The Way to True Happiness, Sermon 12
The twelfth SERMON.
MATTH. 5.7.
Blessed are the mercifull, for they, &c.
YOu remember how farre wee hauehave proceeded in the prosecution of our Sauiours proposition here laid downe: Bessed are the mercifull, we goe on to a third Vse, and that Ʋse 3: shall be a word of exhortation, to stir vp both you and my selfe to the embracing of mercy, that thereby we may be blessed. Now in the doing of this duty, there are three degrees, to which you are to be exhorted: 1. to louelove mercy: 2. to get this grace of mercy: 3. to exercise it, being once gotten. For the first, it is not enough for a man to doe the acts of mercy, vnlesse he hauehave also a mercifull heart, and a louelove to this grace: according to that of the Prophet Micah cap. 6. vers. 8. He hath shewed thee, O man! what is good, good for thy selfe, and good in the eyes of God, and what doth the Lord require of the, but this, to louelove mercy? And of doing so, the Lord giues vsus a good e…ple in his owne practice, Micah 7.18. Because be delights in mercy, mercy pleaseth him: So it should doe vsus. And the rather, because: 1. all is nothing that is not done out of louelove. This makes a plaine difference betwitx the hypocrite, and the vpright man; the hypocrite may performe some outward acts of mercy, but the vpright man onelyonly doth it out of louelove to mercy: 2. Because it is a blessed grace, and makes vsus blessed; should not we therfore louelove it? Sith it is mercy that makes a man blessed in his name, blessed in his state, blessed in his person, blessed in his posterity, eueryevery way blessed. It is mercy that we liue by, 'tis mercy that feeds vsus, 'tis mercy that clothes vsus, 'tis mercy that keeps vsus in our being, namly, that mercy in God, therefore louelove mercy.
Now secondly, put on bowells of mercy, as the Apostle exhorts, Colos. 3. and as God our father is mercifull, so be we followers of him as deare children, making it of our very nature, if it were possible, for, such as the tree is, such is the fruite thereof, and mercy is as the man is. The carnall man hath a carnall mercy, a foolish pitty: as if he see notorious malefactors led away to punishment, he can thinke and say, it is pitty they should be so hardly dealt withall, but vntounto Christ in his members, he will shew no mercy; in such a case, he hath his heart closed vp: So a naturall man, may hauehave a naturall mercy, whereby he may shew kindnesse to his kindred, &c. But he that would exercise spirituall mercy (which onelyonly hath the blessing) he must first become a spirituall man. For which end and purpose, he must goe to God, by prayer, to make him mercifull, for it is he alone that works this grace in the heart, pray him that he would teach vsus, for this learning comes only from heauen. That wisdome (saith Saint Iames) that is easie to be entreated, full of mercy and good works, it comes from aboue, Iames 3.17. it is God onelyonly that can teach vsus this wisdome, to him therfore must we repaire, if we would be taught, and if we would hauehave it wrought in our hearts, it is his worke alone, he is the father of all mercies, and the God of all consolation, neither can a man hauehave any measure of holy mercy in him, till he worke it in him. Would you then become truly mercifull: 1. See what God doth: 2. Heare wat he saith. First, I say, see what he doth, and learne to doe likewise. See it: 1. in the mirror of his Word. See how he is there described to be much in mercy, plenteous in goodnesse, gracious, compassionate, &c. his mercy reacheth to the clouds, is higher then the heauens, ouer and aboue all his works. Behold him now with open face, as hee stands thus described in this mirror of the Word, and yee shall be transformed, as the Apostle speaks, 2 Cor. 3. and changed hereby into the same Image. that like as it fared with Moses, when hee had beene talking with God in the Mount, hee came downe with a glorious glistering, and bright Maiesty set vponupon his face: So if wee see the Lord with spirituall eyes, as he hath set out himselfe to be seene in the glasse of the Scriptures: and so make our thoughts to dwell vponupon his sweetnesse, mercy, goodnesse there described: we shall be transformed thereby into the same Image, and become in a measure mercifull, as our