numero vix sunt totidem quot Thebarum portae vel divitis ostia Nili For good men saith h Iuven. Satyr 13. the Satyrist are very scarse equall in number to the gates of Thebes or to the mouths of Nilus which were but seaven So scarse that i 1. Cor. 9.24 the Apostle 1 Cor. 9. comprehends them all vnder one Vnus accipit branium One receiueth the price One yet not simply one no more but One saith k Lyran. ibid. Lyranus by a Synecdoche for a very few In token whereof in all the olde world which yet I feare was somwhat better thā this new there was but one righteous Noah seavē more of his family that were saved frō perishing in the waters yet of those 7 one a cursed Cham. And of all the 10 lepers that were clensed by our Saviour Christ l Luc. 17 15. Luc. 17. there was but onely one that returned to giue thankes As for the other nine they might very well be summ'd vp and figured with a cypher Yea such a dearth is there of iust men that in Scripturephrase the iust are lesse than one even iust none Perijt iustus de terrâ rectus in homine non est m Mich. 72. Mich. 7. The iust man is perished from the earth and there is none righteous among men And the Prophet David hath told vs foure times for failing that n Psal 13 24. there is none that doth good no not one Twice Psal 13. and o Psal 52.2.4 twice more Ps 53. 2 A second thing to be observed in the Subiect 2. Religion the roote of righteousnesse is this that the roote of righteousnesse is religion as irreligion is the roote of vnrighteousnesse and iniustice This I gather ex vi vocis out of the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irreligious which in the next clause is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteous For if the wicked be therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnrighteous because they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irreligious then surely à contrario by an argument from the contrary the godly is therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteous because he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 religious hauing ever the feare of God before his eyes No true iustice thē without true religion For though some of the heathen men were morally iust in an eminent manner as was Aristides who was therevpon surnamed Iustus the Iust yet could none of them properly be tearmed iust For both their iustice and whatsoever other virtues they had because not seasoned with religion were by p Austin St Austins verdict at the best but splendida peccata goodly and glorious sinnes Learne wee therefore as in Zacharies song wee are taught q Luc. 1.75 Luc. 1. to serue God in holines and righteousnesse all the daies of our life Not in righteousnesse without holinesse for no better can that be than a painted righteousnesse but in holinesse and righteousnesse both together else can we serue him in neither because as r Theoph. ib. Theophylact noteth vpon that place Sanctitas est iustitia erga Deum iustitia verò sanctitas erga homines Holinesse is righteousnesse towards God and righteousnesse is holinesse towards men 3. What kinde of righteousnesse here denominateth a righteous man 3 A third thing to be observed in the Subiect is this what kinde of righteousnesse it is that here denominateth a righteous man Not to recount those many severall sorts of righteousnesse which both Divines and Philosophers teach I take it that the obligation or bond of righteousnes wherein a righteous mā stands bound to his beast is if we properly speake a bond of Oeconomicall or houshold-righteousnesse Occonomicall righteousnesse which bindeth him to an honest care and reguard not only Familiae of his family but Rei familiaris of his cattell and of all things else that apperteine to the good and welfare of his family Howbeit because wee are now in the booke of Parables and my text is not so much literally spoken as in a parable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as ſ Heb. 11.19 the Apostle speaketh of Abrahams oblation of Isaak I say in a parable or similitude of that reguard which a righteous man hath as of his beast so much more of men though among men of those especially that more especially belong to his care and custodie not vnfitly may we reduce it to that vniversall Morall righteousnesse which duly distributeth to every one his owne To every one his owne that is Morall righteousnesse faith t Anselm Anselmus Maiori reverentiam pari concordiam minori disciplinam c Reverence to our Superiour concord to our equall discipline to our inferiour obedience to God sanctimonie to our selues patience to our enemie works of mercy to the poore I may adde out of my text even to our poore beast For so general must be the extent emanation of righteousnes dispēsing to every one his due that it must not exclude no not beastes themselues and therefore much lesse men yea by so much the lesse by how much a man is more worth thā a world of beasts though it 's rufully true that many men so deboshed and depraved