my feete how shall I defile them If we forgiue any little wrong that is offered vs especially by our inferiours nay if they doe not patiently endure and quietly put vp any cruell and intollerable iniuries and open wrongs that we do offer vnto them Iniury offered three wayes we thinke our selues both much abused foulie abused whether it be in their body goods or name yea many but vpon a supposed offence will not onely offer iniurie but also séeke reuenge for the same yea euen vnto the death which is a most detestable furie far passing the nature of wilde beasts which spare the bloud of their sexe Therfore saith Socrates Socrat. Reuenge is not in any sort to be vsed nor is it iust to offend any although hee had offered vs wrong for the Lord is the auenger of all such things oppresso in refugium 1. Thes 4.6 Psal 9.9 and defence for the oppressed but we neuer remember it Our heauenly father when he will teach vs this most excellent vertue of mercy bringeth in himselfe as a King to teach vs that it is a princely thing to forgiue for so saith Christ himselfe Mat. 9.13 pro. 21.3 I wil haue mercy not sacrifice that is what care I for your sacrifices as long as your liues and conuersations are wicked and full of pride oppression couetousnesse vsury bribery extortion adultry murder drunkennesse Idolatrie mallice eâ—…uâ—e vndooing and deuonring of each other c. Mat. 5.24 6.12 And therefore exhorteth vs vnto reconciliation before wee come to offer any gift else it is but in vaine to pray forgiue vs our trespasses Therefore forgiue thy neighbor the hurt that hee hath done vnto thee â—eâ—…e 28.2.3.4 so shall thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee also when thou praiest For should a man beare hatred against man and desire forgiuenesse of the Lord hee will shew no mercy to a man which is like himselfe and will hee aske forgiuenesse of his owne sinnes If hee that is but flesh nourish hatred and aske pardon of God who will intreate for his sinnes Psal 103.8 Therefore remember the end and let enmitie passe for misericors clemens est dominus The Lord is full of compassion and mercy whose example wee ought to follow And Pius quotidie miseretur dat mutuum a good man is euer mercifull and lendeth saith the Prophet preferring mercy before iudgment iâ— his song Psa 37.26 101.1 Iam. 2.13 Luc. 6.13 and mercy reioyceth against iudgement Therefore bee mercifull as your heauenly Father is mercifull For God had rather want the sacrifice due vnto him Chrysost then mercy and reconciliation should bee wanting betwixt thée and thy brother To pardon and forgiue Pittacus is the part of a man to reuenge is the part of a beast Then how many beasts be there now adayes amongst vs who voyde of all mercy pitty or any sparke of compassion séeke not onely reuenge but the vtter spoile subuersion and distruction of their poore neighbours Amos 4.1 and needy brethren who would faine dwell in quiet by them Pro. 3.29 24.15 22.23 Therefore spoyle not his resting place for the Lord will spoile the soule of them that spoile them In Athens there was a Temple dedicated vnto Mercy into the which none might enter that were not helpe-full and beneficiall vnto others which caused the people but especially the Magistrates and men of authority and calling to studie and excercise works of pitty and piety through a desire which they had to enter therein Now therefore if they which had not any knowledge of God nor his word in respect of that which we haue now in the light of the Gospell did so much respect the workes of mercie and compassion pitty and piety for the desire they had to enter into an earthly temple what ought wee to doe for the entrance into the celestiall and euerlasting temple of the Lord and the endlesse habitation in the same 1. Cor. 2.9 where there are such ioyes as no mortall eyes haue seene eares haue heard tongue can expresse or heart conceine The Prophet Dauid asketh Psal 15.1.2.3 quis habitabit in tabernaculo domini Who shall dwell in the holy temple of the Lord and answereth Qui operatur iustitiam neque fecit malum proximo suo He that worketh righteousnesse and hath not done euill to his neighbour None else no. Then what shall become of all tyrants oppressors bloudy builders murderers backbiters standerers biting vsurers bribers extortioners couetous persons that take rewards against the innocent such like as false swearers knights of the post and those that vse false weights and measures surely these and all such without spéedy and vnfeined repentance must néedes fall and be cast downe with that mercilesse churle into hell Luc. 16. who would shew no mercy vnto poore Lazarus as the Prophet affirmeth saying Conuertentur impy in infernum et omnes gentes qui obliuiscuntur dei The wicked shall be turned into