XXX sermons lately preached at the parish church of Saint Mary Magdalen Milkstreet, London to which is annexed, A sermon preached at the funerall of George Whitmore, Knight, sometime Lord Mayor of the City / by Anthony Farindon.

[illustration] blazon or royal coat of arms of England and Wales

HONI •…•…T QVI MAL Y PENSE

The Five and Twentieth SERMON.

PART V.

MICAH 6.8.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to doe justly, to love mercy, &c.

WE have laid hold of one branch of this tree of life, and beheld what fruit it bare; we must now see what we can gather from the second, Mercy or Liberality, which grows upon the same stock, and is watered with the same dew from heaven, and brings forth fruit meet for repentance, and answerable to our Heavenly calling; whe∣ther you take it in actu elicito, or in actu imperato, whether you take it in the habit, or in the Act, which is misericordia eliquata, that which runs from it in the melting as it were: the love of mercy includes both, both a sweet and heavenly disposition, a rich treasurie of goodnesse, full and ready to empty it self, and those severall acts which are drawn out of it, or rather which it commands. And here though miracles be ceased, yet by the blessing of a God of mercy, it retains a miraculous power; it heales the sick, binds up the wound∣ed

raises the poor out of the dust, and in a manner raises the dead to life again, upholds the drooping and the fainting spirit which is ready to faile; intercedes, and fights against the cruelty of persecu∣tors; fills up the breaches which they make, raises up that which they ruine; clothes the naked, whom they have stripped; builds up what they have pulled down; and is as a quickning power, a resur∣rection to those whom the hand of wickednesse and injustice hath laid low, and even buried in the dust. A branch it is which sha∣dows and refresheth all those who are diminished, and brought low by oppression, evil and sorrow.

And these too, Justice and Mercy, are neighbouring branches, so enwrapped, and entwined one within the other, that you cannot sever them. For where there is no Justice there can be no mer∣cy; and where there is no Mercy, there Justice is but Gall and worm∣wood: and therefore in the Scripture they go hand in hand, unto the upright man there ariseth light in darknesse, he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. Psal. 112.4. There is an eye of Justice, a single and upright eye, as well as an eye of mercy: There is an eye that looks right on, Proverb. 4.25. and there is a bountifull eye, Prov. 22.9. and if you shut but one of them, you are in darknesse; he that hath an evil eye to strip his brother, can never see to clothe him; he whose feet are swift to shed blood, will be but a cripple when he is called to the house of mourning; and if his bowels be shut up, his hand will be soon stretcht out to beat his fellow-servants. * 1.1 It becometh the just to be thankfull. In their mouth praise is comely, it is a song, 'tis musick, and it becometh the Just to be mercifull and liberall; out of their heart mercy flows kindly, streames forth like the River out of Eden, to water the dry places of the earth; there you shall find gold, and good gold, Bdellium, and the Oynx stone; all that is precious in the sight of God and man. But the heart of an unjust man is as a rock on which you may strike and strike again, but no water will flow out, but instead thereof gall and worm-wood, blood and fire, and the vapour of smoke. * 1.2 The tender mercies, the bowels of the wicked are cruel, their kisses are wounds, their favours reproches, their Indul∣gences Anathema's; their bread is full of gravell, and their water tain∣ted with blood. If their craft or power take all, and their seeming mercy, their hypocrisie put back a part, that part is nothing, or but trouble and vexation of spirit. Thus do these two branches grow and flourish, and bring forth fruit, and thus do they wither and dye together.

And here we have a faire and a full vintage, for indeed mercy is as the vine, which yeeldeth wine to cheere the hearts of men; hath nothing of the Bramble, nothing of the fire, nothing that can devour; it yeeldeth much fruit, but we cannot stand to gather all. I might

spread before you the rich mantle of mercy, and display each par∣ticular beauty and glory of it; but it will suffice to set it up as the object of our Love: for as Misery is the object of our Mercy, so is Mercy the object of our Love; And we may observe, it is not here to doe mercifully, as before to doe justly (and yet if we love not Justice, we cannot doe it) but in expresse termes the Lord requires that we love mercy, that is, that we put it on, weare it as a robe of Glory, delight in it, make it (as God doth make it his) our chiefest attribute to exalt, and superexaltate; to make it triumph over Justice it self. For Justice and Honesty gives every man his owne but Mercy opens those Treasuries which Justice might lock up; and takes from us that which is legally ours; makes others gatherers with us, partakers of our basket, and brings them under our own vine and fig-tree; Et haec est victoria, this is the victory and triumph of Mercy.

Let us then draw the lines by which we are to passe, and we shall first, shew you Mercy in the fruit it yeelds; secondly, in its root: First, in its proper act or motion, casting bread upon the waters, and rai∣sing the poore out of the dust: Secondly, in the forme which pro∣duceth this act, or the principle of this motion, which is the habit, the affection, the love of mercy; for so we are commanded, not onely to shew forth our mercy, but to love it; for what doth the Lord require, but to love mercy? &c.

We begin with the first; and the proper act of mercy is to flow, to spend it self, and yet not be spent, to relieve our brethren in misery, and in all the degrees that lead to it, necessities, impoten∣cies, distresses, dangers, defects; This is it which the Lord re∣quires. And howsoever flesh and blood may be ready to perswade us that we are left at large to our own wills, and may do what we will with our own, yet if we consult with the Oracle of God, we shall find that these reciprocall offices of mercy which passe between man and man, are a debt; That we are bound as much to do good to others, as not to injure them; to supply their wants, as not to rob them; to reach forth a hand to help them, as not to smite them with the fist of wickednesse; and though my hundred measures of wheat be my own, and I may demand them, yet there is a voice from heaven, and from the mercy-seat, which bids me take the bill and sit down quickly and write fifty. Do we shut up our bowels and our hands together? Behold, Habemus legem, we have a Law, and the first and greatest Law, the Law of Charity, to open them. 'Tis true, what we gain by the sweat of our brows, what Honesty and Industry, or the Law hath sealed unto us, is ours ex asse, wholly and entirely ours, nor can any Hand but that of Violence divide it from us: but yet Habemus legem, we have a Law, another Law, which doth not take from us the propriety of our Goods, but yet binds

us to dispense and distribute them: In the same Court-roll of Hea∣ven we are made both Proprietaries, & Stewards. The Law of God as well as of Man is Evidence for us, that our possessions are ours; but it is Evidence against us, if we use them not to that end for which God made them ours. They are ours, to have and to hold, nor can any Law of man divorce them from us, or question us: For what Action can be drawn against want of mercy? who was ever yet im∣pleaded for not giving an Almes at his doore? what bar can you bring the Miser to? who ever was arraigned for doing no good? but yet in the Law of God, and in the Gospel of Christ, which is a Law of Grace, we find an action drawn de non vestiendis nudis, for not clothing the Naked, not feeding the Hungry, not visiting the Sick; I, saith Nazianzen, could peradventure be willing, That Mercy and Bounty were not Necessary, but arbitrary; not under a Law, but presented by way of Counsel and advice (for the flesh is weak, and would go to Heaven with as little cost and trouble as may be) but then the mention of the Left hand and the right; of the Goates; of the torments they shall be thrown into, not who have invaded o∣ther mens goods, but who have not given theirs; not who have beat down, but who have not supported these Temples of the Holy Ghost; this is that which strikes a terrour through me, and makes me think and resolve, That I am as much bound to do acts of mercy, as I am not to do an injury; as much bound to feed the poore man, as I am not to oppresse and murder him: To shew mercy to others, is not an Evangelicall Counsel, it is a Law. And therefore as Homer tells us, when he speaks of rivers or birds, That men did not call them by their proper names, for the Gods had other names for them, Chalcidem homines, Cymindim Dii vocant;

