WHether S. Paul or Barnabas or Cle­mens or what Apostle or Apostoli­call person was the pen-man of this pretious Epistle, Something briefly premi­sed concer­ning the Au­thour and Au­thority of this Epistle. it is not much ma­teriall, though it have beene much argued among the learned: some judging it neither to be Pauls nor canonicall; some to be canonicall but not Pauls; some to be both canonicall and also penned by S. Paul. Titubat fides si divinarum scripturarum vacillet au­thoritas. Au­gustin. alicubi. True it is that Faith it selfe is ready to fall, if the authority of holy Scriptures do once begin to faile. But these pillars of truth doe stand on firmer pedestalls then are the feet of flesh and blood, namely the spirit of truth, who being the prime Author is also the su­rest evidencer that all holy Scripture (and particularly this sacred Epistle) is undoubtedly the word of God. And as in [Page 2] the letters of Princes it is not greatly regarded who was the the scribe that wrote them while the seale that is on them doth manifest from whom they came; so in holy writings we stand not too much on the pen-man while we finde the seale of the Spirit upon them, and doe perceive by the cha­racter of the Holy Ghost that they were indited by him.

This doe we finde and therefore thus doe wee hold con­cerning this divine Epistle which although it begin not with the same stile that S. Pauls other Epistles doe, yet it endeth in the same manner. For as that blessed Apostle, so the Author of this Epistle, upon the doctrine of faith layed for a foundation, raiseth precepts of manners and rules for godly life as the building,

And because next unto faith whereby we are united un­to the head, love is most necessary whereby the members are knit together, therefore the holy Authour immediate­ly after the doctrine of faith exhorteth unto brotherly love: Heb. 13.1 Let brotherly love continue. And because wee must not 1. Ioh. 3.18. love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth, therefore he exhorteth to manifest our love by action, espe­cially to such as have greatest need and occasion.

Two sorts of people there were in those times (as still there are) who suffered persecution for the Gospell, stran­gers and Captives. Strangers driven from their owne pla­ces and houses, enforced to take up Heb. 11.37.38. deserts, dens, and caves for their habitation. Captives, (who were housed indeed▪ but to their greater paine) detained in their bonds and pri­son for their faith and profession. Vnto both these severall offices of charity are to be extended: Vnto strangers, hospi­tality; unto prisoners compassion and pity. The former when they come unto us must be harboured: Heb. 13.2. Be not for­getfull to harbour strangers. But as for poore prisoners and Captives, they (good soules) cannot come unto us (they are bound to the contrary) therefore it is our duty to visit them, either in person, if we may have accesse, or by provi­sion, if we can send to them, or by prayers and supplications [Page 3] unto God for them, and by sorrowing for them as if we suf­fered with them.

Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them. The summe or substance of the text, An exhortati­on to compas­sion towards Captives. Divided into two parts,

This is my text: whereof the scope and substance is An exhortation to pity and compassion towards them that are in bonds and captivity, especially for Christs sake.

Wherein I finde presen­ted to our consideration

• 1. Others misery.
• 2. Our Duty.

Their passion, our compassion. Their misery is bondage and captivity: They are in bonds: Others Misery. Our duty is to extend unto them a twofold mercy; 1. Consideration; we must re­member them: 2. Compassion we must so remember them as if we our selves were bound with them. Our Duty. The text briefly para­phrased.

Remember] Thinke upon their calamity and affliction. Let not your owne safety make you forgetfull of others mi­sery: let not your enjoyed liberty drive out of your re­membrance their calamitous captivity.

Them that are in bonds] All them that are in bondage, chiefly such as doe suffer for their conscience and for their Christian profession.

As bound with them] As if your selves were in the same place and case. Make their bondage your thraldome, their suffering, your owne smarting. Have a fellow-feeling with them, as being members of the same body, which is implyed in the last part of the verse.

But my text hath more need of pressing then of paraphra­sing. The sence is obvious enough to our understanding, would God the substance thereof could as easily worke up­on our affections: I will (God willing) use mine endea­vour, attending his blessing without whom all mans endea­vours are nothing, or to no purpose.

And first consider wee others misery, Pars prima. Others mise­ry: Bondage. that so we may be the better incited to our owne duty. Their misery is that they are in bonds. Remember them especially because their condition is most hard and lamentable. For

Captivity is [...] most grievous kinde of calamity. Doctr. 1.

[Page 4] Captivity a most grievous calamity.Bondage is an heavie burthen, imprisonment a great af­fliction, aske Ioseph if it be not so. Among all the miseries he endured by his brethrens malice, none pinched him more then his imprisonment. How emphatically speakes the Psalmist of it? Psal. 105.18. His soule came into iron. The iron entred into his soule. Though he were (vpon the matter) at liberty in prison, and rather a Keeper then a Prisoner ( Gen. 39.21.22. the keeper committing all the pri­son [...]rs into his hands) yet all this could not countervaile the losse of his liberty. All the suite he made to Pharaohs chiefe butler for interpreting vnto him the dreame of his deliverance, was that he would Gen. 40.14. thinke on him and make mention of him vnto Pharaoh, and bring him out of that house. Act. 26.29. Paul in his wish that both King Agrippa and all that heard him were not almost but altogether such as he was, ex­cepted his bonds, as if he would not wish them to his grea­test enemy, not to them who kept him vniustly in those bonds. The greatest plague which God inflicted on the Iewes for their idolatry was bondage and captivity. Needs must that be one of his greatest rods wherewith he useth to scourge the greatest sinners.

Liberty natu­rally most de­sired. Bondage by some preven­ted or redee­med by vo­luntary death.Be the imprisonment never so mild, the bonds never so easy, the bondage not accompanied with those calamities that doe vsually attend it, yet want of liberty is sufficient to make vp misery. Liberty is that which all men doe desire next vnto life, esteeming it no life which is deprived of li­berty but only a breathing death. Some mothers have thought themselves mercifull to their children when they have murthered thē with their own hands, that death might save them from bondage. Domitius Brusonius. l. 3. c. 32. Buris and Spartis two resolute Lacedemonians who had slaine the Heralds of king Xerxes, when their lives were offered them on condition that a­bandoning their country they would attend vpon the king, they refused, and rather desired any kind of death, saying to a noble man who perswaded them to accept of the kings royall offer, you know not how pretious a thing freedome is, which no man who is well in his wits will exchange for [Page 5] all the Persian monarchy. Give us (said couragious Brutus) either life with liberty or death with glory. How sweet a thing then is liberty, Bondage more misera­ble as it is considered either in the kindes or with the con­comitants thereof. which is purchased with death, and therein preferred before life? how bitter is bondage which is many times prevented by death, and therin death it selfe preferred before it? thus even when bondage is tollerable yet it is miserable. But this misery is aggravated as [...]he bondage is more hard, either in the kinds or with the con­comitants thereof. For the kindes; there is a two fold bon­dage, 1. Spirituall. The kindes. Bondage twofold. 2. Corporall. Spirituall bondage is that whereby men are bound vnder Sathan in the chaines of sinne; as was Simon Magus to whom S. Peter said; Act. 8.13. This the worst kinde of bondage. Nulla major captivitas quàm capti­vitas propriae voluntati [...] quae est insatiabi­lis. Remund. Sebund. thou art in the bonds of iniquity: such bondmen are all men by nature untill Christ by grace have made them free, Spirituall whereby men are bound un­der Sathan in the chaines of sinne. and this is the worst kinde of bondage on earth, rendring men over (vn­lesse grace prevent it) to hellish bondage, from whence there is no redemption. A most miserable thraldome to be a bondslave to sinne, to have hell for the Iayle, the Devill for the jaylor, a guilty conscience for the vnderkeeper, con­cupiscence and mans naturall corruption, for the gyves and fetters, and to be excluded from the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God; such is spirituall bondage from the which the Lord deliver us, and praised be God, who hath in part al­ready delivered us.

Corporall bondage is twofold, according to the different causes thereof: for some is just some unjust.

Iust and lawfull is that bondage when men are deser­vedly imprisoned according to due course of law for their offences, as Murtherers, Theeves, Malefactors. For iust it is that they who doe cast off the easy bonds of government, Corporall. This againe twofold. should be cast into the heavy bonds of imprisonment; and that they who say by godly governours, Psal. 2.3. let vs breake their bonds asunder, Iust as of ma­lefactors should (if not be broken with a rod of iron yet) be hampered with iron chaines which they shall not be able to breake asunder. Vnjust, when men contrary to [...]ight and justice are cast into bonds. Vniust bondage is when men [Page 6] contrary to right and iustice are cast into bonds, whether for temporall pretences, by tyrants and oppressors; or for spiri­tuall causes, for keeping faith and a good conscience under persecutors and infidels.

I know not whether I may referre bondage and impri­sonment for debt either vnto the first or second kind, Imprison­ment for debt a mixt kinde, as be­ing in some cases just, in some unjust. or make it a third and mixt kind betweene iust and uniust. Iust it m [...]y be and is in regard of many, who by fraud and pro­digality have abused their honest creditors, and lavished their goods once gotten into their hands. Iust it is that they who have willfully cast themselves into bonds out of which they never meant to come, should be laid up in bonds, out of which they shall not be able to come untill they have payd the vttermost farthing. But uniust it is in re­gard of many iniurious, usurious creditors, who distinguish not betweene Gods visitation and mans corruption, but will enforce men to pay that which God, for causes best knowne to himselfe, hath taken from them. These if they could, All that are in any kinde of bondage are here intended. But chiefly those who are captived for Christs sake. This kinde of bondage is most cōforta­ble in regard of the inner man. would take up Christ himselfe with an execution ra­ther then loose principall or interest. This must needs be a branch of uniust bondage. I doubt not but the holy Authour in my Text bespeakes vs to commiserate generally all who are in bondage for any cause whatsoever: But especially he intendeth those who suffer uniust thraldome, and that for the best cause, for their constancy in the true profession of Christ. This indeed is the most comfortable kind of captivity in regard of the Inner man; the soule and consci­ence enioying more freedome in prison then the Persecu­tor doth in the kingdome. Mat 5.10. Blessed are they that suffer persecu­tion for righteousnes sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Therefore S. Paul stands upon it, that Phil. 1.13. his bonds were fa­mous in the palace and in all other places: And seemes to e­steeme his imprisonment for Christ equall with his Apostle­shippe, stiling himselfe Ephes. 3.1.4.1. Philem. v. 1.9 Cyprian. ep. 16. Paul the prisoner of Iesus Christ, as well as Paul the Apostle of Iesus Christ. Blessed Cyprian (afterwards a glorious Martyr) doth parallel the Confessors [Page 7] bonds with the Martyrs crowne. 4 Your confession (saith he) is a perpetuall Martyrdome, you doe so often suffer as you pre­ferre the prison for Christ, before libertie with the losse of Christ. Your praises are as many as your daies, and your Crownes doe encrease with your moneths. The Martyr once o­vercometh in that he presently suffereth: Semel vincit qui station pa­titur. But the Confessor daily combating with paine and not subdued, is daily crowned. The longer therefore that your combate is, the loftier is your crowne, and remaining in the prison, you doe lead the life not of this present world, but of that which is to come.

