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
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
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