(and he speaks of a certain bird) so when we call that ours, which our net hath taken in, our wit and industry hath brought in unto us, we speak after the manner of men, we speak the language of the world, in the Dialect of Mammon: but when we call them ours, and make them ours for the use and benefit of others, we do à Christo discere disciplinam, as Tertullian speaks; we speak in the language of our Saviour, in that phrase and sense which God and the Holy Saints do ever take them. Did I say, It was the language of men? It is the language of the two daughters of the Horse-leach, of Co∣vetousnesse and Ambition, * 1.3 Give, Give, alwaies taking in, never emptying themselves: It is the Dialect of that generation, whose Teeth are swords, and their Jaw-teeth as knives to devoure the poore of the earth: It is the voice of Luxury and riot, which must be fed as devils are, with the blood of others; who like that Behemoth can drink up rivers of blood; It is the language of the Devil himself, who is no helper but a destroyer. The language of Nature is more mild and gentle; * 1.4 misericordiâ nihil est naturae hominis accommodatius,

saith Tully; There is nothing more suitable with the nature of man, then mercy, and a desire to do good to others; for when thou seest a man thou beholdest thy self as in a glasse; in him thou beholdest thy self, now cheerfull and anon drooping; now standing and anon sinking; now in purple and anon naked; now full and anon hungry; thou seest thy self in the weaknesse, in the mutability, in the mor∣tality of thy condition, and his present necessities are but a lesson, an argument, which plainly demonstrate, and to thy very eye, what thou or any other man may be; and withall a silent and powerfull appeale to thy mercy, a secret beseeching thee, I might say, a Le∣gal requiring thee, to do unto him as thou wouldst be done to in the like case, which thou art as liable to as he; to be of the same mind, which thou wilt be certainly, when with this Lazar thou lyest at the gates of another.

But if this light of Nature be not bright enough, * 1.5 yet by the light of Scripture, by the light of the Gospel we may easily discerne the truth of this parallel. For the Servant of God, the true Chri∣stian is born again, not for himself alone, but for all those who are parts of the same building, and members of the same body; If one member suffer, all the members suffer with it, Rom. 12.20. And this makes not onely all the riches, but withall, all the miseries, all the necessities, all the afflictions of our brethren Ours. And what a Ce∣lestiall Harmony doth mercy make, which puts those who are at liberty, in bonds with the prisoners; which makes the rich lye down with the poore, the strong sympathize with the weak? what a Har∣mony is that which riseth out of such discords? when the joyfull heart weeps with them that weep, and the sorrowful Spirit rejoy∣ceth with them that rejoyce; when all men are of the same mind one with another, the rich naked with the poore, and the poore a∣bounding with the rich; the whole Church imprisoned in one man, and every man comforting his bondage with the peace and prospe∣rity of the whole? This is an Harmony indeed; but, I fear, I may say, it is like the Harmony of the spheres, which was never heard, or at least we have more reason then we would, to believe, that there is scarce any such musick in our dayes. But thus it should be, and this musick Mercy doth make.

I know the waies of God are past finding out, and the reasons of his judgements, saith Basil, are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, are as Jewels fit to be hid and reserved in the Treasuries of God alone, and are understood onely by that Wisdome which sends them abroad: yet if you ask why one is born a servant, and another free; why one grinds at the mill, and another sits on the throne; why one lyes at the gates, whilest another feasts in his Palace? I may with confidence give you this for one: This God doth, to exercise the patience and humility

of the one, and to stir up and awake the mercy of the other. The rich and poore meet together, the Lord is the maker of them both, saith Solomon, Prov. 22.2. not that his immediate hand made them rich and poore; poured down with his left hand riches into the bosome of the one, and withdrew it from the other, and so left him naked; For this is not manifest; For God forbid that we should have such a conceit of God, that he should fill the usurers bags, or enlarge the territories of the wicked; nor can we say, that every poore man was predestinated to beggery: nor make it good, that he hath thus dis∣cerned and distinguished them, (for we know Luxury and Idlenesse clothes many with rags, and Industry gathers much, and Craft and Power more) but he was the maker of them both; They were both the work of his hands, and from his hands they were the same, though now the fashion of the world hath brought in a disparity between them; and God (saith the Father) did make both poore and rich, ut in pauperibus divitum misericordiam probaret, that he might make the want of the poore as a touchstone to try the mercy of the rich. For no doubt he could send the Ravens to feed them; he could send Angels to feed them; he could let down all manner of flesh in a sheet, as he did to Peter: his providence is never at a stand, but can find out waies which we cannot think of; but Christ hath so ordered it, That though we cannot have him, yet the poore and miserable we shall alwaies have with us, ut locupletem aliena inopia di∣taret, that what all the world cannot, anothers poverty may do, that is, enrich and blesse••s; & tu neminem praetereas, ne is quem praeteris Christus sit, and let thy mercy, saith Austin, passe by none, lest it passe by Christ himself. This he put into the Covenant which he made with us, when he was on the earth, and sealed it with his blood; and now he looks that we should make it good, and to that end presents and offers himself unto us in these, and even bowes be∣fore us, to the end of the world. And certainly it is strange, that we should thus stand out with him, and deny him that which is his by Covenant; that we should lock up all from him, who opened his heart, and let out his blood for us; but so it is; the vice we delight in, makes that virtue which is contrary to it a punishment; and when we love the world, to give an Almes is as irksome and grie∣vous to us as to pay a forfeiture; Liberality is a penalty, and there∣fore we use all meanes (but pay down nothing but excuses) to take it off; mercy is no thriving virtue, but seems to come upon us as a Theef and a Robber, to strip and spoile us, and to make us like unto them whom she binds us to relieve, and therefore we shut her up in a narrow heart, and an earthy mind; and if there be any in us, it is as a fountain sealed up, which sends not forth a drop; or a gar∣den inclosed, where no man can come to fill his hand. This hard opini∣on the world hath of mercy, as of the most uselesse, the most unpro∣fitable and disadvantageous thing in the world; as the nurse of prodi∣gality

and the mother of beggery; as that which lets out our blood and life to feed and strengthen others: we will therefore in the next place, as Tertullians phrase is, in hunc ictum considerare, have an eye on this blow, and we shall avoid it with ease; for in∣deed it is rather a proffer then a blow, and it will soon appear, that it is mercy alone that makes our wealth ours; that it is never more ours then when we part with it; that Alienation is our best Assurance, and continues it to us for ever.

