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
pleasure as hee had worthily deserued At the sight whereof Hippocinus by and by forgat the iniury pardoned Alcibiades and gaue him his daughter in mariage If now these Ethnicks either through the moderation of their mindes or humane wisdom could willingly offer reconciliation consesse the iniury done and forgiue receiued wronges shall not they rise vp in Iudgement and condemne vs which are so deadly in our malice so obdurate in reuenge so refractary and stubborne in forgiuing wronges that many thinke it vnpossible to frame their stony harts to be reconciled to their enemies First the duty we owe to our Christian brother if we be Christians indeede should worke this effect in vs that by our lenty and patience we may reforme and amend our neighbour Hereof the Apostle Rom. 12. Pro. 15. Ouercome euillwith goodnes And Solomon A soft unswer putteth away wrath but grieuous words stirre vp anger For euen as fire the fuell being taken away goeth out so wrath and displeasure is mitigated by mildnesse and as smoake so annoyeth the sight that a man cannot see what lieth before him so enuie and malice casteth such a cloud before reason that one cannot easily iudge or censure rightly of the actions of his brethren nor wherein wee our selues are delinquent Secondly because we are bound by charity not to hurt our neighbour for by reuenge and retorting euill for euill we doe not onely proue our selues to be euill but also minister occasion of further fury and perturbation to our brother What is this else but Oleum Camino addere according to the prouerbe to cast oylein to the fire Demosthenes being prouoked by many taunts and reproaches of an enemy answered I will not contend with thee in this kind of combate In quo qui vincitur ipso victore melior est in which hee that is vanqished is the better man Thirdly wee should forgiue and patientiy suffer wrong for the edification of our neighbour that wee may giue him an example of godlinesse For as euery example of vertue so especially of forgiuing iniuries doth edifie our neighbour and enforce him to admire and loue vs yea though he be most vile and wicked If the commandement of God as obedient children cannot pierce our Adamantine hearts neither the loue we owe vnto our brethren as fellow members of one body yet let the vtility and profit which commeth to our selues thereby as meere naturall men preuaile somewhat with vs in this precept of forgiuing First least thou hurt thy selfe because thou canst not wreake thy reuenge vpon thine enemy but thou must doe thy selfe a sarre greater hurt For if a man for the disliking that hee hath of a garment which he weareth that he might cut and teare it should thrust the knife into his owne bowells were he not worthy to be condemned of extreame madnesse So thou canstnot stirike thy neighbour but thou must giue thy selfe a more greenous wound thou offendest God piercest thine owne soule through thine impatiency and pleafest thine aduersary Knowest thou not what the Apostle saith Whosoeuer hateth his Brother Iohn 3. is a manslayer and yee know that no manslayer hath eternal life abiding in him Passus es Malum saith S. Augustine hast thou suffered wrong Ignosce ne duo mali sitis Forgiue that yee be not both wicked If thou hatest thy brother thou hurtest thine owne soule If thou forgiuest him thou dost good to thy selfe and thine enemy remaineth in his owne sinne What greater madnes can there be then to persecute thine ene with deadly hatred seeing it cannot be without offering great iniury to thine owne soule Is there any man so sottish that if in eating hee biteth his tongue with his teeth he will therefore pull out his teeth Or if in cleauing a blocke hee hurteth his foote will hee to be reuenged cut off his arme wouldest thou not iudge such a one to be out of his wits Know then that thy neighbour is neerer vnto thee then thy teeth in thy head or thine arme on thy body Is it then the part of a wise man to take reuenge on his neighbour for a little iniury and reproch done vnto him and so cut off and destroy the fellow member of the same body Surely if there were no other reason but this to moue vs to condonation and loue of our enemies lest wee most of all hurt our selues seeing nature her selfe hath ingrafted in euery mans hart to wish well vnto himselfe this should be a sufficient motiue vnto vs to draw loue and kindnes towards our enemies Patience knoweth how to conuert iniuries and reproches into gould siluer and pertious stones euen as the Salamander is nourished in the fire of tribulation and as the fea fish is sed with salt and bitter waters Socrates when going in the streete one malepertly kicked him with his heele and many maruelling that he so patiently put it vp what should I doe quoth he to them that perswaded him to take the law vpon him Si quis asinus me calce percussit diceretus mihi voca eum in jus If any Asse should strike me with his heele would you wish me to goe to law with him Secondly wee should loue and forgiue an enemy for the great