THE VVORKES OF MERCY BOTH CORPORALL AND SPIRITVALL LONDON Printed by G. Eld and M. Flesher 1621. Mercies Workes corporall TO feede the Hungry To giue drinke to the Thirsty To clothe the Naked To ransome the Captiues To harbour the Harbourlesse To visit the Sicke To bury the Dead Mercies Workes spirituall TO correct the Sinner To instruct the Ignorant To counsell the Doubtfull To comfort the Sorrowfull To beare Wrongs patiently To forgiue all Men. To pray for others euen our Enemies To the truly Noble in Vertues the perfection of Noblenesse the most Illustrious Honor of his noble House and Name The Right Honourable Iohn Earle of Bridgwater This Sacred Poem is most humbly consecrated as a Testimony of his especiall loue and seruice BY Your Lordships faithfull honorer RAPHE CRANE THE AVTHORS PREFACE THe Citie had my Birth my Father free Of a much fam'd royall Company With good esteeme bore offices of worth My education past I then went forth And tride the Aire of diuers noble Counties There tasted some free fauours gen'rous bounties Much variation I haue had since then With one blest Gift A Ready Writers Pen The vse whereof without vaine-glory told It not extinguish'd yet though I am old First was I seuen yeares Seruant painfull Clarke Vnto a Clarke o' th' Counsell and did marke Within the circuit of those hopefull yeares The goodnesse and nobilitie o' th' Peeres Those reuerend Lords those Counsellors of State Vpon whose vertues I must meditate While I haue breath and praise while I am able Each gracious Second of that honour'd Table And as a thankefull Riuer that doth send His Tribute to the Ocean I commend One speciall Sacrifice with heart sincere Vnto his worth whom I call'd Master there That haplesse thence I slâ—pt wanting firme hold I only sigh the fate but leaue 't vntold The Signet and the Priuie-Seale was next Those deare Colleagues who giue me for my Text A Field of honour and shall be my Song Whilst Fame a Trumpet hath or I a Tongue Some gentlenesse from thence I still possesse Which makes their goodnes more my sorrowes lesse To th' Tribe of Leuy heauens chiefe Miracles I haue done seruice writ their Oracles Which so diuine Instinction doth infuse For their blest sakes I le make my Soule their Muse And pray with the best power my zeale affords All happy Gifts to crowne their sacred words The Holy Ghost in Clouen Tongues and Fire Descend on them when they good things desire But most of all doth my laborious hand 'Mongst the renown'd and learned Lawyers stand A Monument each Office and each Court Vouchsafing me such matter of Report That if my voice to th' utmost world could stretch Eu'n thither should their fames and honours reach And some imployment hath my vsefull Pen Had 'mongst those ciuill well-deseruing men That grace the Stage with honour and delight Of whose true honesties I much could write But will comprise't as in a Caske of Gold Vnder the Kingly Seruice they doe hold Should there be here a harsh obiection cast Why hauing tride so many wayes and past So many places All or none of these Could me establish oh let them but please To note what I haue heard some Merchants say That what they 'ue got on Land they 'ue lost at Sea 'T will stop the current of that crook'd conceit And light vnto constructions farre more streight For so God knowes haue I by Stormes and Floud Of Time and Sicknesse lost my Land-got good Loe this hath beene my lifes sad Pilgrimage Vnto this houre the Euening of my Age Citie and Countries I haue seene and Court And in them some of each degree each sort Of each Sex too for eu'n my willing duties Reflected haue vpon some Female Beauties To whom my Soule hath vow'd such deare affection I shall not giue it ample satisfaction If Deaths darke-night my sight-depriued eyes A shaking hand or ought else should arise Ere I had consecrated with my Name Some speaking honour to their liuing Fame And 'mongst all them whom I haue thus obseru'd You stand in a chiefe place and are thus seru'd True worth will neu'r esteeme't a wandring Shift For a poore man in a poore well-meant Gift To tender his hearts-zeale but take 't aright As Christ accepted the poore Widowes Mite Doe you but so and of the Leapers ten I le be the Tenth and humbly come agen And pay my vowes and in a way more knowne Sing double honour to your vertues showne The humbly deuoted R. CRANE The Works of MERCY BOTH Corporall and Spirituall MAn of polluted lips dar'st thou aspire So high a Worke Call for celestiall fire Inuoke some holy hand to guide thy pen Some circumcized heart to teach thee â— when Thou but conceiu'st a verse sett'st downe a line Sigh for thy state weepe for those sinnes of thine Those Actuall ones that