For first: It is but an errour to imagin, that God opens his hand and fills our basket, and gives us the good things of the world for our selves alone, and our own use; that he opens the windows of Heaven, and drops down his blessings into us, there to settle, and putrifie, and corrupt; for this is, saith Basil, as if a man who made haste to the Theatre, should think all others excluded, because he came first: this is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to appropriate to thy self those things which are common to all; to lock up that in thy chest which should fill the bellies of the poore. The goods of the Church in former ages were called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the wealth of God and the poore, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the things of God. * 1.6 Tertullian calls them depo∣sita pietatis, the pledges of mercy deposited in our hands; and if I should call the wealth of Christians so, I should not erre, * 1.7 for all are bound to count them so, Patrimonium Crucifixi, the Patrimony of their crucified Saviour, given them not onely to feed and clothe themselves, but to supply the necessity of others, who have a right, (which indeed they cannot challenge) have something in our Gra∣naries and wardrobes, to which we onely keep the key, with a charge from Heaven to open them, when Nakednesse and misery come but so neere as to knock at our eyes. For God who gave them, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the great auditor, who will take a strict account, if we do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, use them as our own (as the Ancients use to speak) or spend that in wantonnesse which should strengthen the weak knees, and hands that hang down: we are ready to say, saith the Father, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whom do I wrong in keeping of my own? and must I be cruell to my self, that I may be mercifull to others? must I put my knife to my throat, that a stranger may be fed? and we are easily perswaded that we are good Christians, if we be not Foxes to deceive, or Lions to devour them. The greatest part of our Piety is Negative (and would we did but make that good) not to oppresse, not to defraud, not to take away, with us is to be Mercifull; as Theeves, saith Salvian out of Tully, qui putant se vitam dare quibus non eripiunt who will say they give him his life, whom they do not kill: and yet if Mercy open not my bowells, and my hand too, I may wrong my brother when I do him no harm; I may defraud and spoile him when I take nothing from him. I wrong no man, is a poore Apology: why man? thou wrongest the King

of Kings, * 1.8 when thou sufferest his subjects to perish; and this Ne∣gative Mercy is no better then theft. The bread which thou layest up is not thine, but the bread of the hungry; The gar∣ment which thou hast lockt up in thy chest, is the garment of the Naked; The gold which thou hidest in the earth is the Revenue of the poore and needy; as he said of his writings, omne tuum, & ni∣hil tuum, All is thine, and nothing is thine.

For in the second place: That is the best use we can put them to, the true use which God that gave them hath taught us, to use them that they may stead us in our greatest necessity; to open our hand, that it may be filled; to water, that we may be watered again, saith Solomon, Proverb. 11.25. to make them our friends, saith a wiser then Solomon. To make that which is a Parasite to deceive us, a snare to entrap us, an enemy to fight against us, a friend to help and succour us; so to use it, that it may return multiplyed into our hands. For what is properly gain? is not this, for a mite to receive a ta∣lent; for one seed, one work of Mercy, to receive an hundred fold? Negotiatio est aliqua amittere ut plura lucreris, saith the Father, It is a kind of traffick and merchandize to lay out something that you may gain more; * 1.9 to venture a knife or bugle, to bring back a Dia∣mond; to treasure up by spending, to increase our stock by diminishing it, and by losing all to purchase more. Who was ever, saith Julian the Apostate, the poorer for what he gave? and of himself he tells us, that whatsoever he laid out to supply the wants of others, was returned back again by the Gods (as the Apostate had now learnt to speak) into his hands with usury: For when his liberality had well-neere ex∣hausted his own estate, his grand-mothers happily and opportune∣ly fell into his hands. What that cursed Apostate falsly attributes to his false Gods, that the God of Gods doth most exactly per∣form, and hath set up his Assurance-office, to pay us back in our own coine, or if not, in that which cannot be valued, being of an inesti∣mable price. I make no doubt but Gods Mercy is ready to shine upon ours, for he loves it, and loves to look on't. I doubt not but he rewards our Mercy with the blessings of this life; for a cup of cold water, which the hand of mercy fills, and poures out, gives many times riches and honour though we perceive it not, but at∣tribute it to something else; to our wisdome and industry rather then to that Providence which alwaies waiteth upon mercy, bles∣sing it in the work, and blessing it when the work is done: but what are these to that reward which is laid up for those who do se∣minare in benedictionibus, who sow plentifully? what are riches that have wings, to immortality? what's a Palace to heaven? we visit the sick, and the spirit of comfort visits us; we serve our brethren, and the Angels minister unto us; we cover the naked with our

cloth, and God clothes us with joy; we convert a sinner, and sline as starrs; we part with a few shekels of silver, and the hand of Mercy works and turns them into a crown; we sow Temporall, Transitory things, and the Harvest is eternity: whilest we make them ours, they are weak and impotent, but when we part with them, they work miracles, and remove mountains, all that is between us and blessednesse; all the riches in the world will not add one cubit to our stature, but if we thus tread them under our feet, they will lift us up as High as Heaven: Nulla sunt potiora quam de misericordia compendia, The best gaines are those we purchase with our losse; and the best way to find our bread, is to cast it upon the waters.

Will you see the practice of the Primitive Christians? I doe the rather mention it, because, methinks, I see the face of Christendome much changed and altered, and Christians (whose Plea is Mercy, whose Glory is Mercy, who but for Mercy were of all men most miserable; who have no other businesse in the world, then to save and help themselves and others) using all means to dry up the Foun∣tain of Mercy, shaping to themselves vi tutem duram & ferream, bringing forth Mercy in a coat of a Maile, and like Goliah with an Helmet of Brasse, standing as Centinel, as a Guard about our wealth, with this loud prohibition to all that stand in need, Touch not, Taste not, Handle not. Let us therefore look back and see what they were in former times, and we shall find them so unlike to those of succee∣ding generations, that they will rather be brought under censure, then set up as a pattern for imitation; for we are as far removed from their Piety, as we are from the Times wherein they lived. They, I am sure, thought Mercy a vertue, and the chiefe vertue of the Gospel; a vertue in which they thought it impossible to ex∣ceed; and made it their daily bread to feed others; Melior est race∣matio, &c. their Grapes were much better then our Vintage. Justin Martyr in his Apologie for the Christians, tels us, That that which they possessed they did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, bring it into a common Trea∣sury: Tertullian calls it Arcam communem, a common chest: * 1.10 Nor was this Benovolence exacted as a Tribute from those who desired to be joyned with them in communion, (as the Heathen did calum∣niate) but every man did sponte conferre, saith Tertullian, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.11 saith Justin Martyr, voluntarily, and what he would. And that which was gathered was committed to the hands or trust of the Bishop, and af∣ter (when he was taken up with other matters more proper for his calling) to the Deacons, which by them was laid out for the clo∣thing of the naked, the maintenance of the poo••e, of Orphans, and old men; to redeeme Captives, to succour men who had been ship∣wrackt by Sea, and those who were in prison for their profession, and the Gospel of Christ: Plus nostra misericordia insumit vicatim, qu m vestra superstitio Templatim, saith Tertullian: Our Mercy layes out

more in the streets on the poore, then your Superstition doth on your Gods in your Temples; our Religion hath a more open hand then your Idolatry; and to this end they had matriculas egenorum, certaine Catalogues of the names of their poore Brethren, personarum miserabilium, persons, as they termed them, miserable. How many of them were there, who as Aristotle speaks, did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, did greatly exceed in their liberality, * 1.12 and did seem to be more mercifull then the Lord requires? Nazianzen tells us of his Mother Nonna, * 1.13 that she was possest 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with an immoderate and unmeasurable desire of bestowing her goods; That she was willing not onely to sell all that she had, but even her very children, for the use and relief of the poore. Gorgonia her daughter suckt this pious and melting disposition, though not from her breasts, yet from her good example; who stript her self of all, committed her body to the earth, and left no other Legacie to her children but her great example, and the imitation of her virtues, which she thought was enough to enrich them, though they had nothing else. Saint Hierom tells us of his Paula, that though she were Eminent in many virtues, yet her Liberality did exceed, and like a swelling river, could not be kept within the banks; hac habebat voti ut mendica moreretur, she wisht for that which most men do feare as much as death it self, and her great ambition it was that she might dye a beggar. We might instance in more; and these examples have shined in the Church as starrs of the fairest magnitude; but after-ages have thought them but comets, looked upon them, and feared them; and though they know not well how to condemn this exceeding piety, yet they soone perswade themselves, and conclude, that they are not bound to follow it, and so are bound up as in a frost, in the coldnesse and hardnesse of their hearts, because some did seem to overflow and passe their limit. These indeed are strange examples, * 1.14 but yet Saint Basil delivers a doctrine as strange (for he would not give it as his counsel, if it had not truth to commend and confirm it) Licèt vnus tibi tantùm panis sit, And if thou hast but one loafe left in thy house, saith he, yet if a poore man stand at thy doores, and ask for Bread, bring it forth and give it him, with thy hands lifted up to Heaven; whilest thou doest that which God re∣quires, and for thy own supply reliest on the Providence of Thy Father which is in Heaven; do it in his Name, and in his Name thou shalt be fed assuredly; thou hast parted with thy one loafe here, but his power, to whom thou gavest it, can and will multiply it; for they that thus give, are as wells which are soone drawn dry, but fill the faster, and the more they are exhausted the fuller they are. I know not whether it may be safe to deliver such a doctrine in these daies, and therefore we will not insist upon it; and these examples which I have held up to you, may be Transcendent, that we may not bind every man to reach them. These pious women may seem perhaps to have