profit and good an enemy causeth vnto vs And by experience we see the very brute and sauage beasts to be louing to their benefactours If then reason it selfe enforceth from vs loue to a benefactour by the same law of reason wee are bound to loue our enemies which often times are more beneficiall and profitable to vs then a friend Our friends many times doe winke at our infirmities sooth vs vp in our follies suffer vs to runne on in our wickednes but our enemy which is sharpe sighted to prie into our life maketh vs to walke warily and to be circumspect in our sayings and doings that wee giue him no occasion to backbite and discredit vs. It was a wise saying of Socrates that euery man needeth a true friend or a watchfull enemy For a friend if hee be indeed a true friend will euer tell vs the trueth and counsell vs for our good But because often times we will not hearken vnto a friend God sendeth vs enemies to counsell and reforme vs in that which our friends either will not or dare not And therefore one calleth an enemie Optimum vita nostrae Padagogum the best Schoolemaster of our life Et medicum gratuitum ae salutarem and a healthfull Phisitian which giueth his phisicke freely which if he doe but touch our vlcers and offences causeth vs to amend them Philip king of Macedon was wont to say that hee was much behoulding vnto them of Athens for that they spake euill of him because saith he I am made the better man whiles I endeuour et verbis et factis â—es mendaciss conuincere both by words and deeds to proue them lyers Euen as those that suspect a disease are carefully carefull that they hurt not their crazed bodies
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
non vetat peccare cum possit Iubet Hee that suffereth sinne vncontrouled doth as it were command it But rightly to reprehend is one of the greatest difficulties incident to humane discretion And yet it is easier known then done partly by reason of the way wardnesse of the delinquents dispositiō that may not suffer reproofe partly by reason of the diuers affections of the reprouers themselues whom either ignorance disables fauour withdrawes feare deterres or fury transports beyond the bounds of reason First such I say is the waywardnes of mans crooked nature that for the most part they may not heare of their offences according to the example of Herod who heard Iohn Baptist willingly Mar. 6.20 and did many things after him but when hee told him that it was not lawfull for him to take Herodias h◠brother Philips wife hee laide holde on him and cast him in prison Ieroboam also stretched out his hand from the Altar 1 Kin. 13.4 22.27 saying lay hold on him so soone as hee was reproued and Michaiah must bee fed with bread and water of affliction till Ahab returne in peace Wee can enery one of vs cry out against the sinnes of the time and age wherein we liue saying Hos 4.1 There is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land But what man is hee among a thousand that in the true humiliation of his owne soule will stand out with Dauid and say Behold I haue sinned yea I haue done wickedly 2 Sam. 14.17 〈◊〉 these sheepe what haue they done For albeit in generall we all confesse our selues to be sinners yet so great is the selfe-loue that euery man by nature carrieth in his owne bosome that when it commeth to the particulars he coueteth to lay the burthen vpon another mans shoulders and not to say with Iudah that he or shee Gen. 38.16 is more righteous then I. A first part of Ecclesiasticall Corrigidors there are whom ignorance disables these poast vpon Gods message before they haue learned their errand being more greedy of the gaine then gainefull in the grace of their calling hauing not as yet receiued any warning from the mouth of the Lord to giue to his people and therefore no way fit to execute the charge whereinto they haue thrust themselues There are a second sort whom either fauour withdrawes or feare deterres from reprouing sinne 1 Iohn 1.15 Such who louing the world loue net the Father that is to say when Michael your Minister or Peter Please-man his Curate will not tell Ahab of his cruelty Nabal of his churlishnesse Iezebel of her painting Gehazi of bribery c lest they thereat offended should withdraw their affection from him pleasure another And thus whilest hee preferreth gold before God honour before honesty and money more then the good of any hee is ready euen with the false Prophets 1 Kin. 22.15 to bid Ahab goe vp and prosper In stead of correcting vices he is ready to flatter and sooth men vp in their conceited vertues couering a rusty blade with a veluet scabbard and crying peace peace when warre is approaching whereas Almighty God commandeth Esai 58.1 Crie aloud spare not lift vp thy voice like a Trumpet tell ludah his sinnes Israel their transgressions Shall God bid cry aloud and shall we be silent A third sort of corrigidors there are whom sury transports beyond the bounds of reason those men can winke 〈◊〉 all things till they themselues be first offended and then passing the bounds of charity they