And Tertullian (whom that Martyr vsed to call his Master) excellently comforteth the Confessors who were in captivity for Christ, Tertullian. ad Martyr. stiling them Martyrs before they suffered Martyrdome. You are (saith he) in prison; but the world to a Christian is a worse prison, so that you may seeme rather to have escaped out of prison, then to have entred into it. Many are the inconveniences of the prison but worse are the evills of the world; and what evill can you suffer there, which is not recompensed with a greater good? The prison hath dark­nesse but you your selves are a light vnto it, who are the light of the world. There are bonds and fetters, but you are free vnto God. There are stinking savours, but you are a sweet smelling savour vnto the Lord. There you have the company of theeves and murtherers, but you have the society also of God and his Angels. Let him be greeved with the prison, who longeth af­ter the pleasures of the world: The Christian even without the pris [...]n hath renounced the world, and in the prison, the pri­son it selfe. What matter is it where you be in the world, who are none of the world?

In these regards captivity for Christs cause is most com­fortable; But in regard of outward condition most misera­ble Such is the captivity of our brethren [...]n Barbary. but if wee respect the outward estate and tempo­rall condition, it is of all others (spirituall bondage only ex­cepted) most intollerable.

And of this kind (in some respects) is the captivity and bondage of our distressed, daily afflicted bretheren in Mo­rocco, Algier, and other places of Barbary, for whose sor­rowfull [Page 8] sakes these poore meditations are chiefly intended▪ which we shall the sooner perceive if we draw out a little Map of the world of miseries by them endured. This manife­sted by taking a view of some conco­mitants there­with concur­ring. Therein we shall find their bondage to be the more grievous by the concomitants therewith concurring. As

First, Banishment. Bondage must needs be accompanied with misery, though a man be imprisoned in his owne coun­try, Banishment. where his wife and children may visit him, his friends may comfort him, charitable persons may send reliefe to him: This againe aggravated in regard of yet such imprisonment is no smal perplexity, for what is a man the better to be in his owne country, & not to have freedome, but to be an exile in his owne nation? But banish­ment concurring with bondage makes the bondage more grievous, The place whence they are banished, England the best of nati­ons. in regard of the places whence and whither a man is banished, and the people among whom he abi­deth.

Some countries are like Caria of which one said that in Caria none lived but dead men, the country was so cold and hungry that the inhabitants seemed Ghosts rather then men; so uncomfortable, that a stranger would thinke it ba­nishment for the natives to be confined unto them, Quid Româ melius? Scy­thico quid fri­gore pejus? Huc tamen ex illâ barbarus urbe fugit. Ovid. The place whither they are confined; Barbary. and a be­nifit to be banished their native soyle; yet such is the love naturally of every one to his country that a Roman would hardly thinke it a greater punishment to be banished into Scythia, then a Scythian would to be confined unto Rome.

Now if it be grievous to exchange a bad coun [...] of our owne for a better land, needs must the condition of our ba­nished Brethren be grievous, who are enforced to exchange England for Barbary, the pleasantest, the most civiliz'd for the most barbarous, brutish nation of those parts of the world. Bona terra, mala ge [...]s. I accuse not the barrennes of the soil, which is said to be more abundant in earthly commodities then many coun­tries inhabited by better people. So was the land of Canaan when Gyants possessed it, lumps of flesh as odious to heaven as burthenous to the earth. Such was the situation of Sodom yet [Page 9] never saw the sunne more scelestious Cittizens. Tis not the ayre nor soyle that makes a nation, but the people, as not the knots nor borders, but the hearbs and stowers doe make a garden. There is in Barbary abundance of all things, save goodnesse; but what is that to our miserable country-men who in that abundance doe want all things save hunger, na­kednesse, and blowes? There is store of provision for foode and delight; but what is that vnto them, who are stinted only to bread and water? what are they the better for the dainty dates and pleasing pomegranates which they see dangling over their heads, but none falling into their mouthes, not so much as touching them but when they gather them to be devoured by their devourers? Is not this but the truth of that torment fabled to be endured by Him in Hell?

Were Barbary as it was before it turned Barbary there would be some comfort of living in it, when it was famous for Arms, Arts, Civility, Piety. How many renowned Martyrs, reverend Bishops, famous Fathers hath Africk yeelded unto the Church. To Africk we doe owe zealous S. Cyprian, learned Tertullian, fluent Fulgentius, acute Op­tatus, and the greatest light of the Christian Church (after S. Paul) divine Augustine. In so much that posterity could as hardly have missed that country as any one nation in the Christian world. But now a man may seeke Africk in A­frick and not finde it. Insteed of Africk we find Barbary and Morocco; Nomina sunt ipsis barbari­ora Getis. Insteed of Hippo and Carthage, Algier, Sally, and Tunis; insteed of Martyrs, Marty [...] makers; insteed of Con­fessors, opposers of Christ oppressors of Christians; insteed of godly Ministers godlesse Mofties; insteed of Temples and Schooles, cages of uncleane birds, dens of theeves.

O that England may be warned by these sad examples. God can turne great Britaine into Barbary, and leave no more signes of our Cathedrall Churches then there is now to be found of S. Augustines Hippo, or S. Cyprians Car­thage. Psal. 107.34. A fruitfull land he maketh barren, for the sinnes of them that dwell therein. Can he not as well make a land of [Page 10] light to become a den of darknesse, a place of civility to be­come a Barbary for the vnthankfulnesse of them that dwell therein? wherefore stand in awe, ô England, and sinne not. Ioh. 12.35.36. While yee have light beleeve in the light, walke in the light. The surest way to keepe the Candlestick that it be not re­moved from vs, is to walke in the light of it while it is a­mong vs; but I have digressed. I must returne and visit my miserable brethren in Barbary. Where I finde them in a woefull bondage vnder a most barbarous people, The people under whom they are in bondage. These being which doth not a little aggravate the misery of their banishment, and bondage, vnder a people 1 irreligious; 2 covetous; 3 cruell; 4 base and contemptible.

Irreligious. Irreligious, because Mahumetans, for what is Mahume­tisme, but a miscellany of divers religions? and what is the compounding of religions, but the confounding of true religi­on? They seeme to regard the name of Christ, No greater enemies to Christians then these Re­negadoes. Corruptio op­timi est pessi­ma. Res quae corrumpitur & mutatur in contrarium suae naturae devenit ad tantum gra­dum malitiae quantus erat gradus boni­tatis i [...] quo e­rat vel veni­re poterat. Remund. Se­bund. Theol. Natural. Tit. 244. but Christi­ans they cannot endure. These they vse worst of all their captives that they may force them from the professi­on of Christ, and make them turne Musulmans, in their lan­guage true beleevers, in truth misbeleevers, the children of perdition like themselves.

And who fiercer enemies to Christ and Christians then these renegado's, Christians turned Turks? These having re­nounced the faith of Christ have put off all compassion vnto Christians: And in their Circumcision have cut themselves off, not only from Christianity, but from humanity. No mar­vel, for the better any t [...]ng is the worse it turnes being tain­ted. The better the wine was, the tarter▪ is the viniger. If Angels doe apostate they become Devils. If a Disciple turne theefe, he staies not till he become a traitour, a mur­therer, a Devill. If light become darknesse, how great is that darknesse? If a Christian become Turke, he is more the child of perdition then the Turks themselves.

Blessed brethren, be constant in your Christian profession, whatsoever becomes of vs, let vs continue Christians. This only religion, truly embraced, not only makes vs Saints in [Page 11] heaven, but keepes vs men on earth. This only doth civi­lize a nation and person and keepes him from barbarisme. Cease once to be Christians and yo [...] become not only void of grace but monsters in nature; like those Mahumetans who being irreligious no marvel if they be also

A people extreamely Covetous. Such is their avarice that they make marchandize of men. Covetous. Horse-fayres are not more frequent here then Men-markets are there. A price pitcht upon every poll, too heavy for the poore captive himselfe or his friends to lay down for his ransome. It is said that so many Iewes were afterwards sold for a penny as they sold Christ for pence. They sold him for thirty peeces of silver, thirty of them were sold for one of those peeces. O that Christians were as good cheape in Barbary as Iewes were when a man might have bought thirty of them for a penny. But these miscreants doe set a price on one poore Christian thirty times higher then the Iewes did on Christ; which if they cannot get from his friends, Cruell. One (whose letter to his wife I have lately read) relateth that his office is from mor­ning till night to sell water, and if he bring not in six pence at least to his Patrone at night he hardly escapes an hundred stripes. they will beat out of his flesh, using him the more cruelly in hope to get his ransome the more speedily. For as they are extreamely covetous so are they unmercifully

Cruel. As cruel to Christians as the Egyptians were to the Israelites in their bondage. They deny them straw yet exact of them the whole tale of brick. They deny them re­liefe, save of bread and water, yet if the poore captive earne them not a day as much as they expect, he is laden at night with many heavy stripes. From this misery, if nor he nor his friends can procure his ransome, nothing can free him (un­lesse he will renounce his faith) but he must remaine slave du­ring his life unto some one of

A base and contemptible generation; which enhaun­ceth not a little the calamity of his thraldome. Every bondage is the more grievous by how much the baser they are to whom a man is in bondage. Contempti­ble and base. Such is the bondage of our brethren under these Turks. They who make us slaves what are they but slaves themselves? Their Grand-signe­or [Page 12] holds them no better, and so he calls his Basha's and chiefe commanders. Now what a miserable thing is it for a free-borne man to become a slave to one who is but a slave himselfe? In this regard the curse of Canaan lyeth upon the poore Christian; Gen. 9.25. A slave of slaves shall he be. But Canaan was to his brethren: our miserable brethren are so to their enemies, Infidels. Among all Iobs calamities scarce any touched him more nearely that Iob. 30.1. they despised him whose fathers he would have disdained to have set with the basest of his flocks. What a regret must it needes be to ours, as often as they thinke upon it (which they cannot chuse but doe daily) that those doe tyrannize over them and make beasts of them who are the worst of humane beasts? Nec bellua tetrior ulla Qu [...]m servi rabies in libe­ra colla fu­rentis. Claudian. For no beast more savage then a slave, insulting over the necks of those who are free-borne.

Other evills accompanying their bondage my purpose is not now to presse; I may have an hint to touch upon some of them hereafter. Were there no more said, this might suf­fice to incite us to the first duty enjoyned in my text (the least we can afford them) which is to ‘Remember them.’

Three times at least in this Chapter doth the holy Au­thour performe the office of a remembrancer unto us, Our first duty in regard of our brethrens misery, To remem­ber them. spea­king to that noble faculty of the soule, the memory. In the precedent verse, Be not forgetfull to harbour strangers. In the 16 verse, To doe good and to distribute forget not. In this, remember them that are in bonds. In all these he sueth unto our memory for some comfortable consideration of those who are in misery. If we duly remember them, we cannot chuse but commiserate them, and doe what we may to relieve them. The hardest of all is that which a man would thinke to be the easiest, Doct. We are prone to for­get others mi­sery when we our selves are in safety. to remember them, especially when we our selves doe feele no affliction.

