Collected Sermons, charity
A SERMON OF D. MARTIN LVTHER OF THE WORKES OF CHARITIE.
Luke 6.
Verſe. 36. IEſus ſaid vntounto his diſciples: Be ye mercifull as your father alſo is mercifull.
37. Iudge not, and ye ſhall not be iudged: condemne not, and ye ſhall not be condemned: forgiue, and ye ſhalbe forgiuen.
38. GiueGive & it ſhalbe giuen vntounto you: a good meaſure, preſſed downe, ſhaken togither, and running ouer ſhall men giuegive into your boſom: for with what meaſure ye meat, with the ſame ſhall men meat to you again.
39. And he ſpake a parable vntounto them: Can the blynde lead the blynde? ſhall they not both fall into the ditch?
40. The diſciple is not aboue his maiſter: but whoſoeuer wilbe a perfect diſciple, ſhalbe as his maiſter.
41. And why ſeeſt thou a mote in thy brothers eye, and conſidereſt not the beame that is in thine owne eye?
42. Either how canſt thou ſay to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou ſeeſt not the beame that is in thine owne eye? Hypocrite, caſt out the beame out of thine owne eye firſt, and then ſhalt thou ſee perfectly to pull out the mote that is in thy brothers eye.
THE workes of charitie which we muſt do to our neighbours in temporall thinges and in corporall neceſſitie, are diſcribed vntounto vsus in this text: which the Lorde then declared, when he ſayde a litle before in the ſame chapter, that we muſt do well vntounto our enemies, and beſtow benefits vponupon them which hate vsus: that we muſt bleſſe them that curſe vsus: that we muſt pray for them which perſecute vsus: if any man ſmite vsus on the one cheeke, we muſt offer vntounto him alſo the other: and if any man take away our cloke, we muſt not forbid him to take away our coate alſo. &c. All which he comprehending in a briefe ſumme, ſayth: Be ye mercifull, as your Father alſo is mercifull. Here ye ſee all good workes ſummarily deſcribed which we muſt exerciſe among our ſelues, as our heauenly father hath exerciſed them toward vsus. Ye hauehave oftentimes heard, that it is not needefull to do good workes toward God, but toward our neighbour onelyonly. God can be made neither ſtronger nor richer by our workes: but man may be ſtrengthened and enriched by them, vntounto whom alſo they are neceſſarie, vntounto whom onelyonly they are to be directed, and not vntounto God, which ye hauehave very often heard, and which is now in your eares: but would to God it would at the laſt burſt forth both into your handes and workes.We muſt deale with God by faith and with our neighbours by good workes. Marke therefore how peruerſe an order it is, when any deale with God by workes, with whom notwithſtanding they muſt deale by onelyonly faith, and when faith is directed vntounto man, whereas it is to be placed in God alone. Turne theſe contrariwiſe, and they ſhalbe right, after this ſort: let vsus firſt repoſe faith in God alone, and let vsus then giuegive our ſelues to ſerue our neighbours, and to direct all our workes ſo, that they may turne to their commoditie. We muſt deale before God by no other thing but by faith alone, becauſe none is able to helpe vsus but God onelyonly, & whatſoeuer we poſſeſſe either in mind or body, that commeth wholy to vsus from God alone, in whom we ought to truſt, vponupon whom we ought to ſet our hart. Nowe ſome vſe ſuche a prepoſterous order, that they repoſe faithe, which ought to hauehave reſpect vntounto God onelyonly, in them ſelues and others, they reſt vponupon their traditions, and whatſoeuer their great maiſters hauehave inuented, in that they put their truſt. Of ſuch God ſayth in Ieremie?Ier. 2. My people hath done two euills: one, for that they hauehave forſaken me the well of the water of life, and digged them pitts, yea vile and broken pitts that can holde no water: An other, for that thou dareſt ſay: I am without ſinne and giltles, tush, his wrath can not come vponupon me: behold I will reaſon with thee, becauſe thou dareſt ſay, I hauehave not offended.