heauenly father is mercifull. Secondly, see it in the mirror of his works of mercy to all his creatures, hee is good to the iust and to the vniust, but especially his mercy to his Saints, that pardoning, healing, comforting mercy, particularly his mercy to thee, make it good by faith, that hee is the God of thy mercy, as Dauid saith of himselfe, labour to apprehend God to be such a God as doth helpe thee, feed thee, cloath thee tender and saue thee; this will make vsus to become mercifull as hee is mercifull, if we but once apprehend him by faith, to be our heauenly Father: For then we shall come to reason thus with our selues: God hath forgiuen mee pounds, talents, shall I think it too much to forgiue my brother a few mites? It is he that helps me, saues mee, ouercomes my frowardnesse with his goodnesse, doth mee infinit fauours daily, &c. These, and the like meditations will allay all thoughts of reuenge and stomack, and make a man become gentle and mercifull to others that hauehave offended him, or are in need of him. Thus when wee hauehave seene what God doth, then secondly, heare what he saith, what mercy hee hath promised to the mercifull, what misery he hath threatned to the cruell and mercilesse. These things we must affect our selues with, and worke them thorowly into our soules. And so we shall find that the words of Gods promises, and threatnings, being engrafted into our hearts, as Saint Iames speakes, like as the sciens is engrafted into the stocke, will be of power to change our sowre natures, and to make vsus gentle, sweet and mercifull, euen as God is mercifull, if, I say, wee be carefull to mould this word of God, and worke it into our hearts by meditation and application thereof vntounto our selues. And these are the helps we must vse to the getting of mercy.
The third thing yet remaines to be done: For, when we are now come to louelove mercy, and hauehave gotten it in some good measure, wee must step on to the exercise of this grace in the acts thereof, shewing mercy to others, as our heauenly father is mercifull. But how is that? God is not only merciful in himselfe, but also in all his dealings: So must we not content our selues to hauehave this mercy, but we must proceed to the exercise of it. Now the acts of mercy are of two sorts, some are inward (as we said before) and some outward. The former sort lye open to all ranks of men, poore asvvell as rich (though poore men vsually post off this point of mercy, as not pertaining to them) but it belongs to all sorts, to consider vvisely of their afflicted …ren, as being their ovvne flesh, and to make …ir case our ovvne. Say then vvith your selues, such a one's sicke: What's sicknesse, but an abridgement of all outvvard euills? Such a one's in pouerty, What's pouerty, but a very great slauery, for the borrower is seruant to the lender, saith the VViseman, and so in the rest, consider, and lay to heart the afflictions of others; then secondly, mercy must set our heads a worke, to deuise how to relieue them, we must consult with our owne hearts, as Nehemiah in like case did, and bethinke our selues, what may I giuegive, what may I lend, what may I say, what may I doe to seale vp my louelove, and to be some way comfortable to my distressed neighbour? So for the affections, we must sympathize & condole with the miserable, be poore in their pouerty, sick in their sicknesses, labor and sweat in their grieuances. Mercy transformes a man into the party pittied, makes him feele his brothers case, ake in his paine, groane in his griefes, and so take it to heart, as if it were his owne. These are the inward acts of mercy, which all without exception must exercise: For outward acts: 1. in words, and so all must speak comforting, praying, pittying words to the distressed: 2. In deeds, here all must do something, poore men hauehave not mony to giuegive, but they can giuegive counsell, they can trauell, visit the afflicted, or watch with them, if need be: eueryevery man hath not conserues, or preserues to carry to the sicke, but the poorest hath a warden at least, or an apple to take with them: So eueryevery one must be doing something according to his ability, and their necessity. A…d these are those acts of mercy both outward and inward. which by all, of all sorts, are to be performed.