hell Psa 9.17 and all the people that forget God who is the fountain of all mercy pitty compassioÌ„ Therfore let all bloudy Cains théenish Achans bribing Gehezies couetous Ahabs and Iezebels all Labans and Naballs with all the rable of rent-rackers take héed and remember that Dominus sibi virum pium segregauit Psal 4.3 5.6 the Lord hath chosen to himselfe the man that is godly Sed qui loquuntur mendacium virum sanguinum abhominabitur but abhorreth both the lyer and blood-thirsty man Man is called homo from whence this word humanitas is deriued which signifieth curtesie or gentlenesse for which cause Plato calleth him a ciuill creature Plato by nature sociable and mercifull and therefore saith that Mercy ought no more to be taken away from the nature of man then the altar out of the temple The sinner despiseth his neighbour saith Salomon Pro. 14.21 but hee that is mercifull to the poore is blessed and he that hath pitty on the poore lendeth vnto the Lord who will â—ecompence him that which he hath giuen 19.17 I might alleadge many reasons diuerse arguments 1. â— to mooue vs vnto lous and charity pitty and mercy towards our poore brethren néedy neighbours as first the creation of man after the Image of God wherevnto we owe all honor Psa 2 Gen. 1.26 loue and obedience Secondly the re-establishment into the same Image by his pure grace mercy Thirdlie the contemplation building of this glorious frame of man with the excellent composition thereof in whom the brightnes and grace of God shineth but especially in those whom the world despiseth Further if we did but consider that we are of one mould haue one maker and one God who promiseth to accept as done to himselfe Mat. 25. what good so euer we doe to one of his little ones of whom some for want of succour and reliefe
compassion especially in any man that hath any sparke of Christianitie in him God cannot offend man yet he forgineth man but man may offend man and yet will not forgiue man hee might after offend his fellow seruant and therefore ought to forgiue him before he did it 2. Secondly the debt was no great matter but an hundred pence and therfore he might the more easily haue forgiuen it for as much as GOD forgaue him a great mas of mony 3. Thirdly this debt he will not forgiue although it be but small but requireth it after a most inhumaine and saâ—age manner taking him by the throte and saying pay mee that thou owest vers 28. To the which wee adde thrée parts more 1. First going forth but euen from the presence of his Maister as soone as hée had béene forgiuen hée beginneth to bee vnmercifull that hauing receiued mercy at Gods hands he is so cruell to his fellow seruant that addeth a great heynousnesse vnto his crime 2. Secondly in that his fellow vseth the same meanes to him which he vsed vnto God viz. I pray thee haue patience quiarogasti because thou prayedst mee was the reason why the Lord forgaue him yet he will not forgiue his fellow who vsed the same words vnto him 3. Thirdly non moueri saltem consciontia not to be mooued one whit in conscience is a hainous fault but especially not to bee mooued with the example of a King that hath dealt so gratiously with him that is a great wickednesse hee is not onely cruell but also wicked and vnkinde euen in that wherein hee had found kindnesse which also addeth very much to his fault for our Sauiour Christ saith Cui multum remittitur to whom much is forgiuen she loued much Luc. 7.49 Hée had a great debt forgiuen him and therefore ought to haue shewed his loue in like sort vnto his fellow seruant in forgiuing him his debt according to our Sauiour Christs commandement goe thou and doe likewise Lu. 10.37 For his fellowes debt was but a small summe an hundred pence and ought therefore the rather to mooue him to haue béene pittifull but he is neuer the better Euen as many now adayes to whom the Lord hath shewed great mercy in giuing them great aboundance and much enerease frumenti vini atque olei Psa 4.8 or corne wine and oyle as the Prophet saith Yea the wicked liue and waxe old and growe in wealth Iob. 21.7 8. c. their seede is established in their fight their houses are peaceable without feare the rodde of GOD is not vpon them their Bullocke gendreth their Cowe Calueth and faileth not their Children daunce and make merry with Tabret Harpe and Organs Amos. 6.4 and spend their dayes in wealth Lying downe vpon their beds eating fatt Calues and Lambes singing to the Violl and drinking wine in bowles but no man is sory for the affliction of Ioseph Nay as the Apostle saith more then this and farre beyond the cruelty of this man towards his fellow seruant many riche couetous wretches appresse the poore by tyrannie Iam 2.6 drawing them before the Iudgment seate clapping them vp in prison taking