counsell my singular good Lord and to his most worthy associate my very good Lady and Mistresse health wealth and euerlasting happinesse RIght Honourable there was a custom among the Iewes that such dettors whose debts amounted their abilities to satisfie were to be sold themselues their wiues and children to become slaues to content their Creditors So calling to minde how farre I stand ingaged to your Honor not onely for your great and daily bounty whereof I haue continually tasted from time to time but also in that you haue willingly furthered mee by your other many and sundry fauours when occasion required the consideration of which forceth me to confesse that I also should incurre the penaltie aboue said hauing no other meanes to cancell the obligation wherein I rest bound to your Lordship and now in your Honors absence aye me I finde no other like minded towards me Wherefore as one Sophocles a poore schollar of Socrates did so I hauing nothing else doe dedicate not onely my selfe but whatsoeuer is of mine wholy to your Lordships seruice continually praying that the Lord would multiply his many and sundry blessings and graces vpon you and yours in this life and that hee would hereafter crowne you with glory and eternall happinesse for euer with his Saints and Angels Your Lordships most continually bounden T. M. To the Christian READER I Am not Ignorant gentle reader according to the saying of the Poet Scribimus indoctâ— doctique poemata passim That godly learned treatises of all sorts abound this consideration might well haue stayed my penne from paper Know therefore that not vaine glory but a sensible fellow feeling of the wronges and iniurses offered to my brethren by reason of a certaine imbred selfe-loue reigning for the most part in the heart of the oppressor hath stirred vp in me a setled resolution to cast in my widdows mite notwithstanding the many rich guifts and worthy workes of the more learned into the Lords treasury Wherein my onely scope and drift is to shew forth my forward and willing disposition in labouring to repaire the ruins and decaies of loue and piety which this age hath almost throwne flat on the ground if Narcissus likeâ—â— dote not to much vpon mine owne shaddow Many thinks it sufficient if they can talke and dispute of faith if they be able to reason and discourse in eloquent wordes of religion when they haue small regarde to turne their talking into walking their wordes into workes and their profession into practise For whereas we should manifest our faith and loue of God in our loue charity and kindnesse towards our neighbour many notwithstanding are now become so degenerate and such Non proficients in the Schoole of true Christian integrity that in their actions they are malicious enuying cruell deceitfull contentious malecontent scandalous haters of God iniurious without naturall affection and mercilesse But wee haue not so learned Christ neither can it be what shew soeuer they make that the loue of God should rest in that heart where fraudulent hatefull malicious and enuying Foxes haue made their dennes For if a man say hee loueth God and hateth his brother he is a liar for how can hee that loueth not his brother whom hee hath seene loue God whom hee hath not seene as saith the Apostle Iohn And hee that would know how to loue his neighbour aright must first entertaine the loue of God in his heart and the loue of God is retained by practising the loue of our neighbour For euen as the heate of the naturall body warmeth the cloathes that are put vpon it which cloathes afterward nourish and conserue the naturall heate so the fire of the loue of God which springeth of faith kindleth the heart with the loue of thy neighbour and the loue of our neighbour cherisheth the loue of God in our harts Wherfore if these endeauours of mine shall effect any good it is the thing that I desire and let God haue the praise if not yet I haue discharged my conscience Therefore I humbly beseech thee into whose hands these writings shall come throughly to reade them at thy leasure and to marke them well begin not onely but make an end for happily the best wine is reserued till the last And the God of patience and consolation make vs followers of God as deare children and grant that we be like minded one towards another after the example of Christ Iesus Thine in Christ Thomas Medeley MISERICORS Or Motiues to mercy The Preface AS the yong man in the Gospell that was desirous to obtaine euerlasting life yet being inioyned by our blessed Saniour to sell what he had and giue to the poore departed sorrowfull that Heauen should bee held at so high a rate Mat. 19.21 So beloued are there many in these our daies that very willingly would bee registred among the number of the saithfull righteous and mercifull men whose charitable deuotioÌ„s can abide no beggers For who amongst vs is there almost that doth any good or what man is he amoÌ„gst a thousand who hauing a fellow feeling of the miseries of his bretheren remembreth the afflictions of Ioseph Yet our Sauiour Christ exhorteth all those that wil be his Disciples to the practise of mercy after the example of our heauenly Father Luk. 6.36 Ye shall therefore bee mercifull as your Father which is in Heauen is mercifull There are two principall points to bee considered in this text First a precept Ye shall therefore be mercifull Secondly the president As your heauenly Father is mercifull of these in order Mercifull men may bee taken two waies Passiuely and Actiuely Passiuely for such as God hath receiued to mercy Tim. 1.13 as he did the Apostle Paul because hee sinned ignorantly through vnbeleife and in this respect Rom. 9.23 they are tearmed Vessels of mercy prepared to glory of this number are onely those which repent and amend Pro. 28.13 As Salomon saith Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but hee that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercy But in this place it is meant Actiuely namely for such as shew mercy vnto others Now that we may the better know our duties in this point let vs more especially consider what the workes of mercy are Thomas Aquinas very learnedly setteth them forth to bee in number 13.6 belonging to the soule 7. to the body compreheÌ„ded in two verses Consule Castiga Solare Remitte for Ora Vifito Poto Cibo Redimo