There are yet some speciall acts of mercy to be exercised by some sorts of men, and those are first publike persons, secondly rich men: For the first sort, Magistrates may fruitfully propound Iobs example to themselues. He being a Magistrate, was eyes to the blinde, feete to the lame, a father to the Orphanes an husband to the widdowes, hee sought out the cause of the oppressed, and snatcht them from out of the clawes of the Lyon and the Beare; the mercilesse and cruell man: So secondly, Ministers must shew mercy in speciall manners, by comforting the deiected, counselling the doubtfull, warning the vnruly, binding vp the broken-hearted, speaking a word in season to those that mourne in Zion, visiting the sicke, ministring to their necessities, relieuing and succouring of them as they are able. These are the duties and acts of mercy that concerne publike persons. The next we must speake to, are rich men, that hauehave abilitie and sufficiency of outward estate; these must be exhorted in a speciall manner to exercise mercy; and the branches of this exhortation are many: There is mercy in giuing, mercy in lending, mercy in remitting, mercy in employing. Some cannot giuegive, who yet can lend, and there's mercy shewed in that, only if we auoid those sore pressures, lending vponupon hard terms, such as the people complained of, Nehemiah 5. selling, of time, lending vponupon day, &c. I deny not but men in lending to others, may take pledges of their neighbours, onelyonly they may not herein be their owne chusers, but though they may take a pledge for their owne security, yet they must take suc… things only, as may well be spared; they may not take the neather Milstone, the means of their liuelihood. There is mercy also in remitting, aswell as in lending: when men are content to forgiue, and passe by wrongs, dues, debts, where there is not wherewithall to discharge them. Nehemiah, in regard of the extremitie of the times, was content to remit of his dues, neither he nor his seruants required of the people, that which did of right belong vntounto them: But now in the matter of giuing, which is the maine and chiefe office of mercy to be performed by the rich, two rules must be obserued: 1. that you make your selues able: 2. that you shew your selues ready to communicate to the necessities of others. For the first, concerning the inabling of your selues to the shewing of mercy, you shall find it laid downe in two Canons, 2. Thes. 3. the first that you forbeare idlenesse, and so all other vnmortified lusts, as gamesomenesse, intemperance, &c. Secondly, Working with quietnesse, and eating your owne bread, that yee may not any way be burthensome to the church. And herein the Apostle sets forth himselfe for an example, vers. 8. we tooke not, saith he, bread for nought of any man, but we wrought with labour and trauell, night and day, because we would not be chargeable to any of you. But, Ephes. 4.28. he requires not onelyonly that we so order the matter that we be as little chargeable to others as may be, but also, that wee be helpfull to others. Let him, saith the Apostle, that stole. steale no more, but let him rather labour, and worke with his hands the thing that is good, that he may hauehave to giuegive vntounto him that needeth. Most men, when they are pressed to works of mercy, thinke it enough to say, I am not able, I hauehave not wherewithall. Why are you not able? how comes it that you hauehave not wherewithall? If God hath dis-abled you by his owne immediate hand, by fire, losse of cattell, or the like, thou art excused; but if you hauehave made your selfe vnable by your owne improuidence, vnthriftinesse, idlenesse, vanity, or the like, you are answerable for many fellonies at once: for hereby thou hast robd thy selfe, robd thy wife, robd thy children, robd thy family, robd the Common-wealth, robd the poore (for whatsoeuer we can well spare, is theirs, in case of extremity, and they hauehave a right vntounto it) Now, if you find your selues guilty of your own inability; by these or the like waies drawne vponupon your selues, be aduised to remoue all wastfull expences, and these sinfull courses fore-mentioned: here's one named by the Apostle for instance: Let him that steales, steale no more: this theft is nothing else but idlenesse (for that the Apostles meaning is so, appeares plainly by the opposition, but let him labour with his hands, &c.) when men are out of a lawfull calling, or are not painefull in it, find themselues no imployment, but are vp and downe, shifting here, and flirting there, such are to be accounted theeues, for they picke their owne purses, and make themselues vnable to doe works of mercy. The like we may say of pride in apparrell, a great wast-good, when people must be in a new fashion eueryevery day, as Nero, who tooke it for a disparagement, to be seene