Firſt he ſayth, that his ſpouſe is turned into an harlot, and hath eſtraunged her ſelfe from God the fountaine of life, from whom life, ſaluation & eueryevery good thing floweth, him they hauehave forſaken. Secondly they ſet vp their owne traditions, and digge vntounto them ſelues a fountaine of their owne, which can holde no water. So our Papiſtes truſt to their owne inuentions, to their founding of Maſſes, to their faſtinges, prayers, and ſuch like things. Which appeare to be as a fountaine, out of which they would draw life, and bleſſednes or ſaluation, when as notwithſtanding it is able to hold no water: they forſake God the fountaine of life. Afterward he ſayth: they dare riſe againſt me, that I ſhould not be angrie with them, alleging that their workes be iuſt, and they will goe to law with me. Beholde this is an other ſinne, that they goe about to defende their workes. Whereupon God alſo ſayth: I wil cōtend with thee in iudgment, & wil shew how thou gaddeſt hither and thither to change thy wayes. So faith pertaineth to God alone,Faith obtaineth all good thinges of God. whereunto it belongeth to obtaine all whatſoeuer thinges are neceſſary, as well temporall thinges as eternall, and ſo to obtaine them, that it thinke not that it hath merited in any thing. Alſo it muſt againe apply it ſelf downward toward our neighbour, with out looking for any recompenſe, not that bleſſednes conſiſteth in that deriuing of faith, to wit charity, for neither doth God require that, who will hauehave the conſcience to reſt onelyonly in him: euen as the ſpouſe muſt cleaue onelyonly to her huſbande and to no other: ſo alſo God requireth of vsus that we truſt in him alone. Theſe things Chriſt declareth when he ſaith: Be ye mercifull as your father is mercifull. Wherefore I muſt ſo order my conſcience toward God, that I vndoutedly beleeue, that I hauehave him a bountifull and mercifull father, as I will afterward declare, and that I alſo do ſhew mercy toward my neighbour. Which faith muſt be inward, and caried vpward vntounto God, but workes muſt be without, and deriued downward to our neighbour. After this ſort Abraham did, when at the mountaine in the countrie of Moria he aſcended to God, he left his ſeruaunts and aſſes below at the bottome of the mountaine, taking onelyonly Iſaac with him. The ſame muſt be done of vsus if we will aſcend vntounto God, that we may come to him with Iſaac onelyonly, that is, with faith, ſeruaunts and aſſes, that is workes, are to be left below. Thus much for the entraunce of this text concerning faith and workes, to wit that faith muſt pearce inward and vpward, but workes muſt go without and downeward, whereby at the length it commeth to paſſe, that we are righteous before God and men, for that we giuegive due honour vntounto God, and beleeue according to his word, and ſatiſfie our neighbour in the dutie of louelove. Nowe let vsus ſee the very wordes of the text in order.
Be ye mercifull as your Father is mercifull. How our heauenly Father is mercifull toward vsus.How therefore is our heauenly father mercifull? after that ſort, that he giueth vsus all good thinges, corporall and ſpiritual, tranſitorie and eternall, freely and of his mercy. For if he ſhould giuegive vntounto vsus according to our deſert, he ſhould giuegive vntounto vsus nothing but hell fire and eternall damnation. What ſoeuer therefore good thinges he beſtoweth vponupon vsus, he beſtoweth them of his meere mercy. He ſeeth vsus ſticke faſt in death, therefore he hath mercy vponupon vsus and giueth vsus life: he ſeeth vsus to be the children of hell, therefore he taking pitie vponupon vsus, giueth vntounto vsus heauen: He ſeeth vsus to be miſerable and naked, hungerie and thirſty, it pitying him hereof, he clotheth vsus, and refreſheth vsus with meat & drinke, & maketh vsus full of all good things: So what ſoeuer we hauehave either in body or in ſpirit, he giueth it vsus of his meere mercy, without any merit or deſert of ours. Whereupon Chriſt here ſaith: Imitate your father, & be ye mercifull like vntounto him. This is not ſimple mercy,What kinde of mercy reaſon teacheth vsus to vſe. ſuch as reaſon teacheth, for that is greedy of her owne commoditie, which giueth onelyonly to great and learned men, and to them that deſerue it: it loueth them that be fayre and beautifull: it giueth vntounto them, of whom it looketh for profit and commoditie againe, which is a mercy diuided, begging, and as it were torne and broken in peeces. For if I ſhall giuegive to him that hath deſerued, or if I ſhall regard fayrenes or friendſhip, it is a bargaine or det, and not mercy. Hereof Chriſt ſpeaketh in the ſame chapter before this text in this wiſe:Luke 6. If ye louelove them which louelove you, what thanke shall ye hauehave? and if ye do good for them which do good for you, what thanke shall ye hauehave? for euen the ſynners do the ſame: and if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receiue, what thanke shall ye hauehave? for euen the ſynners lend to ſynners to receiue the like. But the mercy of Chriſtians muſt not ſeeke her owne, but ſo behaue it ſelfe, that it be indifferent, that it regard all alike with open eyes, both freinds and foes, euen as our heauenly father doth.