Iustice haue cald downe And made th' Almightie with an angrie frowne Fright Blessednesse from thee making thy life A Vale of miserie a Den of strife Scarce suffring thee in almost sixtie yeeres See ought but dangers mischiefes debts and feares Laying on thy Soule such heauinesse such woe As but his Mercy helpe thee thou must goe And speedily vnto a Graue forlorne Wayling and wishing thou hadst neu'r beene borne Alas but what am I that he should daigne In his abundant Grace to raise againe Me groueling earth that in confusion lies Not daring to his Throne erect mine eyes O my deiected Spirit rowse thy selfe Be not with cares as worldlings are with pelfe Wholly be-numm'd thy God benigne and good Knowes eu'n for thee thy Sauiour shed his bloud Be thou but penitent and he will smile Wash thee with Teares and he with sacred Oyle Will cheere thy lookes and thou shalt cleerely see The louing kindnesse he intends to thee The Scales are falne already I behold Diuine Infusion happy man am told That his blest Prouidence neuer forsaking Did first excite thee to this Vndertaking He bids thee write relie on him and send Thy prayers vp and he will fairely end This thy designe and thou shalt comforts finde Both to thy trauaild life and troubled minde Lead by this Fiery-Conduct this darke night Loe thus I wander hopefull Israelite MERCIES FIRST WORKE CORPORALL To feede the Hungrie WEll may this Worke 'mongst all true Christians blest Be plac'd as a Fore-runner to the rest By night the Pillar and the Cloud by day By which all Mercies Workes may finde their way For the sharpe sting of Hunger to asswage Being an affliction that feeles greatest rage Off-spring of Famine that of Plagues the third Threatned for sinne in the most sacred Word By how much it appeares the bitt'rer griefe The fairer Mercie shines in the reliefe Then to giue Bread implies Gods worke in heauen Since Christ the Bread of life was to vs giuen When we had staru'd Soules dutie bindes vs then To comfort the necessities of men And while w' haue
in a valley Buriall More marke the glorious promise of his Truth No Blessing beares a fairer spring or youth In the most beautifull Word marke it agen Let it be grauen on the hearts of men Where ere thou find'st the dead haue this regard Take 'hem and burie 'hem and for reward I le giue thee in this gift comes all in one The first place in my Resurrection Tobit amidst his precepts to his Sonne Gently warnes this as needfull to be done When I' me dead burie me and next of all As if he scarce had spoke of Buriall Bids the same Care he of his Mother haue Whom when She dies seale vp in the same Graue Thus when thou hast perform'd the last request To the Works Corporall and Interr'd in rest With a cleere Conscience and vntroubled heart Thou maist lay claime to the Spirituall part These made Paralells Corporall Spirituall To feede the Hungrie To correct the Sinner To giue drinke to the Thirstie To instruct the Ignorant To clothe the Naked To counsell the Doubtfull To ransome the Captiues To comfort the sorrowfull To harbour the Harbourlesse To beare wrongs patiently To visit the Sicke To forgiue all men To burie the Dead To pray for others euen our Enemies MERCIES FIRST VVORKE SPIRITVALL To correct the Sinner TO feede the Hungrie Mercies first degree May with this first Spirituall par aleld be For a Stray-Sinners-Soule that long hath swaru'd From Christ lifes Bread may be cald hunger-staru'd Then to Correct and turne that Soule to Good Is rightly said to giue Spirituall Food So much for the Coherence and through All The Corporall Workes so meet Spirituall GOd rebuk'd Laban 'cause he did pursue Iacob Christ Paul Paul rebuk'd Peter too Boldly and openly which shewes we ought To reproue Sinne in any 't is so taught Throughout the word by Law and by the Lambe Who all-obedient for the obedient came List to the counsell of the Holy Ghost Where dwels all goodnesse plentifully most If thy weake brother through temptation fall Restore him ye that are Spirituall So sayes the Spirit of all comforts beautie Which shewes this worke is a Spirituall dutie It is a Mercy to the Soules of men And brings 'hem to the way of life agen One dutie so depends vpon another He that Corrects will sure Instruct his Brother Coheres with that before for he that feedes The hungrie will giue drinke to him that needes 'T is such a Golden-chaine so linck'd together In Soule and Body 't is the same in either MERCIES SECOND VVORKE SPIRITVALL To instruct the Ignorant TO giue the Thirstie Drinke the second Act Of Mercy Corporall is this Mercies Tract For what is Ignorance but the fearefull Thirst And drought of knowledge in Gods wrath oft curst Swearing the Erring