all their liuing and maintenance from them which this euill seruant did not and so voide of all compassion and mercy kéepe their poore neighbours there till gentle death baile them out of their bloudie fingers thus reproching him that made them Pro. 14.31 Iam. 2.7 and blaspheming the worthy name after which they are named Therefore why should they be honored that thus dishonor God but euen weepe and howle for the miseries that shall come vpon them 5.1.2.3 because their riches are corrupt and their garments Moth-eaten their gold and siluer canckred and the rust thereof shall be a witnesse against them Math. 6.16 and eate their flesh as it were fire thus they shall haue their rewarde so that as the Philosopher saith the soule is lost Plato that delighteth in couetousnesse Thus we sée how he dealt with his fellow seruant Now a word or two how he was dealt with all for his barbarous cruelty towards his fellow seruant 1. First his other fellow seruants were greatly mooued at his vnmercifull dealings insomuch that they accuse him to their maister for indéed man who is the principall worke of nature Psa 8.5 crowned with glory and worship and for whose sake the very Angels are sent to minister Heb. 1.14 especially for such as shall receiue the inheritance of saluation by nature loueth mercie knowing there is no man but shall haue néede of mercy as the same Apostle affirmeth Omnes sunt peccatores deficiuntur gratià Dei Rom. 3 2â— psa 14. 69.30 70.5 Iam. 1.19 All are sinners and stand in need of Gods grace as the Prophet plainelye prooueth throughout the Psalme But God our heauenly Father the Fountaine of all mercy who is slowe to wrath as the Apostle saith hateth all crueltie especially this cruelty which the very Heathen which neuer knew God nor his lawes could not endure viz. poutem frangere quem ipse transisti to breake and pull vp the bridge after himselfe hath escaped that no man else may escape but bée drowned this is a great and a most sanadge cruelty Now his fellow seruants bring in their verdict against him for his discourtesie and monstrous inhumanity 2. Then commeth in the second point viz. that the King is altered and his minde cleane changed for whereas before there was no signe of anger at all in him but extended his great fauour towards him in forgiuing him the debt verse 27. now his mercye is turned into méere and seueare Iustice and his good-will into extreame wrath 3. Thirdly whereas before he vsed no hard spéeches nor any vnkind words vnto him Doctrine now he calleth him lewd and euill seruant vers 32. wherein wee are to take héede how we incurre the Lords displeasure by any hard and cruell dealings towards our debtors or poore brethren 1. Pet. 4.8 For euen as mercy couereth a multitude of sinnes euen so cruelty in not hearing their complaints and not shewing mercy incurreth the wrath of God 1. The. 4.6 Deu. 16.19 For hee shall crie himselfe and not be heard for the Lord is the auenger of all such things A good Caueat for Magistrates and all such as to whom the hearing and deciding of poore oppressed mens causes doth appertaine that they be neither partiall on the one side nor the other for rewards pitty feare or any fauour but Iudge the people with righteous iudgement whereby the integritie of ancient Justice may be preserued and not like vnto certaine Lacedemonian Ephori tetchlesse Magistrates that heard mens causes as they say with their haruest eares nor yet like Adrianus the Emperor that cast all the supplications of his poore petitioners into the water before their faces but euen like the LORD himselfe the Iudge of all Iudges this King who accepteth
forgiue 2. Secondly that they must forgiue more then once For there is a generation in the world that come of the séede of curssed Caine such as Lamech was who will put vp no wrong nor as they say do no right but will bee reuenged like him seuentie times seauen times Gen. 4 24 Rom. 2.4 scoffing as it were at the long sufferance of God in not punishing Cain for killing his brother Abell As though God would suffer him to murther his brother and not be reuenged of such monstrous cruelty Yes mihi vindicta ego rependam vengeance is mine Ro. 12.19 and I will repay saith the Lord. 2. Secondly the Apostle presumeth that a man must forgiue more then once because the Heathen that knew not God would forgiue once but no more who condemne many that beare the name of Christians and professe the Gospell yea such as ought to be examples of loue and charitie vnto others who will not forgiue any one iniurie be it neuer so small but will be reuenged one way or other Quoque iure quaque iniura either by law or by violence for euery trifle nay as Tully saith Nonnulli agrediuntur ad iniuriam faciendum vt adipiscantur ea quae concupierunt There