is their condition of life might better be spared than some one beast Let no man then of what estate or qualitie soever thinke to shift off this duty of distributiue righteousnes as if it concern'd him not For no lesse doth it concerne every man than doth the very nature of man so that to shift off righteousnesse is to shift off humanitie and all Vir à virtute a man saith u Cicer. the Orator hath his name of virtue but vir à iustitia a mā say J hath his nature that is the perfection of his nature from this virtue of iustice For to say nothing of that outward rectitude and vprightnesse of mans body which yet ought to teach vs an inward rectitude and vprightnesse of minde * Bernard Nihil enim indecentius quà m in recto corpore curvum animum gerere For there is nothing more vndecent than to carry a crooked minde in a streight body what else I pray you is that purer part of conscience which the Schoolemen call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seated in the vpper portion of the reasonable soule of man but Inflexibilis mentis rectitudo an inflexible rectitude or vprightnesse of minds which cannot possibly be swaied to anie kinde of iniustice x Aquia Quia instigat ad bonum murmurat de malo because it prickes a man forward to good and checkes him for evill So that as y Austin St Austin saith of sinne that Omne peccatum est voluntarium atque it a voluntarium vt si non sit voluntarium nō sit peccatum Every sin is voluntary yea so voluntary that sinne is no sinne vnlesse it be voluntary so may I also truly saie of man that Every
22.15 Foris Canes Dogs that shall stand without even without that heavenly Ierusalem whereinto shall enter none vncleane thing Apoc 22. If there be any vntamed Buls that are enraged and horne-mad as they say at the sight of purple that is as o Iud. Ep. v. 8. S. Iude speaks that despise governement and speake evill of them that are in authority Sons of Belial which is interpreted Sine iugo without a yoake it were good that they were brought vnder the yoake of obedience If there be any lazy Oxen which yet are Animalia na ta labori beasts borne to labour I meane lazy and sturdy Roagues and vagrant persons such as p Theocrit Theocritus speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who keepe holy-day all the yeare long I say if there be any such I might say if there be swarmes of such either in your city or in your suburbs it were good that there were stimulus a goade provided for them to pricke them forward to their labour If there be any fierce fiery Horses which are q Deut. 32.15 Inerassati impinguati dilatati Deut. 32. Made sat grosse and even laden with fatnesse I meane Papists that haue beene over-fed fild with his Maiesties favors it were good that he would in time Equis lasciuientibus pabulum subtrahere hold these fat and high-fed horses to hard-meate lest they begin to recalcitrate and kicke and perhaps in the end throw their Rider and that he would also provide both Fraenum Calcar a bridle a spurre A bridle to refreine their forwardnesse where they should be backward and a spurre to incite their backewardnes where they should be forward In a word If thine owne body which is as r Bernard S. Bernard cals it Asina animae the asse of the soule the asse that must cary it either to heaven or to hell be either so dull in the soules service or rather in Gods as to droope in the waies of Christianity or so wanton as to rebell against the spirit it were good there were provided Flagellum a whip both to quicken it as also to bring it into subiection For ſ Sirac 33.27 Servo maleuolo tortura compedes Torture and fetters belong to the evill seruant Sirac 33. 6. In Conservando 6 The sixt and last braunch of a righteous mans mercy to his beasts must be In Conservando in protecting defending them For if a shepheard should leaue his sheep to themselues what were they else but a common prey to the teeth of Lyons Wolues the like Or what were he but as one saith Pro pastore mercenarius pro mercenario lupus pro lupo diabolus In sted of a shepheard a hireling who when he seeth the Wolfe comming he flyes and perhaps before too nay not a hireling but a wolfe nay not a wolfe but a divell As therefore a good shepheard must haue t Bernard declamat Virgam qua dirigat oves a rod wherewith to keepe his sheepe so he must haue Baculum quo abigat lupos a staffe wherewith to keepe away the wolfe Both mentioned by u Psal 23.4 David Psal 23. thus speaking to the Lord his shepheard The Lord saith he is my shepheard therefore shall I lacke nothing Though I walke thorow the valley of the shadow of death I will feare none evill for thou art with me thy rod and thy staffe comfort me Yea so farre wil a good shepheard venture himselfe for the rescue of his sheepe that he will * Amos 3.12 take out of the mouth of the Lyon if it be but two legs or a piece of an eare Amos. 3. Nay as our Saviour himselfe witnesseth Ioan. 10. The good shepheard giues his life for his sheepe And this did he also make