small holes in the ground and had hid them all in safety And afterwards the wylie and cunning dam soared aloft and quite flew her wayes leauing the Fowler deceiued ashamed considering he could lay hold neither of her self nor vpon any of her young ones In the same maner goeth the Diuell about to delude and entrappe thee thou blinde and foolish Sinner and so detayneth entertaineth and draweth thee on with vaine pleasures and deceiueable delights frō one day to another and from one yeare to another yea many yeares together with one false hope that hereafter thou shalt haue Time sufficient to repent thee that if thou neglect it this day thou mayest performe it to morrow or some other day as though the dayes and times were in thine owne hands Act. 10. which the eternall Father hath reserued for himselfe whereby thus alwaies loosing Time and the occasion present thou mightest hereafter come to want lacke all good opportunitie or seasons then shalt thou haue cause to bewaile and mone for euer If it be good to conuert our selues to God almightie saith S. Augustine let vs do it quickly let it be done instantly Aug. ad fraet in Eremo wilt thou say I will conuert and turne me to morrow yea too morrowe And wherefore not this day Considering the morrowe is neither sure nor certaine Happens there not oftentimes many suddaine deaths Die there not an innumerable multitude without acknowledging their sins and repentance Thē sayest thou God help me what harme haue I spoken by saying that to morrow I will conuert mee and begin a new reckoning when of necessitie it should be done this day Then God helpe mee likewise Brother mine answered S. Augustine what hurt haue I spoken by saying it should be done this day That being much more safe and better and so I speak better then thou doest considering thou hast not for thine owne but onely this day and yet not all this day saue onely the present moments or minutes How much better were it if it might be that all thy life were good for thou wishest and desirest that it were amended and reformed then that some part therof be good though as little as may be Thou wilt haue or at least indeuorest to obtaine thy meate thy wife thy house thy apparell thy hose and shoes all throughly neate and of the best Esteeme and respect therefore thy Soule in much more account then thy shoes Thus farre Saint Augustine The life saith Seneca is diuided into three seasons or times namely Seneca in that that is past present and to come and of them the Time present is the shortest and that to come is most doubtfull but Time past is most sure and certaine and thereof now Nature it selfe hath lost the dominion and Ruledome neither is it possible that it can be recalled by anie humane facultie Then if we suffer the Time present to ouerpasse we indanger our selues to be bereft for euermore without it but to cōtinue in eternall condemnation How much more thou sottish Sinner Open thine eares listen to mee I say how much more better were it that in all the Time of this life yea from the very first moment that thou hast the vse of Reason thou yeeld forth good fruite and prepare thy selfe and be in a readinesse against such Time as when the Maister Lord thereof doth come to demaund it for there is neither momēt nor houre wherein hee cannot come and call vs to particular Iudgement wherein he rewardeth the labourers and workemen of his vineyard according to euery ones labour and industrie All which out of S. Ierome In confirmation whereof that Parable of the Fig-tree commeth neere this purpose Mat. 21.19 which our Sauiour Christ had planted as our Lord drew neare the same being hungry and desirous to eate some figs and finding no figges theron did curse the same Mar. 13.28 And the holy Euangelist well noteth that as then it was no time of fruite bearing And therefore did not inflict that punishment properly vpon the Figge tree but vpon fruitlesse barren men voyde of good workes signified by the same tree Because that man at all times is bound to yeeld and render fruite for which cause our Lord when hee comes to seeke and findes none he will inflict vpon him the paine of his eternall malediction euerlasting curse All things saith Salomon haue their determined and precise times Eccles. 3.1 and after that sort and maner That all Time is neither opportune nor seasonable for all thinges for that which is peculiar and naturall for one thing is not fit for other businesse but verie preiudiciall and hurtfull As if one should sowe whē hee should reape fall and grub vp trees when time were to plant To speake when one should keepe silence To laugh when hee ought to weepe Furthermore for man to doe good works and to labour in the vineyard of our Lord there is no precise nor limitted Time it is alwayes fitte Time It will be euer seasonable in what houre so euer in what age so euer admitting that at no time it be lawfull to sinne and offend and that no Time was giuen bestowed on man to doe euill or to execute wickednesse According to those words of Ecclesiasticus Ecclus 15.20 God commaunded no man to doe vngodly neither hath hee giuen any man licence to sinne but rather aduiseth and admonisheth all men to preserue and keepe Time Ecclus 4.20 and that they depart from euill because it was lent and giuen them for no other end but to do good to imploy the same wel The being of a man idle and carelesse Matth. 