Disce vivere Learne to live : a briefe treatise of learning to liue, vvherein is shewed, that the life of Christ is the most perfect patterne of direction to the life of a Christian : in which also, the well disposed may behold their orderlie passage, from the state of grace, to the state of glorie.

Chap. 8.

Of Christes great compassion to∣wards men, his continuall do∣ing good in t•…•… world, and what instructions wee hence learne.

WHen wee enter into consideration of the great compassion of the sonne of God, to∣wardes the distressed state of man, wee finde it a worke of in∣speakeable mercy. In the crea∣tion, Dedit te tibi, O man, God gaue thée thy selfe, but in the re∣demption, Dedit se tibi, God gaue thee himselfe. In the creation of all things necessarie for man, on∣lie sixe dayes were passed: but in mans redemption thrée & thir∣tie y•…•…res were expired: in the creation, pauca dixit, hee spake few things; in the redemption of man, multa dixit, mirabilia fecit,

hee spake many things, hee did wonderfull things.

Adam in the state of innocen∣cie, for perfection left all his po∣steritie farre behind: his reason was vncorrupt, his vnderstan∣ding pure, his will obedient: he was for knowledge of heauenly matters, an excellent Diuin•…•…: for the nature of things, a déep Phi∣losopher, for power, hee had a whole world to commaund. A∣dam had nothing which was necessarie nowe wanting vnto him, that when he saw he had all things which hee could desire in earth, hee might then turne his desires towards heauen: his du∣tie for all, is to kéepe the law of his God. He hath one precept a∣mongst these many blessings, this one precept is most vnduti∣fully broken: Adam, vnlesse mer∣cie step in, thy felicitie and the fe∣licitie of all thy posterity is at an end: therefore behold a helper when thou art now in the pawes of the Lyon, The seede of the wo∣man shal break the Serpents head. Here the Serpents hope is tur∣ned

into a curse, and in Christ (who was to come) Adams dread is turned into a blessing. Be∣hold loue, which affected Adam more, then Adam did affect him∣selfe.

2 Now Christ the promised séede being come, hee compares himselfe vnto that Samaritane, who tooke compassion vpon the wounded man. This wounded man may resemble humane na∣ture: the Priest and the Leuite that passed by, the offerings and sacrifices of the law, the Sama∣ritane Christ, who beholding man in this case with the eye of mercy, bound vp his wounds, poured in the softning oyle of grace, and searching wine of con∣trition, layeth him vpon his own nature, and righteousnes therof, taketh out the two Testaments, bringeth him to the holy hostage of his Church, commandeth his Priests to take care and charge of him, and promiseth that one day they shall finde, they haue not lost their labour.

3 In consideration of mans

fall (sayth Saint Bernard) mer∣cie began to knocke at the bo∣wels of God the Father, which mercie brought with her peace as a companion: on the other side, trueth accompanied with iustice, began to approach and contradict mercie. Betweene these sisters began a long con∣trouersie: Mercie sayeth vnto God: O God, man, this crea∣ture of thine would haue com∣passion shewed him, being now so miserable. No, sayth Truth and Iustice, Lorde fulfill thy word: Adam, that day thou ea∣test, thou shalt die, Mercie re∣plies, but thou hast made mee mercie, but if thou shew no mer∣cie, I am not: on the contrarie, Truth saith, and I am truth, & vnlesse I take place, I abide not for euer. God the father commits the deciding of all vnto God the sonne, before whom Truth and Mercie speake the same things. Truth saith: if Adam perish not I perish: and Mercie sayth, if Adam be not conserued I lan∣guish. Well, let death be good,

and let both haue that they de∣sire, let Adam die; and yet for all that, let Adam haue mercy and liue. O admirable wisedome! but how can death be good, séeing the death of sinners is worst of all? Let one be found which of loue may die, and yet is not sub∣iect to death. The motion séemed good, but where may any such be found? Truth séekes about the earth, and cannot find one cleane from sinne, no not an Infant of one day: mercy goeth vp to hea∣uen, and there findes none that hath this loue, as to leaue life for sinners; these sisters returne at the time appointed, not finding that which was required. At the last, peace calling them aside and comforting them, sayeth: You knowe there is none that doeth good, no not one: hee that gaue you this counsell, when all is done, must surely giue you help: whereat the vmpire began to procéede, and calling the Angell Gabriel, said, Goe tell the daugh∣ter of Sion, Behold, her king com∣meth. Let these sisters now ac∣cord