Our selves being in safety, how prone are we to forget those who are in misery. Had not Pharaohs chiefe butler reason to have remembred good Ioseph, who prophesied [Page 13] unto him his deliverance out of prison, and readvancement in court. Gen. 40.23 Yet did not the chiefe butler remember Ioseph, but forgate him. Poore Ioseph ▪ it is alway thy lot to be forgotten in thine affliction by those who are soaked in their enjoyed safety. Amos. 6.4, 5, 6. They lye upon their beds of Ivory, and stretch them­selves upon their couches, and eat the Lambs of the flock. They chaunt to the sound of the Vyal, They drinke wine in bowles, and anoint themselves with the chiefe Ointments: What fol­lowes! They are not grieved for the affliction of Ioseph. Soft pillowes, sweet musicke, dainty fare, wine in bowles, pleasing perfumes, these, these exclude the remembrance of our brethrens sufferings. The rich gluttons full cups, fat dishes, rich purple, made his memory so pursie that it could not walke the length of his hall to the hungry ulcerated beggar. His officious dogges were more mindefull of him then their dogged Master. How unlike are we herein to him whose name we professe, our blessed Saviour? All the joyes in Paradise made him not forget what he promised the penitent theefe on the crosse. But wee being in our earthly Paradise, how soone forget we our poore brethren that are on or under the Crosse? Such a bewitching nature there is in pleasure and prosperity, which meeting with our corruption, so besotteth our soules that we intend no­thing but our present solace, and forgetting our selves, how can we remember others.

Our memory herein is like unto glasses or vyals which having beene broken are cimented up againe. Cold liquor they hold something handsomely: but powre warme wa­ter into them, or set them against rhefier they leake imme­diatly. So we in the cold ayre of affliction doe retaine some remembrance of our afflicted brethren; Vse. To admonish us to feare our wa [...]es at all times but chiefly in p [...]o­sperity. but being bathed and warmed with the heate of prosperity, the ciment dis­solveth and the crazed vessel soone leakes out the re­membrance of others adversity.

Which should admonish us (deare Christians) to feare our selves and our waies alwaies, but especially in the [Page 14] Halcion dayes of plenty and prosperity. Some of the ancients vsed to have at their feasts, one dish wherein was served a dead mans scull, the servitour vttering this speech, be mer­ry, but withall looke on this. We, while God feasteth vs with liberty and safty (as, praised be his goodnesse, now he doth) have need that some representation of our brethrens bonds should be served in vnto vs, with the words of my Text ‘Remember those that are in bonds.’

Remember that any captivity is a grievous calamity, but bondage vnder the enemies of Christ for their constancy in the Christian faith is (in regard of worldly comforts) most vncomfortable. Exhortation to rememb [...]r those who are in any kinde of bon­dage. Remember all that are in any kind of bonds but these especially.

Remember those who are in Satans bonds, the bondage of sinne, These who are in Sathans bonds. fast tied with the cords of their owne corruption, not yet freed, and (which is worst) not caring to be freed by the sonne of God, Ioh. 8.36. who makes men free indeed. Remember them who remember not themselves, remember to pitty them who pitty not themselves, and therefore are the more to be pittied. Nihil mise­rius misero non commise­rante seip­sum. For who more miserable then a miserable man who doth not commiserate himselfe. Remember to pray for them that they may be delivered out of the snare of the Devill. Remember that Ephes. 5.8. you your selves were once darknesse, strangers from the common wealth of Israell, the children of Death, the bondslaves of sinne as they are. And as one who hath escaped a wrack, so reioyce for your owne safty as that you sorrow for those who are in danger of drowning, and cast out a cord or oare (if it be possible) to save them. No gally-slave is in worse bondage then these Libertines: Therefore remember them.

Remember those that are in corporall bondage, though iustly and deservedly. Those who are in corpo­rall bondage though deser­vedly for their misdeeds. They are not shut up under a single destruction. Many deaths he dyes who lives in the horrour of a prison. Miserable creatures, they want the inward comfort which others doe enioy, whom a free conscience doth baile in the closest prison, ease and release in the heaviest irons, [Page 15] enlighten in the darkest dungeon. Non est unum clausis exitium. Multifari [...] morte premi­tur qui carce­ris squallore torquetur. Cassiodor. Var. l. 11. [...]p. 40. Besides the bolts on their legs they haue heavier fetters on their soules which none can strike off but only Christ. They cannot make to themselves comfortable application of S. Peters admoniti­on, 1. Pet. 4.15. 1. Pet. 3.14. Let none of you suffer as a malefactor, or a murtherer, or as a thiefe or wrong doer. But if yee suffer for righteousnesse sake, happy are yee. This happinesse they want who suffer rightly for wrong doing, and may say (if they have so much grace) with the penitent thiefe on the Crosse, Luk. 23.41. We indeed justly, for we suffer the due reward of our deeds. Yet let not their demerits exclude your mercy, no more then that thief's transgression did Christs Compassion. While Law gives them life, let them not be denied reliefe. Some of them who came in malefactors may dye Confessors; there­fore remember them.

Remember those who are in bonds for debt, Those who are in bonds for debt. whe­ther their owne or other mens as sureties, suretie­shippe hath undone many. Debt it selfe to an honest minde is a great bondage, even when a man is at liberty. Himselfe his owne prisoner, his mighty sighes, and daily sorrowes are the Serjeants, his troubled mind the Sherifs ward. Every naile or bramble that catcheth him by the coate he conceives to be a catch-pole, Debere nec habere unde solvas inse­pulta mors est. and starting, he cries out at whose sute? To be buried in debt is but a death without buriall. But if vexati­on have added affliction to their bonds, then is their case more lamentable, therefore remember them.

But especially remember them that are in bonds for Christs sake and his Gospels, But especially those who are in bonds for their Chri­stian professi­on, whether under Turkish or Popish In­quisition. either in the Popish inquisiti­on or in Turkish thraldome.

As for that bondage of bondage that Minotaure which devours Men, the Romanish inquisition, it seemes that the Devill devised it as the Interloper and Interceptor of all charity. There is no comming to them that are so inclosed, no seeing them, no sending to them, as if the Devill intended to keepe Christ close prisoner. All we can doe for them is to remember them, with our teares to condole them, with [Page 16] our prayers, that Christ, who cannot be excluded, will visit them with inward comfort, and confirme them to the end. The Popish inquisition! O it is a more barbarous bondage then any in Barbary. O Lord when thou makest inquisition for bloud, remember their bloudy inquisition.

Or those who are in Turkish bondage.Remember O remember your brethren who are in Tur­kish bondage; those who sit downe by the waters of Tunis, Algier, Sally, and weepe, or sing to an heavy tune,

We, poore soules, have exchanged the best country for Barbary, our Christian brethren for cursed Mahumetans, our Ministers for Mofties, our Temples for Mosquies. Our wives are widowes while their husbands are alive, and happy were the miserable husbands if their wives were wi­dowes indeed. Our children are Orphans while their fa­thers are living; and well were it for the afflicted fathers if the children were Orphans indeed. This their very banish­ment is but a breathing death: yea by the Prophets verdict more to be lamented then Death, Ier. 22.10. Weepe not for the dead neither mourne for him, but weepe for him that is carried away. They are in the hands and bands of them who are enemies unto Christ, and therefore the more cruel unto them be­cause they are constant unto him. If David cried out, Psal. 120.5. woe is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mezech, then may they, woe is me that I am constrained to abide in Morocco, and to be a bondslave in Algier. He because his soule dwelt among them who are enemies to peace; these, because they are captiv [...] to them who are enemies to him who is Ephes. 2.14. our peace, and doe all they may to deprive them of that peace of God which passeth all understanding. Adde hereto, that they are debarred the meanes of spirituall comfort by the Ministery of the word. Insteed of Ministers of Christ to comfort them, they have the 2. Cor. 12.7. Messengers of Satan to buffet them, and with Iobs wife to say unto them, not in words, but in the more feeling lan­guage of blowes, Iob 2.9. curse God & dye, or curse Christ & live, but a life more cursed then death it selfe. Poore captives! they [Page 17] cannot say as S. Luke doth of the Malteses, The Barbarians shewed us no little kindnesse, Act. 28.2. but the quite contrary, the Bar­barians shew us no little cruelty.

Remember those your country-men, your acquain­tance, some of your owne kindred, with whom you have often eaten, dranke, and made merry, those who sometimes went up with you to the Temple of the Lord, now aban­doned from the Temple, and grievously suffering because they will not abandon the Lord, sold in markets like beasts, by creatures more brutish then beasts, stigmatized, branded when they are bought by circumcised monsters, miscreant Mahumetans. I want words as well to expresse the perse­cutours wickednesse, as the sufferers wretchednesse. One of them in a letter to his wofull wife concerning his owne and his fellowes miseries, among other sad passages insert­eth this advice, Another like­wise in a let­ter to his wife, profes­seth that he was never tempted to turne Turke (for which he greatly thanked God) but he was often tempted to kill his Pa [...]e­roon, that by a cruell death (whereof he should be sure) he might be freed from a miserable life. in any case not to suffer their Sonne to ad­venture on those costs least he should fall into his fathers wofull case: when I read it, I remembred king Antigonus his charge to his sonnes in a tempest, that neither they, nor theirs should adventure on the Seas. But this (in my thoughts) was little to the others charge: Therefore I could not but thinke on the Glutton in hell and his sute unto A­braham, that he would send Lazarus to warne his survi­ving brethren not to come into that place of torment.

Their case (praised be God) is not so desperate, but if there be an hell upon earth, it is not in Aetna, nor in mount Ilecla, nor in any of the Indian Vulcans, it is in Morocco or Algier for miserable captive Christians.

Remember them! Nay, how can you (if you have Chri­stian hearts) forget them? sooner should your right hand forget her cunning, sooner should you forget both right hand and left; sooner should you (with Messala Corvinus) forget your owne names then your brethrens intolerable bondage, who have given their names to Christ, and daily suffer such greevances because they will not renounce the name of Christ. O let not your enioyed liberty and present [Page 18] prosperity banish them and their thraldome out of your memory. While you sit safe at home, and see the smoake of your owne chimnies, breath in the best, your owne English ayre, they sit downe Psal. 137.1. by the waters of Babylon, and weepe at the remembrance of Sion. While you feed on the fat of Lambes, and drinke wine in bowles, they eate the bread of sorrow, and drinke dry the river Marah. While you have your musicke at bankets of wine, their wine is their teares, the jingling of their chaines their sorry musicke, broken Hearts their Harpes, sighing their singing, and some prolon­ged hope of enlargement by your charitable contribution their only earthly comfort. While you come to the Temple and to the Table of the Lord, doe heare the word of the Lord, may have the ministers of the Lord come unto you, to conferre with you, to comfort you (though too few doe make us of such happinesse) they (deare soules) doe see no­thing but the abomination of desolation, the God Manzim, the mocke God Mahomet, circumcised Cadees, urging them in the language of Satan, If thou wilt have ease or liberty, fall downe and worshippe me.

