his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made marueilous in all them that beleeue Abraham in his conference which hee had with the rich Glutton tormented in hell speaketh to this purpose when he said Remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines Luke 16 25. now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented The fourth reason standing for a proofe may be drawne from Christs glory that as he was dishonoured at his first comming in the flesh wonderfully abased disgraced and humbled so at his second comming hee shall appeare in glorie Matth. 25.31 The fift reason which the ancient Father setteth down in stead of a proofe is probable and it is taken from the Rainbow in which are two colours ceruleus seu aqueus color purpureus seu igneus color The gray and watrie colour and the purple or fiery colour Ceruleus seu aqueus color indicat mundum aquis diluvij perijsse eo modo nunquam deinceps deleturum iri That is the gray or watry colour doth shew that the world perished with the waters of the Flood and neuer after shall be destroyed after that manner That is proued Gen. 9. where it is said That God set the Rainbow in the skie as a true externall signe that the earth shall neuer be ouerflowne againe with the waters of a Floud Now the other colour purpureus seu igneus color significat mundum deinceps in extremo iudicio igne transiturum That is to say The purple or fierie colour doth shew vnto vs that the world hereafter in the last Iudgement shall passe away and be purged with fire And this is proued and will fall out true 2. Pet. 3.7 The sixt is the horrible promulgation of the Law in mount Sinai in thundring lightning and flames of fire threatning most horrible punishment to the offendours and inforce withall the maledictions and tortures denounced in the same against all impenitent persons and infidels which doth proue that there is a day of Iudgement and account For whereas these wicked ones rather flourish here then receiue punishment there must needes bee a iudgement and account taken of these delinquents and another life that those things that God hath spoken may take true effect that the fulfillers of the Law which are the faithfull in Christ may haue life and the impenitent transgressours death eternall For the Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptation 2. Pet. 2.9 and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement for to bee punished And according to this a mans conscience doth minister many times feare or hope vnto him according as his deedes haue beene Ouid. Fast pri Conscia mens vt cuiquè sua est ita concipit intra Pectora pro meritis spemque metumque suis Lastly diuers signes and tokens of the last Iudgement which were foretold of the Prophets of Christ and the Apostles that should goe before this Day and time of account are accomplished And therefore there is a day of Iudgement and an account 1. Pet. 4.7 Mat. 24.33 and it is at hand These predictions and foresignes are most set downe Math. 24. where it is shewed that there shall be many false Christs and false prophets many heresies errours and sects Which we see to be true not onely among the Romanists and Rhemists but euen the more is the pitie many sectaries and factious persons arise among our selues Againe we haue had warres and rumours of warres Moreouer there haue beene famines pestilences and earthquakes and that within our times that are now liuing wee need not seeke for further proofes nor examples for if wee would we might haue many To speake of signes in the Sunne Moone or Starres coldnesse of charitie and the rest would make me too tedious therefore I will leaue them and many other foretellings as apparent truthes already fulfilled and yeelded vnto of all them that are true and settled Christians Onely let me begge of you that are Readers of this Treatise to hearken to the vse of my doctrine wherein I will be so briefe that my beginning and end shall almost be knit together First this doctrine auaileth to confute Epicures and Atheists and mockers of this doctrine of Christes comming to Iudgement to take this accompt who say as the Apostle hath 2. Pet. 3. Where is the promise of his comming For since the Fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the Creation 2. Epist 3. These the Apostle ouerthroweth by two reasons First in that the false mockers say that all things continue alike since the Creation hee proueth it to be false by the Floud in the daies of Noah Verse 5. For this they know not saith he and that wilfully how that the heauens were of old and the earth consisting of the water and by the water by the Word of God by the which thing the world that then was perished being then ouerrunne with water Secondly he sheweth the manner of the purging of the world in the day of Iudgement by fire saying But the heauens and the earth which are now be kept by his Word in store and reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgement and perdition of vngodly men Therefore all things haue not neither will continue alwaies alike and yet these wicked Atheists as heretofore so still perseuere in their wicked course of life and incourage one another to securitie and pleasures Esa 56.12 they say Come let vs take wine and we will fill our selues with strong drinke and to morrow shal be as this day Wisdom 2. and much more abundant They say Come and let vs enioy the pleasures