and Idolatrous Brest Should neuer enter into his faire Rest. In warres of Ignorance they are said to liue And Fire and Thirst are the fair'st fruits wars giue I giue you Milke to drinke saith Paul not Meat Which shewes the faintnâ—sse of an Ignorant heat God cals the Glory of the Ignorant Drought And like men famish'd their lifes ioyes goe out Instruction like a Riuer then let in Waters the Soule that lay eu'n parch'd with Sin And marke their glorious reward that doo 't They that to right wayes turn the wandrers foot Themselues like fixed Stars who Erring neuer Shall in th' eternall kingdome shine for euer 'T was the Command Christ his Disciples gaue Goe teach all Nations willing all to saue And what makes perfect his Command Baptize That in their Soules a heauenly Spring might rise Then to instruct the Ignorant is to giue Spirituall Drinke by which the Soule may liue When Food and Drinke 's giuen diuine Charitie saith Counsell the Doubtfull clothe the bare in Faith MERCIES THIRD VVORKE SPIRITVALL To counsell the Doubtfull TO clothe the Naked that third Step in Grace With this Spirituall Worke may ranke in place There 's Nakednesse in Soule which is in Man The greatest want when Christ is not put on His Sufferings his Righteousnesse his Merits Which are the vestments that adorne meeke Spirits Those Soules are deckt with Graces and shine most Set with the Counsels of the Holy Ghost Then to be Doubtfull and of hard beliefe Is miserable Nakednesse a griefe Which most needs Counsell and best power of Man Since it first prou'd the Iewes Reiection Faith is that Wedding Robe in which not drest We are disgrac'd and turn'd out from the Feast Which still confirmes th'vnseemelinesse of Doubt Faith 's call'd a Brest-plate if we walke without We are not only bare but want Defence And euery Euill knowes our Indigence Euery temptation wounds with the least touch The force though weake the Doubter helps it much And sticks-in his owne Arrow his flesh cleaues Wide ope to Ills whose heart no Faith receiues He that to this Soules Succour lends a hand Helpes to remoue this house built vpon Sand And sets it on a Rocke his Sauiours Trust To the next Worke of Comfort hee 'll be iust MERCIES FOVRTH VVORKE SPIRITVALL To comfort the Sorrowfull TO Ransome Captiues the fourth Mercy plac'd In the first Ranke may with this Work be grac'd There are Spirituall Captiues when within The Soule lies geyu'd with Fetters made of Sin Chain'd to despaire and Guilt of ill demerit To Comfort is to Ransome such a Spirit Or at the least to set the minde in frame With the sweet thought of their Redeemers name That sacred Ransome for all penitent men Loaden with Sorrow for their load of Sin To this most beautious Mercy saith Saint Paul Gods speciall Attribute may moue vs all The God of comfort being Gods glorious name Whence we receiuing ours must giue the same To the afflicted Conscience ease her load With what our selues are comforted of God Christ in sweet words makes knowne himselfe to be The Lord of Comfort saying Come to me You heauy loaden what can more be nam'd The Holy Ghost hee 's generally proclaim'd A Comforter his speciall worke on Earth Is to raise Ioy vpon our second Birth Well with a Christian may this Worke agree So Starre-like fixt in the whole Trinitie To light and guide Compassion in Mankinde That the next Worke it may the easier finde He that lends pittie to griefes mournfull song Patience will blesse his Soule to beare a wrong MERCIES FIFT VVORKE SPIRITVALL To beare Wrongs patiently TO giue to those a harbour that haue none Was a Worke Corporal in the fift place shown As Patience now in this Spirituall forme Which has a welcome for wrongs sharpest storme And to giue Iniuries house-roome is no more Then to lodge Enemies distressd and poore Which makes our Acts the nobler in their course And puts our Euils to the weaker force As wrath consumes it selfe oppos'd by none So Iniuries endur'd their stings are gone That God which last of Comfort held the name Is here the God of Patience both the same By his long-suffring Penitence workes our