A day will come when you shall no more remember these your earthly delights, or remember them with more griefe, because they are posting from you or you passing from them. Then at last your carnal friends who at first flat­tered you with, The worst is past (when, God knowes, with­out repentance, the worst is to come;) You may live many a faire yeare (and yet die in a fowle houre) and the like coun­try consolations to the sicke, they and their cold comforts will prove but Iob 16.2. Iobs miserable comforters, Iob 13.4. Physitians of no value. And when they see there remaineth no hope of re­covery, then they will call on you, O remember God, when (alasse▪) you cannot remember your selves. Iustum est ut morlens obli­viscatur sui qui dum vive­ret oblitus est Dei. But if you ex­pect that Christ shall then remember you, you must now remember him in his distressed members: Otherwise you shall finde too true that saying of a Saint, It is a iust thing that he should not remember himselfe at his death who would [Page 19] not remember God in his life.

If you forget him now, beware of such a miserable me­mento as the rich glutton had in Hell, for not remembring Lazarus on earth; Luk. 16.25. Sonne, remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good, and Lazarus evil, now therefore he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Shortly, remember that there is a day comming wherein the Iudge himselfe shall come, and say to those who have beene forgetfull herein, Mat. 25.41.43. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, — For &c. For I was in prison, in captivity and you visited me not.

But God forbid that I should dismisse you with a Curse, and not rather (as our Mother the Church doth her chil­dren) with a blessing. Wherefore ‘Remember them that are in bonds.’

And doe you aske me how, or wherein you shall remem­ber them? I tell you in few words, Remember to pity them, remember to pray for them, remember to extend your charity according to every mans ability towards the re­deeming & reducing them home, or the relieving of their poore wives and wofull children at home. So remember them as if your selves were in the same bonds and bondage with them, which is the second duty, Compassion, of which (God willing) hereafter. Now I beseech the Almighty to grant unto you this remembrance that he may give unto you the blessing promised unto those who doe remember him in his, Psal. 41.1. Blessed is he who considereth the poore and nee­dy, the Lord will deliver him in the day of trouble.

FOlloweth now the second duty we owe to our brethren who are in bon­dage; The second duty, A Sym­pathy or com­passion. A Sympathy or Compassion. We must so remember them as if we our selves were in the same bondage with them, that so we may be the more feelingly affected towards them: As if he had said more at large, If you be true hearted Christians you are bound to remember them, for your selves are, in some re­spects, bound with them. Conceive therefore their case to be yours. It might have beene yours if it had so pleased God; it may be yours, if it shall so please God; yea it must be yours, if you will truly please God. Doct. 3. Our bre­threns capti­vity must be our calamity. Manifest it is, that

We must so esteeme of our brethrens captivity as if i [...] were our owne calamity.

Their bondage must be ours, as if our feet were in their [Page 22] fetters, There must be in all Christians a Sympathy in all their bre­therens suffe­rings. and their bonds upon our hands. Generally, there must be in all Christians a Sympathy in all their brethrens sufferings, a compassion in all their passions, a fellow-fee­ling in all their afflictions.

The Apostle exhorteth us as Rom. 12.15.16. to rejoice with them that rejoice, so to mourne with them that mourne, and to be of like affection one towards another. That whereto he exhorteth others, the same he exhibiteth unto others; 2 Cor. 11.29. Who is weake (saith he) and I am not weake? Who is offended and I burne not? This compassion he makes to be the complement and perfection of [...]he Gospell, Gal. 6.2. Beare ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the law of Christ. Whereupon one of the ancients inferreth, Tantò quis (que) perfectio [...] est, quantò perf [...] ­ctiùs sentit dolores alie­nos. Every one is so farre forth a perfect man as he is more perfectly sensible in himselfe of another mans sorrowes.

True Saints have beene alway thus affected towards their brethren. Hereby holy Iob evidenceth his sincerity; Iob 30.25. David, Did I not weepe for him who was in trouble? True Saints have beene alway thus affected as Io [...] ▪ Was not my soule grieved for the afflicted? David extended this com­passion to his very enemies: Psal. 35.15. They rejoiced in his affliction, he sorrowed and suffered in theirs, ver. 13.14. Ieremy, Neverthelesse when they were sicke my cloathing was sack-cloath. Can we be men after Gods owne heart as David was, if we doe not for our Bre­theren what he did for his enemies? What more feelingly spoken then that of the Prophet Ieremie, Ier. 8.21. & 9.1. For the hurt of the Daughter of my people I am hurt, I am black, and asto­nishment hath taken hold of me. And what is the subject of his Lamentations? Not so much his owne as his Bretherens afflictions, which therefore he takes to be his owne because they were his Bretherens.

N [...]hemias.But memorable is that of noble Nehemias, when he him­selfe was not only at liberty, but in eminency at Court, be­ing the kings cup-bearer, did he not yet feele in himselfe his brethrens affliction at Ierusalem, as if he had beene af­flicted with them. First he remembred them though farre remote from them; for Nehem. 1.2. he enquired for them of Hanani and [Page 23] those that came from them how they did. And hearing of their great affliction, he shewed his compassion with them, by his passion for them; for Ver. 4. He sate downe and wept and mour­ned certaine daies, and fasted and prayed before the God of hea­ven. All his owne dignity was no solace to him as long as his brethren were in misery. For when hee presented the cup to the king, and the king, reading in his face the sor­rowes of his heart, demaunded him, Nehem. 2. why is thy counte­nance sad seing thou art not sicke? his reply shewed that it 1 was not his owne malady but his brethrens misery that di­seased 2 him, Why should not (saith he) my countenance be sad, 3 when the city and place of my fathers sepulchers lyeth wast? And those pious Hebrews to whom this epistle is written, The holy Hebrewes. are commended by the divine pen-man because Heb. 10.34. Our Saviours example. they had compassion on him in his bonds. Our blessed Saviour presseth this duty upon us by his owne example as well as by his do­ctrine. He being free because bound with us; being rich, be­cause poore with us, being God because man with us. This he did with us and for us, that though we cannot doe the same for our brethren, yet wee should doe the like with them, Isay. 53.4. Surely he hath borne our griefes and carried our sor­rowes: Heb. 4.15. He was in all things tempted as we are but without sinne. And therefore he cannot chuse but be touched with a feeling of our infir [...]ies: Heb. 2.18. Pati voluit ut compati sci­ret, miser fie­ri ut discere [...] misereri. Bern. de grad. humilit. For in that he himselfe hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted: yea therefore he would suffer and be tempted that he might the more feelingly succour us in our temptations. And (as a devout Authour saith) He would suffer for us, that he might know to suffer with us: he himselfe would become miserable that he might the better commiserate us: that as Heb. 5.8. he learned obedience by the things which he suffered, so he might also learne compassion. Not as if he knew not before how to be mercifull ( Psal. 139.17. Quod natu­rā sciebat ab aeterno tempo­rali voluit discere expe­rimento 10. Ibid. whose mercy is from everlasting to everlasting) but that which he knew for ever by nature he would learne in time by experience. If therefore he who was not miserable would be miserable that he might learne that [Page 24] which he knew before, namely to be mercifull, how much more oughtest thou▪ O man, (I say not make thy selfe that which thou art not, but) consider that which thou art, name­ly miserable, thereby to learne that which otherwise thou knowest not, to commiserate those who are miserable?

The Apostle presents us with a sound reason why there should be a Sympathy among Christians. We are all mem­bers of one body, and we doe finde in our natural body, that 1. Cor. 12.26.27. Ecce spinam calcat pes: Quid tam longè ab ocu­lis quàm pes? Longè est lo­co, proximè est charitatis affectu. Augu­stin. T. 10. ho. 15. If one member doe suffer all the members doe suffer with it. A thorne pricketh the foote: what so farre off from the head as the foote? but though distant in situation they are neere in affection. The heart being only in the foote, the whole body is busied, every member officiously offers to be a Chirurgeon, or to seeke and send for one as if it selfe were wounded. The head is whole, the backe is sound, the eyes, eares, hands are all safe, the foote only is grieved, yea the foote it selfe is well save in that very place where it is grieved. How is it then that the paine of that one part extendeth to the whole; By the compassion of charity which enclineth every member to succour one, as if every one suffered in that one.

Lingua di­cit, quid me calcas? Non ipsa calcata est. Calcas me charitas dicit. id. ibid.Observe the same in a prease of people: The toe is tro­den on; the tongue cries out, why doe you tread on me? 'Tis not the tongue but the toe that [...]. Why then com­plaines the tongue, thou treadest on me. The compassion of unity (saith the tongue) causeth me to cry out thou treadest on me, because thou treadest on my fellow-member. If thus in the naturall body, how much more in the mysticall? Why should not the smarting of any one be the suffering of every one, seing that the members are not more naturally com­pacted in the naturall body then the members of Christ are in the mysticall?

The rule of equity re­quir [...]s of us this duty.And doth not the rule of equity require this duty of us? we are ready to reioyce with them that reioyce ▪ Is it not right then that we should mourne with them that mourne? We do willingly participate with our brethren in their good, why [Page 25] then should we not partake with them in their evills? 1. Cor. 12.26. If one member be honoured all the members rejoice with it. The whole body accounts it selfe adorned with the crowne on the head, decked with the Diamond on the finger. Is it not right then that if one member doe suffer, all the members should suffer with it. we are ready to feast with our brethren, Why then should we refuse to fast with them? If we will not pledge them in the cup of their sufferings why should we drinke with them the pleasant wine of their comforts? And surely without this Sympathy there cannot be in us a­ny true tovch of mercy and charity. Without this Sympathy there can be no true mercy or charity. To put our selves in our brethrens case is the only course to make us feelingly to pity them, charitably to relieve them. Then shall the bowels of our mercy be enlarged towards them, when we even feele our selves straitned in the same bonds with them. So farre is there mercy in us towards others, as we finde the truth of their miseries in our selves. But they who have not this feeling can never truly conceive, Ne (que) n [...]seriò tangimur ali­orum malis quàm diu ali­ena esse cogi­tamus. B [...]z. ad Text. Nescit sanus quid sentiat aeger. Et aeger. aegro, & je­junus jejuno quantò pro­priùs tantò familiariùs compatiun­tur. Bern. ubi supr. much lesse daily remem­ber, least of all charitably releeve others in their distresses. Well saith a worthy one; We can never be seriously touched with other mens evils as long as we conceive of them as other mens, not as our owne. The sound man knowes not what ai­leth the sicke; but the sicke and the sicke, the hungry and the hungry suffering together, doe best know how to pity each o­ther.

Polus a famous Actor among the Grecians (as is recor­ded of him) being to represent on the stage Electra mour­ning for the death of her brother Orestes and bearing in her hands his Vrne, insteed thereof he brought forth the Vrne of his owne deceased Sonne, that by the apprehension of his owne, he might the more feelingly act anothers passion. Doubtlesse (deare Christians) we shall never act to the life the Christian part of sorrowing for our perplexed bre­thren, unlesse we looke on their thraldome as on our owne, as if their lashes did fall upon our loynes, as if our hands [Page 26] were galled with tugging their oares, and our selves stin­ted to their hungry diet of bread and water.