20 7 as well the workeman as the hireling is reproued by the goodman of the family yet such an idle standing and carelesse liuing of him that is most in yeares and most aged deserueth and is worthy of most blame And so compareth that royall Prophet Dauid in the beginning of his Psalmes the Iust man Psal 1.3 with the Tree that was planted neer the running waters which yeelded fruite in due time By which he meant not to say that as the tree rendreth no fruite saue onely in one moneth or at one speciall time of the yeare not in others so the iust man is to yeeld his fruit vpon certain dayes or moneths or in some precise and determined yeares and not in others But rather saith thus euen as the tree yeelds his fruite in his due time season if it did not thē would the owner cut it downe to the very ground So man ought to render fruite according to his estate and profession in his time And his time is all the time of his life And he aduiseth and warneth him on Gods behalfe that it behoueth him alwayes to pray Luc. 18.1 and neuer to cease and to be alwayes watching as it were with a candle in his hand because he knoweth not at
deliuereth thē all things they aske and demaund of such a one wee may truly say that himselfe ransomed his owne life So after the same maner thou my Brother enioyest a large faire house greate store of wealth iewels pearles and precious stones thou possessest a Soule which is the liuely Temple of the liuing God yea his owne house and dwelling place thou art endued with faith hope and charitie besides other vertues and gifts from his hands and bountifull liberality Giue and bestowe all that shall be demaunded of thee and loose the remainder when it shall be expedient and needfull in exchange least thou loose the life of thy Soule and so thou mayest ransome redeeme Time which in case thou dost not thy enemies will leade thee away captiue Againe Sinners may redeeme and ransome the time they with-held captiuated if they will embrace and follow the Counsell of the Prophet Baruch where he sayeth Baruch 4 28. Sicut fuit sensus vester c. Conuert and turne you to God and after your conuersion to him by repentance you shall serue and obey him tenne times more carefull with more ardent heate feruour and diligence then before when you departed from him and misimployed your time They will likewise rescue and repurchase the same againe if they wil performe the admonition which the Apostle S. Paul giueth declaring vpon the consequence of these words Sicut exhibuistis membra vestra Rom. 6.19 c. Euen as hitherto you haue imployed yeelded your bodies senses and members in the seruice of vncleannesse and iniquity to sin now wheele about and looke back turne ouer the leafe and imploy all things to serue equity vertue and holinesse of life The Apostle hauing spoken before Rom. 6.19 Humanum dico propter infirmitatē vestram c. I speake as a man for your infirmities sake and because you are weake hartily beseeching you that you wholy imploy and busie your selues in the seruice of God by keeping his cōmaundements and redeeming the Time of which holy exercise the fruite is your sanctification for by such workes man doth sanctifie and dedicate himselfe wholy to God that you perform this with as great affection and alacritie as euer hereto fore you deuoted your selues to impiety yeelding your members as bondslaues to sinne whose fruite is nothing else but iniquity and wherof a Sinner can make no other profit but that hee remaine a Sinner a miserable wretched man and be so accounted And notwithstanding it be true that Sanctification doth far exceed iniquitie yet rest I well satisfied with such vnfained endeuor and resolution of doing good workes which some haue performed after their conuersion with such earnestnesse as before they were set and bent to sin by displeasing and offending of God We see how violent and couragious many are to sinne and after they haue glutted their appetites how slothful and luke-warme howe slacke and faint they are to repent to exercise themselues in actions of vertue The sinner rusheth through thick and thin to accomplish his desire and to satisfie his lustfull appetite and as it were to run away with that he longed for nothing seemeth difficult or hard vnto him and if thou aske him how canst thou suffer this or that though he be neuer so graue and ancient to all things he will frame an answer and say yes Time seemeth most short to sinners for inioying of their lusts and pleasures but to occupie themselues in good workes it seemes most large