stretcht beyond the line, and exceeded the bounds of modera∣tion; but yet we cannot but think, that this was truly to go out of the world, whilest they were in it; and we may observe, That this excesse is incident to great and Heroick spirits, who (as it is said of Homer and Sophocles, sometimes swelling above that proper and ruled sublimity of speech, wherein they did excell) do generose la∣bi, do erre and fall more nobly, and with greater commen∣dation, then others who spin an even but course thread; and are so far from rising too high, that they are flat, and alwaies lye upon the ground. I know that all our actions are to be squared by the rule, and that it may savour of great folly to be wiser then that wisdome that taught us; but yet I cannot think that a God of Mercy, that loves it in himself, and in his creature, will look in anger upon those who through too much Fervour and Ambition of doing all, do more then is required, but favour and reward them rather; when he will severely punish that negligence that binds our hands in our bo∣some, that we do nothing. Melius ultra quam citra stat misericor∣dia, Thee is lesse danger, (in the works of Mercy) to exceed then to fall short; I may say, lesse danger in superstition then in profane∣nesse; lesse danger in giving all then in giving nothing; and I can see no reason there should be bounds set to our Mercy, for this is the way to shut it up quite, and then we can set the bounds where we please; our non ultra will be a penny, a mite, a cup of cold wa∣ter, and at last nothing. I will not censure the devotion of these women, and I need not take any paines to frame an Apologie for them; He that shall be so bold as to passe sentence against them, will betray in himself so much love of the world as will deserve a heavier doom; and although I may not presse it as a duty on every man, yet thus much we may gain by it, as to conclude, That if these women attained to this so high perfection, as to be willing to strip themselves of all, and give it to the poore, It is not so hard a matter as we make it, to part with our superfluities; as easie for Mercy to open our hands now as then; and if this excesse of theirs were as a rock which we should avoid (as indeed it is not) yet what need they to feare it who are so unwilling to set out, or to follow them but so far as to the meane, and those Tropicks which we our selves set up, and do acknowledge in our course? * 1.15 Julian the Apostate in one of his Epistles, observing how glorious and renown∣ed the Christians were grown for this virtue, thought it a great piece of his art and cunning to lay this imputation and slurr upon it, That their acts of Mercy were done rather out of policy then devotion, and were rather a cheat then charity; that by their liberality they did countenance and commend their Religion, which had nothing else to speake for it; and with this shew of bounty, with the Ceruse and paint of communicating to the necessities of others, did cover the horrour (as he there impiously speaks) of their profession; and

thus did entice and draw others to their faction, as men do children with a cake, whom they mean afterwards to destroy. If the Apo∣state were now alive, he would not be put to the Labour of his Brain, nor forced to ask counsel of his wits to find out such a mali∣cious lye; for our Mercy, for the most part, is in the heart (I mis∣take) I would it were there, for then upon occasion it would eva∣porate and shew it self: no, It floats on the Tongue, and the coun∣tenance of it is wan and pale, without paint or dresse: Our Almes are verba sine penu & pecunia, words without works: what need this ceremonious, expensive Mercy? It is enough if our charity speak, and we shew our love to Mercy even then when we have shut it up in the inward man, and do but think of it.

But let us not deceive our selves; This duty is written in lasting characters to all posterity. Poverty and contempt of the world will be beatitudes to the worlds end. Mercy and compassion are everlasting duties; to part with our coate to our brother, is as necessary now as when Christ first taught it. Why should we paraphrase mercy, and coine distinctions, and draw out our limitations, as it were to copse her up and confine her, that she shall not move our tongue or hand, but when our lusts will give her leave? Be ye mercifull as your Heavenly Father is mercifull; why that's impossible, and therefore because we cannot reach so far, we will not stir a foot. Lend looking for nothing again; That cannot bind us, in the letter; and so, though we may be perswaded to lend, yet our covetousnesse shall have line enough to reach the debtor, and take him by the throat, and make him lay down what he owes, with the advantage. Go sell all thou hast; that was spoken to the young man, and so concernes us not; 'Tis true, to sell all and give it to the poore, was a particular pre∣cept to the young man in the Gospel, and with this command, Christ made a window into his breast, and discovered the rottennesse of his heart. But yet this precept is not so particular to the young man, but that it may and doth concern those who are fallen into the same snare of the devil, and are ready to be strangled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with the same golden halter, and in this respect it may concern more then a many. For should our Saviour come with his fan in his hand, he would find too much of this chaffe, discover too many who are ready to subscribe to the Decalogue, to those commands which they are too ready to break, but have no hand at all to fling one mite into the treasurie; too many so like this young man in this, that they may well receive this strict command, Go sell all that you have and give it to the poore. For the love of the world is a foule humour, and no other pill can purge it out; nor can this Augaean Sta∣ble, the heart of a covetous man be purged without a Hercules, o∣therwise then by a strong and violent evacuation: No better reme∣dy against the love of the world then thus exhaeredare se seculo,

then to abandon the world and disinherit our selves of all right and title to it, as the Phylosopher tells us. To make a crooked staff straight, the best way is to bow it violently the other way; and if this physick will not purge and cure him, no power, no miracle, no mer∣cy can save him.

I am very willing so far to be as a John Baptist, as a forerunner to Mercy, as to fill up every valley, and to bring every mountain and hill low, to make smooth every rough passage, and so prepare a way, and make the paths of Mercy straight, and in doing this I prepare a way for Christ himself; for Christ and Mercy never go asunder. I would not see her circumscribed and drawn within that compasse which the flesh will make narrow enough with glosses, distin∣ctions and limitations: If it be Mercy, it cannot be thus shut up, but will break through and thine every where, and in its full strength; and scatter every mist, disperse every cloud, and is most seen in dark∣nesse; If it be a man, and miserable, the makes haste to help him; she asks no questions, makes no pause, nor deliberation, stands not upon circumstances of time or place, or measure of what, or where, or when, or how much; she doth not examine nor catechize his per∣son, * 1.16 and then raise scruples (for a scrupulous mercy is but a conniving cruelty; it doth not hurt, but it doth not help) she sees him cast down, and she imploys the understanding to find out waies and meanes, she opens the eare to harken to complaints, she makes the tongue as the pen of a ready writer, and speaks to his heart, and stretch∣eth forth the hand to lift him up; her haste is her wisdome; her losse, her improvement; her motion, her light; her actuating is the next object; her life, is misery; her method poseth the wise∣men of this world; her art is simplicity; her soloecismes, Rules, her strange works are the laughter of fooles, and the musick of An∣gels; In a word, she ends not but in her seife; for if it end, (where the object is seen) it is not mercy; and thus she leads us on, and grows up with us to that strength, that we are able to Dye for the brethren, and then, and not till then the mercifull man and his mer∣cy end together; and yet they do not end, for they shall be had in everlasting remembrance.