that are present and let vs cheerfully vse the creatures as in youth let vs fill our selues with costly wine and oyntments and let not the flower of life passe by vs. Let vs crowne our selues with Rose-buds before they be withered Let vs be partakers of our wantonnesse let vs leaue some tokens of our pleasures in euery place for that is our portion and this is our lot These men liue rocked and lulled in the cradle of securitie as though there were no death certaine no account to bee made no hell at all Which thing the Poet lamented when he said euen mournfully Eheu sic viuunt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Et veluti infernus fabula vana foret Heb. 9.27.28 But let these men consider that as it is in holy Writ it is appointed to all men to die once and after death commeth iudgement and that the carelesse and bad Steward must come to reckoning And as the Wise man hath God will call man to account for all these things for all these fooleries and sinnes Secondly this doctrine auaileth to comfort the godly afflicted Erit olim viciscitudo there wil once be a change Their sorrow will once bee turned into ioy eternall All teares once shall be
the Psalmist truely said Our Lord will come and will not keep silence And the time also will come that euery mans worke shall be made manifest 2. Cor. 3. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Tim. 3. And the Lord will lighten the hidden things of darknesse and open the counsels of the heart and then the madnes of the wicked shall be manifested to all men This doctrine teacheth vs that the time will come when all things shall be made knowne although Satan in the meane time worke neuer so cunningly to deceiue men and sets counterfet colours and false shewes vpon euery sinfull action of man being more skilfull herein then any Dyer is in setting colours vpon his cloth For wee haue but few Dyers that can set any Dye or colour vpon a cloth and please the owner in the colour that he hath most minde vnto the Diuell can doe it in suggesting sinne to a wicked man First he plūmeth soundeth findeth mans nature vnto what sinne he is most inclined and offereth the same sinne vnto man and then he sets another colour vpon the same sinne As for example if a man is inclined to adultery and vncleannesse hee calleth the same touches and prankes incident to youth and couetousnesse he calleth honest prouision for a mans selfe and his Cyprian saith Diabolus quando decipere quenquam quaerit priùs naturam vniuscuiusque intendit inde applicat vnde aptum hominem ad peccandum inspexerit that is When the Diuell goeth about to deceiue any man first he findeth out his nature and then ministreth vnto him that sinne whereunto he findes him most inclined Gen. 3.5 6. When the Diuell went about to deceiue our first Parents he told them that they should be as gods knowing but good and euill pretending friendship vnto them and offering a pleasant fruit withall 2. Sam. 11. Dauid hee deceiued with his pleasing sinne wantonnesse Ahab vvith couetousnesse Pharaoh his heart hee hardened with lying words The Heathens with vniuersalities and antiquities To conclude no shifts no crafts no deceits but they are knowne vnto him and put in practice by him and in the cunningest fashion that may be How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee These words as I said doe also teach that the Lord is displeased with the sinnes of a bad Steward a wicked and sinfull man For they secretly and openly doe include and carry a kinde of reprehension and increpation as though hee should say Why hast thou dealt falsely in thy Stewardship and gotten thee so ill a report Thou are worthy to be blamed for thy perfidiousnesse and treacherie The consideration whereof should make vs to flee from sinne and wickednes as from the sting and poison of a Serpent For who would perpetrate commit those things which displease his Lord and Master The Psalmograph saith The Lord doth abhorre both the bloud-thirsty and deceitfull man Againe hee saith I hate the sinnes of vnfaithfulnesse there shall no such cleaue vnto me These foure things may perswade vs that God most perfectly hateth sinne and all manner of naughtinesse 1. Comminations and threatnings in the Scriptures 2. Sinne breaketh friendship between God and Man 3. God neuer made sinne hee neuer procured it he desireth it not nor alloweth it 4. The Lords punishments inflicted vpon sinners As touching the first the Lords threatnings and comminations wee may easily perswade our selues that God detesteth sinne because he so horribly and fearfully thundereth out most dreadfull sentences against sinners such as these Mat. 3.10 Now also is the Axe put to the roote of the Trees therefore Euery Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewne downe Ezek. 8.4 and cast into the fire Againe The soule that sinneth Rom 6. Rom. 2.9 shall dye the death And that saying of Paul The reward of sinne is death Tribulation and anguish shall bee vpon the soule of euery one that doth euill All which and many other such terrible sayings are true and in force against all impenitent faithlesse persons Secondly sinne breaketh friendship betweene God and Man and therefore must needs be most displeasing vnto God If two are deare friends and loue one another entirely and are loth to liue at variance If these fall at variance then we make no doubt but that that which breaketh friendship is