The Plain Mans Spiritual Plow, Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII. Of the word MercieMercy; the ſecond member of the requeſted Subiect.
THe word which the Prophet Hoſeyah vſeth in this place, is Cheſed, which we find diuerſly trāſlated, & ſo accepted, according to that whervnto it is applied & vſed: as ſomtimes for good wil, kindnes, humanity, or friendſhip. In which ſenſe, Abraham meant it, when hee ſaid vntounto his wife Sarah: Gen. 12.13 & 20.13.This MercieMercy ſhalt thou ſhew me, whereſoeuer I come, that thou ſay thou art my Siſter. Sometimes for remiſſion and pardon of ſins, clemency, benignity: As the Prophet Iſay ſaith; Let the vngodlie man forſake his owne wayes: ſo ſhall the Lord hauehave merciemercy vponupon him: Iſay. 55.7.for he is very ready to forgiue. And this (as it ſeemeth) Cicero expounded in the word Mercy, when ſpeaking in the cōmendation of Caeſar (as alſo Auguſtine citeth it) he ſaid: Nulla de virtutibus tuis, nec admirabilior, nec gration Miſericordia eſt. Cicer. Auguſt. in lib. de ciui dei, Affectio Amoris, Storge.There is not any one of all thy vertues, either more praiſe worthie, or more acceptable thē MercieMercy. Sometimes for that affection of louelove, wherby the parēts are naturally touched towards their children, & again the children towards their parents: the friend towards his friend, the brother towards his brother, & the neighbour towards his neighbour: ſometimes for Almes deedes, & ſuch like: whereof examples may bee taken from many places in the holy Scriptures. Indeed, the word Cheſed, comprehendeth al thoſe particular vertues,Cheſed, or MercieMercy. being as the Species or branches thereof: but yet I find not that the ſame which the word ſignifieth in his large acceptation, can be either comprehēded or fullie expreſſed in any of thoſe particulars, no more then the whole can be cōteined within any one part therof. More aptly the generall word Bonitas Bonitas.or Goodnes well conteineth it: for this may be extended to euerie vertue, eſpecially to MercieMercy, by the which it is expreſſed. Therefore the MercieMercy of God is often called his goodnes, & himſelf being the higheſt Good, is called Mercifull: for that by Mercy his goodneſſe is worthily declared towards all his Creatures. In the like ſenſe we name them good men, whoſe Chriſtian louelove and charitie to and for others, are made apparant in the workes of Mercy.
But to auoide thoſe doubts which might riſe of the diuerſitie of tranſlations, that ſhall beſt content vsus, which not onelyonly the Septuagint hauehave yeelded, but alſo that the Lord Ieſus himſelfe (by the teſtimonie of the Euangeliſt) hath confirmed, ſaying;Hoſe. 6.6. Mat. 9.13 and 12.7. In Moral. The definition of Mercy. Volo miſericordiam, I will hauehave Mercy.