be some that enterprise to doe iniurie that they may obteine those things which they couet and desire cleane contrary to the word of God which commandeth all men to do as they would be done vnto Mat. 7.12 But hij petunt inferas vt discant verum esse in morte Ambroâ— quod in vita credere noluerunt These goe to the Deuill that they may learne it to bee true at their death which they would not beléeue all their life time Againe there be some that thinke that Peters meaning is by this question to learne of our Sauiour Christ whether a man hauing forgiuen seauen iniuries may afterwards be reuenged if occasion be offered Others thinke his question is as if he said it is too much shall I forgiue till seauen times but our Lord and maister Christ the true patterne of Christian charitie answering this his question excéedeth Peters expectation saying not seauen times but seuenty times seuen times which is 490. vers 22. Doctrine The doctrine whereof teacheth vs thus much viz that all such as belong vnto Christ should be as bountifull in mercy forgiuenesse loue and charitie as Lamech professed he would be in reuenge mallice wrong and cruelty For by mercy loue and charity wee are knowne to be the Disciples of Christ and children of God Ioh. 13.35 But by reuenge and crueltie the very impes of hell and dat lings of the Deuill Iam. 2.13 for there shall bee condemnation mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy 2. Doctr. From hence also we learne that it is no wise mans course to determine how farre we should extend our mercy for saith our Sauiour Christ thy mercy is the measure of ioy sicut et ego tibi euen as I had pittie on thée vers 33. so should we But such as would haue a certaine number set downe how oft they should forgiue their brother and a proportion for practising of their mercy desire that GOD should forgiue them a certaine number of times afterwards powre downe his anger and heauie wrath vpon them The Key of the opening and vnderstanding of this Parable Expositio at diuisio is vers 35. where the King is the heauenly father we the seruants The debt sinne and the fallow seruants our poore neighbours and Christian bretheren In this Parable as the antient Fathers doe note there are two parts a white part and a black viz. a good example to be followed and a bad to bee eschewed and auoyded as wee are exhorted by the Prophets Eschew euill and doe good Psa 34.13 Isa 1.16.17 seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed c. Or if we diuide it after the King himselfe there we may behold Ro. 11 22 both the bountifulnesse and seueritie of God 1. First the great mercy and bountie of the King in forgiuing his seruant a debt of ten thousand Talents 2. Secondly his seueritie in turning his debt vpon his bead who hauing bin forgiuen a great debt would not forgiue his fellow seruant a small debt The white part In the former part there are two things to be considered 1. First the persons which are two 2. Secondly the procéedings which are of iustice The procéedings according to iustice are declared in the 25. ver where it is said because he had nothing to pay his Lord commanded him to bee sould c. The procéedings according to mercy vers 27. his Lord had compassion and loosed him and forgaue him c. Either of which I could wish were executed now adayes amongst vs that beare the name of Christians professe the Gospell for then there should not so many poore men pine and perish in prison to the vtter vndooing of their wiues and children for euer Whereby we may sée euidently that the procéedings of mercy which consist in our imitation and which we ought to practise are vtterly neglected and abolished 1. In the black part first we are to obserue The blacke part how the euill seruant being forgiuen behaued himselfe towards his fellow seruant which is to be séene vers 28. 30. Taking him by the throate and casting him in prison 2. Secondly how he was serued for his barbarous most cruell dealings which also consisteth of two parts 1 First in respect of his fellow seruants 2. Secondly in respect of his maister Generally we are to learne obserue thus much that this is a plaine mirror of Gods great mercie and goodnesse who requireth nothing of vs but what he first performeth towards vs as the Apostle saith in hoc comendar charitatem Rom. 5.8 in this God seeteth out his loue towards vs that when we were sinners Christ dyed for vs. And therefore it is but equall dealing that we should after his example shew mercy vnto our brethren and we must not onely doe to an other as we would haue others doe to vs which the law of nature teacheth vs to bee equall but as wee would haue God do vnto vs. For wee must forgiue our brethren not onely as wee would haue them forgiue vs but as we looke and hope to be forgiuen at the hands of Almighty God Now for the persons and first for the King which is Almighty God who setteth out himselfe in the Scriptures by sundry resemblances as to an husbandman a Sheepheard Math. 13 Ioh. 10. a â—isher a Merchanâ— and here a King And in this there is a very déepe reach for our nature is so bewitched that many times we thinke that the practise of godly and Christian vertues will vtterly disgrace vs as it is gathered by the ancient Fathers vpon the Canticles where it is said Can. 5.3 I haue put off my coate how shall I put it on I haue washed