good in his owne person as vpon Good Friday when to redeeme the liues of vs his poore sheep from the iawes of death and hell he layd downe his owne life which yet more than manfully even by the power of his divinity he resumed and tooke vp againe as vpon Easterday Had he not so done wee had all of vs beene but Oves occisionis as sheepe for the slaughter and y Psal 49.14 Oves in inferno Psal 49. as sheepe lying in hell where both first and second death had everlastingly gnawne vpon vs. Wherefore z 1. Cor. 15.57 thankes be vnto God who hath given vs the victory through our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 15. Thus yee haue heard How a righteous man is to reguard the life of his beast Let me now shew you Why he is to reguard it 2. WHY a righteous man is mercifull to the life of his beast The Why I told you is three-fold Every one of these 3 words Animam iumenti sui The life of his beast carying ◠Ioan. 10 11 in it a seuerall reason of his mercy to his beast 1 For first Nouit animam quia animam He reguardeth life because it is life that is Propter mysterium because of the mystery of sauing life Saue a beasts life and saue a mans 2 Nouit animam iumenti quia iumenti He reguardeth the life of a beast because it is commodious and helpfull to him The very name of it importeth asmuch For it s cald Iumentum quasi iuvamentum saith a Isidor Isidor that is Propter ministerium because of the service vse and benefit he hath of it 3 Nouit animam iumenti sui quia sui He reguardeth the life of his beast because it is his that is Propter magisterium because of his dominion and Lordship over his beast 1. Animam qui◠animam First then he reguardeth life because it is life So noble and pretious a thing is life that b Eccl. 9.4 better is a liuing dogge than a dead lyon Eccl. 9. Yea a worme though the basest of all living creatures yet because it is animated hath life in it is by philosophers said to be a nobler creature than the heauens Howbeit I cannot approue of Pythagoras his too too pitifull philosophy which would not allow that the life of any either plant or beast should be violated c Ovid. Met. l. 15. The Poët brings him in thus exclaiming against those that feede vpon the flesh of beasts Heu quantum scelus est in viscere viscera condi Congestoque auidum pinguescere corpore corpus Alteriusque animantem animantis viuere letho O what a shame a sin is it saith he that bowels should be buried in bowels the bowels of beasts in the bowels of men that one body should be crammed fat with another body and that one liuing creature should liue by the death of another No. I haue learned of d Arist Polit. l. 1 c. 5. Aristotle that the earth was made to feed plants and plants to feed beasts and beasts to feed men But what do I speake of Aristotle Did not God himselfe immediatly after the
omne tempus est liberum mercedem non operis sedmisericordiae vndecimae horae operarij consequentur All time is free for hope and the laborers even of the eleuenth houre shall receiue a reward not of their owne merit but of Gods mercy Thus though mercy and iustice go hand in hand both in God his Christ yet hath mercy the right hand that is the vpper hand of their iustice and though mercy overtop yet it never overturnes their iustice Mercy and iustice in Gods liefetenents As it is in God the King and Iudge of all the earth so should it also be with Gods Liefe-tenents the Kings and Iudges of the earth who though they be called Dij terrae Gods of the earth yet must they remember that they are but Dij terrei God 's made of earth Vice-Gods pety-Gods and vnder-Gods and men-Gods And as they are Reguli litle kings here on earth vnder that Great King of heaven so must they also be Regulae liuing Rules of iustice Not a Cael. Rhodogin lect antiq l. 7. c. 22 Regulae Lesbiae Lesbian leaden rules flexible with the clamours or importunities of whomsoever but Regulae rectae Rules no lesse streight than inflexible infallible ministring to every one a true and a right measure of iustice For the old rule is Regula per quam alia regulantur debet necessariò esse recta A rule by which other things are to be ruled had need be right and streight it selfe There must therefore be in them as in God there is a blessed medley and mixture of iustice mercy Mercy to mollifie iustice and iustice to qualifie mercy that neither the one nor the other grow too-ranke For iustice without mercy is not iustice but tyranny mercy without iustice is not mercy but fatuity And what else saith c Gregor S. Gregory was meant by annointing the Kings of old with oyle out of a horne but that there must be a due temper of rigor and clemencie Vt sicut cornu fodiantur it a oleo foveantur that as some are to be goared with the horne of iustice so others are to be annointed and cherished with the b Chrysost in Matt. oyle of mercy But most notable is d Pet. Blesensis ser 16. Blesensis his illustration of this point He tels vs there are two kinds of letting bloud The one by diminution of the