two daies in one sute: So for pride in building, men build as if they should liue for euer, as one speakes. So for pride in feasting, a common fault in men to be ambitious, and vaine-glorious herein, vying one with another, farre aboue their abilities. The like may be said of company keeping and gaming. Those that are companions of wine-bibbers and flesh-eaters, as Salomon speaketh, shall surely come to pouerty. The same will befall such as are here and there sporting and gaming, who may seeme to be of the Emperors mind, that thought money was made for nothing else, but to cast away, and wast vponupon dice: we cannot stand vponupon particulars. In short, eueryevery vnmortified lust is a pick-purse, a thiefe in the candle, a kind of wild-fire, enough to consume a whole countrey. Salomon eueryevery where, almost, tells vsus, that he that goeth after the strange woman, shall be brought to a morsell of bread, that the sluggard shall be clothed with rags, that he that hasteth to be rich, shall suddenly come to pouerty. He tells vsus twice in that 28. of Prou. that the very haste after gaine is the next way to pouerty. The same is true of needlesse expences, mere superfluities, as that which is cast away in smoake and tabacco, and when men shall study how to wast their whole patrimony vponupon vanity, euen saltus & insulas (as one saith) they can weare a pretty groue vponupon their backs, a pretty plat of ground about their necks. These be those …ouses and corruptions whereby many men disable themselues for the doing of good, let these be laid aside: And then secondly, you must labour with your hands, &c. that is, 1. liue in a lawfull calling: 2. dwell vpon't, be diligent in it to know the state of thy flock ('tis Salomons counsell) and take heed to the heards, Prou. 27.23. &c. Nor must you onelyonly be diligent, but expert and skilfull in your calling, Tit. 3. presidents of good works, or crafts-masters in our honest calling: 3. labour in it, we must foreign (that's the Apostles word in that 4. of the Ephesians) take paine in that which is good, foreign.and this we must doe not only to enrich and aduance our selues, but to doe good to others, and to giuegive to him that needs. These now are the rules to be put in practice, for the inabling of our selues to works of mercy. Next, you must be ready to distribute, and doe this way, what good you can. This is that the Apostle enioyneth those that are rich and able, 1 Tim. 6. charge those that are rich in this world, that they doe good, and be rich in good works, and be ready to distribute and communicate, as we hauehave an example in Abraham, who sate ready prest in his tent-doore in a hot day, and in an hot countrey, thinking with himselfe, alas, poore trauellers, how doe they now this scorching season, they are faine to beare the heat of the day, &c. And whiles he was thus casting within himselfe, he sees two wafaring strangers comming towards him, whom he no sooner had espied, but running vntounto them, he stayes not to be entreated, but himselfe first intreats them, he beseecheth them to turne into his tent, and refresh themselues with such entertainment, as he could giuegive them. By whose example, we must also be stirred vp to shew like forwardnesse in shewing mercy and kindnesse, though not to all sorts promiscuously, or to eueryevery vnknowne person (Abraham did not so) yet when we meet with a fit subiect, we should euen runne vponupon mercy: But yet by rule must we proceed herein, both for the matter of our mercy, and secondly, for the manner. For the matter; works of mercy must be done: 1. out of iustice: 2. out of wisdome and discretion. For the first, we must, as the Prophet wills vsus, doe iu…gement, and shew mercy, Math. 16. He that would exercise mercy toward others, he must first pay all his debts, cleare all scores: if he hauehave stollen from any man, or wronged his neighbour, he must first restore it againe, for God accepts not of a sacrifice of rapine. It was a speech of Selymus the Turke,Turk. Hist. to his Bassa, who perswaded him to bestow that wealth which he had wrongfully taken from the Persian Merchants in diuers places of his Empire, vponupon some notable Hospitall, for the reliefe of the poore: he replyed, wouldst thou O Pyrrhus (for so I take it was the Bassaes name) that I should bestow other mens goods wrongfully taken from them, vponupon works of charity and deuotion? assuredly, I will neuer do it, nay, rather, see they be again restored to the right owners, which was forthwith done accordingly. How much shuld we that are Christians, be ready to make restitution of such things as we hauehave vnlawfully come by, and not make ex rapina holooaustū, a sacrifice of rapine, which God accepts not? shew mercy to others, but doe it of thine owne, see what Salomon saith for this, Pro. 5. about the latter end, Drinke