this no theft nor any deceit at all cleane contrary to Saint Paules rule Rom. 13.8 concerning debters Owe nothing to any man but this Exod. 20 17.15 that yee loue one another and the last commandement thou shalt not couet thy neighbours goods or thou shalt not steale thoose yée which But when the King commeth to take accompt of his seruants vers 23. they shall finde that all such subtill shifts and deceitfull deuises shall prooue but Figge leaues Gen. 3.7 not able to couer their cursed couetousnesse nor yet to defend them from the wrath of him who is scrutator cordis Ier. 17.10 1. Tim. 4.2 the searcher out of their hollow hearts and seard consciences Now if we should apply this to a spitituall consideration it would fitte vs very well for as the Apostle saith wee are all sold vnder sinne Rom. 7.14 1. Ioh. 5 19 and totus mundus in maligno positus est all the world is set vpon wickednesse and as the Prophet saith Psal 14.2 53.2 Corruperunt vias suas abominabile focerunt studium non est qui facit bonum they are all corrupt and become abhominable in their doings there is none that dooth good no not one But here I leaue these and goe forward to the procéedings of mercy Mercy being the most excellent vertue and the ioy of faith the author whereof is God himselfe whose mercy is euerlasting Luc. 1.50 will heare the crye of the afflicted Exe. 22.27 4.31 and wilâ— neuer forsake them because he is mercifull yea as Dauid saith Prope adest Dominus omnibus inuocantibus eum in veritate Psa 145.18 The Lord is nigh vnto all that call vpon him faithfully he heard Iacob in all his troubles Gen. 35. Exod. 14 1. Sam. 1 Moses when he sighed and groned Anna that barren woman was not forgotten nor Daâ—iel in the Lions den Dan. 3. 1 3. nor Susanna amongst the wicked Iudges nor the thrée children in the fierie Furnace Acts. 11. nor Peter in prison and so likewise as wee may sée verse 26. by this seruant when hee besought his maister hee heard him and had compassion vpon him Doctrine Wherein wee haue to learne that prayer and humble supplication vnto God is the onely meanes to preserue vs from condemnation for sinne for by that meanes he was forgiuen his debt Quiarogasti because thou prayedst mee vers 32. For so saith the Prophet Dauid Psa 32.6 if a man will be deliuered from his sinnes Pro hoc orabit omnis for this shall euery one pray Aud Saint Peters aduice is Pray God Acts. 8.22 that if it bee possible the thoughts of thy heart may bee forgiuen thee as that godly Father also teacheth saying A te petatur in te queratur August lib. confes 13. cap. vlt. ad te pulsetur sic accipietur sic inuonietur sic aporietur Of thee we must aske at thee we must seeke at thee we must knock so we receiue so we finde and so to vs it is opened which doctrine is cleane contrarie to the vile blasphemous Papists which pray either vnto stocks or stones Images Saints Angels or the Virgin Mary Also here we may sée that by a submissure intercession we must remooue from the Court of Gods iustice vnto the Court of Gods mercy And vpon this second procéeding behold the bountifulnesse of the King who for a few words speaking forgiueth him the debt when he had nothing to pay as we read in the Gospell he dooth not onely grant him that which hee desired Luc. 24.7 which was but forbearance but also much more aboundantly according to the saying of the Apostle Eph. 3.20 he is able to doe aboundantlie aboue all that wee can aske or desire For whereas he desired but onely to be forborne by his humility and prayer he doth obtaine both dylation and remission be doth not onely forget but also forgiue and remit the debt loe here the necossitie and effect of himble prayer And that which is a third thing to bee remembred turn at that time when 〈◊〉 sate vpon his iudgement seate to take a reckoning and strict accompt as the Prophet saith He doth in wrath remember mercy which is a lesson Hab. 3.2 both for Iudges that sitte to heare the causes of poore distressed men and also of great consolation and comfort to all those that are oppressed and heauy laden with the burthen of their sinnes Mat. 11.2 that the nature of the Deitie is thus slowe to wrath and ready to forgiue which is or might