This word (after Cregory) accepted in his common ſignification, is made miſero corde: that is, of an afflicted or troubled heart, which either being ſorrowfull for anothers miſery, taketh on him cō paſſion: or as wretched, requireth and needeth the pittie & reliefe of others. Baſil Baſil. in Pſal. 114.amplifieth the ſame, ſaying; it is a certaine paſſion, proceeding from the compaſſionate, towards them which are vnworthily and by iuſt meanes afflicted. But becauſe this vertue is not perfected, but in that wherby it is declared, Auguſtine hath a definition thereof, including either member with effect. Mercy (ſaith he) is the affection of the minde condoling, with ſome addition of a benefite, as whereby we may both take compaſsion of our afflicted neighbour, and helpe to relieue him with that which is our owne. The which definitiō hath foure principall branches; The firſt whereof is, that Mercy is an affection of the minde, againſt the opinion of them which place this vertue onelyonly in externall actiōs. For neither are thoſe to be eſteemed vertues, which hauehave not their originall in the heart or minde of man. Therefore as Wiſedome ſaith, GiueGive me thine hart: So thoſe Scribes and Phariſes were reiected of the Lord, and their workes reprobated, becauſe whiles they ſeemed to honour him with their lippes, their hearts were farre away. The next is, that Mercy is that affection of the minde which condoleth, that is, ſorroweth and lamenteth together, with and for another. Or as Auguſtine againe ſaide: Aliena miſeriae in noſtr… corpore compaſsio, the compaſſion of anothers miſery in our owne bodies. In ſuch ſort, Ieremy pittieth and lamenteth the wretched condition of his people, and Chriſt ſorrowed together with Martha and Mary, lamenting their brothers death. Thirdly, in this definition is found ſomewhat added of our beneuolence, whereof our deſtreſſed neighbour might be relieued, comforted, or eaſed: for it little helpes the afflicted that wee condole with him in his condition, except that alſo we exhibite and beſtowe ſomewhat, whereof hee might hope for remedy or reliefe. To this the Apoſtle perſwading, ſaid: we ſhould remember the words of the Lord Ieſus; that it is better to giuegive, then to receiue. Acts. 20. Io. 6.Thus the Lord had not onelyonly compaſſion on the people, which wandred as ſheepe without a ſhepheard: but gaue them for their comfort the bread, both for their ſoules and their bodies. The fourth and laſt point is, that we exhibite and beſtowe on the afflicted for his cōfort, not another mās goods, but that which is our owne. For if we take from one man & giuegive to another, we ſhall declare our ſelues cruell, whiles we would ſeeme mercifull. And thus ſhould the good affection of the mercifull minde be expreſſed in thoſe actions & deedes, which are not only called, but are indeed the works of MercieMercy. Gregorie Grego. his 3. termes.would that thoſe works ſhould be cō teined in Giuing, counſailing, & teaching: but Lyra Lyra 3.better comprehendeth them, in the helping or releeuing others with our wealth, with our workes, and with our Counſaile. But beſt of all our Lord & Sauiour Chriſt perſwading to this right excellent vertue,Chriſt his 4. poynts of MercieMercy. teacheth mē, firſt to louelove, next to bleſſe, thirdly to work, fourthly to pray. Yea, LoueLove your enemies, bleſſe them that curſe you: do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which hurt you. In another place be ſetteth downe foure other wordes to expreſſe this vertue:Mat. 5.14 viz Firſt, Iudge not: ſecondly, condemne not: thirdly, forgiue. Fourthly giuegive. An… finally, in an other place he produceth ſixe brāches or works of MercieMercy, in that ſaying to his Saints, ſtanding on his right hand; As firſt, I was hungrie, ye gaue me meate. 2. Thirſtie & ye gaue me drinke 3. Harbourles, & ye tooke me in. 4. Naked, & ye cloathed me. 5. Sick, and ye viſited me. 6. A priſoner, and ye comforted me. To the which, ſome others hauehave added one other work of merciemercy, and made in all, the number ſeuen, aptly comprehended in this Monoſtich.
7. workes of merciemercyViſito, poto, cibo, redimo, tego, colligo, condo: that is; To viſite, to giuegive drinke, to feede, to redeeme, to cloath, to harbour, to burie. But becauſe this belong rather …o th'externall action, then to the minde, & there…ore may not fully expreſſe the whole vertue (al…hough they declare her in the workes) ſome o…hers combyning this latter, with thoſe former words of Chriſt, doe gather both from th'one and …he other, fourteene branches of this tree:14. Branches of Mercies tree. whereof …euen may be applyed to the exerciſe of the body, …nd ſeuen to the affection of the minde, and comprehended them all in this Triſtich.
Voſlio, poto, cibo, tectum do, viſito, ſoluo,
Comodo, compatior, converto, dono, remitto:
Arguo, ſupplico, conſulo, do quo que quod que talentum.