Notwithstanding all this, some there are (who yet would seeme to be Christians (of a Stoicall disposition, Vse. Reproofe of some seeming Christians who are in­sensible of their bre­threns suffe­rings. with­out passion, save in their owne sufferings, without compas­sion of their brethrens. Other mens sorrowes and sighes doe no more move them then the roaring of the clifs doe the Rocks and Oakes that are about them: Like unto Galli [...] Act. 18.17. Alexander Pheraeorum Tyrannus: Vid. Aelian. de Var. hist. l. 14. c. 40. Exhortation to Sympathize with our brethren in their bonds. who cared not though the mad Greekes did beat sober So­sthenes before his face, while the blowes fell not upon his owne bones. Fabulous stories, faigned Tragedies will soo­ner moove them, then the true relation of their bre­threns calamities. Such was that Tyrant who could not refraine weeping when he heard a player acting a passi­onate part in a Tragedy, but never relented at the many murthers committed by his command on his innocent sub­jects.

Learne we (deare Christians) by our Saviours both do­ctrine and example to be better affected towards our affli­cted brethren. Remember we them who are in bonds while we are at liberty, those who are in danger while we are in safety, those who are in mourning under any kinde of affli­ction while we are in joy and jollity. Praised be God, we sit every man under his vine, and under his fig-tree. There is no leading into captivity, no crying out in our streetes: We are at leasure to reade the Gazette, the Corante, Gallobelgicus relations of combustions in every kingdome of Europe, but finde nothing of any such in England. Non quia vexari quen­quam est ju­cunda volup­tas, sed quibus ipse malis ca­rens quia cer­nere suave est. Lucretiu [...]. We stand safe on the shore while we see others tossed in the sea, not without an unpleasing pleasing prospect, displeased to see others embroyled, but pleased to finde our selves exempted. Hap­py are the people that are in such a case, but not happy if insensible of their brethrens unhappinesse. God having made all calme about us hath left us only leasure to looke and lament the stormes of others. How happy are we if we know and thankfully acknowledge our owne happinesse, [Page 27] and with a Christian compassion remember our brethrens miseries? The one cannot but make us thankfull unto God for our selves, the other charitable unto others.

Are we Christians indeed and not in title only? How can we but relent in the midst of our mirth, when we re­member our Christian brethren in France, in the Palati­nate, Bohemia, and all Germany, & especially our own oun­try-men in Barbary in most barberous slavery? Vobiscum il­lic in carcere quodammodo & nos sumus; seperari dele­ctionem spiri­tus non sinit: Vos illic con­fessio, me affe­ctio in [...]dit. Cyprian. ep. 16. These thoughts should season all our mirth, and when we are most free out selves we should feele our selves burthened with their bonds. We should say in our hearts concerning them as that blessed Martyr did sometimes write to the captived christians in his daies: I my selfe am in some sort preseent with you in the prison. The spirit will not suf­fer love to be separated: You are laid up for your confession, I am shut up with you in affection. Who cannot grieve in such grievances of his fellow members? Who will not ac­count their sufferings his smarting? Compassion sometimes ac­cepted with­out contribu­tion, but con­tribution ne­ver without compassion. Especially if he consi­der the preciousnesse of this compassion in the sight of God. Compassion is sometimes accepted and rewarded with­out contribution, but never contribution without compas­sion. The almes of the minde is sometimes treasured up in Gods bag without the almes of the hand, but the almes of the hand is not esteemed by him without the almes of the minde. If thou relievest with thy money, but bemoanest not with thine heart, thou-maist profit the receiver, but there accrueth neither profit nor comfort to thy selfe. 1. Cor. 13.3. If I give all my goods to the poore, and have not charity it profiteth me nothing. It may profit them, but it profiteth not me. Compassion is the purse out of which thine almes must be drawne; if this be wanti [...]g thou puttest the wages of thy work into an empty bag. Many will rather give to the nee­dy, then grieve for their need. Some will seeme to grieve, but will not give. Both must concurre where ability is not wanting. But if disability doe deny giving, chari­ty must supply it by grieving. Then doth God looke [Page 25] cheerfully on thine almes when thou lookest wo­fully on thy brothers want. Wealth and vain-glory doe sometimes make men to give, Gregor. Mo­ral. in Iob. l. 12. c. 27. Plus autem nonnunquam ess [...] dicimu [...] compati ex corde, quā da­re, quod quis­quis perfectè indigenti compatitur minus aesti­mat omne quod dat id c. 28. Exter [...]ra lar­gieus rem ex­tra semetip­sum praebuit. id ibid. This affecti­on must not be without action. not compassion and mer­cy. But He giveth royally who with that which he rea­cheth out to an another receiveth into himselfe the need and want of the receiver, and so makes a royall exchange, taking part of the others sorrowes, and making the other partaker of his substance. It is more (saith a devout Authour) to pity with the heart, then to give with the band, for he who perfectly pittieth, little regardeth how much he giveth. Besides he that giveth with hand giveth that which is without him; but he that extendeth to his brother the bowels of compassion be­stowes on him that which is within him his gifts no smale part of himselfe. Many times he giveth who doth not grieve but he who truly grieveth, never with-holds if he have wherewith to give.—For certaine it is that,—True affe­ction (where meanes doe concurre with the minde) will not be without action. If we inwardly suffer with them we will straine our selves to succour our suffering brethren, ei­ther in their owne persons, or mitigating (what we may) their bondage by relieving theirs who though at liberty doe suffer by their bondage. It is a cold compassion that is not warmed with some contribution, a sorry Sympathy that re­strains the bowels of charity. If the mouth only doe bemone them, and the hand endevour not to releive them, Iam. 2.15.16. what is this but that painted compassion which S. Iames cals unpro­fitable? If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them. Depart in peace, be warmed and filled, not withstanding you give them not those things that are needfull to the body, what doth it profit them? It profiteth neither them nor you. Not them, for your warme words cannot cloath them, nor your fat words fill them. Not your selves, for you kill your good workes in that you doe not quicken them with answerable actions. Many there are who at tables and other meetings when speech is made of their brethrens grievous bondage in Barbary will presently [Page 29] flash out, Alas poore men, they are in miserable case, twere better they were out of their lives, God helpe them, God com­fort them—No doubt but God doth inwardly helpe and comfort them, otherwise they could not possible endure. But they who rather command God so to doe, then truly pray to him that he will doe so, doing nothing themselves, they thinke they have done enough in turning the worke over unto God. And by such verball pittying without reall releiving they bewray that there is no true love in them, either of God to whome they so pray, or to their brother whom they seeme to pitty. For ^x whosoever hath this worlds good and seeth his brother to have neede, and shutteh up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in that man? And if no love of God then neither of his bro­ther; for no man loveth and so leaveth.

God helpe them, God comfort them! 16 Good words indeed, but only words; whereas men in misery need not words, but deeds of charity. To wish well only is but a livelesse car­casse. 1. Ioh. 3. [...]7. Nemo amat & deserit. Augustin. Tract. 49. in Ioan. Praeclara ver­ba, sed verba, cum pauperes verbis non indigent. Bern. Tu si ex ani­mo forte velis cui benefa­ctum, Adde o­peram: sola cadaver est voluntas. Iul. Scalig. Epi­dorp. lib. 4. The fig-tree which our Saviour cursed for having leaves only and not fruit, is an Embleme of those who have charitable words without answerable actions. More plea­sing unto God is the forward fig-tree, to which fruit is insteed of leaves: It is not yet apparalled with leaves when it is adorned with fruit. Mat. 21.9. Praeco quae ficui pro foliis & flor bus fructus est: nondum foliis vestitur & fructibus ex­ornatur. The fig-tree (saith the spouse in the Canticles) putteth forth her greene figs, (not her greene leaves) and the vines with the tender grapes doe give a good smell. That tree is most acceptable unto God which hath not only the leaves and flowers of good words but the fruits of good workes. Luk. 6.44. As every tree is knowne by his owne fruit, (not by his leaves or blouth) so is every Christian knowne by his good workes, not by his good words. Mat. 2.12.8.29.30. Of the two Sonnes he is commended who first told his father flatly that he would not doe what was commanded, Cantic. 2.13. but upon better advisement went & did it, before him who smooth­ly said he would doe it, but departed and did it not. Of the two rather give me him, who first denieth but afterwards [Page 30] doth that which is good and helpfull to his brother, then one who speakes him faire, but doth nothing for him. Let therefore some contribution with the hand speake fee­lingly the inward compassion of the heart. No sooner reade we of Christians in Scripture, but we finde in them this a­ctive compas­sion. This will speake us to God, Angels, and men to be true Christians. For

So inseparably cleaveth this Sympathy with our bre­thren in their sufferings unto true Christianity, that we no sooner finde Christians to be named in Scripture but we finde in them this active compassion. In the first and truest Ecclesiasticall history we read that Act. 11.26. The Antiochians were the first that were called Christians. Immediately after this their profession, is recorded the ever deeming thereof by their charitable providing for their distressed brethren. For when Ver. 27.28. Direction for the right man­ner of contri­bution to our brethren in their necessi­ties, particu­larly to those who are in Turkish bon­dage. Five rules ac­cording to the example of the Antiochi­ans. Aggabus prophecied of a great dearth shortly to ensue these Proto-Christians resolved to send reliefe to their brethren in Iudaea, which they did by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. Where you may observe five things concurring in their contribution.

They did it.

1 Generally: 2 Bountifully: 3 Cheerefully: 4 Time­ly: 5 Trustily.

1 They did it Generally; for all the Christians in gene­rall, and every one in particular concurred in this contri­bution.

2 Bountifully; for every one contributed according to his ability.

3 Cheerefully; They never pinched at it, nor demur­red on it, but at first hearing resolved to doe it.

4 Timely; for they did wait till the brethren in Iudaea sought or besought them, but as soone as they heard of a Dearth presently they sent reliefe, yea by a forward sup­ply prevented the famine.

5 They did it Trustily, for what was contributed they sent by trusty messengers, Barnabas and Saul.

Doe it gene­rally.Let us (deare Christians as neare as we may) follow the precedent of these prime Christians.

[Page 31]First, what is to be done in this kinde, let it be done ge­nerally. His Majesties letters patent in our captived bre­threns behalfe were larger then any granted heretofore for other collections. Others limited to certaine Counties, Shires, Cities. This extended over the whole land, that every one according to his ability should advance such a pi­ous worke. As the Apostle admonisheth the Corinthians concerning the relieving of the brethren at Hierusalem, 1. Cor. 16. [...]. Let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospe­red him: And againe, 2. Cor. 9 7. Every one as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give. Every one; For 2. Cor. 8.13. some must not be bur­thened that others may be eased; save that some who abound ought to burthen themselves, that others who are not so a­ble, Exigenti par­vum aliquid dato: ne (que) n. parvum est ei qui rebus om­nibus caret. Gregor: Nazi­anz. Orat. 27. De pauper: cura. may be eased. They who have a litle let them impart a litle out of their litle. Scarce any widow but hath a mite to spare. A litle is much to him who hath not so much as a litle. Any thing is welcome to him who hath nothing, and a litle from many will be much to a few.