Where true mercy is not, neither is there any true faith.And where ſoeuer this mercy is not, neither is there faith alſo. For thy heart being ſetled in faith, ſo that thou knoweſt God to hauehave ſhewed himſelfe thy God, ſo gentle and bountifull, without thy deſert and of mere grace, when thou waſt as yet his enemie, and the childe of euerlaſting malediction, thy heart I ſay being ſetled in this faith, thou canſt not containe thy ſelfe, but that thou ſhew thy ſelfe againe ſo to thy neighbour, & that wholy for the louelove of God, and for thy neighbours commodities ſake. Take heede therefore what difference thou make betweene a friend and an enemie, betweene the worthy and vnworthy: for ye ſee all which are in this text rehearſed, to hauehave otherwiſe deſerued of vsus, then that we ſhould louelove them, or do well vntounto them. And the ſame thing the Lord meaneth when he ſayeth Luke 6: But louelove your enemies, do well vntounto them, lend, looking for nothing againe, and your reward shalbe great, and ye shalbe the children of the moſt High: for he is kinde vntounto the vnkinde, and to the euell.
An obiectiō.But how commeth it to paſſe that a certain contrarie thing to yt which we hauehave taught ſeemeth to appeare in this text, where he ſaith? Be ye merciful, as your heauēly Father is merciful: againe, Iudge not, and ye shal not be iudged: condemne not, & ye shall not be condemned: forgiue and it shalbe forgiuen you. All which authorities ſound ſo, that we muſt deale before God with our workes, and by them deſerue the mercy of God, when as notwithſtanding ye hauehave very often heard, that faith alone doth all? and both Paul and the whole Scripture do commonly ſay and affirme, that we muſt beleeue in God alone, and deale by onelyonly mere faith before him.The anſwer. It is requiſite here to vnderſtand that good workes are onelyonly a ſetting forth and commendation of faith, ſo that if I beleeue, I muſt be mercifull, I muſt not iudge nor condemne my neighbour, I muſt forgiue, and giuegive vntounto my neighbour. Whereof ſet an example before your ſelues. What did Abraham being commaunded to offer his ſonne?Gen. 22. he obeyed the commaundement, and drew forth the ſword to kill his ſonne: what enſued therevpon? the Angell of the Lord ſtayed him, ſaying: lay not thy hand vponupon the child, neither do any thing vntounto him: for now I know that thou feareſt God, foraſmuch as for my ſake thou haſt not ſpared thine onelyonly ſonne.
Howbeit this is here to be knowen and marked of vsus,We muſt receiue mercy before we ſhew mercy. that we muſt firſt receiue, before we giuegive: before we ſhew mercy, we muſt receiue mercy of God: we do not lay the firſt ſtone, neither doth the ſhepe ſeeke the ſhepeheard, but the ſhepeheard the ſhepe. Wherefore ſo beſtow thy workes in euerie reſpect, that thou looke for nothing at Gods hand becauſe of them:We obtaine all good thinges of god through his meere mercy. for we obtaine euen euerie thing of God without merit or deſert: ſo God ſayth Eſay 65: I am found of them that ſeeke not for me, I hauehave appeared to them that aske not for me. And in the ende of the ſame chapter: The time shall come (ſayth God) that or euer they call I will aunſwere them, and while they are yet but thinking how to ſpeake, I will heare them. For in deede before we ſeeke him, he fyndeth vsus, before we aſke him, he heareth vsus. Likewiſe S. Paul ſayth Rom. 3: There is no difference: for all hauehave ſinned, and are depriued of the glorie of God, and are iuſtified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Chriſt Ieſus: whom God hath ſet forth to be a recōciliatiō through faith in his blood, to declare his righteouſnes, in that he forgiueth the ſynnes that are paſt, through the patience of God, to shew at this time his righteouſnes, that he might be iuſt, and a iuſtifier of him which is of the faith of Ieſus. And in the chapter folowing he ſayeth: Now to him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by dette: but to him that worketh not, but beleeueth in him that iuſtifieth the vngodly, his faith is coū ted for righteouſnes. For if it be of Grace, it is no more of works, or els were grace no more grace, as he ſaith afterward in the eleuenth chapter.