and wearisome The Seruice long the Sermon large his prayers meditations paines and fasting laborious and tedious Cold weather makes them heartlesse and cowards heate slacketh and releaseth them and all things seemes painefull and heauie So as to conclude that is a most singular remedie and helpe for to redeeme Time to imploy it well and to vse it with such alacritie heedfulnesse earnestnesse and liuelinesse to deuotion as he hath done when he was altogether bent and resolued to loose and captiuate to same CHAP. 10. How it is to be vnderstood that the dayes are euill and howe that therefore TIME is to be redeemed AL things that God hath created are good being considered in themselues and according to their owne nature and kind because that from his most blessed hands there could proceed no worke or thing which were not good And so himselfe after the worke of Creation sayd that all were good and perfect Gen. 1.31 that he had made and created And to speake to our purpose the dayes and yeares considered in themselues cannot be euill neither can there be any morall malice found in them which iustly may be tearmed a fault because they are not capable thereof nor yet any feeling of punishment for they cannot apprehend it nor any other miserie which men suffer for their sinnes But the dayes are sayd to be euill in respect of men who liue in them by occasion of their transgressions and sins they commit or by reason of those punishments they suffer caused by the former according to S. Chrysostome and S. Ieromes exposition Chrys Hier. sup Psal 27. And so are persons that be weake sicke sad sorowfull or afflicted wont to say O what an euill day this hath beene vnto me oh how terrible and how bitter Two things there are saith that excellent S. Augustine that make the daies to be euill Aug. ser 24. de verbis Apost are the cause wherefore they are termed euill being indeed in thēselues good namely the Malice and the Miserie of men The miserie or wretchednesse is common but the malice ought not so to be From the time that Adam sinned and was banished out of Paradise the dayes haue euer continued euill and the crying of infants at the time of their birth is a presage of their miserie and troubles and a sure signe and infallible token that vpon that day they enter into this vale of teares and that at the least though they be so happie as to become good they shall not faile but bee encombred with sundry dangerous temptations and tryals albeit the cause thereof cannot be expresly declared Euthymius expounding Euthym. in Psal 34. those wordes of the Psalmist Who is that man that wisheth life and desireth to see good dayes saith that those good dayes are they of the other life for that those of this are euill according to that which Iacob spake to Pharao Gen. 47.8.9 and the Apostle S. Paul also when he wrote to them of Ephesus Redeeme the time Ephes 5.15 because the dayes are euill And S. Basil faith the same The whole time of my Pisgrimage saith Iacob answering Pharao Basil ibid. who had asked him Gen. 47.9 how old he was is an hundred and thirty yeares fewe and euill haue the dayes of my life beene The king demanded him how many are the yeares of thy life and he answered The dayes of my pilgrimage c. and though it seemes that
what houre his Lord and Master will come Luc. 12.40.46 and that he be alwayes prouided in a readines with the accounting Booke of Receipts and Defrayments of Charges and Allowances against the Time he shall come to demaund an account of the Talents Mat. 25.19 which were vppon trust committed vnto his charge and deliuered to be kept that now they should be restored and of the increase and profite of the Vineyard which was rented and farmed vnto him and of his traffique and imployment All which is a manifest argumēt or signe that at all times the Lord expecteth that man beare fruite and be prepared as a faithfull and wise Seruant And he calleth his Time all the time of his life because that after the same as the Angell most solemnly hath sworn it There should be no more Time Apoc. 10.6 The tree which the Euangelist S. Iohn in his Reuelation did see which alwayes cōtinued with fruit and euery moneth yeelded his owne Apoc. 22.2 all which was wholesome and profitable yea the very leaues therof represent the iust man who alwayes beareth fruite at all times and in all the moneths of the yeare and throughout his whole age and all that is in him is good profitable as well thoughts words as deedes CHAP. 5. How worthy of reproofe idle persons are and who they be Seneca de breuitate vitae AMongest all men saith Seneca they onely are deemed idle who imploy and addict themselues to the studie and exercise of wisedome and knowledge albeit indeed they onely doe liue seeing they doe not onely preserue and liue out their own yeares and ages but also adde vnto their dayes the fore-passed times of former ages because they haue the fruition of that which in those dayes was registred for the behoofe of insuing posteritie whereof they reape great commodity and profit Which Idlenesse hauing bin so well imployed is laudable and prayse-worthy but excepting this al other idlenes which properly is idlenes indeed is most worthily to be reprehended For as the Bird was created to flie Iob. 15. so was Mán borne to labour And touching that Idlenes the same Seneca saith that it is the liuing mans sepulchre and that the healthful idle person loyterer that followeth nothing but idlenesse being as it were interred and buried therein is in great danger of falling into many offences against God Wherefore Ecclesiasticus saith Eccle. 