water out of thine owne cisterns, and running waters out of thine owne well▪ let thy fountaines be dispersed abroad, and riuers of water in the street: let them be only thine own, and not strangers with thee, &c. If thy goods hauehave bin got well, and held wel, thou maist boldly communicate of the same to others: so then, our mercy must be shewed out of iustice, or else it is not right. The good man described, Psal. 112. is said to be gracious and full of compassion, but yet withall he is righteous. Secondly, we must proceed by the rules of wisdome, in shewing mercy according to that, Psal. 112. A good man sheweth fauour, and lendeth, he will guide his affaires with discretion, he will doe works of mercy out of iudgement, putting a difference betweene person and person, things and things. For persons, some there are, that are poore and religious, our chiefe streame should run vponupon them, the houshold of faith should hauehave a specialty of our mercy; some again are poore,Galat. …. who though not religious, yet are they ciuill, they are in a lawfull calling, they take pains therein to their power, and are willing to liue by their labour, these also we must relieue, and these must hauehave a share in our mercy: 3. some there be, that are neither religious nor ciuil, but wander about, like idle vagabonds, liuing vnderunder no Magistrate, no Minister, in no calling; and to these, the greatest mercy that we can shew them, is to apply our selues to the Apostles rule; If they will not work, let them not eat, if they will not take paines for a liuing, let them euen fast a while, til such time as they be humbled and made willing to work. Thus for the persons, to whom we are to shew mercy: Secondly, there is wisdome to be exercised in shewing mercy, in respect of things. For to one we must shew mercy in his estate, to another in his name, bestowing food vponupon some, clothes vponupon others, and for idle vagrants, it shal be mercy in vsus, to cōmend them to the stocks, to condemne them to the whip, howsoeuer, they or the world shall censure vsus for it, we cannot shew them greater mercy, then so to deale by them, so farre as law will beare vsus out. Thirdly, in works of mercy, wisedome directs a man to looke to the times. The poore you hauehave alwaies with you, saith our Sauior, but yet there is a difference to be made of times: for, sometimes the poore hauehave bread, they hauehave work, & other ordinary mercies: otherwhiles againe, in sore pressing times, they hauehave none of all these, they want all things, work's scarce, bread's scarce (and that which makes eueryevery thing else dear) mony's scarce, here now we hauehave a fit time to extend mercy to the needy: In such a time as this, we must be content to part, not onelyonly with our superfluities, but euen to abridge our selues of some necessaries for the reliefe of our poore brethren. Holy Bradford, in a hard time, thought not too much to sell his chaines, rings, and Iewels, for the reliefe of others. Rogers our Protomartyr in Queen Maries days, made the motion to others in his time to forbeare one meale eueryevery day, to bestow vponupon such as were in want. Nehemiah, in a time of exigence and extremity, would buy no land, as otherwise he might, and would hauehave done; nay, the primitiue Christians, Act. 4. sold that land they had, and brought and laid down the mony at the Apostles feet, they were content to part with al they could part with in that time of exigence, to help to relieue others. Here also, it is requisite that we hauehave wisdome to distinguish of the season: 1. for others, to shew them mercy then, when they are m…t of al distressed, most humbled, most in need, and low brought, then is a fit time to do it: 2. for our selues, to doe works of mercy then, when God hath blessed vsus, and whiles we are able and in time of health (not, …s many vse to doe, referring all to the day of our death) but seeing it done our selues, so shall we hauehave the benefit of those prayers and blessings, which by our meanes shall be offered vp to God. Fourthly, in works of mercy, discretion guides and directs a man to doe according to his abilty. God straines not vponupon any man to doe aboue that he is able (vnlesse it be in a time of extremity, as we said before) but if there be a willing mind, he accepts a man accrrding to that he hath, and not according to that which hee hath not. Nehemiah according to his ability, expressed his bounty to such as were in need of him. Here it must be remembred, that we proceed in a right order, beginning at home; for he that prouides not for his own, is worse then an Infidel. Therefore, as we see it in the parts and members of the body. Each part drawes nourishment to it selfe, and then conueighs it to the next in order: the stomack to the liuer, the liuer againe to the veines, and so