lay all things open yea peraduenture more then all stuffing their Pulpits with inuectiues and declamations so farre are they transported with the fury of their affections And yet for all this sinne must bee checkt errour must bee restrained and vices must be spoken against lest vnder pretence of supposed defects in our selues or respects to others they gather head and like the vnruly Sea break down the bankes ouerwhelme the Land with Atheisme and superstitious impiety Thus much touching Ecclesiasticall correction Domesticall correction is twofold reproofe and punishment this duty is to be performed by Parents towards their children and by Masters towards their seruants Salomon is very copious in this matter Pro 23.13 Withhold not correction from thy child thoushalt smite him with the rod and shalt deliuer his soule from hell Correct thy sonne and he will giue thee rest Pro. 29.17 and he will giue pleasures to thy soule Againe Pro. 13.24 He that spareth the rod hateth his sonne but he that loueth him correcteth him betimes All which testimonies tendes to this that if we desire our owne peace and not to be molested nor vexed but much comforted by them if we would testifie our faithfull loue to them if wee would purge their hearts from folly and sinne and preserue their soules from euerlasting perdition then let vs bee carefull to giue them due correction which is Gods blessed ordinance to reforme and saue their soules Let all cockering Parents harken what the Lord saith to the Prophet Samuel touching Eli for not correcting his children 1 Sam. 3.12 13. In that day will I raise vp against Ely all things that I haue spoken concerning his house when I begin I will also make an end and I haue tolde him that I will iudge his house for euer for the iniquity which hee knoweth because his sonnes ranne on in a slander and hee stayed them not So that you may see how that the irrespectiue conniuency of Parents vpon their Childrens faults bringeth often times Gods iudgements vpon the whole family and not without great cause Nam tenera est dum virga recensque flectitur huc illuc vt vis at post vbi creuit non rob usta arbos while the twig is tender and greene it is bent hither thither as you wil but after it is growne you cannot it will bee a strong tree And as Gods iudgement fell vpon Ely and his Family for this sinne 1 Sam. 4.17 18. for Hophni and Phinehas died in the battell and Ely at the newes thereof fell from his seat backward and brake his necke so in these dayes many adiudged to execution for murther Fellony or the like haue cryed out vpon their tender hearted Parents for bearing with them too much in their child-hood But whilest I insist vpon this point I beseech you mistake me not for my meaning is that we should haue an eye to the counsel of our Sauiour in this Text so to shew mercy to others as we would expect the mercy of God towards our selues Si quoties peccant homines sua fulmina mittat Iupiter exiguo tempore inermis erit For if that Ioue should strike So oft as Men offend The Poets say his Thunderbolts Would soone be at an end Thus much touching domesticall correction Iudiciall correction is to bee performed by Magistrates towards the Subiects therefore thus speaketh the Lord of Hosts
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
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 self-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 self-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
and growing and is so surely kept that no man can depriue vs of it either by force or craft And then another benefit there is Luk. 12.34 Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also This is of so good effect that if one lay vp treasure in Heauen his heart will follow it What is the reason then that many men can come so hardly to speake of Heauen and heauenly things that one may as easily make a great milstone ascend vp to the Skie as draw their thoughts to heauen-ward the reason is plaine their treasure is not there This knew Salomon when hee said Pro. 11.17 He that is mercifull to the poore rewardeth his owne soule As if he had said euery man will yeeld it is a good thing to bee beneficiall to himselfe and to doe good to his owne soule but it is most certaine that nothing in the VVorld no purchase no bargaine shall bring so much profit to the soule as a mercifull heart and liberall hand to the poore members of Christ Iesus Acts 9.39 This caused Dorcas to bee so full of good workes and almes whose continuall custome was to buy cloth cut it forth and prepare garments for the naked Master Fox recordeth in the story of the Right worthy Lady the Lady Anne Bullen Mother to the late Queene of famous memory Queene Elizabeth that shee vsually sent her messengers into the Townes next adioyning to her abode to vnderstand both the number and state of their poore and where greatest want was shee contributed her almes to the reliefe of their necessities yea and that continually so great was her compassion towards the afflictions of Gods people Let vs then by these examples