most displeasing vnto him which forsaketh his old friend Now God is most louing kinde gracious and mercifull vnto man till sinne doth domineere and raigne in his body and then man breaking and treacherously dealing sinning and offending his God there is a present separation Esai 59.1 2 3. as Esay doth testifie Behold saith he the hand of the Lord is not so shortned but that it can saue nor his eare so dull but that it can heare But your iniquities doe make a separation betweene you and your God and your sinnes doe make him to hide his face from you and not heare for your hands are defiled with bloud and your fingers with cruelty your lips do speake that which is false and your tongue doth speake frowardnesse Note I beseech you the cause of the breach of friendship and falling out betweene God and the people Their sinnes their iniquities This is also proued by those speeches that Samuel vsed to Saul 1. Sam. 15.23 Thou hast said he cast away the words of the Lord therefore the Lord hath cast away thee Where it is proued that the cause of Sauls abiection was his owne wilfull reiection of God and his Word first Thirdly God neuer made sinne For he saw all things that he had made loe they were very good Gen. 1.31 He approueth it not nor alloweth the perpetration of it but threatneth destruction to the Lyer and Doer of wickednes For his heart abhorreth such Psal 5.4 5 6. where the Prophet speaketh vnto God thus Thou art not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euill dwell with thee The foolish shall not stand in thy sight for thou hatest all them that worke iniquity Thou shalt destroy them that speake lyes Psal 92.15 the Lord will abhorre the bloudy man and deceitfull As hee is righteous and void of iniquitie So hee alloweth righteousnesse and hateth sinne in euery place and person Fourthly the iust iudgements and punishments which GOD inflicteth vpon the wicked for sinne manifestly proue that he is displeased with the same Hee spared not Dauid a King and a Prophet for Adultery and Murther neither the Sichemites and Beniamites for rauishing Dina the Daughter of Iacob nor Absalom for treason nor Saul for tyrannie nor Rehoboam Iereboam Sennacherib for cruelty Herod Nebuchadnezzar Lucifer for pride Pharaoh for incredulitie and hardnesse of his heart Hee pardoned not Adam and Eua for eating a forbidden fruit and making by the same all mankinde sinners by tainture but cast them out of Paradise he spared not the poore wretch for gathering stickes on the Sabbath day Hee spared not Ananias and Saphira for lying
to be put to torments and cruell death In like maner shall it bee with the Elect and Reprobate faithfull and vnfaithfull the godly and the wicked at this generall and great Assize both shall arise out of their close prison I meane their Graues but the one sort to be euer with the Lord and to be euer in a continuall ioyfull practice ministring praises and Songs of Thanksgiuing saying Saluation and glory and honour bee to the Lord our God c. Math. 25. The other to bee banished from the presence of the Lord and to bee finally adiudged to euerlasting fire and torments Therefore O godly man hold on and goe forward in a godly course of life Thou shalt haue comfort and ioy at the last euen a solace sempiterne and perpetuall For eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man 1. Pet. 1.4 what good things the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him and the inheritance of Gods Children is incorruptible vndefiled and neuer fadeth away But if thou art a wicked man and hast walked in the broad way that leadeth to destruction and continuest in thy wicked life without repentance then thou shalt rise in the last Day but to iudgement to torment to bee cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where are paines endlesse Luke 16. caselesse and remedilesse Looke to the example of the rich Glutton At this day and time of account Kings Queenes Princes Earles Barons and Baronets Knights Esquires Gentlemen Yeomen rich and poore young and old all one as well as another shall bee demanded how they haue occupied their Talents as wee may gather by the Parable Mat. 25. The Virgins that expect the Bridegroome with Oyle and Lampes prepared shall be blessed The wicked shall be sifted with straight examination and shall giue an account of a thousand matters whereof they would haue scorned to haue been told of in this life by Minister or Magistrate as how they haue spent their time whether they haue fought against the world the Flesh and the Diuell Of which and many other things they must giue an account of The sinners Tryall yea of euery idle word And heere wee are to note that as when persons are tryed at our Assizes vpon matters of life and death there are vsually accusers and witnesses written and printed Lawes and Bookes by which men are tryed for no man is condemned vpon a bare accusation without testimonie some apparant proofe or at leastwise some great probabilitie that cannot bee spoken against and the breach of the some branch of the Lawes So the Scriptures speaking after the manner of men proue that there shal be both accusers and witnesses against a false Steward a wicked man at this great Assize The accusers are a mans owne thoughts after which sort the thoughts of the Gentiles are said to accuse them or excuse them Rom. 2.15 16. at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ A mans