And we shall not think so strange of this Operation and Magistery of mercy, If in the next place we consider what spring, * 1.17 what prin∣ciple it is, which begins and continues its motion, and sets it a work∣ing; and Saint Paul placeth it in the inward man, in the very bowels of him; put on therefore bowells of mercy, Coloss. 3.12. bowells which may sound as an harp, Is. 16.11. to raise and refresh every drooping soul. For there is a melting as well as a flowing, which is nothing else but compassion or a fellow-feeling; and as every Naturall act and motion hath its principle from whence it proceeds, so have our

spirituall duties their form, as it were, to give them life and motion; and when this is wanting, we faile and sink in our performance, are but Idols; have eyes, but see not; have mouths, but speak not; have hands, but cannot reach them forth.

Now compassion is the spring and principle of Mercy, when it exerciseth its act, when it teacheth the ignorant, or feeds the poore. This wrought the miracle of the loaves, Matth. 15. for Christ tells his Disciples, I have compassion on the multitude, and he multiplies them. This forced his teares from him, and drew them down his cheeks: For when he came neere, he beheld the City, and wept over it. Luk. 19.41. In a word, this nailed him to the Crosse. Nor can we take it ill, or be troubled to heare of a compassionate and weeping Christ, unlesse we be troubled also that he was a man; for never did the hand reach forth relief, nor the tongue speake comfort, till compassion had melted the heart; never was there any true and na∣turall motion without a spring; nor was there any reason it should be expunged and left our, for we read it again John 10. and Jesus wept. It is no wisdome so to honour Christ, as to take from his huma∣nity. This wisdome comes not è-porticu Solomonis, from the porch of the Temple, but from the Gallery and Schools of the Stoicks who took away all passion, and with it the very Nature of man. It was extreme folly with them to be compassionate; and as they took them away quite, so the Peripateticks left them, but with a curb, to be stopt and moderated; and here they both run diverse waies, and both mist of the right. * 1.18 For as Lactantius well observes, neither are the Affections quite to be extirpated and rooted out, as the Stoicks hold; nor yet alwaies to be check'd and bounded, as the Peri∣pateticks would have it, but to be levell'd and directed on the right object: If you set your compasse, and steere to the right point, you cannot fill your sailes too much: If Jerusalem, Jerusalem, now sha∣king, tottering, and falling, be in your eyes, you cannot weep too much; If a multitude now ready to famish, you cannot be too com∣passionate; If your affections be set right, your anger cannot be too loud, for no indignation can be raised up equall to your sinne: your love cannot be too intensive, for you cannot love virtue e∣nough (the love of a friend, the love of a woman comes short, and will never reach it;) your sorrow cannot be too excessive; for how can they be cast down too much, who are fallen from God? He that goes out of his way, though his pace be gentle, yet must needs walk with danger, every step is an errour; but he that keeps on in the right way, cannot possibly make too much speed. No; compassion is so far from being imputed as a defect, that it is that by which we come neerest to Christ himself; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, It is a divine thing, saith I∣sidor, to be compassionate; an imitation of him who is a Father of Mer∣cies, and whose compassions never faile. Lament. 3.22. And therefore

God forbid, saith Saint Austin, That, though we pray against them, and would use our strength, and wit, and utmost power to keep them off, we should take off our eye, as loth to see, or shut our eares, as unwilling to heare the complaints, and grievings, and miseries of our brethren; It is indeed a sad spectacle, but a blessed occasion to call up our compassion, and to draw out our Mercy into act; to kindle the fire within us that it may break forth into a pure flame, to warme and comfort them: And what is a Christian mans life? what is the businesse of his life, but to watch, and observe, and lay hold of occasions? to look upon that fire which may melt him; that misery of others which may make an impression, and leave its image in his heart? which will bring in that heavenly community, cùm quamvis alii ferendo patiantur, alii cognoscendo compatiantur, com∣munis tamen sit tribulatio; when mercy possesseth the heart of all men with the smart of that affiction which but one man lies un∣der, making every man a partaker, though not in the losse, yet in the sorrow.

For this compassion is bound up as it were in the very nature and constitution of the Church; and it is as impossible to be a part of the Church without it, as it is to be a man without the use of reason; nay we so far come short of being men as we are defective in hu∣manity. All Christians are the parts of the Church, and all must su∣staine one another, and this is the just and full Interpretation of that of our Saviour, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self, and then thou wilt pity him as thy self; Tolle invidiam, & tuum est quod habet, Take away envy, and all that he hath is thine; and take away hard∣nesse of heart, and all that thou hast is his. Take away malice, and all his virtues are thine; and take away pride, and thy Glories are his. Art thou a part of the Church? thou hast a part in every port, and every part hath a portion in thee. We are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, com∣pacted together by that which every joynt supplies, Eph. 4.16. a simili∣tude and resemblance taken from the curtaines in the Temple, saith learned Grotius, Exod. 26. whereof every one hath its measure; but yet they are all coupled together one to another, v. 3. and by their loops which lay hold one of another, v. 5. and like those curtains, not to be drawn but together, not to rejoyce, not to weep, not to suffer but together. The word Church is but as a second notion, and it is made a terme of art, and every man almost, saith Luther, abuseth it, draws it forth after his own image, takes it commonly in that sense which may favour him so far, as to leave in him a perswasion that he is a true part of it; and thus many enter the Church, and are shut out of heaven. We are told of a visible Church, and the Church in some sense is visible; but that the greatest part of this Church hath wanted bowells; that some parts of it have been without sense or feeling, besmered and defiled with the blood of

their brethren, is as visible as the Church. We have heard of an in∣fallible Church, we have heard it, and believe it not; for how can she be infallible who is so ready to design all those to death and hell who deny it? If it be a Church, it is a Church with hornes to push at the nations, or an army with banners and swords; we have long talked of a Reformed Church, and we make it our crown and rejoy∣cing, but it would concern us to look about us and take heed, That we do not reforme so as to purge out all compassion also; for cer∣cainly to put off all bowells, is not (as some zelots have easily per∣swaded themselves) to put on the new man. Talk not of a visible, Infallible, or a Reformed Church; God send us a Compassionate Church; a title, which will more fit and become her, then those names which do not beautifie and adorne, but accuse and condemn her when she hath no heart. What visible Church is that which is seen in blood? what infallible Church is that whose very bowels are cruell? what reformed Church is that which hath purged out all compassion? visible, and yet not seen; infallible, and deceived; reformed, and yet in its filth; Monstrum; Horrendum, Informe, This is a mishapen monster, not a Church. The True Church is made up of bowells; every part of it is tender and relenting, not onely when it self is touch'd, but when the others are moved; as you see in a well-set instrument, if you touch but one string, the others will tremble and shake. And this sence, this fellow-feeling, is the foun∣tain from whence this silver streame of Mercy flows, the spring and first mover of those outward acts, which are seen in that bread of ours which floats upon the waters, in the face and on the backs of the poore; for not then when we see our brethren in affliction, when we look upon them, and passe by them, but when we see them, and have compassion on them, we shall bind up their wounds, and poure in wine and oyle, and take care for them: For till the heart be melted there will nothing flow. We see almes given every day, and we call them acts of piety; but whether the hand of Mercy reach them forth or no we know not; our motions, all of them are not from a right spring; vain glory may be liberall; Intemperance may be liberall; Pride may be a benefactor; Ambition must not be a Niggard; Covetousnesse it self sometimes yeelds, and drops a pen∣ny; and importunity is a wind which will set that wheel a going, which had otherwise stood still. We may read large catalogues of munificent men, but many names which we read there may be but the names of men, and not of the Mercifull: compassion is the in∣ward and true principle, begetting in us the love of Mercy, which compleats, and perfects, and crownes every act; gives it its true forme and denomination; gives a sweet smell, and fragrant savour to Maryes oyntment, for she that poured it forth loved much, Luk. 7.47. I may say compassion is the love of the Mercy, & plus est diligere quàm facere, saith Hilary, It is a great deal more to love a good