quality when the bloud is corrupt the other by diminution of the quantity when the bloud is too-abundant Nec minùs periculosa est superfluitas quà m corruptela and no lesse dangerous to the state of the body is the superfluity than the corruption of it Yet what more sweete and pleasing to the nature of man than bloud Wherefore as it is sometimes expedient that there should be a diminution of bloud in the body so is it sometimes meete that there should be a diminution of virtue it selfe in the soule It was e Eccl 7.16.17 a skilful Physition that said in the time of the law Noli nimis iustus esse Be not too iust there is a iust man that perisheth in his iustice And there was another of better skill than he in the time of grace that would haue f Rom 12 3. no man presume to be wise aboue that which is meete to be wise but that every man be wise according to sobriety Rom. 12. And if iustice and wisdome two such capital virtues had neede of diminution Cui putas venae virtutum parcendum est What one veine of virtues is there trow yee that would not be let bloud If the Iudge be too-iust though it be in a case against a rich man what 's that but to turne g Amos 6.12 Fructum iustitiae in absynthium the fruit of righteousnes into wormewood Amos. 6. And if he bee too mercifull though it be in a case for a poore man what 's that but to turne Mel in toxicum hony into deadly poyson For h Prov. 25 27. Nimium mel non est bonum Too-much hony is not good Prov. 25. And therefore God though otherwise a father to the poore yet because men naturally if nature be not corrupted by the are of bribing are more enclined to pity the poore than the rich hath given an expresse charge concerning the poore i Exod. 23.3 Exod 23. Pauperis non miscreberis in iudicio Thou shalt not pity no not a poore man to the preiudice of iustice So that Iustice is a pure intemerate Virgin that must not be corrupted by either of those two vnchast or vniust Suitors Nimium or Parum too-much or too-little because too-much iustice is too little iustice and too-little iustice is too much iniustice And for a Iudge either way to commit iniustice by being either too-long or too-short handed in the administration of iustice is an argument of very great impotencie of affection Therefore well hath k Sirac 20.3 the son of Sirac c. 20. compared such a Iusticer to an impotent Eunuch Concupiscentia spadonis deuirginavit iuuenculam c. As when a guelded man through lust would defile a Virgin so is hee that vseth vtolence in iudgement And both are abhomination to the Lord saith l Prov. 17.15 the wise man Prov. 17. Et qui iustificat impium qui condemnat iustum aswell hee that iustifieth the wicked through too-much favour and clemencie as hee that condemneth the iust through too-much rigor and extremity Let a Iudge then saith one carry in his right hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bloud-stone wherewith to staunch innocent bloud and in his left hand Gladium a sword wherewith if need be to smite malefactors to death And surely great reason haue Iudges being themselues as m Greg. Naz Gregory Nazianzen tearmes them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living lawes and many of them also living by the law to support mercy and iustice because mercy and iustice support the law as did n Exod. 17 12 Aaron and Hur support the hands of Moses Exod. 17. Whence I take it to bee that o Prov. 3.16 the wiseman Prov. 3. v. 16. for so the 70 haue it though the words be not at all set downe in the English hath placed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousnesse and mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Out of her mouth viz. out of the mouth of wisdome goeth forth righteousnesse and shee carrieth law and mercy in her tongue There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law betweene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousnes and mercy And no lesse reason haue Kings to preserue mercy and truth because as the wise King p Prov. 20.28 Salomon tels vs Pro. 20. Mercy truth preserue the King Without these two what are all those good and wholsome Lawes which by sincere and righteous lawgivers haue beene spun out of the bowels of their compassionate care of
deceased which being once confirm'd k Gal 3.15 S. Paul thought no man so impious as to abrogate Gal. 3. that though it ayme at never so good charitable vses yet if they haue but somuch wit and so litle conscience as to picke a quarell with it all is hazarded It was therefore a wise and blessed resolution of him who intending to haue the poore fare the better by him said hee would not stand to the curtesie of Executors Overseers after his death but in his life time would make his owne hands his executors his owne eyes his overseers O that this were also the common care and resolution of you the worthy Almoners of this honorable city whom the Lord in the riches of his mercy hath annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue your fellows that