Doe it bountifully. They who are rich in wordly goods must be rich in good works, that they may be double rich. They who abound in ability let them also abound in cha­rity. Bountifully. As God hath prospered him, so let him give, said the Apostle. Hath God given bountifully unto you, & will you give niggardly unto them, that is, unto him? Doth he say by his Apostle? 2. Cor. 9.6. He that soweth sparingly shall reape spa­ringly, and he that soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully. And shall he reape sparingly from you who hath sowed so bountifully on you? Doe you not read that Luk. 12.48. To whome much is given of him much shall be required? And can you thinke that no more is required of you then of those to whom so litle, so nothing is given in comparison of you? Shame you not that all things should abound unto you, save the best of all, your charity? With what face can you pray unto God with David; Psal, 51.1. Have mercy upon me O Lord, according to thy great mercy, when you extend so litle mercy to him in his members out of your great ability?

[Page 32] Cheerefully.Doe it cheerefully, as the Apostle adviseth: Not grudg­ingly or of necessity but of a willing minde: For God loveth a cheerefull giver. 1. Cor. 9.7.20. Laeandum est no [...] lugendum cùm benefici­um damus. Affectus tuus nomen impo­nit operi: qua­liter à te pro­ficiscitur, sic à Deo aesti­matur. Am­bros Offic. In ipso mise­ricordiae opere plus solet a­pud aeternum judicem pen­sari quàm fa­ctum. Gregor Moral in Iob l. 19. c. 20. He looseth his good work who doth it not with a good will, he doubles it that doth it with alacrity. This seed must be sowne as with a full hand, so with a free heart, and a cheerefull countenance. It is thine affection that doth Christen and give the name to thine action. As it proceedeth from thee so is it esteemed by God. God who in some cases accepts the will for the deed, in this, respe­cteth the will more then the deed. For without this wil­lingnesse in giving, the gift though never so great, is not ac­cepted. It is otherwise here then in the Psalme, Psal. 126.5 6. They who sow in teares shall reape in joy. But here, they who sow in teares as if they wept for every penny that departeth from them, must not looke for a joyfull reaping.

Doe it timely, least the triviall Proverb overtake your lazy charity, While the grasse growes the horse starves. Herein follow the Antiochians example, whose reliefe preven­ted their brethrens want. Aggabus did not say that there was a dearth already, but only foretold of a dearth that should be, and immediatly they sent away, that their spee­dy charity might anticipate their brethrens indigency. Doe as the Apostle willeth the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 9 5. Make up before hand your bounty that the same may be ready. Timely— Let us boast of you, brethren, as he doth of them; 2 Cor. 9.2. I know the forward­nesse of your minde, for which I boast of you to them of Mace­donia Achaia was ready a yeare agoe, and your zeale hath provoked many. Let Solomons counsell cause you to give a quick loose to your liberality: Pro. 3.27. Hebr. à Do­minis ejus, nimirum cohi­biti boni ejus Dominum il­lum efficit ne­cessit [...]s, & le dispensatorem Dous lunius alloc. [...]tem T. C. Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to doe it. Observe, from them to whom it is due, that is from the owner, from the master of it, as the Originall will well beare, Know that in this case thou art not owner of thine owne, not master of thine owne money. It is not his who hath it but his who wanteth it. He hath more right to it then thy selfe who hath more need of it then thy selfe: de­laying [Page 33] to give unto him, thou deniest him his owne. His ne­cessity maketh him the master of it; God thee the Steward only. Prov. 3.28. Say not to thy neighbour goe, and come againe, and to morrow I will give thee when thou hast it by thee. Adjourne not thy benevolence, give not thy gift a nights lodging, let not him who needeth it lie one night without it. Why shouldst thou turne him off till to morrow who needeth it to day, who needed it yesterday yea many daies since? Mer­cy is a thing that brookes no delay; misery of all things can­not endure demurrers. If Christ said unto him who should betray him, Ioh. 13.27. That thou doest, doe it quickly ▪ Much more saith he to them who should relieve him, That which you meane to doe, doe it timely. Bis dat qui citò dat. Twice your gift by timely gi­ving it.

One thing remaines, Trustily. They did it trustily: Act. 1.30. They sent their benevolence by the hands of trusty men, Barnabas and Saul. It was a principall care of the Apostles to entrust men of experienced faithfullnesse with the conveying of their contributions, that what was charitably conferred might be safely conveyed. Therefore commonly they employed not one single person, but two at least, and both these singular for their integrity. Here they employ both Barnabas and Saul, men of whose faithfullnesse there could be no suspi­tion. One of them, Barnabas, Act. 4.37. Sold his land and laid it at the Apostles feet: And was it likely that he who gave away his owne would defraud the faithfull of the bounty of o­thers? The other, Saul, was now become Paul, of a perse­cutor an Apostle; so industrious and zealous in his function that he used not his lawfull 1. Cor. 9.12.18. power of living by the Gospell which he preached, but laboured with his hands because he would not be burthensome. And was it probable that with the same hands he would intervert the charity of others to his owne use, defrauding both the brethren who contribu­ted, and those who were to be relieved? At another time they imploy Titus, and not him alone, but they joyne with him 2. Cor. 8.18. the brother whose praise is in the Gospell throughout [Page 34] all the Church, namely S. Luke, say some; Barnabas, say others; certainly a man of approved industry and honesty, knowing that in a matter of such consequence as this, two are better then one, though one be never so good. I must not say what the country saith, Onely I pray that some­thing may be done in this kinde bountifully and timely and what is so done may be trustily conveyed and accordingly imployed by some approved Barnabas and Saul.

Thi [...] should be done with the speedier expedition, least cruelty should compell any of these miserable captives to enthrall themselves to a more miserable captivity; and, to be freed from the bonds of Turks, to render themselves over to the bondage of Satan, as too many have done; re­nouncing Christ because they could not receive reliefe from Christians, who to free their bodies have made Gally­slaves of their soules.

How we are to remember those whom Turkish cruel­ty hath en­forced to re­nounce Chri­stianity.O let us remember them whom paine and torment have enforced to forget that ever they gave their names to Christ. Remember to mourne for them, to pity them, to pray that if it be possible (& with God nothing is impossi­ble) they may be freed from the snare of the Devill. Insult not over their fall. Peradventure hadst thou beene in their case thou wouldst not have endured halfe the lashes that they have done; but (as did a more valiant souldiour then thy selfe) before the Cock crew twice thou wouldst have denied thy master thrice. Christ should have had three denialls before thou wouldst have endured halfe their con­flicts. Cum singulis pectus meum copulo, maero­ris & funeris pondera luctu­osa participo. In prostratis fratribus & me prostravit affectus. Cy­prian. de laps.

Even in this their fowle and fearefull defection there is due from us a Sympathy towards them, such as S. Cyprian extended towards them who revolted in persecution▪ I joyne my heart (saith he) with every one of them, I lay the lamentable burthens of my sorrowes on their shoulders. The same arrowes of the raging enemy that have pierced their bowels have passed through my sides. Infirmity hath foyled my brethren and affection hath cast me downe in them.

[Page 35]But why should we mourne for them who mourne not for themselves? But why should we not so much the more mourne for them, (as 1. Sam. 15.35. Samuel did for Saul) both because they have committed that for which they should mourne, and doe not mourne for that which they have committed? And who knowes whether they doe not mourne? They may have received the abominable circumcision in their flesh, but not in their hearts. Some of them have professed so much in their private letters to their friends that out­wardly they are Mahumetans, but in minde they remaine Christians. Excuse them I cannot. My soule doth weepe in secret for their sinnes. No lesse cause haue we to shed teares for too manie Renegadoes that remaine among us, Roarers, Blaspeamers, Sonnes of Belial, Vsurious Iewes, who pro­fesse Christians and live Mahumetans, Apud inti­mum arbi­trum commis­sa quis (que) per­fectè diluit propria, qui verè plangi [...] aliena. Gre­gor. Moral. in Iob▪ l. 20. c. 28. living under Bap­tisme worse then many of them in their cursed circumcisi­on. Be they as bad as you can conceive them, the greater cause we have to mourne for them. If by our mourning we profit not them, yet we advantage our selves. That man washeth away his owne sinnes who truely weepeth for anothers. The teares which doe not fructify the soyle for which they are shed, may be fruitfull to the soule from whence they are sent.

FOrcible are the Motives inci­ting us to this duty of fellow-suffering with our brethren, Impediments of this com­passion re­mooved. in all their sorrowes, chiefly in their sorrowfull bondage. But it is in vaine to use Motives un­till the Impediments be remoo­ved whereby Satan and mans corruption doe hinder many from this compassion.

The first is an Apathy or senceless [...] stupidity that is in many men. Sencelesnesse of our owne sufferings. They are insensi­ble of their owne sufferings. They feele not the hand of God, when for their sinnes (peradventure for this of not pitying their brethren) hee layeth heavy stroakes upon them. Of dough-bak't Ephraim the Prophet complaineth that Hos. 7.8.9. strangers had devoured his strength yet he knew it not; [Page 38] gray haires were here and there upon him yet he perceived it not. They who are thus insensible of their owne sufferings, how can they condole others? Labour for a tender heart, apprehensive of the least frowne of our heavenly Father, deepely sensible of every fillip of his finger in displeasure, then shall your compassion extend it selfe more viscerally towards your afflicted brethren.

Imped. 2. sensuality.A second Impediment is Epicurisme or sensuality: For when men are soaked in the pleasures, and drowned in the delights of this present world, they have no remorse of o­thers distresses, yea they feare least the very thought of o­thers griefe should drowne all their mirth. You heard out of the Prophet Amos, that this made the secure Israelites forget the affliction of Ioseph; and out of the Gospell, that it caused the pampered glutton to neglect ulcerated Lazarus at his doores.

Pride and statelinesse. Pride and Statelinesse is a third. Some are so lofty that they disdaine to looke so low as to take notice of their poore brethrens distresse. If mention be made of our miserable brethrens thraldome in Barbary, What are they (say these) but a company of base creatures, such as th [...] world may well spare? What shall we talke of them or trouble our selves a­bout them? The very voice of the blatant beast? Sure it is that without humility, we shall never have any true tin­cture of this Sympathy. Therefore when the Apostle ex­horteth to this compassion, Rom. 12.15.16. Weepe with them that weepe, and be of like affection one towards another, immediately he enters a caveat against pride, Be not high minded; and exhor­teth to humility, condescend to men of low estate. Your high minded men doe scarce thinke Christ good enough to be their head, because he stoopt so low as to wash his Disciples feet. Get wee once to bee humble, or else wee shall never learne to be truly charitable.

Imped. 4. Covetous­nesse.But the very cut throate of compassion, the Antipathy to all Christian sympathy, the Hell that devoures all pity, com­miseration; compassion towards our brethren, is Covetous­nesse. [Page 39] This dries up the streames of mercy, and exhausteth the veines of charity. This makes one to be no more moved with the grone [...] sighes, teares of Widowes, Orphans, Cap­tives, then wit [...] [...] whining of a whelp, or the peeping of a chick. The crie of the horse-leach ever ringing in the mi­sers eares, Give, Give, so drownes the crie & complaint of the poore that he heares no more the Lazars bell nor the priso­ners fetters, then we doe what is now said among the Anti­podes. But like those who dwell at the fall of the river Ni­lus the continuall voice of his owne covetous desires doe deafen him against all complaints of others. Athis avaru [...] contrahit Ma­nus recurvas, & volam plicans ad­uncis ungui­das laxare nervos non valet. Pru­dent. Peri steph. Lau­rent. Busbeq. Tu­ne. Ep. 3. Similia haben­tur apud Na­zianzen. Orat. 27. de Pau­per curâ.