it passeth along, euen to the most remote parts of mans body: so must it be with vsus in shewing mercy, eueryevery man must first prouide for himselfe, and those of his own houshold, and then reach forth his hand to others according to his ability; only when you are called to doe good to others, you must not disable your selues, & groan without cause, much lesse put your selues into debt on purpose to keep your selues from giuing where there is need, and so to shift it off, but deale plainly, &c. And this is that we hauehave to say, as touching the matter of our mercy. Now for the manner, the Scripture regulates and teacheth vsus, that works of mercy must be done: 1. in simplicity, as the Apostle hath it, Rom. 12. let him that giueth, do it with simplicity, not for any by-end, not for an end beyond mercy, as for vaine-glory, or the like, but let him shew mercy for mercies sake, lend for lendings sake. Lend, looking for nothing againe, as saith our Sauiour, not as if one that lendeth to another, should looke for no part of the principall againe, but looke not, ayme not at any by-respect: as thus, I lend (pretending mercy) so much, to the end I may borrow as much, he that sheweth mercy, must doe it freely, cheerefully: the Lord loues a cheerfull giuer. A man in giuing to those that want, must not doe it heauily, grudgingly, he must not manu dare, & vultu negare (as hee saith) giuegive with the hand, and pull backe with the looks, strike down with the countenance, but shew all cheerfulnesse in our deeds of charity; for that which is freely giuen is twice giuen, and be it neuer so small, yet is greatly accepted, as the widdowes mite was, who though she gaue little, yet shee gaue much in Christs estimation, who counted it a great promotion, and a far more blessed thing to giuegive, then to receiue 3. In shewing mercy, men must do it liberally. He that soweth liberally, shall reape liberally. An example of this we hauehave in Araunah, who gaue as a King, though he had but a subiects purse, yet hee had a Kings heart, a royall disposition; such should we hauehave. 4. works of mercy must be done constantly: be not weary of wel doing, saith the Apostle, 2 Thes. 3.13. And againe, let vsus not be weary of weldoing, for in due season we shall reape, if we faint not; as ye hauehave therefore opportunity, doe good to all, but specially to those of the houshold of faith, Gal. 6. and Eccles. 11. GiueGive a portion to seuen, and also to eight, &c. where he answers also all obiections. For, some might say, Obiect. we could be content to doe somewhat, but all we doe is but lost, and as it were cast downe the streame.
Say not so (saith the Wise man) for that which is giuen to charitable vses is not cast away,Sol…. but only sowne by the waters side, and after a while it will come againe. Cafl thy bread vponupon the waters, for after many daies thou shall finde it.
Yea, but I giuegive, and giuegive, Obiect. and see no end of giuing, they lie still at my doores, and come thicke.
Oh saith he! giuegive a portion to seuen, and also to eight.Solut.
I, but who knowes what times may come, Obiect. I may fall into want my selfe.
It is true, saith he, Answ. hard times may come indeede, therefore giuegive, whilest thou hast wherewithall: for thou knowest not what euill shall be vponupon the earth.
Obiect. I doe indeed pitty the case of such as be in misery, I can condole, and bleed with them, but I cannot doe withall, I cannot helpe all.
Answ. Oh! saith Salomon, If the clouds be full of raine▪ they will empty themselues vponupon the earth: there is no mercy in the heart (whateuer you professe) if there be not helpe in the hand: full clouds will drop downe their fatnesse into the bosome of the earth.
Obiect. Yea, but I liue in an hard place, in a barren countrey where eueryevery thing is hardly come by.
Answ. Be it as thou saist, yet, If the tree falleth toward the North, or toward the South, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. As if he should say, wheresoeuer the tree groweth, whether in a fruitfull soyle, or a barren soyle, somewhat it will beare: So doe thou, what countrey soeuer thou liuest in, be doing, according to thine ability, some fruits of mercy thou must yeeld, and bring forth, according as God hath put into thy hand.
Ob….I could find in my heart to doe something this way, but the world is so naught, that a man cannot tell where to giuegive, or on whom to place his merciemercy.
An….Hee that obserueth the wind (saith Salomon) shall not sow, and hee that regardeth the clouds shall not reape. He that is alwaies making obiections, and casting perills, it will be long enough ere he will be either resolued to shew mercy to others, or sure to receiue mercy from God.
Put case I should be thus forward to deeds of charity, as you would hauehave me, Obiect. how should I be requited againe?