Our good workes muſt be ſignes and teſtimonies of our ſincere faith.Againe, I muſt beſtow my workes ſo, that they maye be a certaine ſigne, and as it were a ſeale grauen with letters, whereby I may be aſſured that my faith is ſyncere. For if I feele in my heart, that my worke proceedeth from louelove, I am ſure concerning the integritie and ſoundnes of my faith. If I forgiue, the ſame forgiuenes doth aſſure me concerning the ſinceritie of my faith, doth declare my faith, and certifie me, that God hath alſo pardoned my ſynne, and doth daily more and more pardon me. So it fell out with Abraham, his worke made his faith knowne vntounto him. God in deede knew that he did beleeue, but it behoued that Abraham alſo ſhould know, and ſhew forth his faith. Wherefore workes folowing onelyonly freely as fruites of faith, are declarations of ſuch a faith. For what ſhould it profit me, if I had euen a ſtrong faith, but vnknowen vntounto me? euen as if I ſhould hauehave a cheſt full of gold, yet I being ignoraunt thereof, ſhould take no commoditie thereby. But if any would ſhew it vntounto me, he ſhould do me as great a pleaſure, as if he gaue it me. So if I hauehave faith and yet be ignoraunt thereof, it is no profit vntounto me. Wherefore it muſt burſt forth, and be ſhewed by the workes that enſue, which are both ſignes and ſeales of the preſent faith.2. Pet. 1.18.19 Soe Sainct Peter meaneth, when ſpeaking of the workes of charitie, and the vertues of faith, he concludeth thus: …fore brethren, giuegive rather diligence, to make your calling and election ſure, which if ye do, ye shall not fall. For by this meanes an entering shalbe miniſtred vntounto you aboundantly into the euerlaſting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt. He ſayeth not, do good workes, that by them ye may be called, but that ye may more aſſure your ſelues of your calling. Accuſtome your ſelues therefore well vntounto the phraſes and maner of ſpeakinges vſed in the Scripture, that ye ruſh not vponupon them like blinde moules, and confirme workes in ſuch places as this: for herein workes are reiected if we thinke, that we are iuſtified by them: but herein they are extolled and commended, in that they are profitable to our neighbour and frutes and ſignes of faith. Behold, it was meete that I ſhould make this digreſſion, leaſt I ſhould cōfirme the meaning of ye Papiſts.
Now if it ſhould be demaunded why God oftentimes ſetteth downe ſuch contrarie ſentences,Why God wil hauehave ſentences in the Scriptures which ſeeme contrarie. and diſagreeing one with an other, as it ſeemeth to vsus & our reaſon, I aunſwere, that he may exerciſe vsus in reading, and that we ſhould not thinke that we vnderſtand the whole Scripture, when we ſcarce vnderſtand one place. Some ſayinges do guide the ſpirit, how we ought to behaue our ſelues toward God, onelyonly by faith, as this:Rom. 3.24. VVe are iuſtified freely. Againe leſt the body ſhould be ſluggiſh outwardly, there are ſentences alſo ſet forth vntounto vsus, which do guide and exerciſe the body, as theſe which we hauehave heard here rehearſed: Forgiue, and ye shalbe forgiuen: alſo where as Chriſt affirmeth, that he will require workes in the laſt day, and will ſay after this ſort vntounto the condemned, Matthew 25: I was an hungred, and ye gaue me no meat: I thirſted, & ye gaue me no drinke: I was aſtraunger, and ye tooke me not in vntounto you: I was naked and ye clothed me not, &c. Which ſentences, whiles ignoraunt and light ſpirits labour to wreſt and applie to workes, they ſee not how great euell they commit. But ſpirituall men referre them to the very body onelyonly, they them ſelues ſtanding naked before God in ſpirit, which is both iuſt and neceſſarie. For there are two thinges in man, the Spirit and the Fleſh. Hereupon there are ſome places which do guide onelyonly faith in the ſpirit: ſome, which do direct onelyonly workes in the body: for one place can not direct both the body and the ſpirite togither. We muſt ſo do with our ſubſtance, that we be willing to part from it, to lend, and to giuegive to our neighbour, when it ſhalbe requiſite. And if we ſee any not to hauehave, wherewith to make reſtitution, we muſt releaſe him, and forgiue the dette according to the example of Nehemias, as we read in Eſdras. 1. Eſd. 5. For God hath giuen many things vntounto vsus, who is able to giuegive vsus moe thinges alſo if we beleeue. And thus we heare that if we will be Chriſtians, we ought to lend, giuegive, and to be willing to part from that which we hauehave, otherwiſe we ſhall not ſhew the frutes of a liuely faith. Wherefore lay vp this text inwardly in your mindes, that ye deale by no other thing before God, but by onelyonly faith, and referre and beſtow your workes to the only ſeruice and profit of your neighbour. Thus much ſhall ſuffice to hauehave bin ſpoken concerning the former part. Now what is to be ſayd moreouer of this text, or what doth follow we will afterward conſider. In the wordes following the Lord interpreteth himſelfe, what kinde of mercy he vnderſtandeth, ſaying after this ſort.