wicked thoughts then are sinnes and vnlesse a man repent him of them deserue death And therefore Peter bad Simon Magus pray to God if perhaps the thoughts of his heart may bee forgiuen him And for this cause our Sauiour speaking of an euill heart saith that out of it proceede euill thoughts Mat. 15.19 from these wicked thoughts come many euill and wicked words whereof the sinner must giue an account yea Mat. 12.36 many sinnes and wickednesses that shall correct a man and many turnings backe that shall reprooue him Ier. 2.19 Our thoughts therefore may well bee said to accuse vs at this day of reckoning And here it is strange to see how wonderfully worldly men are deceiued in this point they will say Thought is free as though it were lawfull for them to thinke at pleasure without sinning or punishment It is true that man may thinke what he will freed from mans knowledge and punishment For as it is true that no man knoweth the thoughts of man so it is as true that no man can iustly inflict punishment vpon man for his thoughts for he knoweth not them Onely God the searcher of the hearts and reynes knoweth mans thoughts and punisheth them if they are wicked and that deseruedly For euill thoughts defile man Mat. 15.19 20. and therefore worthily are condemned Zech. 8.17 The witnesses against man are foure 1. God 2. Heauen and Earth 3. Rust of the Gold and Siluer of wicked rich men 4. A mans Conscience First God is a witnesse who knoweth all things yea the very secrets of the heart therefore the truest and best witnesse This is proued Malachy 3.5 Mal. 3.5 I will said he come neere to you in iudgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the Southsayers and against the Adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages and vex the widdow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not mee saith the Lord. This righteous Lord and true witnesse will set before mans face the things that hee hath done Hee vvill bring to light the hidden things of darknes make manifest the counsels of the heart that euery one that thinketh well and doth well may haue praise of God and he that thinketh not well Math. 25. nor doth well may bee cast into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Deut. 4.26 The second witnesse Heauen and earth The Lord saith to Israel when thou shalt beget children and childrens children and shalt haue remained long in the land if yee corrupt your selues and make any grauen image or likenesse of any thing and worke euill in the sight of the Lord thy God to prouoke him to anger I call Heauen and Earth to record against you this day that yee shall shortly perish from the land whereunto ye goe ouer Iordan to possesse it yee shall not prolong your dayes therein but shall vtterly bee destroyed The like place we haue Deut. 30.19 Deut. 30.19 Where the Lord calleth Heauen and Earth to witnesse against them saying that he had set before them life and death a blessing and a curse and bids them chuse life that they may liue with their seed Beloued Christians let vs take heed what we doe heere on the earth For our sayings doings are knowne and seene from aboue and the earth vpon which our sinnes are committed can beare witnesse of the same against vs if our words and deeds are euill Thirdly the rust of the gold and siluer of couetous worldlings shall be a witnesse against them which hath beene layd vp till it rusted for want of vsing and well employing to the vse of the poore And as their gold and siluer is eaten vp and fretted with rust so they for not vsing their treasure well shall be eaten vp and deuoured with the fire of hell that is they shall be tormented with euerlasting flames
commaunded the cruell seruant himselfe his wife and children and all that hee had to be sold Math. 18. inflicting the punishment not onely vpon himselfe but also vpon his wife and children Therefore let men be not vniust and cruell but true and mercifull for as the holy father hath August Sola misericordia est comes defunctorum Onely mercy accompanieth the dead That a man shall carry away with him and God in his mercy will reward mercy Fourthly men play the bad Stewards when they receiue the Lords goods and lay them not out according to his will but spend them vnlawfully wilfully and wastfully for which they are culpable and accusable as this bad Steward was The idolatrous person layeth out his riches vpon superstitious workes as Ahab and Iezabel The quarrelsome man layeth out his goods vpon vnnecessary suites of law hindering himselfe and his neighbours as the Corinthians did The vncleane person in chambering and wantonnesse as Sardanapalus and Absalon liuing altogether in carnalitie The Epicure and belly God in faring deliciously euery day as the rich Glutton Gamâ—ters in gaming as Octauius Augustus To conclude euery one which layeth out his goods in idle superfluous and vngodly courses of life playeth the parts of an vnthrifty and vnfaithfull seruant as the prodigall sonne And if a Preacher Magistrate or other Officer rebuke any of these for their vnfaithfull dealing and prodigall swaggering they will say What haue they to doe with vs we wast and spend but our owne money and goods building vpon a base ground for no man is Lord and proper owner of his wealth but onely a Steward for a time to the high Lord of all And as a great mans Bayliffe and Steward on earth ought to lay out the goods of his Master as he