bee an example vnto all men but especially vnto great men and Magistrates that they should immitate this King in mercy which is Almighty GOD whose mercy indéed should be the example of ours and our mercy the measure of his For man being a creature made of God after his owne image iust holy good Gen. 1.2 and right by nature framed of the earth and inspired with spirit and life hath his béeing and his well being onely to set forth the glory of his Creator and to speake and do those things which are agréeable vnto him which is to bee mercifull Exo. 22.27 Luc. 6.36 as hee is mercifull Thus we sée the seuerity and bountie of the King Now secondly we are to take a blew how he dealt with his fellow seruant A body would thinke that after his impression of feare that was condenmed to bee sold and contrariwise the great affection of loue and compassion in the King in forgiuing the debt vpon his humble intreatie he would neuer haue forgotten the goodnesse of his maister But we may sée it to be true which the Apostle saith Iam. 4.5 What enuie is There is an euill spirit which lusteth after enuie which is a griefe arising at another mans presperitie with which vice this euill seruant was fowly enfected as there bee many now adayes sick of that disease who grudge and grieue mumble and murmure if they sée any man thriue come to any preferment or haue any good successe in his affaires more then themselues or bee accompted honester then they wee our selues and euery one for his owne part 2. Tim. 3.2 is sick of selfe-loue for we can be content to be well vsed well spoken of and praised yea to haue our faults couered and our offences and debts forgiuen vs without any scrupulositie or quaintnesse both at Gods hand and mans which is a blessed thing as the Prophet saith Psal 32.1 but wee cannot finde in our hearts to mete the same measure againe vnto others notwithstanding our Sauiour Christ in his holy Gospell teacheth vs that with what measure we mete Math. 7.2 it shall be measured to vs againe There is in this part thrée carnall sinnes 1. First he was his fellow seruant of the same estate no stranger vnto him but one that he knew well enough yea a brother which hath matter to stirre vp
banquet and feast and let them statue in the stréetes nay vexe and trouble whip punish and cast them in prison and there to let them pine and perish shall not the very Heathen that neuer heard of God rise vp in iudgement at the last day before that iust Iudge to accuse and condemne vs as théeues Church-robbers and murderers but especially such as maintaine their vaine delights and filthy pleasures with the goods of the poore and patrimonie of Christ towards whome the distribution of our owne wealth ought to be exionded both by the law of God and man shall not our owne consciences also accuse vs and be as mille testes a thousand witnesses against vs when it shall be sayd vnto vs Luc. 16.2 redde rationem come giue an accompt for our selues Adam vbi es where art thou Cen 3.9 and how hast thou walked in my commandements an accompt for our bodyes if they haue beene kept as the temples of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 6.19 an accompt of our soules 1. Pet. 2.25 Reu. 22.12 Mat. 12.36 Wisd 1.9 if they bee fit to appeare in the sight and presence of the great sheepheard an accompt for our workes words and thoughts and also an accompt how we haue vsed our brethren Cain vbi est frater tuus Abel Gen. 4.9 where is thy brother if there be à discite ex me learne of me by the riche glutton that fared diliciouslie euery day Lu. 16.25 neglecting the miserable estate of poore Lazarus what are all oppressors of their poore brethren to expect at the dreadfull day of iudgement but euen with most sorrowfull sobbing sighes and mournefull moanes fall a wishing that they had neuer vsed such hard dealings and cruell oppression towards their poore brethren and fellow seruants but alas now it is too late Therefore when a man hath had forgiuenesse at Gods hands for his sinnes to forgiue our brother and fellow seruant in like sort is not a matter of guift but of dutie non opportuit oughtest thou not vers 33. Yes surely hauing receiued mercy thou art bound to shew mercy if thou haue ten thousand talents forgiuen thée oughtest not thou to forgiue an hundred pence Couetousnesse and Crueltie alwayes companions yes certainly but here wee may plainly sée that couetousnesse and crueltie are alwayes companions for if the King that cannot offend thée but thou him shall forgive thée oughtest not thou to forgiue thy fellow seruant whom thou maist offend and so stand in néede of his mercy In as much therefore as thou hast not done as thou oughtest to haue done Ex are tuo te iudico Lu. 19.22 I iudge thee out of thineowne mouth for as Salomon