Tego Coligo Condo Instruct the Ignorant Correct the sinfull Comfort the sorrowfull Forgiue the offenders Beare with the weak and Pray for all men These are workes of mercy to the soule Visit the sicke Giue drinke to the thirsty bread to the hungry helpe the opressed cloath the naked Lodge the harbourles and bury the dead These to the body of them particularly more at large Consule The first worke of mercy to the soule is to instruct the Ignorant this duty is both Ecclesiasticall and Domisticall Ecclesiasticall discipline chiefly concerneth those whom God hath placed ouer vs in the Church as Bishops Ministers c. Domestical discipline belongeth to Fathers Masters of families That part of instruction which appertaineth to the Ministers Pastors of the Church is twofold Catechumenicall and Propheticall Catechumonicall document Heb. 6.1 Is the Doctrines of the beginning of Christ wherby Gods children are led forwards to wards perfection which we vsually cal catechising Prophetical instruction is the exposition of the holy Scriptures with Doctrines applications drawn frō thence for our further growth in Christ Iesus Domesticall or Paternall discipline is commanded of God De. 11.19 You shall teach them your children speaeking of them when thou sittest in thy house and when thou walkest in the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp Saint Paul likewise willeth the Ephesians to bring vp their children instructed in the feare of the Lord Eph. 6.4 this duty is to be performed three manner of waies by example by precepts of discipline and by correction By example our Lord Saulour Iesus Christ taught vs when hee said Mat. 7.5 First cast out the beame that is in thine owne eye and then shalt thou see more clearely the more that is in thy brothers eye And the Apostle Paul willeth the Colossians To walke wisely Col. 4.5 towards them that are without For youth is generally more corrupted by the ill exampels of Parents Maisters Magistrates or Ministers then for the most part any good example exhortation or Instruction from others can well amend them they being naturally proane to follow the worst presidents herein may they iustly be tearmed Rehoboams schollers who whereas he might haue learned much wisdom out of his Father Salomons sentences and actions yet could hee gather nothing worthy of imitation from them 2 Chr. 10.12 but Where as his Father taxed his subiects ouer greeuously he would therein goe beyond him So are there many Rehoboams amongst vs in these our dayes who can find nothing worthy their imitation out of the good examples vertuous precepts and diuine exhortations of their Parents Masters and Magistrates or Ministers but if they haue any vice blemish imperfection or corruption therein they will be sure to follow and exceede their President For such is the corruption of the time◠and age wherein we liue that in any good thing wee come short of our president but in euill things wee exceede our patterne yet ought we not so to doe but rather in all examples to behaue our selues according to the counsell of the Apostle Paul Tit. 2.8 That hee which withstandeth may bee ashamed hauing nothing concerning vs to speake euill of Secondly youth are also to be instructed in precepts of discipline which Salamon auoucheth saying Pro. 22.6 Teach a child in the trade of his way and when he is old hee shall not depart from it In their prime and tender age they ought as Samuels to be dedicated to the Lord to sound forth the most glorious name of the most high and then as the Poet saith Quo semel est imbuta recens seruabit odorem testa diu they being at the first well instructed will continue the better But herein many are greatly to be reproued that whereas they ought especially to haue a care that their Children should as soone as they can speake with the least vse of vnderstanding be seasoned with the liquor of grace and good nurture They with the Scribes and Pharises teach traditions Mark 7.13 which they themselues haue ordained and make the Word of God of none authority They will teach them to lie to sweare to speake filthy speeches and to sing songs of ribaldry but the duties of obedience the practise of pietie the Catechumenicall Documents of faith and fundamentall points of saluation they account not worthy the learning as vnfit for their tender yeares and capacity yet this affection was not in Abraham of whom the Lord saith I know that he will command his sonnes Gen. 18.19 and his houshold after him to doe righteousnesse and iudgement and to keepe the way of the Lord that the Lord may bring vpon Abraham all that hee hath spoken vnto him Iosua was also resolued Ios 24 1◠that whatsoeuer others did yet hee and his houshold would serue the Lord. And surely in this case it behooueth great men especially to be good men as being vnprinted statutes and speaking lawes vnto the rest Let vs therfore be mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull And thus much touching the first duty of mercy to the soule Castiga THE second worke of mercy to the soule consisteth in correcting the sinfull This duty is Ecclesiasticall Domesticall and Iudicial Ecclesiasticall correction is whē the Bishops Ministres of the Church according to their seuerall functions rebuke or correct vice in any of the flocke of Christ committed to their charge For saith Saint Paul 2 Tim. 3.16 17. the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to conuince to instruct and correct in rightcousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes So likewise Saul deserued commendations 1 Sam. 15.24 because he humbled himselfe at the rebuke of the Prophet Samuel Dauid suffered gently reproofe of the Prophet Nathan 2 Sam. 12.7 neither did Ahab disdaine to heare his faults told him from the mouth of Eliah 1 Kings 21.20 And thus wee see how patiently in times past euen the greatest would heare of their faults albeit in these dayes such wickednesse now reigneth that scarse the meanest will put vp checke or controule being like them of whom the Prophet Hosea speaketh Hose 4.4 that they reproue the Priests telling them that they haue nothing to doe with them they shall not answere for their faults they know what they haue to doe as well as any hee whosoeuer shall reproue them These or the like words will euery rude ruffin returne to vs whensoeuer hee shall bee taxed for any misdemeanor Yet saith Almighty God Leuit. 19.17 Thoushalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne As if hee should haue said Hee that suffereth his friend to goe on in his wickednesse vnreproued sheweth therein rather hatred then any true loue vnto him Very well therefore saith Seneca Qui
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