work then to do it; to love virtue, then to bring it into act; to love mercy, then to shew it; it doth supply many times the place of the outward act, but without it the act is nothing, or something worse. It hath a priviledge to bring that upon account which was never done; to be entitled to that which we do not, which we cannot do; to make the weak man strong, and the poore man liberall, and the ignorant man a counsellor; For he that loves mercy would, and therefore doth more then he can do; as David may be said to build the Temple, though he laid not a stone of it, for God tells him, he did well, That he had it in his heart; and thus our love may build a Temple, though we fall and dye before a stone be laid.

Now this love of mercy is not so soon wrought in the heart as we may imagine; as every glimmering of light doth not make it day; It is a work of labour and travell, and of curious observance and watchfulnesse over our selves; It will cost us many a combate and luctation with the world and the flesh; many a falling out with our selves; many a love must be digged up by the roots, before we can plant this in our hearts; for it will not grow up with luxury and wantonnesse; with pride, or self-love; you never see these together in the same soyle: The Apostle tells us we must put it on; and •• the garments which adorn the soul are not so soon put on as those which clothe the body; we do not put on mercy as we do our mantle, for when we do, every puffe of wind, every distaste blows it away; but mercy must be so put on, that it may even cleave to the soul, and be a part of it; That every thought may be a melting thought, every word as oyle, and every work a blessing. Then we love mercy, when we fling off all other respects, and whatsoever may either shrink up or straiten our bowells, or seale up our lips, or wither our hands; when we look upon the world but as our stage, where we must act our parts, and display the glories of mercy; where we must waste our selves, drop our teares, run in to succour those who are roughly handled in it, and thus tread it under our feet, and then take our Exit and go out. When we can forget our honour, and remember the poore; forsake all rather then our bre∣thren, and desire not to be rich but in good works; when we have so incorporated out brethren into our selves, that we stand and fall, are happy and miserable together; when we consider them as in∣grafted into the same Christ, and in him to be preferred before the whole world, and to be lookt upon as those for whom we must dye, Then we love mercy, then we are mercifull as our heavenly Father is mercifull.

Thus if we be qualified, we shall become the Temples and habi∣tations of Mercy; and as our bodies shall after their resurrection, so our soules shall here have novas dotes, shall be endowed with activity,

cheerfulnesse, and purity. And first, our mercy will be in a manner Naturall unto us: secondly, it will be Constant: thirdly, it will be Sincere: fourthly, it will be Delightfull to us. It will be Naturall, not forced; it will be Constant, not flitting; It will be Sincere, not feigned; and it will be Delightfull, that we shall long to bring it into act.

And first; we then love it, when it is in a manner made naturall to us; for we never fully see the beauty of it, till we are made New Creatures, and have new eyes; then as the new creature cannot sin, as Saint John speaks, that is, can doe nothing that is contrary and de∣structive to that forme which constitutes a new creature, no more can a mercifull man doe any thing which will not savour of mercy; and doth as naturally exercise himselfe in it, as the Sunne doth send forth its beames, or the Heavens their influence. For the Spirit of God hath made his Heart a Fountain of Mercy, as he made the Sun a Fountain of Light; and if he break not forth into action, it is from defect of means, or occasion, or some crosse accident which comes over him, which doe but cloud and eclipse his mercy, as the interpo∣sition of a grosse body doth the Sun, but not put out its light; at the very sight of Misery, Mercy is awake, up, and either doing of suffe∣ring. Who is weak, * 1.19 and I am not weak? saith Saint Paul; who is offen∣ded, and I burne not? If I but see him weak, I faint; and if I see him vexed, I am on fire. Nature is active and will work to its end; hea∣vy bodies will descend, and light bodies will mount upwards; and Mercy will give, and lend, and forgive; it cannot be idle, Inquies opere suo pascitur, * 1.20 it is restlesse, and is made more restlesse by its work, which is indeed its pleasure; It is then most truly Mercy, when it shews it self. If occasion presents it selfe, it soon layes hold of it; If the object appeare, it is carryed to it with the speed of a Thought, and reacheth it as soone; If there be no object, it creates one; if there be no occasion, it studyes one: Is there yet any left of the house of Saul, that I may shew kindnesse to for Jonathans sake? And, Is there no Lazar to feed, no Widow to visit, no Wounds to bind up, no weak brother to be restored, none that be in darknesse and error to be brought into the light? These are the Quaeres, the true dialect, this is the Ambition of Mercy: It longs more for an occasion to vent it self, then the Adulterer doth for the twilight; layes hold of the least as of a great one; thinks nothing too high, nothing too low, which it can reach; is still in motion, because it moves not like those Artificiall bodies by art or outward force, but by a principle of life, the spirit of love; and so moves, not as a clock, which will stand still when the plummet is on the ground, but its motion is Naturall, as that of the spheres, which are wheel'd about without cessation, and return by those points by which they past; and indeed, may be said rather to rest then to move, because they move con∣tinually,

and in the same place. Misery is the point, the object of mercy, and at that it toucheth everlastingly: mercy and misery still go together and eye each other; the eye of misery looks up upon mercy, and the eye of mercy looks down upon misery; they are the two cherubins, that have ever their faces one towards ano∣ther, and they are both full and ready to drop and run down; the eye of misery is ever open, and mercy hideth not her eye, Prov. 28.27. By this you may judge of your acts of liberality, and look upon them as those sacrifices with which God is pleased, when you find something within you that enlargeth you, that opens your mouth and hand, that you cannot but speak and do; when you find a heat within you that thaws and melts you, that you poure out your selves on your brethren; then your works of mercy are of a sweet smelling savour, when love sets them on fire.