Remember them that are in bonds Heb. 13.3 as though wee also were bound with them and them that are afflicted as if we also were afflicted Neither let the rich man thinke whom wealth and nobility maketh haughty and proud that therefore hee was formed of gold siluer or some purer substance then the beggar who hath nothing to stand vpon but beggery patchery and penury for of the same masse of the same vile and abiect peece of earth both rich poore were taken Let them againe remember that they are mortall corruptible fraile and subiect to as many chances and changes as any other though neuer so poore and contemptible in the world Iob hauing found this by experience Would not see any perish for want of cloathing Iob 31.19 20. nor any poore without conering yea many blessed him that were warmed with the fleece of his sheepe And hee found the truth of that blessing pronounced by the Prophet Dauid saying Blessed is the man that considereth the poore and needy Psal 41.1 the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble VVhy then despisest thou thine owne flesh why art thou an enemy to thy selfe This consideration should breede in vs such a fellow-feeling of the good or euill ioy or sorrow weale or woe of the members of the same body that wee should Reioyce with them that reioyce Rom. 12.16 and weep with them that weepe Againe 1 Cor. 12.25 That the members should haue the same care one of another Otherwise if wee haue lost this feeling and affection of members it argueth plainely that wee be no true members of the misticall body that we are not ingrafted into the body of Iesus Christ And therefore Saint Iohn assureth vs 1 Ioh. 3.17 That whosoeuer hath this Worlds goods and seeth his brother hath neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him that the loue of God cannot dwel in him If then the loue of God be in thy heart it is knowne by the loue that thou shewest to thy neighbour and if thou louest thy neighbour thou wilt not shew thy selfe hard-hearted and straight laced vnto him in his miseries Euen as the heart that is placed in the middest of the body inclineth most to the left side though indeed it inspireth life to the whole body so though a Christian ought to manifest his loue to euery man and our charity is to bee diffused vnto all men yet should hee bee most prone to the afflicted part and to bestow his charitable beneuolence where there is most neede of succour Charity and loue to our neighbour in humane societie is like the blood in the naturall body which amine streth and conserueth life for as the blood in euery necessity of the body runneth to the indigent parts to succour where is most need so is true charity ouer readie to minister succour and to conuert it selfe thither where is most need and necessity Lucullus hauing sumptuously entertained for some time certain Grâ—â—cians and when they saidâ— vnto him they maruelled that for their sakes hee would bestow such liberall expence and magnificent cost be answered Much my friends was for your sakes but the greatest part was for Lucullus sake So the good Christian who sheweth himselfe mercifull to the poore needy doth surely much for their sakes because hee loueth them as his neighbours and fellow members but much also for his owne sake because hee is delighted in doing good and ioyfully doth the worke of mercy The Holy Ghost compares our deeds of charity to seede sowne Gal. 6.7 They that sow plentifully shall reape also plentifully Now wee know that after sowing in time comes the Haruest and when the haruest commeth there is many for one the Husbandmans labour is recompenced keep your seed by you it will corrupt cast it forth it shall bring in crease VVhat more praise-worthy in a Christian then where God hath blessed industrie gathered and frugalitie saued thereby charitable almesdeeds and workes of mercy to pittie the distressed estates of others especially considering that if we sow but a cup of cold water in conscience and in loue it is sowne vpon Christ Iesus Mat. 25.35 he is the ground For I was hungry and ye gaue mee meate I thirsted and ye gaue mee drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me c. Therefore vnlesse yee thinke that Christ will bee a barren ground it is most certaine that he which scatters seede here shall reape a large increase that which is cast abroade in mercy shall returne againe in goodnes the more good a man doth the more good hee shall receiue for God will restore it But oh what vaine of eloquence or stile of perswasion may now serue in this congealed age of charity to mollifie the steely hearts and thaw the frozen affections of worldlings and make them relent at the miseries of the poore members of Christ Let vs neuer forget that the sentence which the supreame Iudge Iesus Christ shall pronounce at the dreadful day of iudgment shall be grounded vpon the workes of mercy how wee haue discharged our stewardship in the succour and reliefe or in the neglect and contempt of his poore members which hee reputeth as done vnto himselfe And contrariwise he shall send