Aristides going in to exile prayed that all things might succeede so happy and prosperous with the Athenians that they might neuer hereafter haue neede to remember Aristides Phocion being about to drinke the poysoned Potion Plutarch wherewith hee should die charged his sonne that hee should neuer reuenge his vniust death vpon the Athenians Thrasibulus that Noble Citizen of Athens Val max. who expelled the thirty Spartan Tyrants by this meanes restored the former freedome to his Country hee caused the law of perpetual obliuion of former iniuries to bee enacted which they called Legem obliuionis the law of forgetfulnesse Let Christians then be ashamed not to aspire vnto that perfection heerein which many wise Heathens haue attained vnto How far this brotherly forgiuenesse is to be extended our Sauiour himselfe sheweth in the parable of the Vnmercifull Seruant Mat. 18.35 which owed ten thousand Talents concluding in these words So likewise shall my heauenly Father doe vnto you except you forgiue from your hearts each one to his brother their trespasses In these words first wee are taught to whom this precept of forgiuing of iniuries pertaineth None are exempted which professe to be Christs Disciples for he saith Except yee forgiue each one that is of what degree state or condition soeuer he be of rich or poore Noble or Ignoble King or beggar we are all sinners and doe pray daily Forgiue vs our debts as wee forgiue our debtors Let the proud obserue this which being puffed vp with the confidence of their birth or dignities thinke that they may lawfully despise wrong and tread vnder foot the simple obscure and poore man Secondly hee sheweth whom hee should forgiue His brother He might haue said his follow seruant but hee would haue vs to lift vp our eyes higher and to consider that all men are not onely of the same condition as seruants but also of the same nature and dignities as the Sonnes of God who was so farre from contemning the base and obscure that hee would haue his onely begotten Sonne to bee contemptible and poore that he might make vs rich Thirdly hee teacheth what wee should forgiue Their trespasses He speaketh indefinitely that hee might comprehende all things wherewith our neighbour hath offended vs for how great soeuer is the iniury done vnto vs it may in no sort be compared vnto that wherein wee haue offended God Fourthly hee expresseth the measure and manner of forgiuing saying From your hearts that is not in naked words with an hypocritical and dissembling heart but truly and seriously that not so much as a sparkle of enuie hatred or rank or remaine behind in our hearts which particle reproueth their contumacy Which say they will forgiue but withall protest they cannot forget the iniury neither can they endure the sight of such as haue offended them These forgiue not from their hearts but in words onely nay not so much as in words seeing they foster in their hearts the memory thereof and doe not conceale it Wee should in forgiuing of iniuries imitate the example of our heauenly Father who so forgiueth our iniquities that hee remembreth them no more for if our sinnes were still in remembrance with God how could the hope of our saluation be firme and certain vnto vs And therefore the Princely Prophet prayeth That God would not remember the sinnes of his youth Psal 25.7 And that which necessity constraineth vs to craue at the hands of God is it not meet that wee should shew the same to our brethren Wee would not that God should remember our sinnes and shall wee keepe in memory old grudges and offences of our brethren and neighbours Surely such make themselues vnworthy of the mercies of God Being destitute of faith working by loue Gal. 5.6 Most memorable and neuer to be forgotten was the dealing of the holy Patriarch Abraham with his nephew Lot when Sathan assaied to kindle contention betweene them by reason of their quarrelling seruants Abraham being euerie way the better man being his Vncle and his elder Who already had seene the day of Christ Iohn 8.56 had also learned the lesson of humility of Christ hee stood not vpon his Summū Ius his right reputation but came first to Lot and was the profferer of peace saying Gen. 13.8 I pray thee let there bee no strife betweene me and thee and betweene my heardmen and thine and why for wee are brethren Hee sought peace Concedendo de suo Iure By yeelding of his right Now there are Christians to bee found saith Musculus which will not yeeld one foote of their right for brotherly vnities sake this proffer of Abraham is counted but folly now yea of those which yet would be esteemed his children Lastly this benefit also we make through patience towards an enemy which is not the least that being accustomed to deale iustly and friendly with an enemie wee shall the better frame our selues to liue sociably and kindly with our familiar friends and to doe nothing fraudulently and deceitfully in friendship Let vs therefore I beseech you cast out of our minds the remembrance of iniuties which is the very wood and fuell to nourish reuenge and which exasperateth our harts against our brethren Col. 3.12 Let vs as the Elect of God put vpon vs tender mercy kindnesse long suffering forbearing one another and forgiuing one another as Christ for gaue you euen so doe ye Let this sweet promise of our Sauiour And ye shall be forgiuen quench in vs all rancor and malice and ouersway in our thoughts all reasons of flesh bloud which seeke to moue vs to reuenge consider that in no other Petition in the Lords Prayer we so pray as to indent with God but in this onely Forgiue vs as wee forgiue others In which couenant with God if wee bee found liars we pray in vaine our prayers are against our selues seeing our sinnes are not forgiuen because wee are not truly inserted in the body of Iesus Christ vnlesse we forgiue one anther except wee manifest our faith in loue towards our neighbor Forgiue saith Saint Augustine lest whiles thou denie mercy to thy brother thou shut the mercy of thy Heauenly Father from thy selfe Iam. 2.13 For there shall bee iudgement mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy But if all this cannot suppresse the rage of thy wreakefull humour but thou must needes seeke reuenge I will permit thee to be carried with the current of thy passions vpon condition that thou wilt bee angry with him that indeede hath done thee that iniury And who is hee verily as Basil saith euen hee which ruleth in thine enemies heart the Diuell I meane which inflameth him with the firebrands of wrath and armeth him with his spirit against thee it is hee that vseth thine enemies hand as a Sword to strike thee and his tongue as an arrow to shoote at thee If an horseman should strike thee with his speare wouldest thou bee