For secondly, being made Naturall unto us, it will be also con∣stant, it will be fixt in the firmament of the soul, and shine and de∣rive its influence uncessantly, and equally, doing good unto all men, while it hath time, that is at all times. When the heart dissents from it self (for love onely unites and makes it one,) when it is divisum cor, a divided heart, divided between God and the world; when it hath inconstant motions, and changeable counsells, when it joynes with the object, and leaps from the object; willing to day and loth∣ing to morrow; this day cleaving to it, and even sick for love, (as Ammon was with Tamar) and the next thrusting it out of doores; chusing without judgement, and then altering upon experience; In such a heart mercy cannot dwell; and from hence it is that we see men every day so unlike themselves, now giving, anon oppressing; now reaching out an Almes, and by and by threatning with the sword; now giving their brother the right hand of fellowship, and within a while with that hand plucking him by the throat; now pit∣tying him that lyes in the dust, and anon crying out, So, So, Thus we would have it: For indeed their pity and their rage, their mer∣cy and their cruelty have the same originall, are raised upon the same ground, the love of themselves, and not of mercy; and thus they do some acts of mercy, magno impetu, sed semel, with much earnestnesse and zeale, but not often, like some birds whose notes or rather noise we heare one part of the year, and then they leave us, vanish out of sight and hearing, and as some say, sleep out the other. For even in the worst of men there be some seeds of goodnesse, which they receive as they are men, from whence arise those 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, those sudden but short and transitory inclinations, which are choked up, but not so dead in them, but that sometimes they shew themselves and shoot out, but as grasse doth upon the house∣tops, * 1.21 which withereth before it groweth up. There is no Tyrant but may do one act of mercy; no oppressor but may give a cup of cold

water. In pessimis est aliquid optimi, there may be something of that which is good, even in the worst. Then mercy is in its full glory, when it acts upon a certain and well grounded determination; when we decree, as the Stoicks speak, and resolve so to do, when we have fixed this decree, and made it unalterable; when we are rooted and grounded in mercy, as Saint Paul speaks, Eph. 3.17. Rooted as a tree deeply in it, and built as a house upon it, where the corner and chief stone is the love of mercy. Then we are as trees to shadow o∣thers, and as an house to shelter them; otherwise our mercy will be but as a gourd, as Jonahs gourd, and will grow and come up and perish in a night.

Thirdly, If we love mercy, it will be sincere and reall; for since∣rity is the proper issue and child of love, and makes the wounds of a friend better then the kisses of an enemy; makes a dish of herbs a more sumptuous Feast then a stalled oxe; makes a mite, a good wish, a good word an Almes. What's the mercy of the parasite? he feeds by it. What's the mercy of the Ambitious? a stirrop to get up by. What's the mercy of the Covetous? a piece of art, a warran∣table cheat. What was that seeming mercy of Peter? It was an of∣fence, for which Christ called him an enemy. What's the mercy of those, who through Covetousnesse, with feigned words make a prey of mens soules? 2 Pet. 2.3. I will not tell you, because I cannot give it a name bad enough. There may be mercy in a supply, but that supply may be a snare. There may be mercy in counsel, but that counsel may betray me. There is mercy in comfort, but we know, there be miserable comforters. True mercy must be like our faith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 1 Tim. 1.5. unfeigned, and then it runs must pure and cleare without taint or trouble, when love opens the fountain, or rather is the fountain from whence it flows; when the love of Christ hath begot in us the love of our brethren, and we shew mercy to them, not for those arguments which we make our selves, or those perswasions which may be the oratory of the flesh and the world; but for Christs sake, and for the love of mercy, whose ra∣tionall and demonstrative eloquence we should most obey: other∣wise it will begin fairely, and end in blood; It will drop teares, and then hailstones; it will be a but preface of clemency, a mild prologue to lead in a tragedy; an echo out of a sepulchre of rotten bones, and as musick at the gates of hell: It will be mercy, but not like unto Christ, in whom there was found no guile, but like unto Marcions Christ, all in appearance; mercy with a trumpet in one hand, and a sword in the other; mercy which shall lessen your burthen, to lay on more; shall speak of ease, and then add to the misery of the op∣pressed. For that which is not sincere is not lasting. It may be∣gin to shine, but it will end in a storme: A true face is ever the same, but a vizor will soon fall off. In a word, if it be not sincere, it is not

mercy, and sincere it will not, it cannot be, if we love it not.

Last of all; If we love mercy we shall take delight in it, for joy is but a resultancie from love; that which we love is also the joy of our heart. Behold my servant whom I have chosen, saith God of Christ, Es. 42.1. and then it follows, In whom my soule delights. I have loved thee, saith God, of Israel, and his love thus bespeaks them, as a bridegroome rejoyceth over his bride, so shall thy God rejoyce over thee, Is. 62.5. The bridegroome is sick of love in the book of Can∣ticles, his heart is ravish'd, and then the floodgates are laid open, and the streame is joy. How faire is my love? how much better is thy love then wine, and the smell of thy oyntments then all spices? Davids heart was knit unto Jonathan, and then, very pleasant hast thou been unto me, 2 Sam. 1.26. Abraham loved hospitality, and therefore he is said to sit in his tent doore, in the heat of the day, to invite men in, as if every stranger had been an Angel. If love be as the sunne, Joy and delight are the Beames which streame forth from it; If Love be as the Voice, Joy is the Echo, for Joy is but Love in the refle∣ction; If Love fill the heart, it will heave, and work it self out, and break forth in joy. By our joy we may see the figure, and shape, and constitution of our souls; for Love is operative, working and raising up something in the soul, and with it that delight which is born with it, and alwaies waits upon it. If it be darke and scarce obser∣vable, our Joy interprets it; Joy is open and talkative; In the wanton 'tis a frolick; in the Revenger it is a Boast; in the Drun∣kard it is a Ballad; in the Rich it is Pride; in the Ambitious it is a Triumph; but in the Mercifull it is Heaven. What a well-drawn picture is to an Apelles, what a faire character is to a Scribe, what a heap of gold is to the Miser, that and much more are the works of Mercy to them that love it; onely here the joy is of a purer flame, and burns brighter; that is grosse and earthy, this is Seraphicall. When you reach forth your hand to give a peny, tell me, what doe you feele in your heart? when you give good counsel, doe you not heare a pleasing echo return back upon you? when you have lifted up the poore out of the dust, doe you not feele an elevation and as∣cension in your mind? when you clothe the naked, are not you even then super vestiti, clothed upon with joy? Beleeve it, you cannot give that relief to the miserable, which Mercy works in the soul, nor can he that receives be so much affected as he that gives; For when he gives, he gives indeed his money, but hath bestowed the greatest Almes upon himself; the poore man rejoyceth, as a hun∣gry man that's fed, as a naked man that's clothed, as one that sits in darknesse doth at the breaking in of light; but the mercifull man hath triumphs and Jubilees within him. In a word, to love Mercy is to be in Heaven, every man according as he purposeth in his heart, let him give not grudgingly, or of necessity, for God loveth a cheerfull gi∣ver;

such a mercy is Gods Almoner here on earth, and he loves and blesseth it, follows it with his providence, and his infinite Mer∣cy shall crown it. That gift which the Love of Mercy offereth up, is onely fit to be laid up in the Treasury of the Almighty.

And now I have set before you Mercy in its full beauty, in all its glory; * 1.22 you have seen her spreading her raies: I might shew you her building of Hospitalls, visiting the sick, giving eyes to the blind, raising of Temples, pittying the stones, breathing forth Oracles, ma∣king the ignorant wise, the sorrowfull merry, leading the wandring man into his way; I might have shewed you her sealing of Pardons (but we could not shew you all) these are the miracles of Mercy, and they are wrought by the power of Christ in us, and by us, but by his power; the fairest spectacle in the world. Let us then look upon it, and love it: what is mercy when you need it? is it not as the opening of the heavens unto you? and shall it then bea punish∣ment and hell unto you, when your afflicted brethren call for it? Is it so glorious abroad, and shall it be of so foul an aspect, as not to be thought worthy of entertainment at home? shall it be a Jewel in every Cabinet but your own hearts? Behold, and lift up your eyes, and you shall see objects enough for your Mercy to shine on; If ever one depth called upon another, the depth of calamity for the depth of our compassion; if ever our bowells should move and sound, now, now is the time. I remember, that Chrysologus ob∣serves, that God did on purpose lay Lazarus at the rich mans Gate, quasi pietatis conflatorium, as a forge to melt his stony heart. Lazarus had as many mouthes to speak, and move him to compassion, as he had ulcers and wounds; and how many such forges hath God set before us? how many mouthes to beseech us? how many wounds wide open which speak loud for our pity? how many fires to melt us? shall I shew you an ulcerous Lazar? They are obvious to our eye, we shall have them alwaies with us, saith our Saviour, and we have them almost in every place: Shall I shew you men Stript and wounded, and left half dead? that may be seen in our lives, as well as in the high waies between Jericho and Jerusalem. Shall I shew you the teares drilling down the cheeks of the orphans and wid∣dows? shall I call you to heare the cry of the hire kept back by fraud or violence? for that cryes to you for compassion, as oppression doth to God for vengeance; and it is a kind of oppression to deny it them. Have you no compassion all ye that passe by, and every day be∣hold such sad spectacles as these? shall I shew you Christ put again to open shame, whipt, and scorned, and crucified, and that which cannot be done to him in his person, laid upon his Church? shall I shew you him now upon the crosse, and have you no regard all you that passe by? shall I shew you the Church miserably torn in pieces? shall I shew you Religion? I would I could shew you such a sight, for