To cloath, to giuegive to drinke, to feede, to harbour,
To viſite, to paye, to lende, to pitie, to conuert,
To beſtowe, to remit, to reprooue, to beſeech,
To counſaile, to giuegive of whatſoeuer good thing I hauehave.
Now this muſt not be forgotten, that as we may not vniuſtly take from one to beſtowe in Almes on another: ſo, whiles wee endeuour to declare our good affections by our good works, we hauehave a care to doe thoſe works well,Doe good works well. leaſt they looſe their proper grace: remembring this, that when Chriſt ſpake of Almes and the workes of Mercy, he aduiſed his Diſciples to obſerue three things; As firſt, a good affection: ſecondly, a conuenient handling: thirdly, a good end: that is, that firſt the heart and minde bee well conſtituted in louelove, faith, and the Diuine feare: next, that the perſons, times, places, and occaſions, be duely regarded: thirdly, that the whole be referred to the glorie of God, the good of our brethren, and the diſcharge of prophane dutie, the firſt whereof noteth heauenly wiſedome, the ſecond godly diſcretion, the the third gratefull obedience, the beautifull ornaments of a faithfull and mercifull perſon.
Moreouer, as the vertue Mercy, is an affection of a condoling minde, as that whereby man is touched or moued towards man, it is requiſite to conſider (with the ſemblable diſcretion) to what kinde of perſons this affection is extended.
To whom Mercy is extended.As it was before ſaide, that it reſpecteth the miſerable condition of the wretched and afflicted perſon. But there be which would conſtraine this Vertue, (or rather the effect of this Vertue) to foure ſorts: as namely, to the Poore, the Righteous, the Widowes, the Elders: reſpecting the poore, for their pouertie: the Righteous, for their innocency: the Widowes, for their inſufficiency: the Elders, for their reuerence. Pro. 12.10Againſt the which kind of perſons, the vnmercifull and cruell in all ages hauehave bent their furie and rage, ſaying: (as in the Booke of Sapience Sap. 2.) Let vsus oppreſſe the Poore: Let vsus perſecute the Righteous: Let vsus wring the Widowes, and let vsus not ſpare the hoare heads.
Gal. 6.10.But Saint Paul, ſpeaking of our good workes (meaning no doubt the workes of mercy) exhorteth vsus to doe good to all men, but chiefely, to the houſhold of faith: wherein hee would that wee ſhould extend the fruites of mercy, eſpecially to the godly: but yet ſo, that wee ought not neglect all others, or withdraw our willingneſſe of doing good vntounto all that neede the ſame. In the which (no doubt) hee had an eye to the Doctrine of his Maiſter, who in his true expoſition of the Lawe,Mat. 5. & 6. and 7. willeth that this goodneſſe bee extended euen to our enemies: as (it is before remembred) LoueLove your enemies: Bleſſe them that curſe you: do good to them that hate you pray for them which hate and perſecute you: Following therein the example of our heauenly father, who maketh his Sunne to ſhine as well on the euill, as on the good: and giueth rayne both to the iuſt and vniuſt: and is mercifull vntounto all. To this he addeth a reaſon; For if ye louelove and doe good to them, that louelove & doe good to you, what reward hauehave you? doe not the Publicans euen the ſame? To and for this, wee hauehave alſo the examples of many good men: as of Abraham, whoſe good deedes Ghriſt commendeth: of Lot in Sodom, of Noah in the old world, of Moſes in Egypt, of Dauid in Iſrael, of Nehemiah Neh. 1.4.5.6.15.in Iudeah. And in the new Teſtament (beſides Zacharie, Elizabeth, Lydia, Cornelius, Labitha, Anna, Martha, Mary, Paul, Stephen, and ſuch,) wee hauehave the moſt perfect example of the Lord Ieſus himſelfe, who though God became, and dyed for man to bring him to life, euen then, when man was ſinfull and an enemy vntounto him.