33.26 That Idlenesse hath taught much malice and enuie A certaine Schooleman termeth Idlenesse Fr. Francis in sua regula the Enemie of the Soule Aug ad fra tres in Eremo ser 19. And S. Augustine writeth that no friend of idlenesse shall or can be any Citizen in the kingdome of Heauen Chrysost hom 8. in cap. 4. ad Ephes S. Chrysostome affirmeth that Idlenesse is a part of vice or rather no part at all but a most wicked peruerse root yea the very cause and occasion of all vices whereof Idlenesse is the Ringleader and Mistris That great Anthonie with lowde shrikes and sorrowfull lamentation to God almighty cried out in the wildernesse saying O my God and my Lord thou true Samaritane and right keeper and protectour of Soules and of bodies raise in me thy grace afford me such fauour and bestowe vpon thy Seruant so much mercy as that thou permit me not to be idle one iote in this Desert whereunto in like maner as the storie reporteth a voyce from heauen made him this answere Anthony thou hast rightly desired to please God Then pray when thou canst not pray labor and do some handy-work and alwayes imploy thy selfe in some one thing or other performing such thinges which on thy part are to be performed and done and then shalt thou neuer faile or misse the diuine fauour It was the opinion of the Fathers who liued in Egypt Cassian lib. 10. collat c. 3. That one onely Diuell tempted a labouring Monke but many the idle Howbeit because many thinges are written concerning and against that kinde of idlenesse my principall intent and chiefe purpose is not to intreat thereof so much as of spirituall Idlenesse Against which I will proceede freeing many of errour in that point who in their owne conceipt and imagination are much occupied manifesting and prouing with sufficiēt reasons how they are idle and how they with-holde Time captiuated imprisoned For which purpose I say hee is idle who vseth not Time conformable to that end whereto by our Lord it was graunted vnto vs but rather imployeth it in things vnlawfull and vniust which neither tendeth nor can be directed to his seruice nor to the benefit or profit of his Neighbour or about some other businesses which cānot be perfected or brought to passe for any honest or laudable end And so all Officers Labourers Marchants Tradesmen Workmen Hirelings Kings Princes Counsailors Aduocates Ministers Seruants and all maner of persons that are such doe as it were couer heauē with their Mantles and with-holde Time captiuated when they occupy and busie themselues in and about workes actions exercises and seruices which are vnlawfull and prohibited by the Lawes Decrees Constitutions diuine or not to that end and intent they ought or else doe liue so secure and retchlesse that they do no worke that is good or acceptable vnto God And therefore as before wee haue spoken Time was bestowed on man not to doe euill nor to be idle and he that is ill occupied is reckoned and accounted as idle before God In vaine hath he receaued a Soule Psal 15. who alwayes offendeth GOD with the same In vaine hath euery Sinner had all that Time wherein he liued in sinne and in vaine haue all those now the same who continue therein and for all the time their soules haue remained idle within them notwithstanding that they haue profited as touching the world and reaped benefit thereby and enioy the vse of their strengthes powers for other works actions exercises and seruices but as for the principall end whereto GOD graunted the same which was that they should serue him as acknowledged Seneca at length when hee said Seneca That God created all other thinges of the world for the vse of humane body the body for the fiue senses and the Senses for the Soule and the soule to contemplate and loue the diuine Beauty All the Time they spend and wast sinfully or doe not imploy thēselues in thinges about the seruice of God is idle and vaine And yet for all that you will say that the King is busie or a Counsailour or some Officer or Minister c. But I will terme such a one an idle Christian a loyterer or idle workman in the house of God millions of persons do remaine in hell for their idle loytering in that kinde of Idlenesse who in their owne imagination thinke themselues greatly occupied in this world All houres spent and consumed in vnlawfull playes murmuration