scarce so much as her forme is left; what can I shew, or what can move us, when neither our own misery, nor the common misery, nor sinne, nor death, nor hell it self will move us? If we were ei∣ther good Men, or good Citizens, or good Christians, our hearts would melt and gush forth at our eyes in Rivers of water; If we were truly affected with peace, we should be troubled at war; If we did love the City, we should mourn over it; if we did delight in the prosperity of Israel, her affliction would wound us; if Religion were our care, her decay would be our sorrow; for that which we love and delight in must needs leave a mournfull heart behind it, when it withdraws it self. But private interest makes us regardlesse of the common, and we do not pity Religion because we do not pitty our own soules, but drink deep of the pleasures of this world; enlarge our Territories, fill our barnes, make haste to be rich, when our soul is ready to be taken from us, and nothing but a rotten mouldring wall, a body of flesh which will soon fall to the ground, between us and hell.

I may well take off your eye from these sad and wofull spectacles; it had been enough but to have shewn you Mercy, for she is a cloud of witnesses, a cloud of Arguments for her self; and if we would but look upon her as we should, there need no other Orator. I be∣seech you look into your Lease, look into your Covenant, that Conveyance by which blisse and immortality are made over to you, and you shall find that you hold all by this; you hold it from the King of Kings, and your quit-rent, your acknowledgement for his great Mercy, is your Mercy to others; pay it down, or you have made a forfeiture of all; if you be Mercilesse, all that labour (as 'tis called) of charity is lost; your loud profession, your forced gravity, your burning zeal, your faith also is vain, and you are yet in your sinnes. For what are all these without Mercy but words and names? and there is no name by which we can be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ; and all these, Devotion, Confession, Absti∣nence, Zeal, Severity of life, are as it were the letters of his name, and I am sure Mercy is one, and of a faire character; and if we ex∣punge and blot it out, it is not his name. Why boast we of our zeal? without mercy it is a consuming fire. 'Tis true, he that is not zealous doth not love; but if my love be counterfeit, what a false fire is my zeal? and one mark of true zeal is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.23 if it be kept within its bounds, and mercy is the best watch we can set over it to confine and keep it in. The Church of Christ is not placed under the Torrid Zone, that these cooler and more temperate ver∣tues may not dwell there: if you will have your zeal burn kindly, * 1.24 it must not be set on fire by any earthy matter, but from Heaven, where is the Mercy-seat, and which is the seat of Mercy; if you will be burning lamps, you must poure in oleum misericordiae, the oyl of

mercy, as Bernard speaks; if this oyl faile, you will rather be Bea∣cons then Lamps, to put all round about you in Arms, as we have seen in Germany and other places. Men and Brethren, I may speak to you of the Patriarch David, who is dead and buried; and though we have not his Sepulchre, yet we have the memory of his mercifulness remaining with us to this day; and I ask, Had not he zeal? Yes, and so hot and intensive, that it did consume him, Psal. 119.139. and yet but three verses before, Rivers of water ran down his eyes; and this heat, and this moisture had one and the same cause, because they kept not thy law, in the one; because they forgat thy word, in the other; which is the very same. We much mistake if we doe not think there may be a weeping as well as a burning zeal: And indeed zeal is never more amiable, never moves with more Decorum, nay with more ad∣vantage both to our selves and others, then when Mercy sends it running down the cheeks. We cannot better conclude then with that usefull advice of GBernard, * 1.25 Zelus absque misericordia minùs utilis, ple∣rumque etiam perniciosus, &c. Zeal without mercy is alwaies unpro∣fitable, and most commonly dangerous; and therefore we must pour in this oyl of mercy, quae zelum supprimat, spiritum temperet, which may moderate our zeal, and becalm and temper ourspirit, which may otherwise hurry us away to the trouble of others, and ruine of our selves; which it cannot doe, if Mercy be our Assessor.

To conclude. Let us therefore cast off every weight, let us empty our selves, fling out all worldly lusts out of our hearts, and make roome for mercy; Let us receive it, naturalize it, consubstantiate it, as the Greek Fathers speak, with our selves, that we may think no∣thing, breathe nothing, doe nothing but mercy; That mercy may be as an Intelligence to keep us in a constant and perpetuall motion of doing good; That it may be true and sincere, and sweeter to us then the honey or honey-comb, and so be our Heaven upon Earth whilst we are here, that peace may be upon us, and mercy, even upon all those who love mercy, who are indeed the true Israel of God.

The last branch is our humble walking with God, and that we shall lay hold on in our next.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ps. 147.1.
• * 1.2

  Ioel 2.30. Prov. 12.10.
• * 1.3

  Prov. 36.14,16. Sanguis Daemo∣nis pabulum. Tertull. Apol. c. 22.
• * 1.4

  Tull. l. 1. Oss.
• * 1.5

  Errat olim is••a •…•…ntenti••: v••mo 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nas••i••ur, moriturus sihi. Tert. de pall. c. 5.
• * 1.6

  Tert. Apol. c. 39.
• * 1.7

  Bern. l. 4. de consid.
• * 1.8

  A•• vol•…•…n atem 〈…〉〈…〉 uti 〈…〉〈…〉. Bern de •…•…te∣riori. dom. c. 25.
• * 1.9

  Tertull. ad •…•…nt. c. 2.
• * 1.10

  Tert. Apol.
• * 1.11

  Tert. Apol. c. 42.
• * 1.12

  Aristot. l. 10. Eth.
• * 1.13

  Naz. Orat. 10.
• * 1.14

  Easil. orat in samem & sic∣citat.
• * 1.15

  Julian. Epist. 49 & Frag∣ment ep. edit. Petav.
• * 1.16

  Ubicunque est homo, ibi bene∣ficio locus est. Sen. l. 4. de be∣nef. c. 24.
• * 1.17

  Op••rari est l••r∣giri ••le masy∣nam. Tertull. de Idolo••at. c. 23. Cyptian. l••b. inscripsit, de opere & elemosynis.
• * 1.18

  Lactant. l. 6. de ver. cult. c. 14, 15, 16, 17.
• * 1.19

  2 Cor. 11.29.
• * 1.20

  Livi. pres.
• * 1.21

  Ps. 129.6
• * 1.22

  Conclusion.
• * 1.23

  Naz. or. 14.
• * 1.24

  Ignis zeli arde∣re debet oleo misericordiae. Aqu•…•…. de Eruditione princip. l. 1. c. 15, 16.
• * 1.25

  Bern. 46. S. in Cant.