Iudge not, and ye shall not be iudged: condemne not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgiue, and ye shalbe forgiuen: GiueGive, and it shalbe giuen vntounto you. In this place the Lord diuideth mercy into three partes,Three parts of mercy. that we maye not be ignoraunt, what maner of mercy that ought to be, which it behoueth vsus to ſhew to our neighbours. Firſt iudgement and condemnation is taken from vsus. Then thou muſt forgiue thy neighbour if he hath committed any thing againſt thee. Laſtly thou muſt helpe the needy. Theſe thinges this word (MercieMercy) ſignifieth, where ſoeuer it cō meth in the Scriptures. And all theſe muſt proceede from a ſyncere heart, all colouring and flatterie being taken away, that there be no reſpect had of the perſon. For if thou deſireſt to will well and to wiſh well to them, which will well to thee: or to do well to them, which do well to thee: or to hurt them, which hurt thee, thou art vtterly deceiued. But thou muſt do ſo, as Chriſt ſaith a litle before: Imitate thy heauenly father, louelove thine enemie: do wel to him, which doth euel to thee: forgiue him that hurteth thee:The firſt part of mercy not to iudge or condemne an other. lend to the needy, and ſo of the reſt. That therefore we may ſpeake of the former part, that we muſt not iudge or condemne, we muſt marke, that God hath ordained the ſword of the magiſtrate, to the puniſhing of publike offences, ſo that it be prouided that it be not done againſt the precept and commaundemēt of God, as that the innocēt be not executed: for whereas the iudge dealeth vniuſtly, he is as well an homicide as an other, of which iudgement Chriſt ſaith nothing here. Els where he maketh mē tion thereof, when as he ſaid to him, which deſired, that he would byd his brother diuide the inheritance with him:Luk. 12.14. Who made me a iudge or a diuider ouer you? For the care & gouerning of outward thinges do not belong to the kingdome of Chriſt.