peace And by our Patience we our Soules possesse Our Patience hauing a possession then Who should lodge there but Iniuries of men That place to Euils properly belongs The house of Patience is the Inne of wrongs The holy Prophets are before vs plac'd As precedents of Patience but most grac'd By Christ and his Endurings witnesse Scornes Spight Blasphemies Reproches Buffets Thorns Last his most pretious Suffring that excels And has rais'd Patience ' boue all Vertues else And for the Thornie-Crowne prickt it with Stars Shining through Corporall or Spirituall Wars Who would not beare wrongs since i' th' end they proue All Iewels set about their Crowne aboue Without the next impossible he should liue He that beares wrongs will graciously forgiue MERCIES SIXT VVORKE SPIRITVALL To Forgiue all men THe Visitation of the sicke the sixt Of Corporall Workes is with this Mercy fixt For on the Bed of Sicknesse harshest men Will both forgiue and aske forgiuenesse then That time the most reuengefull Spleene will melt In teares and not in bloud his Reuenge felt The motiue then to draw this good Worke on vs Is to thinke still that Sicknesse were vpon vs And as the Worldling when hee 's sure to die Will then giue all no man more liberally For reason of his Bountie this we giue him Because he can nor keepe nor carry with him So he that 's most reuengefull most malitious Will shew himselfe in that kinde then least vitious When Visitation like a frostie Night Bindes vp the Riuers of his Bloud and Spight If he be good and a right Christian He will forgiue as Charitie ties man If he be neu'r so vilde hee 'll forgiue then In that he has no power to iniure men Howeuer by this blest example liue Because our Christ forgaue let vs forgiue For his sake honour it and in this respect It being the speciall marke of Gods Elect The next will sweetly fall into thy way For he that pardons will be apt to pray MERCIES SEVENTH WORK SPIRITVALL To pray for others euen our enemies THe burying of the dead not disagrees With this Worke Praying for our Enemies For as Obliuion's said to be a Graue And Ills forgotten their true buriall haue So when we pray for foes we there comprise The funerall of all our Iniuries Neuer in life to be remembred more But like things buried seal'd and couer'd ore This praying-loue which makes vp Charitie best And both faire Mercy in this Tract exprest Is like a Toombe-stone here vpon Deaths Inne And couers the great multitude of Sin Blessed Saint Steuen thus with loud voice cride And buried his foes wrongs before he dide Lord lay not to their charge this sin though deep And when he had thus spoke is said to sleepe To shew the meeknesse of his death and that Wrongs were no sooner pardon'd but forgot It is a Mercy that Christ lights vs to Forgiue them for they know not what they doe Your enemies loue do well to thē that spight you Blesse thē that curse pray for thē that smite you Mongst Mercies works this shines the speciall Iem Both to bring wrongs to th' Graue and pray for them As Christian Charitie vses this remorse Prayers are oft said ouer an ill mans coarse To the worlds iudgement which this worke implies We ought to pray eu'n for our Enemies Who loues these Works both wayes in number seuen Will shine 'mongst men and be a Starre in heauen FINIS * Marchant-Taylors * Cl of the Couns
time our charitie must be showne Not leaue it to be done after wee 're gone By the slow bountie of anothers aid Who perhaps too by thy example swaid Will part from nothing till his dying day So may thy Goodnesse be lost euery way And tost from ones Trust to anothers care Till there be nothing to trust to but Aire Christ is the Bread of life Dole then at death Is but dead charitie whilst God giues breath Be thou a giuer to those stand in need And with thine owne eye see the hungrie feede Then on the next thou canst not chuse but thinke Feeding the Staru'd thou 'lt giue the Thirstie drinke So by one step of Mercy thou 'lt ascend To the full height of goodnesse in the end Climbing the Corporall Workes there will appeare Then Iacobs Ladder the Spirituall cleere MERCIES SECOND VVORKE CORPORALL To giue drinke to the Thirstie ANother raging enemie like the first Sets vpon man afflicted and that 's Thirst Terror of Surfets and that plague his fell Vpon full bowles witnesse that wretch in hell Who shewes the torment best when all his song Was but for one poore drop to coole his tongue But Christ that sets reward to him that giues But a poore cup of water and releeues His Christian brothers want his thirst t' appease Held it too deare for that rich Gluttons ease What charitie can lesse then to afford A cup of water Yet with Christ thy Lord It has a rich acceptance which shewes plaine Mans poorest Almes are not bestow'd in vaine Marke but the Blessings that are showr'd from heauen On this the feeblest bountie can be giuen The Lord shall satisfie thy soule in Drought Make fat thy bones thy courage bold and stout And like a watred Garden thou shalt grow Nay like a Spring whose waters euer flow Thy Barnes shall cracke with plentie for the first For this thy Presses with new wine shall burst Here are two Steps if thou canst get so farre I know thou 'lt cloath Need when thou seest it bare MERCIES THIRD VVORKE CORPORALL To clothe the Naked HE that did