angry with his horse So if thou bee hurt by thine enemy seek eâ—euenge against the Diuell which is his rider hee is the author of the wrong the wretched man is but the diuels instrument wherewith he striketh thee why then doest thou boile in hatred against the man letting the Diuell alone who indeede is the Author of the wrong what is this else but to imitate the dog which snarleth and biteth at the staffe or stone wherewith hee is struken and leaueth the man which cast them Let vs therefore leaue off to pursue our brother with hatred and reuenge and bend our force against the Diuell the true Author of all euill and hold perpetuall warre with him If this reason doe little moue thee lift vp thine eies vnto God who permitteth this iniury to bee done to thee for the good of thy soule So when Dauid fled from the wrath of Absolon and was thus despightfully cursed railed on by wicked Shimei and when one of his men of warre asked leaue of the King To take the head from this raylers shoulders this holy man was so farre from reuenge that he answered 2 Sam. 16.16 Let him alone for the Lord hath bidden him to curse Dauid who dare then say wherefore hast thou done so And afterward Suffer him for the Lord hath bidden him to curse It may bee the Lord will looke vpon mine affliction and doe mee good for his curse this day Here ye see this good King ascribed this reproach not so much vnto his enemy that did it as vnto God that permitted it which holy Iob also perceiued imputing the losse of his goods not vnto Sathan which was but the instrument thereof but vnto God saying Iob 1.21 The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away But thou wilt say againe Obiection My enemy hath not taken from me my riches but my honour good name and honest reputation the which as saith Seneca is dearer to euery good man then any riches I answere Solution thou art deceiued man thou art deceiued not hee that receiueth the iniury but he that doth the imury looseth his honour For euen as the man that is bountifull and charitable to his neighbour doth not so much increase his neighbours praise as his owne So he that doth iniury vnto another man not so much diminisheth his credit whom he reproacheth as he impayreth his owne honour in shewing himselfe a malicious railer or backbiter Cyprian affirmed that man to be like vnto Christ the sonne of God which patiently suffereth iniury and him to be like Iudas the traitour that doth the iniury See see how farre different the iudgement of this holy man is from the common opinion of the world now a daies Seeing therefore as good Children it is our especiall glory to resemble our father let vs also in pardoning iniuries be mercifull as our heaueâ—y father is mercifull Thus much touching the fourth work of mercy coÌ„cerning the soule mertioned in this word Remitte Fer. THe fift worke of mercy to the soule is â—et forth in bearing with the weake This duty S. Paul enioyneth saying Galat. 6.2 Beare ye one anothers burthen and so fulfill the law of Christ And Salomon sayth Eccle. 7.23 24. Giue not thine heart to all the words men speake lest thou heare thy seruant cursing thee for oft times thy heart knoweth that thou likewise thy selfe hast cursed others Antigonus hearing certaine souldiers railing vpon him hard by his tent who thought that hee was not so neere discouered himselfe vnto them saying Can ye not goe further to speake ill of me So far was he from reuenging their open reuilings that he onely desired them to raile out of his hearing That we may therefore the better performe this duty let vs construe all things in the best part let vs take things in the best sence and meaning Let vs I say so iudge of others as wee would wish they should iudge of vs. Let vs not be so suspicious and misdeeming as for the most part many men be For this ill construction and wrong interpretation of things by haling and wresting them to the worst sence and meaning is the way to fill our hearts full of bitternes and to make vs ready vpon euery light occasion to fall to brangling brawling and contention with our brethren When one shall haue these doubts perhaps hee thinks thus of me it may be hee had this meaning or did it to this intent or the like these or the like conceits will very maruelously infect the hart with the leauen of maliciousnesse And therefore S. Paul reckoneth it as a chiefe note of an ill man and a sure brand of a wicked person To take all things in the worst parte Rom. 1.29 But a courteous and meeke man will be sure if a thing may be expounded one way better then another to take it in the best sence and to make the best of it Our Lord and master Iesus Christ was so farre from taking his bitter passion in the worst sence and meaning that in the middest thereof hee prayed saying Father forgiue them they know not what they doe Luk. 23.34 But forasmuch as our Sauiour Christ condemneth rash iudgement in the next verse saying Iudge not and yee shall not be iudged condemne not and yee shall not be condemned I purpose a little to touch this point and so much the rather because rash censurers oppose themselues by all meanes against this duty This rash iudgement is that which is gathered of some light coniecture or signes This iudgement the Scripture calleth iudgement according to the outward appearance forbiden by our Sauiour Whereas he saith Iohn 7.24 Iudge not according to the apparaâ—câ— but iudge righteous iudgement There be sixe markes whereby this Iudgement according to the outward appearance may be discerned First hee which looketh onely on the outward fact without considering the circumstances thereof which may alter the manner of the fact â—â— Without weighing the in tention of the dooer which may be honest though hee erre in the fact 3. Without weighing the end for which it was done which in an euill actioÌ„ if it be good may at least wise extenuate the fault without poÌ„dering the cause the originall of the act as that it was done theâ— row euill company or by some strong temptation or violence 5. Without consideration had of the time place or person all which may either excuse or much lessen an actioÌ„ that seemeth euil Lastly he judgeth according to the appearance which what he disliketh in one Iohn 7.23 he approueth in an other As the Pharises which allowed of circumcision to be done on the Sabbâ—tâ— day but were angry with Christ for making a man euery whitwhole on the Saboth day The Lord coÌ„maunded Leuit. 13. â— concerning the triall of the Leprosie that the Leaper should be shut vp seuen daies Much lesse would hee haue vs which haue no authority to iudge of Leapers