saith hee that findeth friendship ought to shew himselfe friendly againe towards others Pro. 18.24 Now for the conclusion the last verse 35. as I sayd is the key for the opening of this parable and it lays vs all in this dutie God is our King and we his subiects we become his debtors by our sinnes and as we looke to haue forgiuenesse at his hands so wee must forgiue one an other For as Saint Paul saith this was not written for Abraham onely Rom. 4.23 that hee was iustified but also for all the faithfull so likewise this parable we must apply vnto our selues For the point of forgiuing 1. First wee must know it is simile regi like a King Pro. 20.21 God our heauenly Father and King commandeth this dutie as an honorable thing that we be ready to forgiue as wee would haue GOD forgiue vs and doth accept it as done vnto himselfe Mat. 25.40 whatsoeuer wee doe vnto his poore members whom he calleth his little ones and his brethren 2. Secondly as I forgaue you is a matter of dutie and equitie and not of equitie onely but also of Iustice non oportuit oughtest thou not séeing thou hast receiued mercy yes verily thou art bound to shew mercy 3. Thirdly in respect of the reward for hee that sheweth mercy shall be rewarded with mercy Yea in the kingdome of heauen as our Sauiour saith Mat. 9.41 For God is not vnrighteous that hee will forget your workes of mercy therefore bee mercifull after they power Heb. 6.10 Tob 4.8 Luc. 6.13 for in so dooing thou shalt not onely obteine forbearance but also an acquittance of thy debt 4 Fourthly for the punishment of beeing mercilesse for whereas before God was milde 〈…〉 hee will bee wrothe whereas before hee was condemned to be solde onely now hée shall bee grieuously tormented vntill hee haue the whole due verse 34. a most heause and 〈…〉 horrible sentence for mercilesse men to thinke vpon The Prophet Ps 118.12 his enemies shall come about him like Bees not waspes because hes gathered hony from them so there is profit to bée reaped from our enemies but the profit that we shall reape by this Christian charitie is wee shall as it were make God bound vnto vs by forgiuing It is that which some note vpon the words of the Psalmist where â—e saith reâ—â—mber mee according to thy word Ps 119.49 wherein thou hast caused mee to put my trust that is wee conuent thée O Lord vpon thy promise to forgiue vs our trespasses because wee haue forgiuen our brethren their offences Now therefore if the reward will not serue to stirre vs vp vnto this dutie of mercy towards our poore bretheren then the punishment must which neuer faileth viz. sic faciat vobis so hee shall doe vnto you And if some perhaps vnderstand it not quando adductus erit when hee shall be brought hee shall vnderstand that hee hath not onely lost the reward but also incurred the punishment from the which the Lord and Father of all mercy vouchsafe to deliuer vs for his sonne Iesus Christ his sake our onely Sauiour and redéemer To whom with the holy Ghost thrée persons and one God be all powre and glory praise and dominion now and for euer world without end Amen
are ready to starue in the stréetes others pine and perish in prison Ier 7.5.6 22.3 Looke into all prisons and all for want of the due execution of iudgement and iustice as well towards the riche as the poore the creditor as the debtor wherby the widdow and fatherlesse the innocent and friendlesse are still oppressed some time by delayes some time by demurres and some time by ad idem in proximum which things are good in themselues but being abused are very bad and many times bribes blind the eyes of the wise Exo. 23.15 Dâ—u 16 peruert true iudgement but woe vnto the bribers and extortioners Ier. 22.15 Prou. 18.5 Mich. 3. Pro. 17.22 Did not their fathers liue well and prosper when they executed iustice without respect of persons But they haue peruerted all equity abhorred iudgment and iudged for rewardes And thus the peoples skinnes are puld and pluckt from their backes thus they are bought and solde for old shooes Amos. 8. â— and thus they are eaten vp and deuoured like bread whereas we ought not onely to do good Psa 14.8 Galla. shew mercy vnto all men but euen to them that do vs wrong and hate vs according to our Sauiour Christs commandement Loue your enemies blesse them that cursse you Mat. 5.44 do good to them that hate you and pray for them that persecute you Ioseph was a great person yet thought it no disgrace to forgiue his brethren Gen 25.15 1. Sam. 24 2. Sam. 16 Acts 7.60 Lu 23.34 â— pro. 20.28 Dauid a King did shew mercy vnto his enimie Saul and forgaue Shemei his offence in cursing him Steuen them that stoned him and our Sauiour Christ those that put him to death Thus we sée it is not onely a princely but also a most diuine thing to pardon and forgiue