at least some part of it might run downe to the chearing and cherishing of the poore distressed members of Iesus Christ Yee are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as l Laërt l 6. the Philosopher sometime spake sheepe cloathed with golden fleeces Oues faetosae sheepe great with yong even with great store of yong poore and fatherlesse Orphans Qui suxerunt vbera senserunt vellera who haue sucked the paps of your bounty felt the warme fleece of your charity And though many glorious things be spoken of thee ô thou city of God yet among them all nothing so glorious as that thou so aboundest with piety and mercy that thou fillest so many empty bellies cloathest so many naked backes lodgest so many houselesse strangers relievest so many maimed souldiers providest for so many impotent creeples and mainteinest so many fatherlesse Orphans Into these and many other the like channels do the sylver-streames of your mercifull devotion runne But yet giue me leaue to speake freely what I may truely speake The fountaines from which these streames flow are for the most part dying not liuing fountains A blessed thing no doubt it is thus to do good though it be but at your death But much more blessed should ye be in your work not only in the sight of men but of God himselfe if in your life time ye would deale distribute with your owne hands that which ye cannot tell whither ye shall hold till your death which indeed is to do good rather as sheepe than as swine vitâque magis quà m morte iuvare as m Ovid. Met. l. 15. the Poët speaks of sheepe to benefite others rather by your life than by your death So should ye be well assured that no posthumous fraude or cunning should be able to disappoint your religious purposes And I doubt not but ye would soone fall to a godly vy and aemulation one with another which of you should haue the precedency in this kinde of mercy being both the surest the truest kinde of mercy if ye could but perswade your selues as the n Prov. 11.17 wiseman doth Prov. 11. that Benefacit animae suae vir misericors He that is a benefactor to others is a benefactor to his owne soule or as some of our English translations haue it He that is mercifull rewardeth his owne soule 2 If a righteous man reguard the life of his beast because it is his ought not then every righteous Minister to provide for the good and welfare of his flocke be cause they are his And every righteous Magistrate for the good and welfare of his people because they are his Are not these o Rom. 13.4 the ministers of God ordeined by him for the wealth of those that are vnder them Rom. 13. 3 Againe If a righteous man reguard the life of his beast because it is his ought he not then much more to reguard both Vitam victum the life and living the Greeks haue exprest both in this one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both Esse and Benè esse the being and well-being of his wife because shee is his of his children because they are his of his servants because they are his Knowing that as p 1. Tim. 5.8 the Apostle teacheth 1. Tim. 5. If there be any that provideth not for his owne and namely for them of his houshold he denieth the faith and is worse than an infidell And if he ought to provide for their corporall welfare ought he not then much more to provide for their spirituall welfare And to say with good q Iosu 24.15 Iosuah c. 24. Ego domus mea I and my house will serue the Lord 4 Lastly in a word If a righteous man reguard the life of his beast because it is his ought he not then much more to reguard the life of his owne naturall body Not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lay violent hands vpon himselfe as some in a desperate fit of male-contentednesse haue done whom the Apostle deemeth monsters rather than men For r Eph. 5.29 no man saith he euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it Eph. 5. And if the life of his naturall body how much more then his spirituall life the life of his soule which is so his owne as that without it himselfe were not his owne What a madnesse then is it saith one Plorare bestiam amissam non plorare animam To mourne for the losse of thy beast and not to mourne for the losse of thine owne soule It is therefore the counsaile of ſ Sirac 30.23 Siracides c. 30. Miserere animae tuae placens Deo Haue pity vpon thine owne soule pleasing God Please him better thou canst not than if thou haue pity vpon thine own soule And it is the rule of the schoole Charitas ordinata incipit à seipsâ Regular charity begins with it selfe And as it begins with it selfe so will I end with it Beseeching God even the Father of our Lorde and Saviour Iesus Christ for his sake to giue a blessing to that which hath ben spoken in your outward eares that it may inwardly fructifie bring forth much fruit of mercy in your hearts in some 30 in some 60 in some an hundreth-fold that so when that great day of refreshing shall come ye may every one of you receiue seven-fold into your bosome c. FINIS