defect many vertues may be hid many good parts as that of Cicero in the Senate of Rome answering one Memmius who declaymed against Marcus Cato because hee made merry all night long why said Cicero didst thou not adde also Quodtota die aleas ludit that hee plaid at dice alday Cato hauing spent the whole day in serious businesse of the common wealth refreshed himselfe the more liberally at night Fiftly to consider that he which now hath grieuously fallē to day by Gods grace may be conuerted to morrow for God is able to make him stand If thou wilt needes iudge Nosce teipsum Begin first with thy selfe and perchance thou shalt find thy selfe worse then him whom thou condemnest Iustus prius est accusator sui Rom 2. Take good heede lest in the same thing thou iudgest another thou condemnest not thy selfe Take heede I say that thou bee not stayned with the same crime and so giue sentence against thy selfe 2 Sam 12. The man that hath done this shall surely die saith Dauid But what said the Prophet Thou art the man To conclude if thou canst not excuse the action of thy neighbour yet excuse his intention impute it to his ignorance or that hee was ouercome with some grieuous temptation wherewith if another had beene assaulted he might likewise haue yeelded This the Apostle teacheth Gal. 6.1 If a man be fallen by occasion into any fault ye which are spirituall restore such a one in the spirit of meekenesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Surely if a man would looke into himselfe he should find that hee hath enough to doe at home in the house of his owne conscience so that he would find no time to enquire into other mens soules But this age yeeldeth great store of Phisitians euery one will be launcing the carbuncles of others infirmities but they neuer haue care to cure their own Vlcers Euery one would be an eye in the body of the Church none a hand Such without authority vsurpe the office of the eye but to be a hand in doing good few are willing They are ready to carpe at other mens labours when they put their hand to nothing that good is But let vs first iudge our selues and so we shall more charitably looke into the faults of others Let vs I say bee mercifull as our heauenly father is mercifull Thus much touching rash iudgement and the fift worke of mercy to the Ioule described by this word Fer. ORA THe sixt last worke of mercy toward the soule consisteth in praying for all men A duty so necessary as without it wee haue no meanes to expresse our wants to our heauenly father S. Austen calleth prayer Interprei defiderij a key to valocke the secrets of our heauenly desires the necessity whereof our blessed Sauiour sets forth when hee taught his disciples to pray and also the benifit when he said Aske and yee shall haue Mat. 7.7 seeke and yee shall finde knock and it shall be opened vnto you And he yeeldeth a reason in the next verse saying For whosoeuer asketh receiueth he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened From hence may you plainly perceiue that oft times our wants and miseries proceed from our coldneise and neglect of prayer And surely most men are greatly to be blamed for neglecting so religious and heauenly a duty This was not the vse of the holy Prophets and Patriarks Dan. 6.10 Daniell notwithstanding the Kings decree to the contrary vsually prayed three times a day And we ought especially in these daies to call to minde the admirable deuotion of the Sonne of God deuotion waxing key-cold amongst men Let vs therefore remember our selues and thinke a little more of calling vpon God by religious and deuoute prayer remembring who it was that spent whole nights in prayer when he was labouring for the sinnes of the world and the saluation of our soules If the eyes of God doe at all times and in all places behould vs then most especially when wee present our selues before him in prayer when both attention of minde and humiliation of body cōcurre actions most befitting humble sutors we often repeate that of the Prophet Psal 95.6 O come let vs worship and fall downe before the Lord our Maker but we doe it not by humbling our bodies to sue pardon for our soules To approach enter into the place of prayer a◠if we came to sit in commission with God or would countenance him in his own house is as an vnreuerent a custome as heart can wish To dehort men now a daies from long prayer we are eased of that labour seeing many care not how little they pray Nay which is more when some altogether neglect this holy duty vnto God wherein Christians assemble themselues by publique prayer as if by preaching they would haue euermore God doe seruice vnto them but they by prayer would neuer do seruice vnto God And yet for all this not onely to speake of prayer but of feruency in prayer may further our Christian desires in Gods seruice seeing our zeale is oftē so cold as we may seem rather to speake then pray seeing the very of house pray or is almost made nothing lesse whereas our repayring thither puts vs in minde of a duty to be performed He therefore that prayer not in the Church doth as he that eates not at abanquet that learnes not at the schoole that fights not at the battaile that walkes not when he is in his iourney Mat 26.31 Let vs obserue Christs praying in the garden when his soule began to be sorrowfull the better to moue vs to a dueconsideration of prayer In this had prayer we may cōsider these circumstances first that it was solitary for that hee now left his disciples as he had vsually done before when he went out alone to pray this cōmendeth vnto vs solitary praying Secōdly he prayed with humiliation of body Luk. 22.41 Mat. 26.39 S. Luke sayth He kneeled and prayed S. Mathew and S. Marke that hee fell prostrate vpon the earth Mark 14.55 The Euangelists may soone be reconciled for it may seeme he first kneeled and afterward for faintnesse he was forced to fall prostrate and this commends to vs humiliation in prayer Iohn 11.41 When he raised Lazarus and restored the dumbe man to the vse of speaking Marke 7.38 we find he lifted vp his eyes to heauen which was sometimes his gesture in prayer when Moses prayed Exod. 17.12 hee lifted up his hands vntill the going downe of the Sun which houlding vp of his hands Dauid calleth his euening sacrifice Psa 141.4 Acts 7.60 When Steuen prayed hekneeled down according to Christs example here in the second place mētioned The third circumstance in this our Sauiours praying is that it was iust and right for he subiected his will to the wil of his father saying Si iuvis If thou wilt which