Couetousnes hath taught him the Deuils Logicke, he is all for clutching the fist, hee cannot learne the Christian Rhe­torick of extending the palme in charitable contribution.

Our covetous Nabals have their Topicks, common pla­ces, whence they fetch arguments against giving & relieve­ing: They offer to defend their Baal by Gods book which doth utterly overthrow it. Busbequius a grave Authour, sometimes Embassadour to the great Turke from the Ger­man Emperour, reports how forward the Christian Mar­chants were in Pera (a place adjoyning to Constantinople) for the redeeming of certaine Christians there held cap­tives. Onely there was one out of whose fingers could not be wrung one farthing towards the advancement of this cha­ritable designe. His reasons were more unreasonable then his refusall, What these men are (said he) I know not; this I know, that their affliction is from God. Let them continue in that case into which God hath cast them, untill it please him to free them: seeing it pleased God thus to punish them who am I that should release thē, unles I would be found to fight against God. O cunning Sophister Satan, who by arguments from the will of God can impugne the will of God, & from his providence maintaines covetousnesse, the maine opposite unto Gods providence. Mine Authour gives not the name of this monster. Only he saith that he was an Italogrecian, a mun­grel between a Greeke & an Italian. Such as his lineage was [Page 40] such was his language. God forbid that there should be among us such mungrels to barke out such dogged speeches. Imped. 5. Pretended want. This is certaine, Compassion can have no admitta [...]e into the heart, where the evill spirit, covetousnesse, [...] possession.

A fift impediment is, pretended want. I am poore my selfe, I have a great charge of mine owne, I am in the Vsu­rers bands, as hard a thraldome as some of them doe endure in Sally or Algier. What of all this? Thou shouldest remem­ber them the sooner; and by thine owne affliction conceive more feelingly of theirs. But I have not wherewith to sup­ply them. But thou hast wherewith to pity them, where­with to pray for them. Charitas de sacculo non er [...]gatur. Si nihil habes collachrima. Magnum est infortunato remedium compassio, ac sincerè condo­lere cala­mitatem mag­nopere levat. Nazian. ubi supr. Nam viscera, id est compas­sionem, non claudit à pro­xim [...] indigen­tiam patienti, qui si posset, vellet subve­nire. Bern. de. Pass. Ser. 32. All charity is not drawne out of the bag? Insteed of a great gift give griefe, give teares, give compassion. Condolement is no small comfort to him that suffereth. A pitifull, a pitying heart is many times no small almes. He doth not shut up his bowels from his afflicted brother, who affords him compassion, whereby he shewes that he would relieve him if he were able. God, who re­quires a good work of such as are able, accepts the good will of such as are unable. 2. Cor. 8.12. Si non das compassionis affectum, qui quò plus datur plus abundat, quomodo terre­nam substan­tiam dares quae divisa minuitur? Bern ubi supr. We should not estrange our affections from them, because they are strangers unto us. If there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that which a man hath, and not ac­cording to that which he hath not. If thou wilt not afford thy distressed brother a place in thy memory, thou wilt hardly afford him any part of thy money. If thou wilt not allow him the affection of compassion, which the more it is extended the more it is augmented: how wouldst thou extend to him thy earthly substance, which the more it is distributed the more it is diminished?

But they are strangers unto me, neither kiffe nor kin▪ I never saw their faces nor heard of their names. They have friends, acquaintance, kindred of their owne, let them re­lieve them. But they are of thine owne religion, thine own nation, thine owne nature: And is not the least of these suf­ficient acquaintance when they are in misery? Is it not both thine and their Makers charge? Isai. 58.7. When thou seest the naked [Page 41] thou shalt cover him; any naked, whether neighbour or stranger, knowne or unknowne, that's all one. Thou seest his na­kednesse, thou knowest his need, that's sufficient for ac­quaintance. Marke the motive annexed: Thou shalt not hide thy selfe from thine owne flesh. Is there any better knowne or nearer kin to thee then thine owne flesh? If thou hi­dest thy face from him in his need thou hidest thy selfe from one who is nearer kin to thee then thy nea­rest cosen by blood, even from thine owne flesh. Holy Iob professeth that while he was in his prosperity Iob. 31.19. Apud piam mentem plus natura valet quàm notio: nam & unus­quis (que) qui in­diget eo ipso quod homo est ei jam incog­nitus non esi. Gregor. Mo­ral. l. 21. c. 14. he saw not any perish for want of cloathing, nor any poore without cove­ring. He saith not, any of my kindred, or any of my acquain­tance, but not any poore. Vnto pious mindes Nature is a bet­ter Oratour then notion. No man who is in need, even in this regard that he is a man, should be a stranger unto us.

Our Redeemer did not stand upon these nice points of kindred and acquaintance, when he freed us from our most miserable bondage. But though Ephes. 2.11.12. We were Gentiles in the flesh, Aliens from the common wealth of Israel, strangers from the covenant of promise; yet all this could not estrange his compassion from us, but he did and suffered more for us, then it is possible any man can doe for his brother, his father, or best benefactour. Can then any Christian be unknown to him to whom Christ is known? Doe we say that we are uni­ted to the Head and can wee bee unacquainted with any member of the body? Their hunger, their bonds, their bur­thens, their blowes are not these sufficient for commisera­tion, though we never saw their persons?

Motives in­citing us to this compas­sion. Motive, 1. From Nature 1. In our selves.But the more to move us to compassionate these our barbarously oppressed brethren, let us (in the last place) lay to your hearts, these few among many forcible incentives.

First, Nature it selfe incites us to this Sympathy. This na­turall instinct we finde in our owne bodies. Et illud quo­ (que) mirandum est, quod uno oscitante, & nos quo (que), nisi advertimus, oscitamus, & alio edente a­cerbaquaedam, saliva alteri in os profilit▪ Fracastor. de sympath. & Antipath. cap. 1. Whence is it that one in a company yawning or gaping, the rest doe so likewise unlesse they prevent it? That one eating bitter or tart meates others teeth doe water and are set on edge? Is there such a Sympathy in our bodies? Why not much more in our mindes?

[Page 42] In bruite beasts. Si enim tauri cum tau [...]um mortuum in­venerint, plo­rant, mug [...]unt & quitusdam dibitis huma­nitatis [...]bse­quiis fratris funera próse­quuntur, quid debet homo homini, quem & ratio docet & trahit af­fectio? Bern. de triplic. ge­net. honor.From our selves desend we to bruite beasts. Wee finde in them a kinde of compassion towards their kinde. The wild buls doe bellow in the fields or woods if they finde one of their fellowes slaine, and by kinde obsequies doe ce­lebrate their brothers funerals.

What bruite beast more bruitish, more beastly then the swine? Quibus ani­ma est prosale. Vario. Whose life (saith one) is given them only to keepe their flesh from purrifying? Yet if one of them be tang­led in some gate or hedge, you may observe how his crie calls the whole heard that is within hearing to come to him, if they cannot, yet they fall a crying with him as if they craved helpe for their fellow.

Come we unto senseles Creatures. As in some things there is an Antipathy, so there is a Sympathy in others. Vaisono in cithara tacto moveri & a­liud uniso num videmus. Fracastur. ubi supr. Motive. 2. From Grace. Touch but one string in a lute, and another soundeth though not neare unto it. I omit the Sympathy betweene the load-stone and the iron, betweene Amber and straw, jet and an hayre, rare secrets in nature, common in triall. Out of the premises I argue thus: If our owne naturall bodies, if brute creatures, which are led only by sence, yea if senselesse creatures by an occult quality be thus affected one towards another, In senseles creaturus. then what ought Christians to doe who are endued with reason, enlightned with religion, and led or rather drawne with naturall affection? Now if nature doe teach us this compassion, how much more Grace, and that sundry waies. As first by that argument that we are all members of one mysticall body, and fellow-members one with ano­ther, which hath beene formerly urged.

Of this body the Head is Christ, who hath shewed this sympathy by his owne example, which also hath beene evi­denced already. Because wee are all fellow members 2. Christ our head his owne example; as formerly. To which let this be added out of one of the ancients; Quam videlicet pieta­tis formam, Mediator nobis Dei, & hominum dea [...]t, quicum posset nobis etiam non mo­riendo concurrere, succurrere tamen moriendo hominibus volu [...]t, quia nos videlicet mi­nus amasset nisi & vulnera nostra susciperet, nec vim suae dilectionis ostenderet, nisi hoc quod à nobis tolleret ad tempus ipse sustiner [...]t. Gregor. Moral. in Iob. l. 20. c. 27. This forme of piety (saith he) Christ the media­tour [Page 43] betweene God and man hath shewed unto men, who doubt­lesse without dying might have saved us from Death if hee would: But he rather chose to redeeme man by dying for man. His love had not beene so great unto us, unlesse he had taken upon him our woundes; neither had he so effectually shewed the force of his charity, if he had not for a time taken on him­selfe that which hee came to take from us. Hee found us mortall who made us able to continue immortall. And hee who by his word so made us, could have restored us by the same word without his Death. But to shew how power­full his compassion was towads us, he became that for us which he would not have us continue to be. Himselfe un­dertooke death for us, that so he might for ever free us from Death.

Let the same minde be in us Christians towards our fel­low members, which was in our head Christ towards us, otherwise wee cannot bee true Christians. How can wee hope for salvation by him if we be not living members of his body? If wee be living members then are wee feeling members. Tam diu membrum do­let quàm diu in corpore con­tine [...]ur. Bern. de mod ben. vivend. s. 13. As long as the member is in the body it is effe­cted with the griefe of any part of the body. But if it be ei­ther dead or cut off from the body, let the body bee dis­membred or cut into a thousand peeces, it feeleth not: so is every Christian who is not affected with the affliction of another Christian. Such doe shew themselves to be no bet­ter then rotten branches in the Vine, and must exspect no better reward then the true Vine awardeth them; Iohn 15.6. Motive. 3. From the per­sons suffering. Men doe gather such and doe cast them into the fire and they are burned.

Besides, if we enter into a due consideration of the persons suffering, how many things doe wee meet with, which may moove an obdurate heart to pity them? They are men; should we see a man beating his horse, his dog, as our men are beaten by these circumcised dogs, wee would pity the poore beast and crie out that the owner were a ve­rier beast then that he beateth.

They are our country-men and unto many, Our country-men. neare kinsemen. [Page 44] Were they forraigners and strangers, how could wee but relent at the relation of their miseries? Can any true Chri­stian heare or read without teares the relation of the Impe­rialists cruelty in Bohemia or in Magdenburge, or Spanish Immanities among the West Indians? Yet these were stran­gers farre remote from us, and these last men of another world.

They are Christians and consequently our brethren. Were they enemies wee could not wish them worse on earth then that which they endure. Christians and conse­quently our brethren. Nay were they Turks a Christian would hardly see without griefe, a Turke to suf­fer that of others which Christians doe of Turkes. Can we then heare of those miseries which men, The living Temples of God. Consideran­dum est & hoc, Dei Tēpla esse, quae cap­ta sunt, nec pati nos longâ cessatione & neglecto dolore debere ut Dei Templa capti­va sint. Cy­prian. Ep. 60. our owne country-men, our brethren doe endure, and not consider them? Con­sider and not compassionate them? Compassionate, and not straine our abilities to the uttermost to relieve them?