in one, and let that of the Prophet be confirmed, Mercie and truth are met together, righ∣teousnes & peace haue kissed each other: now, Truth thou shalt haue thy right, for Adam shal die: and Mercy, here is thy desire, A∣dam shall be restored to life. O happy harmony, who euer reade of such wisedom and loue! it was Gods goodnes to think vpon vs, it was his bounty to reléeue vs: this is the fountaine frō whence our riuers come, the Sea from which all our waters arise. Here mercy is the wine that gladdeth mans heart, and loue is the oyle that makes him to haue a chéere∣full countenance. Martha said, Lord, he whom thou louest is sick, as if the loue of Christ were e∣nough to moue him to a worke of loue. Thus much of Christes compassion towards the state of man in general.

4 For his continuall doing good in the world, his pitty was euer pardoning, his wisedome was euer teaching, his liberality was euer giuing, his compassion

was euer helping, all his teach∣ing, whereunto did it tend but vnto the remission of sinnes? all this tends to our consolation.

For his sincerity of life while he walked in the world, Tertulli∣an bids the Romaines but reade their owne Registers, there they should finde mention of the fault∣lesse conuersation of Iesus the sonne of the virgin Mary: his do∣ing good was in effect our good: looke what was due to his obe∣ence, to wit loue: to his desert, to wit reward: to his humility, to wit honour: to his sorrow, to wit ioy: to his death, to wit life: to his victory, to wit tryumph: all is attributed vnto vs. His merites became our merites, his suffering our satisfaction, his ioyes our ioyes: hee fed many in the wildernesse with materiall bread, and he imparted the bread of life vnto whole multitudes that came to heare his most di∣uine doctrine.

If we respect his goodnes, hee was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, goodnes it selfe; if his clemencie, he was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

placability it selfe: for curing the diseased, a Phisitian both of body and soule: for reléeuing those that were miserable, he was a priui∣ledged place, whereunto al might repair: as infants vnto their mo∣thers lay, wher the dugs of mercy are neuer dry. Stedfast was he in loue without change: sufficient without want: frée without de∣sert, & euer more ready to doe good vnto all, his loue was ouer all, wold al haue accepted of his loue.

5 This is a true saying (saith the Apostle) that Christ came into the world to saue sinners Was this benefit restrained vnto some be∣fore others? no, saith S. Iohn, it was for all sinners: hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes, and not onely for our sinnes, but for the sinnes of the whole world; saith he. The further any good reacheth the more nobler it is, the commission of the Apostles was, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Preach glad tydings: as it could not be but acceptable, so was it large also, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, preach it to all creatures, according to that of

the Psalme, their sound went out into all Lands: Samuel said vnto Saul, thou hast cast away the Lord: there is the very cause of thy re∣iection. God, saith the wiseman, hath not made death, neither de∣lighteth hee in the destruction of sinners: hee that would haue all men to be saued, and come to the knowledge of the truth, would not haue the worke of his owne hand miscarie, for he desireth no∣thing more then the good of all. Wisedome lifteth vp her voyce to all that passe by: Turne you, saith the Prophet, from your vn∣righteousnes, and you shall liue: why will you die, O you house of Israel? The rich man sendeth his seruaunts, to call in all vnto the great supper: his reuealed will, calleth all, and his will of well pleasing respecteth all, Come re∣ceiue the Kingdome prepared for you. Goe into euerlasting fire, which is prepared for the deuill & his Angels: a Kingdome is pre∣pared of God for men, not de∣struction, this is from men them∣selues: he hath hath giuen a law

to all, doubtlesse hee excludes none. Hee who would haue ga∣thered Ierusalem, as the Henne dooth her chickens vnder her wings, sheweth how much he re∣spected her welfare, if she would haue harkened vnto him. The Sunne, saith Saint Chryso∣stome, extendeth his beame vni∣uersally, if any wilfully shut their eyes, and wil not behold the light of the Sunne, is the fault in the Sunne? no verily, of this my∣sterie dispute he that will.

6 But to come to the life of our Sauiour, hee went about, saith Saint Peter, doing good, and healing al that were oppressed of the deuill, for God was with him: Nay, his goodnes shewed it selfe towardes his very ene∣mies: for while they were sée∣king to slay him, hee sought to saue them, hee neuer regarded 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his owne, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the common welfare, and benefit of others. The candle being en∣lightned, with what carefulnes did he séeke the lost groat? what mountaines and desarts did hee

wander to finde, and finding, to bring home man the stray sheepe, leauing the ninety & nine, or com∣panies of Angels in glory.