Why, leaue that to God, Answ. hee can finde meanes to recompence any thing done this way, take thou no thought for that matter: For, as thou knowest not (saith the Wise-man) what is the way of the Spirit, nor how the bones doe grow in the wombe of her that is with childe: euen so thou knowest not the worke of God that maketh all things, verse 5.
I, Obiect. but I hauehave often times mis-carried in shewing mercy, and my bounty hath beene often abused by those that hauehave partaked thereof.
Let not that hinder thee (saith he) from doing any more works of mercy; Answ. but in the morning sow thy seed, and in the euening with-hold not thine hand: See more obiections in Basil. Serm. in Diuitis auarus. Serm. 1….for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that: or whether they shall be both alike good. Thus, when you hauehave with Salomon remoued all obiections, then qutcken vp your selues to the exercise of this grace by the forenamed motiues. Remember, first, that you giuegive to the poore, you giuegive to Christ. If Christ were here in person, how would eueryevery one striue to relieue him, being in want, to refresh him being hungry, to cloth him, being naked; why now, whatsoeuer is done to one of these his brethren, he takes it as done to himselfe: Thinke then with thy selfe, when thou seest a poore Christian that wants thy help: there goes Christ hungry, naked; there lies Christ sicke, or imprisoned, he quakes, he faints, he bleeds in his members: what therefore you would doe to Christ himselfe, doe the same to his poore members: secondly, consider, that what you giuegive to the poore, you doe but lend to the Lord; there is nothing lost that is laid out this way. It may more properly be said, to be laid vp, then laid out, for God will be your pay-Master, he is the poore mans surety, he will repay it; you are but Gods purse-bearers, neither is it any otherwise here, then if some great Gentleman should bid his seruant that attends on him, giuegive a poore bodie six pence; the seruant doth no more then lay it out, being sure to receiue it againe of his Master: euen so it is here, the Lord seemes to say vntounto vsus, There's such an one wants, giuegive him sixe-pence, supply his needs, let him hauehave what will serue his turne, and I will become thy pay-Master for it againe. Yea, thirdly, in giuing to others you doe but gratifie your selues, for hereby you become more blessed eueryevery way, as we hauehave shewed before. Therefore, as euer you would adorne, and beautifie your profession, or inherite the former comforts: shew your selues rich in mercy and good works: which the better to doe, you must fatten the root of mercy, which is charity, whereof mercy is but a branch, as hath beene said: therefore begine with louelove, and as the Apostle saith, Consider one another to prouoke to louelove and good workes. Where there is true louelove, there will be good works. If therefore there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of louelove, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowells and mercies, fulfill ye my ioy, Gods ioy, Christs ioy, all good Christians ioy, that ye be like-minded, hauing the same louelove, &c: not looking eueryevery man on his owne things, but eueryevery man also on the things of others.
Lastly, here's a word of Comfort to the mercifull, they are eueryevery way blessed, Vse. and shall finde fauour with God and men.
I, if I were sure, my mercy were a spirituall mercy, I could take comfort in it? Obiect.
For satisfaction to this doubt, Answ. looke 1. to the motiues of thy mercy, whether those arguments that moue thee to shew mercy be spirituall or not; where dost thou beginne thy mercy? Dost thou, with the Macedonians, first, giuegive thy selfe to God, and then giuegive thy goods to the Saints, and others. 2 Cor. 8.5.The wisedome from aboue (saith Saint Iames) is first pure, and then full of mercy and good fruites: hast thou then a pure nature, and pure motiues and reasons, shewing mercy for Gods sake, for mercy sake, and vponupon spiritual grounds, thy mercy is a spiritual mercy. 2. Looke to the extent of thy mercy, for spirituall mercy reacheth not only to kindred, friends, benefactors (if it go no further, it is but naturall) but euen to strangers, yea, to enemies it teacheth to pray for them that curse vsus, and to releiue those that would begger vsus, and vndoe vsus. 3. looke to the obiect of thy mercy, which in spirituall mercy is especially the soule, (although it doth gladly relieue the body too) it is principally exercised in doing good to the better part of man by counselling, admonishing, comforting, being no lesse desirous to help others out of sinne then out of debt. 4. looke to the effect of thy mercy: doth it make thee more humble? then it is spirituall mercy, for that which is meerely naturall, renders men more proud and conceited, makes them seeme to themselues iolly fellowes, so as that they boast of what they hauehave done, and think of hauing merited therby some reward at the hand of Gods, whereas hee that is spiritually mercifull, findes matter of humiliation in his best workes of this kind, condemnes himselfe that hee doth them so vncheerefully, so basely, so niggardly; as Nehemiah, when he had done his best this way, saw cause after all to implore, and sue for mercy. By these notes of distinction may you iudge of the kind of your mercy, whether it be spirituall or not. But yet further.