first vncouer Nakednesse Had the first curse from man whose tongue did blesse At the same instant his two other Sonnes In whose acts the first modest Storie runs We 're taught by Gods Law we should not with-hold Our brothers garment his defence from cold And call'd his couering which instructs vs still How well this worke is pleasing to Gods will To clothe the Naked To incite vs more To this most seemely Mercy to the poore The Lord himselfe the first example show'd On our first Parents whom he naked cloath'd Humanitie instructs vs to this care And creatures that no name of Reason beare That gentle Bird tender and kinde to man Seeing the barenesse of a Christian Will couer him ore with leaues before it rest Then sing a dirge vpon his mossie brest Who can so dull a Charitie professe But will of all wants pittie Nakednesse If nothing stirre him vp this only can He sees his first Shame in an Vncloath'd man That thought I hope will raise him to this deed To which being mounted he will still proceed And hauing got three steps vp he will see In what distresse and wants poore Prisoners be MERCIES FOVRTH VVORKE CORPORALL To ransome Captiues THe more the charitable man proceeds Flow greater miseries to meet his deeds If he looke now with Mercies melting eye Into the Gaoles where wretched Prisoners lie Foure miseries ioyn'd in one he there shall see Hunger Thirst Barenesse and Captiuitie He then that truly cleeres this combinde griefe Fairely sets off foure workes in one reliefe This amongst all afflictions most extends When man lies lock'd both from his meanes friends Sure from th' infernall Lake 't was first deriu'd For so lost-Soules lie of all ioyes depriu'd 'T was the most cruell punishment indeed That euer was deuis'd to vex true Need To make Necessitie more helplesse Want More miserable Scarcitie more scant As who should say Wee 'll inuent plagues anew Wee 'll barre all meanes and see what heau'n will doe Such are the mercilesse Creditors that ioyne Miserie to want as they doe bloud to coyne Deuouring widowes houses vnder colour Of long lip-praying making their plague fuller Let Prisons swallow needie Soules no more But rich Trust-Breakers that haue made 'em poore On this thy Charitie may boldly venture Cleere 'hem of True-men that great Theeues may enter For now there is no roome nor would it hold To put vp Sheepe and Goats both in one Fold If thou desir'st this wrong but to redresse I le trust thy Mercy for the Harbourlesse MERCIES FIFT VVORKE CORPORALL To harbour the Harbourlesse THis hospitable Mercy stands in need Of small incitement it has beene a Deed So gloriously requited that none can Denie that succour to a Christian If he remember how the times of old Haue beene rewarded he will neu'r grow cold For Truth proclaimes it then to be beleeu'd In Strangers shapes Angels haue beene receiu'd So Abrahams Hospitalitie was blest And the like charitie in Lot exprest Which past not vnrewarded for next Morne From burning Sodome he was safely borne This were enough from all this worke t' extract Seeing such Blessings purchas'd by the act Say we receiue not Angels we are sure To entertaine Christ which is farre more pure In his afflicted members this too we win Letting in Charitie we shut out Sin And this good more if cheerefully thou impart Thy house to Christ hee 'll come into thy heart Then putt'st thou on all workes of blessed kindes Thou 'lt run to visit those whom Sicknesse bindes MERCIES SIXTH VVORKE CORPORALL To visit the Sicke THe motiues that should most perswade dull minds To offices of Mercy of all kindes Are to consider well how like they looke To all Gods Workes the Glasse the sacred Booke Which shewes 'hem cleerely to mans mortall eye That he might follow 'hem more effectually Here is a Mercy though it seeme a paine Which God begins to draw vs on againe The Sicke to him the healthfull to the Sicke Both for his glory to keepe Mercy quicke We say of them which haue a Sicknesse on 'hem These words Gods visitation is vpon 'hem Shall not we visit whom he visits then What worke can be a glory more to men Then reuerently to second yet most free Gods visitation with our companie To be a visitant there where God is chiefe And the first visitor can this be griefe Or Shame or Danger Say the last it be Thy comfort is the same God visits thee And when thy health 's restor'd more care thou 'lt haue Both of the Sicke and those that want a Graue MERCIES SEVENTH WORK CORPORALL To burie the Dead WIth this fit care did Abraham first begin And bought a Field to burie his Dead in And Ioseph was the first that honour gaue To the dead Corps embalm'd it for the Graue Nay God himselfe which should moue most of all Gaue Moses