7 By this we learne, that we liue not in the worlde for our selues, but setting Christes ex∣ample before our eyes, how wee ought, to endeuour that we may in any thing wee can be helpfull vnto others. Of all liuing crea∣tures there is none created to a more louing, and sociable end, then man: but amongst men none more ordayned to doe good each to other then Christians: while we are in the way, saith Saint Austen, let vs beare one anothers burthen, that we may rest toge∣ther at the end of the way. In ar∣tificiall buildings one stone doth beare vp another, much more should the same be done in that building, wherein, saith Saint Peter, All the faithfull are as liue∣lie stones. Nature hath taught the Beauers to help one another in swimming, and the Crames flying ouer the mountaine Tau∣rus, when the formost is wearie

in beating the aire, that the next should succéede, and so in order euery one to labour for the safety of them all. Grace doth teach vs the same lesson, or rather the Author of grace: liue coales wil kindle the dead, the holy gift of Gods spirit, S Paul tels vs we receiue it, to profit withall. And nothing is good vnto vs (sayeth S Austen) vnlesse we communi∣cate the same good to others.

8 We shew whom we resem∣ble, when we haue compassion on some, and others saue with feare, pulling them out of the fire. Wee know not, howe soone wee may st•…•…nd in néeede of God, and there∣fore should desire nothing more then to shew our selues helpfull vnto others, a token wee are li∣uing members, when we féele the infirmitie of sore parts in the bo∣die. Christ our Sauiour doth not say, be mighty, or wise, or workers of myracles: but be mercifull as your heauenly Fa∣ther is mercifull. It was the voyce of Cain: Num quid ego fratris custos? am I my brothers

kéeper? it was the aunswere of those that conspired the death of the Sonne of God, Quid ad nos? what is it to vs? •…•…ooke thou to it, as if they cared for no more but themselues. It is the practise of worldlings, only to respect them∣selues, and make no conscience like gréedy Harpyes howe they spoile others. In Pharaoes dreame the leane deuoured the fat, but in the course of these men the fat deuoure the leane, like fl∣shes in the Sea, where the grea∣ter doe eate vp the lesse; we are e∣nemies one to another, like the Madianites. It is a hard winter (they say) when one woolfe de∣uoures another, yet this is vsu∣all with men. For these, sayth Origen, that punishment, (misisti iram & terra deuorauit •…•…s, thou diddest send forth thy wrath and the earth deuoured them) is ve∣rified in them: hath not the earth deuoured them, which waking, doe talk of earth, sléeping dreame of earth? Inopiae multa, rapaci∣tati plura desunt. The poore man wanteth many things, but yet

gréedie •…•…aking rich men lacke more: Terra deuorauit eos, the earth hath deuoured them, Sa∣than came from compassing the earth: & these are compassing of earthly things, but neuer thinke of compassing heauen.

9 Dauid saw a poore woman but looke with a sorrowfull coun∣tenance, and she néeded not wait long for a day of hearing, himself commeth & demaunds the cause of her sorrow, saying, Woman what ayleth thee? For examples néerer home, the good benefactors of olde, that haue left vs so ma∣nie monuments, were not their minds set vpon doing good? This saith Philo, is to imitate God the fountaine of all goodnes, when wee are rich, not to be rich vnto our selues: when wee are wise, not to be wise vnto our selues: to conclude, when we haue all done, this shewes whose seruants wee are. Christ said, I haue compas∣sion on the multitude, a spéech like him that spake it.

Notes

• Luk, 10. 33
• Gen. 3, 3
• Psal. 14, 3.
• Mat. 21, 5.
• Psa. 85. 10
• Iohn 1, 3
• Tertul•…•…ia Apologet.
• 1. Ti. 3. 9.
• 1, Ioh. 2, 2.
• Mark. 16, 15.
• Psal. 19, 4. 1, Sam. 29
• VVis. 1, 13
• 1, Ti. 2, 4.
• Pro. 1, 20.
• Eze. 33, 11
• Luk, 14, 23
• Math. 23, 37.
• Chrys. hom. in Io. hom. 1.
• Act. 10, 38
• Luk, 15. 4.
• 1. Pet. 2, 5.
• 1, Cor. 12.
• Iud. 23.
• Gen. 4, 9.
• Mat. 27. 4
• Gen. 41, 3.
• Origen. in illud Psal.
• 2, Sa, 14, 5.
• Philo de mund. fab.