§ 1. The great Miseries of Manmake Compassion necessary in the world,
HEaven is replenished with Sanctities, and Felicities; with sanctities without blemi∣shes, with Felicities without disasters: and hell is filled with ordures, and mise∣ries; Ordures, which never are washed off, miseries, which are without end. But this world wherein we live, as it hath sanctities which are not without hazard, and Felicities which cannot be without change: so it hath sinnes waited on by pardon, and mi∣series comforted by remedies; yet against iniquities God hath given us penance, and against calamities, mer∣cy. * 1.1 God in heaven produceth another God, not in sub∣stance, but in person, and on earth a second image of himself, which is this divine mercy. It is an infinite goodnesse of the Father of Nature and grace, to have here below seated this excellent passion, to the end great maladies might not be without great medicines.
Of all living creatures there is none more miserable * 1.2 then man, nor is there any likewise more mercifull then man, whilest he is man, and that he despoil not himself of that which God hath made him to do that which ought never to be so much as thought on. And if he forget mildnesse and Compassion, which is naturall to him, our sovereign Creatour teacheth it him, by his own miseries. Alas! How can one man harden his heart one against another? on what side soever he look he seeth the tokens of his infirmities; and scarce can he go a step but he finds a lesson of humility against his vanities. If he consider what is above him; he be∣holdeth the heavens and the air which so waste and change his life, that (yet) without them, he cannot live: If he cast his eye round about him, and under his feet; he sees waters which in moistening him, rot him; and earth, which being spread as a Table before his eyes, fails not to serve him for a Tomb.
It is a strange thing that even evils are necessary for him, and that he cannot overslip things which kill him. Smelling, tasting, meat and drink, sleep and repose, do with his life what Penelope did with her web: what one houre makes, another unmakes; and the very sour∣ces of the greatest blessings are found to be wholly infe∣cted with mortall poyson. But if man come to examine himself; he finds he hath a body frail, naked, disarmed▪ begging of all creatures, exposed to all the injuries of elements, of beasts, and men; and there is not a hand so little, which strives not violently to pull off his skin. Heat, cold, drouth, moisture, labour, maladies, old age, exercise him: and if he think to take a little repose, idlenesse corrupteth him: If he enter farther in to himself; he meeteth a spirit fastned to the brink of his lips, which is invaded by an army of passions, so many times fleshed for his ruine. And yet we must truly say that of all the evils of man, there is not any worse, then * 1.3 man. It is he who causeth wars and shipwracks, mur∣thers and poysons; he who burneth houses, and whole Cities; he who maketh Wildernesses of the most flou∣rishing Provinces; he who demolisheth the foundati∣ons of the most famous buildings; he who rednceth the greatest riches to nakednesse; he who putteth Prin∣ces into fetters, who exposeth Ladies to dishonour, who thrusts the knife into the throats of the pleople, who not content with so many manner of deaths, daily invent∣eth new to force out a soul by the violence of torments, by as many bloudy gates, as it receiveth wounds. Good God! what doth not man against man, when he hath once renounced humanity? Novv vvhat remedy vvould there be in so great and horrible confusions vvhich make a hell of the earth, vvere it not that God hath given us this vvholesome mercy, vvhich it seems is come from heaven to unloose our chains, to vvipe avvay our tears, to svveeten our acerbities; repair our losses and rebeauti∣fie our felicities! Mercy tilleth the fields of heaven, and had it not descended on earth, all which God did, had been lost. (saith the golden mouth of the West.) * 1.4