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
vs if we giue to the poore wee haue sent it before vs. Let vs then by the hands of the poore traÌ„sport some partof our goods into heauen commit it to the safe keeping of Iesus Christ who at the day of iudgement will restore it to our euerlasting comfort Secondly hee sheweth what wee must giue when he saith Thy bread of our owne not of that which by right appertaineth to others which we haue gotten bydeceit and vniustmeanes therefore he saith againe Pro. 3.9 Honour God of thine owne riches that is of that which iâ— iustly and honestly gotten S. Ambrose speaking of A. hab How hee lay vpon his hod and would eate no bread 3 King 21.4 saith Thoserich Cormorants may be said rather to eate the bread of others then their owne which liue by catching and oppression and mayntaine their expence by rapine and this Chrysostom noteth in his thirteenth Homilie vpon the first to the Corinths and the thirteenth to be more shamefull then for the poore to beg for the poore craue of the better sort and such as willingly giue that is of rich men but the rich take it froÌ„ men against their wills and that froÌ„ the ragged base poore they theÌ„selues wearing clothes of silke And the Lord saith Esa 61.8 that he hateth robbery as burnt offering also the wise man Eclesiasti 34.21 he that offereth asacrifice of the goode of the poore is as he that sacrificeth the sonne before the fathers cies What is this else but as if a man should steale a sheepe or a hog and thinke to make satisfaction to his conscience in giuing the feete to the poore for Gods sake And therefore saith hee againe Ecclesiast 34.18 He that offereth an offering of vnrighteous goods offereth a mocking sacrifice Let vs herein lay before vs the example of famous Zacheus Luk. 19.89 whose prayse is in the Gospell and may be almost a miracle for the singularity of the fact Behould saith he the halfe of my goods I gine to the poore and if I have taken from any man by forged cauillâ—tion I restors him foure fould He lost not his reward for our Saâ—â—â—â— saide vnto him This day is saluation come vnto this house for asmuch as he is also become the sonne of Abraham In the eight verse so many word so many semences and so manydoâ—uments of mercy He saith halfe of my goods which may reprove our anâ—â—ice who either giue nothing to the poore or so little that it cannot relieue their want When yet the Apostle saith Hee thun soweth sparingly 1 Cor. 9. shal reape also sparingly and hee that soweth Liberally shall reape also liberally Secondly he sayth of my goods a checke to our pride and delicacy which will giue to the poore the refuse only and corrupt things reseruing all dainties euen till we surfet for our owne bellies Thirdly He addeth my goods to shew that whosoeuer giueth any thing vniustly gotten doth but mocke in his sacrifice as I saide before In that hee saith I giue speaking in the preseÌ„t tense he coÌ„demneth them which will do no good themselues all their life time but commit all things to the fidelity of their executors to be done after death Lastly he promiseth restitution of whatsoeuer hee had gotten vniustly that in the largest manner Foure fould without which neither repentance prayer almesdeedes or any other worke of piety is acceptable vnto God For without â—estitution saith S. Augustine repentance is neuer truely done but counterfeited but where it is truely done the sinne shal neuer bee pardoned til the spoile be rostored if it may possibly be done Thirdly he sheweth to whom we shuld giue when he addeth vpon the waters by which metaphor he vnderstandeth not the elementary and materiall waters but afflictions anguishes sorrowes aduersities and miseries as Saue me O God Psal 69.1.88.7 for the waters are entred euen vpon my soule by which hee vnderstandeth his calamities and aduersities which by their succeeding courses like the waues of the sea seemed to ouerwhelme and drowne him S. Ierome thus expouÌ„deth it Cast thy bread vpon the waters that is Iuxta aquas by the waters to signifie that as seede sowne vpon fertile valeyes and places well watred yeeldes the more plentifull encrease so saith he hee that liberally distributeth his almes to such as suffer misery and want shall receiue a blessed reward and an happie haruest of the Lord he soweth not a graine of seede but bread it selfe expecting the multiplication thereof with increase and at the day of iudgement he shall receiue much more then he gaue It is recorded that the Emperour Titus so loued liberality that remembring one euening with himselfe that hee had giuen nothing that day said O my friends we haue lost this day So let vs suppose that we haue lost that day and that houre wherein some or other bee not benesitted by vs. Neither may I passe euer in silence the careful regard taken in this regard by the Right Reuerend Father in God and blessed Martyr of Christ Master Iohn Hooper sometimes Bishop of Glocester and of Worcester who as Master Iohn Fox recordeth neuer dined before hee had seene such poore as vsually reforted vnto him amounting many times to the number of eighty persons and vpwards first catechized in the Principles of Religion and afterwards sufficiently comforted with bodily sustenance O blessed Bishop that so bountifully fed both the soules and bodies of the poore flocke of Christ committed to his charge Oh that this example might neuer bee forgotten amongst vs. And Saint Iames saith Iam. 2.16 Albeit you say vnto the poore depart in peace war me your selues fill your bellies and the like If notwithstanding yee giue them not those things that are needfull to the body what helpeth it Surely of all that we possesse we shall faue nothing but what wee haue giuen to the poore whereof God appointeth himselfe a rewarder as done vnto himselfe Yea Mat 10.42 vnto a cup of cold water whereby saith our Sauiour Wee shall make our selues friends Luk. 16.9 which shall receiue vs into euerlasting Tabernacles Thou fearest to loose thy money by giuing it and yet the bestowing of it in almes is the meanes to keepe it thou fearest to loose thy money by giuing it and fearest thou not to loose thy selfe by keeping it For our goods auariciously reserued are not onely spoiled but doe also spoile and corrupt our spirits Remember the wicked rich man who despised poore Lazarus crauing a â—orsell of bread doth now beg of him a drop of water to allay his heate Lastly call to minde that God will iudge the wicked at the latter day by their workes of mercy Let vs therefore bee mercifull as our Heauenly Father is mercifull This shall suffice to haue spoken of the second and third workes of mercy to the body Redimo THE fourth worke of mercy to the Body consisteth in helping relieuing