Of what iudgement Chriſt ſpeaketh in this place.But Chriſt ſpeaketh here of an other iudgement, namely of that whereby one reputeth and compteth an other good or euell, when as notwithſtanding he ſeeth no good or euell to be done of him. Which iudgement belongeth only vntounto God. For it may be that thou ſee thy brother offend to day, whom notwithſtanding to morow God doth receiue, thē may he both be, and alſo ſeeme vntounto thee to be good, neither muſt thou remember his ſynnes, for that Chriſt hath forbidden. For there can not be either any louelove, or concord, where this iudgement and condemnation is vſuall amongſt men. To iudge & condemne an other is nothing els, then to hauehave a beame in his owne eye, which all hypocrites do without dout beare in their eyes. For they that iudge themſelues good, are offended at their brother, what ſoeuer others do, it diſpleaſeth them, foraſmuch as they will not acknowledge their owne ſynne. But it commeth to paſſe, that when thou ſeeſt many ſinnes in others, thou ſeeſt not the beame that is in thine owne eye, and ſo falleſt into the iudgemēt of God. Hereof it commeth, that thou which iudgeſt an other, are made worſe thē yt moſt wicked baude, or the moſt vnchaſt harlot, before God, who alone knoweth who is to be ſaued, and who to be condemned.Iudgers of other. Such hypocrites are of that nature, that it is a pleaſure vntounto them, and they take no ſmal delight thereof, if they reaſon and talke either of the adulterie or fault of an other man, yea they increaſe a ſmall thing or trifle in their neighbour, and what ſoeuer others do, they interpret it at the worſt, ſo that no mā is able to do that which pleaſeth or liketh them. And although they themſelues do not ſuch things, yet they willingly here that other men do them, whereas a godly man helpeth as much as he is able, that theſe thinges may be couered and amended. But it many times falleth out that they are moſt filthie adulterers euen according to the fleſh, which do ſo iudge and condemne others, howbeit they do not iudge man onelyonly, but euen God himſelfe. Wherefore if thy brother be a ſinner, cōceale his ſynne, and pray for him to the Lord: if thou reueale his ſinne and reioyce thereat, ſurely thou art not the child of the mercifull father, for if thou were, thou wouldeſt be mercifull according as he is. This is a thing moſt certaine, that we are not able to ſhew ſo great mercy to our neighbour, as God both hath & doth ſhew to vsus. But that is the practize of Satan, that we do thoſe things which are quite cōtrarie vntounto mercy, which is an vndouted ſigne, that there is no mercy at all in vsus.
Of theſe iudgers of other Chriſt ſpeaketh in the Goſpell whē he ſayth: Can the blinde lead the blinde? Luke 6.39.shall they not both fall into the ditch? The diſciple is not aboue his maiſter: but who ſoeuer wilbe a perfect diſciple, shalbe as his maiſter. And why ſeeſt thou a mote in thy brothers eye, and conſidereſt not the beame, that is in thine owne eye? either how canſt thou ſay to thy brother, Brother, let me pul out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou ſeeſt not the beame that is in thine owne eye? Hypocrite, caſt out the beame that is in thine own eye firſt, & thē shalt thou ſee perfectly to pul out the mote that is in thy brothers eie. As if he ſaid: thou thinkeſt that thy brother is blinde, and in thy minde doeſt fynde fault with an other, that is, thou wilt guide an other, whē notwithſtāding thou thy ſelfe art blind. Thou iudgeſt him a ſynner, & thy ſelfe an honeſt & iuſt man. What other thing is this, thē for thy heart to be ſo affected, that thou count thy ſelfe better? Which is nothing els, then that thou wilt lead & guide other, whē thou thy ſelfe art blinder thē a moule, ſo that he which foloweth thee, doth fall with thee into the ditch. Of ſuch as iudge themſelues to excell others, & thinke themſelues to be followed more thē ye word of God, S. Paul ſpeaketh Rom. 2: Behold (ſaith he) thou art called a Iew, & reſteſt in the law, & glorieſt in God, & knoweſt his will, and trieſt the thinges that diſſent from it, in that thou art inſtructed by the law, & perſwadeſt thy ſelfe, that thou art a guide of the blinde, a light of them which are in darknes, an inſtructer of them which lacke diſcretiō, a teacher of the vnlearned, which haſt the forme of knowledge, & of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teacheſt an other teacheſt thou not thy ſelfe? thou that preacheſt, A mā should not ſteale, doeſt thou ſteale? thou that ſayeſt, A man should not cōmit adulterie, doeſt thou cōmit adulterie? thou that abhorreſt idols, cōmitteſt thou ſacrilege? thou that glorieſt in the law through breaking the law, dishonoureſt thou God? Whereupō he alſo ſayth in the beginning of the ſame chapter to hypocrites: Therefore thou art inexcuſable, O man, who ſoeuer thou art, that cōdemneſt: for in that that thou condemneſt an other, thou condemneſt thy ſelfe: for thou that condemneſt doeſt the ſame thinges. But we know that the iudgement of God is according to truth, againſt them which commit ſuch things. And thinkeſt thou this, O thou man, that cōdemneſt thē which do ſuch things, & doeſt the ſame, that thou shalt eſcape the iudgement of God? Loe, this is to ſpeake ye truth to hypocrites, who go about to ſhew ye way to other, which they themſelues know not, leading ſo other mē into ye ditch with thē. Therfore ye Lord ſaith: The diſciple is not aboue his maiſter, but who ſoeuer wilbe a perfect diſciple, shalbe as his maiſter. This is a common prouerbe: I can learne no more of my maiſter then he knoweth himſelfe. Wherefore doth the Lord ſpeake this prouerbe? becauſe of two ſortes of maiſters: the one is blynde, whom if I ſhall follow, I alſo my ſelfe ſhall become blynde: he himſelfe falleth into the ditch, and I follow. The other maiſter is the mercifull father, of whom we muſt learne mercy: whom if we follow, we alſo do become mercifull like as he is: if we were mercifull daily, we ſhould alſo become perfect, as he is perfect, but that commeth not to paſſe, as long as we are in this life.