Obiect. Many cannot take comfort of the mercy they shew, because they come short in the acting and exercising of it: For 1. for the measure, it is but a little that I do this way?
Answ. If thou shew but a little mercy for want of affection, thou must iudge thy selfe therefore, but if it be through want of ability onelyonly, thou must remember what the Apostle saith to this, viz. that if there be first a willing minde, it is acceped according to that a man hath, and not according to that hee hath not.
Obiect. Yea, but I doe it doubtingly; I cannot tell whether I doe well, and hauehave a ca…ling to doe that which I doe in bestowing my almes?
Answ. This doubt must be satisfied by priuate conference, thou must propound thy particular cases to the Iudicious to be resolued by them.
But what shall I doe, Obiect. when I know them to bee naught that seeke to be relieued.
If thou knowest them before hand to bee such thou oughtest to forbeare to releiue …hem, Answ. except it be in case extremity then demus tanquam homines, A. Gellius Seuecanon tanquā homini▪ lets giuegive as we are men our selues not as to himselues being a bad and wicked man; In such case detur humanitati (as one speaks) we releiue not particular man, so much as the common nature of man in him.
Yea, Obiect. but I in shewing mercy doe it vncheerefully and grudgingly.
Why yet if thou iudge thy selfe for so doing;Solu. thou art accepted at second hand at least. And for thy help consider of the fore-mentioned motiues mercy, and so breake through al difficulties to the acting of it, and you shall finde that exercise will facilitate and make it easie. As it is with a sword, which if a man but seldome pull out of the scabberd, it growes rusty through difuse, and can hardly bee pulled out with all a mans strength put to it: but draw it out often, it will come forth with ease; so likewise if a man draw out his soule but seldome to the needy and miserable, he shall finde it hard to doe, and difficult, his purse will not bee found a great while, when he should shew mercy, and being found, it cannot be pulled out in haste, nor opened without some adoe, and many matters will bee pretended for excuse, all which will bee preuented with often exercise: for here the more a man doth, the more he may, and the more he yet still desires to doe, his affection will not faile, though his estate may.
Obiect. I shew mercy sometimes, but I doe it hollowly, there is in my mercy a spice of pride, ambition and vaine-glory; I blow a trumpet, &c?
Answ. Yet cease not to doe thy worke, so long as thou forgetst not to be humbled, for thy failing in the manner. Doe as children vse to doe in working their samplars, they keep them as faire as they can, but if they be sullied in working, then they wash them, and make them cleane againe: so must we de…le in our deeds of mercy, doe our best at them, and if it fall out that they bee sullied and defiled through pride, ambition, or the like; then goe alone, and bewayle it before God, and thy worke shall be accepted, and thou rewarded.
Obiect. I could be content to doe works of mercy, but people are so vnthankfull, that I am disheartned?
Answ. Let not that hinder thee in thy course, but if there bee neede, let them partake of thy mercy though neuer so vnthankefull.Luk. 6.35. This is to follow the example of our heauenly Father, who is good to the vnthankfull, kind to the vnkind.
Obiect. Yea, but men will neuer be contented, satisfied, but are still trenching vponupon me and clamouring against me, if I doe not euen more then I am able.
Answ. For answer to this, thou must consult thine own occasions, thine owne ability, and especially the Word of God; and if thou canst approue thy selfe to God and to thine owne conscience, for hauing done thine vtmost, thou must rest satisfied, yea, thou mayest safely bee comforted in assurance of the blessing here put vponupon the merciful man, howeuer the world take it, or men construe it; if they'l be masters of their tongues, be thou of thine eares, and there's an end.