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
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
on the hornes of the altar and so the Lord did bring his bloud vpon his owne head Aelianus reporteth of one Cratenas who vilanously slew Archilaus tirant of macedonia of whom hee was entirely beloued that hee might make a compendious way vnto the kingdome but hee tasted of the same sauce For he had scarce enioyed the kingdome three dayes before hee was also slaine fulfilling the verse of Dramatus Qui struit Insidias alijs sihi damna dat ipsi wrought Hee that hath snares for others Himself the â—n is likwise caught This shall suffice to shew how God in his deepe and vnsearcheable prouidence punisheth yea in this life cruell and vnmercifull persons with the same measure that they meate vnto others Messem saith S. ' Bernard habebis semente dignam thy haruest shall be according to thy sowing Immisericordiam seminasti habe quodamasti hast thou sowed vnmercifulnes receiue what thou louest Fugisti misericordiam te fugit misericordia Didst thou fly mercy mercy will fly from thee Detestatus es pauperem detestabitur te qui propter nos factus est pauper Doest thou hate the poore He will also hate thee who for our sakes became poore Where is become the large liberallitie of old benefactours towards the poore members of Iesus Christ Is not all with many scant sufficient to maintaine our excesses The pride of the world in attire and the maintenance thereof in lauishing the the needlesse superfluity of diet hath eaten vp hospitality and mercy toward many hungry soules it causeth that wee haue little to leaue at our departure for the good of others Neuer more at table neuer lesse at door neuer more sumtuous in cloathing our selues neâ—er lesse respect of others Nature is content with few things all will not serue out excesse Let vs therefore be so sparing in superfluous expences that we may be the more liberall towards mercifull and charitable vses yea let vs be kinde merciful on towards another as wee hope for mercy â—at the haÌ„ds of our heaueÌ„ly father Let vs therefore be merciful as c. Thus much touching the sixt worke of mercy to the body Condo THE last worke of mercy towards the body consisteth in burying the dead touching which duty the Wise man saith My son poure forth thy teares ouer the dead Ecclesiasticus 38.16 then couer his body according to his appointment and neglect not his buriall The same commandement giueth Tobit to his Sonne Tobit 14.10 My Sonne when I die burie me honestly VVhence we may gather that sunerall rites decent interring of corpes exequies and seemely mournings which Saint Austen calleth Officium postremi muneris our last duties of loue are not vnfitting the practise of those amoÌ„gst whom all things should be done in order The Israelites in burying so honourably their Parents and Gouernours did shew themselues to be people of good and orderly dispositions Abraham the Father of the faithfull Gen. 23.4 bought a possession of buriall of the Hittites who by the sight and light of nature had their Sepulchers And therefore answered Abraham Thou art a Prince of God amongst vs in the chiefest of our Sepulchers bury thy dead none of vs shall forbid thee his Sepulcher but thou maiest burie thy dead therein Gen. 25. So when Abraham yeelded the spirit and died in a good age and was gathered to his people his Sonnes Isaac and Ismael buried him in the care of Machepelah in the field of Hephron where Abraham was buried with Sarah his wife The like wee see done to Isaac when hee gaue vp the ghost being old and ful of daies his two Sonnes Esau and Iacob buried him Now as Iacob did to his Father so his children doe to him according as he had coÌ„manded them For they carried him into the Land of Canaan and buried him in the caue of the field of Machpelah which Abraham had bought The like may be said of Moses Deut. 34.56 for albeit the people buried him not neither knew of his Sepulcher lest they should abuse it to Idolatry yet rather then hee should want buriall he was buried of God The men of Iabesh Gilead 2 Sam. 2.5 6. are praised of God and rewarded of Dauid because they buried King Saul and his Sonne and aduentured their liues to doe vnto him their last duty The same might be saide of the rest of the Patriarkes Prophets Iudges Kings Gouernours and Priests Yea the new Sepulcher Luk. 23.53 the cleane linnen cloathes the sweet ointments and the assembly of men of reputation shewed how our Sauiour was respectiuely regarded and entembed with sâ—leâ—â—nity These examples teach that it is a Christian and commendable duty of the liuing to bee performed to the dead of Children to be performed to their Parents of the people of God one towards another to commit the body of the deceased to the graue to put dust to dust and so to couer earth with earth And certainely those bedies which haue beene the Temples of the Holy Ghost and shall bee at the day of doome changed into a condition of glory should haue that decencie performed as is agreeable both to comely practise Christian sâ—omlinesse wherefore as they are very highly to bee exalted whose honourable care to the dead is such as to erect them Tombes and to repaire and beautifie their decayed Monuments so on the other side they are greatly to bee reproued and found fault withal that carelesly attend to the funerals of their brethren departed But what shall I say to such as deface the Monuments of the dead Surely such deserue to haue their names to be blotted out of good mens remembrance for such their cruell inhumane and barbarous dealing whereas they ought rather to beautifie the blessed memories and repaire the decaied tombes of their Ancestors and Forefathers Let vs I say in this last point of loue also so shew mercy vnto others as wee would likewise expect in the same case to be performed towards our selues especially it being a matter of so great weight and moment For first amongst all creatures Man is most loathsome and vgly when his life is departed as in his birth bringing forth into the VVorld of all Creatures hee is most fraile and feeble without strength to stand without helpe to defend himselfe so being dead he is become noysom gastly and deformed hee that a little before gloried of his beauty comelinesse feature and proportion is now become the mirrour spectacle of a deformed mishapen and noysom carkasse such a confusion and wracke hath sinne wrought and brought into our nature This is noted in Lazarus Ioh. 11.39 who hauing lien buried but foure dayes his body stunke Secondly buriall is promised as a blessing from God and the want of it threatned for a plague and iudgement God offereth it as a mercy to Abraham Gen. 15.15 that he should be buried in a ripe age and to Iosiah that he should be put in