The ſecond part of mercy is,The ſecond part of mercy, to forgiue. that we forgiue them which hauehave endamaged vsus, or hurt vsus by any meanes. A Chriſtian can neuer be ſo hurt, but he ought to forgiue, not onelyonly ſeuen times, but ſeuenty times ſeuen times, as the Lord ſayd vntounto Peter. Matth. 18. Wherefore God forgiueth a Chriſtian his ſynne or infirmitie, that he alſo may forgiue other their infirmitie: which Chriſt ſetteth forth els where in a moſt goodly parable, which he cōcludeth in theſe wordes:Matth. 18.35. So likewiſe shall mine heauenly Father do vntounto you, except ye forgiue from your hearts, ech one to his brother their treſpaſſes. And ſo we praye daily in the Lords prayer, with an addition ſaying: forgiue vsus our treſpaſſes, as we forgiue them that treſpaſſe againſt vsus. Is this a hard matter, if I a wretched ſynner, do forgiue my neighbour his treſpaſſes and his infirmitie, whereas the Lord will forgiue me my ſynnes and my infirmities? If one had killed my father, what were this being compared to my ſynne, wherewith I hauehave offended God, and prouoked him to anger?
The third part of mercy is,The third part of mercy, to giuegive to the poore & needy. that we giuegive to them that be in miſerie and neede, and that we helpe them. Whereof Iohn ſpeaketh thus 1. Iohn 3: VVhoſoeuer hath this worldes good, and ſeeth his brother hauehave neede, and shutteth vp his compaſſion from him, how dwelleth the louelove of God in him? For where the louelove of God is, it is moued to ſhew it ſelfe euē in outward works. Hereunto alſo pertaineth the ſaying of Chriſt Matth. 5: Bleſſed are the mercifull, for they shall obtaine mercy. Wherefore the Lord addeth a promiſe in the Goſpell, ſaying: GiueGive and it shalbe giuen vntounto you: a good meaſure, preſſed downe, shaken togither, & running ouer shall men giuegive into your boſome. And continuing on his ſpeech he ſayth: For with what meaſure ye meat, with the ſame shall men meat to you againe. Thus much ſhall ſuffice concerning the partes of mercy which we ought to ſhew to our neighbours.Matth. 7.12. VntoUnto which the ſpeciall wordes of Chriſt ought to exhort vsus, who when in the Goſpell of Matthew he had ſpoken much of a Chriſtian life, and of louelove to be ſhewed to our brethren, thus concludeth ſaying: VVhat ſoeuer ye would that men should do to you, euen ſo do ye to them: for this is the Law and the Prophets. Now euerie one is ſo affected, that being caſt downe, and in diſtres, he would wiſh all the world to helpe him. If I be a miſerable ſinner, drowned in ſinnes, bearing a burdened and troubled conſcience, I would that the whole world ſhould comfort me, ſhould helpe and ſuccour me, ſhould couer my ſinne and ſhame. So I alſo ought to behaue my ſelfe toward my neighbour, not to iudge him, not to condemne him, but to forgiue him his offences, to helpe him, to prouide for him, to lend vntounto him, & giuegive him, euen as I would wiſh to be done vntounto my ſelfe if I were driuen into diſtres, neceſſitie, exile, or pouerty. And herein truly Chriſtians are knowne, if they louelove one an other, if one do ſuch workes of mercy vntounto an other, as Chriſt ſayd vntounto his diſciples at his laſt Supper: I giuegive you a new commaundement, that ye louelove one an other, as I hauehave loued you. By this shal all men know that ye are my diſciples, if ye hauehave louelove one to an other. Thus ye hauehave the meaning of this text, it remaineth that we call vponupon God for grace.