our brethren for the King that here setteth forth him as an example is God himselfe Therefore if wee will be honorable or so accompted we must learne our termes of honor from our Lord and maister Iesus Christ not from the race of cursed Cain or reuengfull Lamech And the more honorable that a man is so much the more it is his honor to be most ready to forgiue and put vp wrong without séeking reuenge but as the Prophet saith Ps 49. vlt. Eccl. 3 18 Homo in honore non intelliget sed comparatur immentis quae intereunt Man being in honor hath no vnderstanding but may be compared vnto the beasts that perish especially when they vndooe their poore brethren by oppression suites in lawe frawde or imprisonment for euery light occasion Nay without any iust cause A prouerb but it is an old saying Where the hedge is lowest the beast soonest goeth ouer and the weakest are soonest put to the worst Bernard in Can. Therefore I may say with that old Father If beasts could speake they would call such wicked men beasts and farre worse August For as Saint Augustine saith Brute beasts do rauen but when they are hungry and being full do spare the prey But these beasts the more they haue the more they rauen and spoile whereby it appeareth they neither feare God in heauen King on earth nor deuill in hell Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit The loue of money encreaseth as the money it selfe encreaseth the more they haue the more they desire like â—â—re the more wodde the more heate therefore the couetous mans heart is compared vnto a bottomlesse pursse which is neuer full or like the Horseleche that Salomon speaketh of Pro. 30.15 16 the graue and the barren wombe which will neuer be satisfied Thus the poore are threshed to death with Flailes Amos. 1.3 as the Prophet saith this is the malicious sinne which Dauid prayeth against Psal 59.5 saying Ne miserearis omnibus qui peruerse et inique agunt bee not mercifull to them that offend of mallice for as Iob saith fire shall consume their houses Iob. 15.34 I would that such cruell men and séekers of reuenge would remember the words and déeds of Philip King of Macedon who when it was told him that one Nicanor a néedy fellow did speake euill of him because hee neuer did him good the kings seruants gaue him counsell to punish him Nay quoth the King not so I suppose be is a good man therefore it were better to search first if the fault be not in vs. The King vnderstanding that Nicanor was a poore man sent him a rich present wherevpon afterwards this fellow spake as much good of the king openly for his bountie as euer he did euill of him for his couetousnesse Whereby we sée it is in the power of great men themselues to cause either euill or good to be spoken of them Likewise Antigonus King of Macedon Antigon hearing himselfe euill spoken of by soldiers hard by his tent came forth vnto them and said nothing but thus Good Lord could you not haue gene farther off to haue spoken euill of me Thus far off were these two Kings from reuenging their owne priuate quarrels which might be a good example vnto all men of what estate or degrée so euer they bee how they séeke reuenge against the poore But now tempora mutaneur et nos mutamur in illis the case is cleane altred for euery man for the most part will most cruelly reuenge the iniuries done to himselfe pardon those which are done against other yea many times although they be directly against the law honor of God Xenoph. And therfore as Zenophon saith in his Cyropaedia let euery one so behaue himselfe to wards his enemy as at some time or other hee may thinke to haue him his friend Secondly now touching the seruants wherein we haue 4. things to obserue First that sinne hath the nature of a debt for so our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs to pray forgiue vs our debts and so sinners are called debtors as Mary Magdalen was Luc. 16.5 Luc. 7.47 who had her sinnes forgiuen her which afore were accompted debts For the case of the law it is as an obligation wherein if the condition be not kept we do incurre the penaltie Secondly we are to note a difference betwixt sinnes and debts For sinnes which are against God are compared vnto talents sinnes against our brethren are but as pence Thirdly the debt is not of one but of tâ—Ì„ thousand talents hec noÌ„ summa est massa this is not a summe but a mas of money And as before we saw the enormitie of sinne so here we may beholde the multitude of our sinnes Fourthly it is said adductus est hée was brought which bringing sheweth that he neuer tooke care or any thought A secure sinner how to pay his debt He eate his meate and tooke his rest hee liued merily and quietly in pompe and pleasure which is the case of many now adayes in respect of sinne wherein