meanes yet God neuer reiects a charitable meaning it is the mind not the gift the will not the worke the affection not the action that God esteemes and therefore Saint Paul commendeth the Corinthians For that they had begunne not onely to doe but also to will 2 Cor. 10. for there may bee a doing of good and no good will there may be giuing without charity and curtesie without mercy In some either fashion not compassion or humour not vertue or hypocrisie not Christianity produceth strained fained maimed acts of mercie Such a giuer doth but cast off his superfluity superfluously hut the truly compassionate like the widdow puts into Gods treasury of his substance really the one giues externally the other giues internally As Saint Gregory saith he giues Extra semetipsum Somewhat without himselfe this de semetipso a peece of himself And albeit this kinde of mercy be most vsuall when it meeteth with vnderserued misery yet must there be a pitty euen of a iust calamity both in priuat men that in others see daily Gods righteous iudgements and in Magistrates that vsually punish malefactours vnlesse the fault be out of measure some heynous offence either against God or his annointed wherein to be merciful were to be miserable and to be compassionate very vniust Let vs not therfore grieue yea let vs rather reioyce with a great and vnspeakeable ioy when traytors murtherers or the like are worthily brought to confusion Psal 85.10 Seeing mercy and truth they then doe meete righteousnesse and peaoe therein kisse one another But in regard of our own priuate wronges wee are taught to loue our enemies To blesse them that curse vs Mat. 5.44 45. and to doe good to them that hate vs and to pray for them which hurt vs and persecute vs that wee may be the children of our Father which is in Heauen for hee maketh the sunne to arise on the euill and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and on the vniust Let vs not so feast the body onely that the soule should fast as many doe who are mercifull but in part Yea in regard of the soule they are altogether mercilesse For what good doe these men towards the redemption of a soule from the bondage of sinne and Sathan more then they doe to a dog a horse or a hog yet as the miseries of the soule are more dangerous so should they more carefully be regarded pittied Let vs not whilst we carefully feed the soule suffer the body to pine in want and penury as also some do who being ouer-clogged with the terrestriall affayres of this life may not part with a penny what neede socuer should be Howbeit as man consisteth of soule and body and is subiect to miseries in them both so must wee be charitable to him in relieuing of both If you aske saith Lactantius why God created the world It was because man should be created If you demaund why man was created It was because hee should worship his creator If you aske why hee should worship his creator It was for no other cause but that he might be rewarded by him These are the bowels of Gods mercy who had no other cause of his mercy but his mercy no other end but his owne glory and our good wherein there is no end of his goodnes no number of his mercies no measure of his wisdom no depth of his bounty whose great loue to maÌ„kind was apparent in this when he purchased our redemption with the effusion of the most precious blood of his deere onely begotten Sonne And therfore saith Tertullian si tanta in terris moraretur fides quanta merces expectatur in Coelis were there so great faith on earth as there is reward to be expected in heauen how great should our loue be one towards another to tender the good one of another to releeue the wants and necessities one of another And surely man hath but two pleas before the throne of Gods iudgement seate the one of Innocency the other of mercy the former neuer any that Immaculate Lambe excepted could plead what interest shall man challenge in the plea of mercy who hath denied the same to his brother For saith Christ our Sauiour Mat. 18.33 oughtest not thou also to haue had pitty on thy fellow euen as I had pitty on thee Let vs then Col. 3.1 2. so many as bee risen with Christ seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God the father Set I say your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on earth Worldly minded men fitly resemble the earth in these fiue points first the nature of the earth is cold and dry so are all worldly affections to deuotion and charity Secondly the earth standeth still and hath the circumfereÌ„ce carried round about it so are Gods benefites about earthly men and they are not at all mooued Thirdly the earth doth oftâ—ntimes keepe downe many hot exhalations which naturally would ascend so doe worldly affections many charitable motions Fourthly the earth is heauie and heauie things goe downeward so worldly men set all their affections onely vpon the terrestriall things of this life according to the saying of the Apostle Phil. 3.18 19â— They are enemies to the Crosse of Christ whose end is damnation whose God is their belly whose glory is to their shame who minde earthly things Lastly yet the earth is fruitfull after tilling and manuring so to conclude till the heart of man be fully manured with the graces of Gods holy Spirit it can bring forth no good fruite of deuotion charitie Let our compassion therefore so largely extend it selfe towards the consolation of others as in like manner we would expect from the hands of the Almightie towards our selues ending with this of our Sauiour Let vs be mercifull as our heauenly Father is mercifull Now the God of grace mercy so guide you in the wayes of holinesse good workes that both in life death you may glorifie God your creator to whom with the Sonne and holy Spirit be giuen and ascribed from the bottome of our hearts all power praise might maiesty and dominion both now and for euer Amen FINIS