They are the living Temples of God, Should wee suffer Gods Temples to be possessed by Infidels if we could free them? Were our owne houses possessed by theeves, what would we doe, what would we not doe to cleare them? What then should we not doe to redeeme the living Tem­ples of the Holy Ghost? In my thoughts, whensoever we dine or sup in our houses that expostulation of the Lord with the secure Iewes should pluck us by the eares; Hag. 1.2. Motive. 4. The equity of the precept Their case might have beene ours, and then wee would have craved of them that which is re­quired of us. Is this a time, O ye, to sit in your sieled houses, and the house of the Lord to lie wast? Is this a time for us to feast it in our hou­ses, and to suffer the houses & Temples of the holy one of Israel to be possessed by mischievous Mahumetans?

Then from our sorrowfull brethren reflect wee our thoughts upon our selves, and in the scales of our owne e­state weigh we the equity of the precept, which will not a litle incite us to the performance of it. Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them. What more equitable. You might have beene bound with them, yea you might have beene bound and they free; if God had so disposed? You might have fallen into their bonds, and they enjoyed [Page 45] your freedome. And would not you then have desired of them what now is required of you towards them? Well then, you know what their and your Master commandeth, Whatsoever you would that men should doe unto you the same doe unto them. Mat. 7.12. It might have beene your case, it may bee your case: you know what is past, you know not what is to come. Have we not reason to make their case our owne, if we consider that it may be our owne? It may be your own! Nay, is it not in some respects your owne already? For, Are you not in the body, as in the end of this verse? And what is the body but the prison of the soule? Doth not every man living beare about him a walking prison? Is not the soule in bonds while it is in the body? And it may come to passe before the soule be freed out of this prison, the body, that the body also may be in bonds and endure captivity. Why should any man thinke that any thing incident to man should not befall him seeing he is a man? That which happeneth unto one may happen unto any one, and soonest perhaps unto him, who thinkes it impossible that it should happen unto him. When Manasses was on his throne he litle dreamp't of a prison, and that he should exchange the gold on his head for irons about his heeles, yet so he did: And so did King Zedechias, and the richest of heathen kings, Craesus. So did some Emperours of Rome; many Emperours of Constantinople, one Emperour of the Turkes. Should God ever cast us into such calamities, we should be the bet­ter able to endure them in our selves, if we had first felt them in others. Then should we also conceive better hope that God would touch the hearts of others to compassio­nate us, if hee have once touched ours to commiserate o­thers. But I will prevent falling into the hands of Turkes, Ob. I trow; I purpose not to adventure on the Seas, or to come so nigh them as to be caught by them. Grant it. But thou maist fall fowle with Turkes at home, Sol Land-pyrats, Vsu­rers, Oppressours, or into some other misery that shall en­force thee to crave commiseration as much as ours doe [Page 46] who are in Barbary. And art thou sure if thou adventurest not thy selfe on Sea to be safe on land? Though thou com'st not neare the Turkes may not they come too neare thee? Did not others watch for us while we sleep, and did not he watch over us who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth, we might have beene surprised by them while we are sleeping on our beds. See we not how audacious they are growne? How their shalops brave us at our harbours mouthes? What threates have they sent us of late that ere long they will make some of us see Algier? And who were these but some of our owne nation turned Turkes, threatning to bring us unto their owne condition because wee would not free them in season?

The lamenta­ble surprising of Baltamore by the Turks.Can we forget that Tragicall transportation of our bre­thren from Baltamore into that Babilon, Barbary? All of them English, most of them Cornish, suddenly surprized in the silence of the night. They dreaded no disaster, they supposed themselves safe, they went to bed and laied them­selves downe (as they hoped) to sleepe in safty. When suddenly their houses were broken up, they haled out of their beds, the husband, wife and children every one fast bound, carried away in three or fowre howres, and after­ward so seperated as not suffered to meet againe, but every one left to lament others misery as well as his owne. It was not with them in that night as the Iudge saith it shall be at his comming; Luk. 17.34. Quis cladem illius noctis. Two in one bed, the one taken and the o­ther left; But two or three in one bed, Father, Mother, Child, seaven or more in an house all taken and not one left. What heart at this houre bleedes not at the remem­brance of that nights Tragedy? The wife calls on her hus­band to helpe her. How can he help his Other selfe who cannot help his owne selfe? The poore child cries, O Mo­ther keepe me, O Father keepe me, when Father and Mother are kept fast enough themselves from keeping and helping theirs. Oft had the poore litle ones when they were pet­tish being terrified with, The bug-beare comes to carry [Page 47] thee away: Now not bug-beares but Barbary beares are come to carry away Child, Mother, Father and all they can finde in the family. Some lost their lives fighting (but in vaine) to save their wives and children, herein happy that death prevented in them those miseries which theirs, surviving to greater sorrowes doe endure. For of the two, better it is to fall by the hands, then into the hands of those Tyranous Turkes, Proth saevior ense Parcendi rabies, conces­sa (que) vita do­lori. whose saving is worse then slaying, who, if they grant life, it is but to prolong griefe. May not the same or the like betide us, if God shall so appoint it? And are our merits better then theirs that God should not so appoint it?

But what speake I of might have beene, or may be? Are we not already in a farre worse bondage then they; Motive. 5. We are in worse band [...] then they if we have no feeling of theirs. if we have no feeling, no remorse of theirs? They are in corpo­rall bonds, we, without this compassion, are in spirituall. They under Turkes, we under the Devill. They bought and sold by men, we sold under sinne. They under the tyranny of others, we under our owne tyrannous lusts, and affecti­ons. Our barbarous inhumanity is a worse bondage then theirs in Barbary. In such a captive condition are they who have not this compassion towards their captived bre­thren.

But had I words to expresse (though but in part) the ex­cellency of the worke it would be most powerfull to incite us to the performance of it. Motive. 6. The worthi­nesse of the worke. In redeeming them we re­deeme our Redeemer, who is captive in them. Every worke is the more ex­cellent by how much the obiect thereof more excelleth. The worke is Redeeming: for therefore we are to remem­ber them that we doe our best to redeeme them. And who are those who are to be redeemed? They are not only the Temples of the Lord (as hath beene shewed) but the Lord of the Temple himselfe is held captive in them. It is not on­ly our brethrens case, it might have beene ours, it is ours al­ready by the Vnion of charity, or, if not, then are wee our selves in a worse slavery; but (that which should more nearely touch us then if it were our owne case) it is his who should be nearer to us then our selves, it is our Lord [Page 48] and Masters, our Saviour and Redeemers case. For, doth not he himselfe complaine that they who neglected his, in this very case, neglected him? Mat. 25.43. I was in prison and you visi­ted me not. The head and members cannot bee separated. I was in prison because mine were. I because they were in whom I am and they in me. As there is no good which any of mine doe, but I doe it in them, so there is no evill which they suffer for my sake but I suffer it with them. Other­wise I would not have cried out from heaven to Saul per­secuting my Church upon earth; Act. 9.4. Saul, Saul, why persecu­test thou me?

If then we will not redeem our brethren let us redeem our Father: if not our fellow-members, yet our head, if not men, yet God: if not Christians, yet Christ. Let us redeeme him from bonds who redeemed us from Death: Him from corporall servitude who redeemed us from the slavery of sinne: Let us redeeme him with a small portion of our pe­rishable substance (which this way imployed shall not pe­rish) who redeemed us, 1. Pet. 1.18 19. not with corruptible things, as sil­ver and gold, but with his precious blood, more worth then a million of worlds.

Should we leave our native country and sayle into Bar­bary, and there offer our selves to bondage for our brethren, saying unto their Pateroones; Free these men and take us, we will be▪ your slaves in their steeds, we could doe no more (nay, God knowes, nothing neare so much) for them, as he who is captive in them hath done for us. If therefore we will not remember them for their sakes, let us remember them for his sake, let us remember them for our own sakes, that the great redeemer, who is also the great rewarder to every good worke, (especially of this) may one day in mer­cy remember us; which shall be the last (but should not be the least) incitement unto us.

Motive. 7. The excel­lency of the reward.Certaine it is that the more excellent the worke is, the more excellent shall be the reward. This then being so ex­cellent a worke as the redeeming of our redeemer himselfe [Page 49] in his captiv'd members, shall not want a most excellent recompence.

And were there no other recompence then the acknow­ledgement of this kindenesse (regarding the disparity be­tweene the persons) yet this were neede enough to any noble minde. If it be an honour to a subiect for the King to acknowledge with his own mouth in the presence of all his nobles that sometimes he was beholding to him, what will it be when the King of Kings shall one day acknowledge and publish that he was (in a manner) beholding unto man? O how comfortable will it bee in that great day of Iudge­ment, and of Mercy (of Iudgement to Turks and Tyrants, of Mercy to charitable Christians) when the Iudge himselfe shall say, I was in prison [...] you came to me. Yea more; you, by freeing me, procured tha [...] I might come to you, might come unto mine owne family, to the Temple of the Lord, to the publick service of God, to the Word and Sacraments, from all which I was (because mine were) debarred. You did that for them (and in them as farre as you could for me) which I did for you. I redeemed you, and you (in them) re­deemed me: I you by taking on me your bonds, you me by freeing them from bondage, I you from the bondage of hell, you me from the bondage of hell-hownds; I you by my blood, you me by your benevolence. Iudas his treason was not more grievous and odious unto me, then your com­passion is acceptable. He sold me to the Iewes, you have bought me from the Turks. Your redeeming me lesse char­geable, more easie by infinite degrees then my redeeming you, but no lesse acceptable to me, then if you had shed your blood for me as I did mine for you.

What an honour will it be, when the King himselfe sit­ting in his Maiesty shall publish in the large Amphitheater of the whole world his former misery for your greater glo­ry, and make known his owne sufferings to proclaime your kindnesse, holding himselfe to have beene beholding unto you when you have done but your duties?

[Page 50]Though this acknowledgment be an ample recompence, yet this recompence (you will say) is but verball acknow­ledgment. But this verball acknowledgment shall be se­conded with a reall recompence that shall not be as a lease for yeares determinable upon lives, but an inheritance, and that inheritance no lesse then of a Kingdome, and that King­dome not newly erected, but long prepared, so long as from the foundation of the world, and consequently to continue after the dissolution of the world, and prepared not by man but by God the Father, and for none other, but for you, for you, who by your deedes of mercy have evidenced the sin­cerity of your faith.

O what a joy, what a crowne of rejoycing will it be, when you shall heare from the mouth of the Iudge himselfe that comfortable call; Mat. 25.34. [...] yee blessed of my father, inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the founda­tion of the world. Vnto the which Kingdome he bring us, who hath prepared it for us, not for our merits, but out of his owne mercy and by the merits of his deare Sonne Iesus, To whom our gracius redeemer, together with him the glorious Father, and the blessed spirit the only Com­forter, three Persons in one Godhead blessed for ever, be ascribed all Praise, Power, Might, Majesty, Dominion, and Glory, now and alwaies. AMEN. AMEN.