commandeth and must render an account how he doth it euen so must euery man being made a Steward in this farme the world employ the talents and gifts which he receiueth as the Lord of Lords the high Master of all commandeth and shall render an account as hereafter followeth The second Farme or Mannor-house wherein man a Steward vnder this rich man God is to be employed and which he ought carefully to looke vnto is his owne body the goods whereof as health power and strength are to be employed to the honour of God to supply our owne necessary occasions 1. Cor. 6. and to helpe our neighbour in all godly and honest affaires This Farme ought to be well and cleanly kept that it may be a fit dwelling Place and Temple of the holy Ghost for if wee will adorne our houses decke them sweepe them and euery way as much as in vs lyeth make them hansome and commodious for a great earthly person much more should wee haue a care to preserue from pollution and keepe cleane our owne bodies because they are the houses of the holy Ghost and further to giue our members instruments of righteousnesse vnto God Rom. 6.13 and to offer vp our bodies a quicke sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God Rom. 12.1 This Farme a good Steward should carefully looke vnto lest death should enter through the ports and gates thereof to the soule and worke the destruction thereof which ports and gates I will set open vnto you making as much haste as the Porter doth when his Master waiteth for him at the gate The ports and gates of the body are these fiue Hearing Seeing Talking Tasting and Touching Which gates should be heedfully watched that nothing goe in or out but that which pleaseth the Lord for as a great earthly man hath a Porter to keepe his gates that no lewd filthy nor contagious person should enter in to pollute his house or infect his people and so procure danger or death vnto theÌ„ or otherwise disorder himselfe Euen so euery Christian man should looke to the gates and doores of his body lest sinne enter in by them and death follow to the subuersion of body and soule The first port and gate of the body is the care the proper organ and instrument of hearing it is the mouth of the soule which giues it nourishment and sendeth downe foode into it and which makes it liuely and fructifie in all the rest of mans members Mans eares should be open to heare good things Reuel 2. Math. 13. as the Word as our Sauiour would haue vs and the Prophet Esay verse 3. exhorteth vs so to doe shewing the vtilitie thereof saying Incline your cares and draw neere Heare and your soule shall liue This word is the sincere milke whereby our soules are nourished and receiue their spirituall growths it is a lanterne to carry light 1. Pet. 2.2 and to direct it is a medicine to heale a guide to conduct a bit to restraine a sword to defend water to wash fire to inflame salt to season wine to reioyce raine to refresh a treasure to inrich a key to vnlocke heauen gates vnto vs and by the merits of Christ Iesus to let vs into an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not away Now beloued seeing that mans eares are the instruments vessels to receiue this Word let vs study to keepe them cleane and open to receiue the Word 1. Cor. 15. Moenan but shut this gate against al blasphemous speeches slanderous and filthy talking for euill words corrupt good manners The second port of the body is the eye which must not let in bad sights it must not couetously looke on his neighbours goods lands or liuings 1. King 21. as Ahab did on poore Naboths vineyard nor wantonly looke on his neighbours wife as Dauid did vpon the wife of Vrie 2. Sam. 11. This caused Iesus the sonne of Sirach in his ninth chapter verse eight to say Turne away thy eyes from a beautifull woman looke not vpon others beauty for many haue perished by the beauty of women for through it loue is kindled as a fire What harmes enter in by this gate it may appeare by the example of Putiphar his Lady and wife Gen. 39. who steadily beholding the beauty of Ioseph after many dayes at the last said Come lye with mee Let vs therefore take heed of wanton looking sinfull lusting and vngodly committing of sinne and wickednesse The third port and gate which letteth in sinne and death to the soule is talking out of the mouth executed by the tongue This should not be filthy nor foolish Ephes 5.4 Col. 3 8. Ephes 4.29 but good to edifie withall that it may minister grace to the hearers The tongue is the best member that a man hath if it be in tune in good order but the worst member if it is out of order And therefore Anacharsis being demanded what was the best member of a man and what the worst The people looking for a double answere vnto a double question He spake in one word and said The tongue for the former reasons Therefore the Poet said Est vitae pariter
is downe as Wolues Dogs Kites Crowes and such like doe vpon a Sheepe that lyes in a Ditch and is not able to rise But this dangerous and hurtfull sore is commonly bred and maintained by the inferiour sort of Lawiers who wringing out matter from poore silly men bring it vp out of the countrey to the better sort of Lawyers and worke them to vndertake businesses concealing the truth many times from them which these good Lawyers whereof God be thanked we haue great store learned and godly skilfull in our Lawes would neuer vndertake if the truth at the first were deliuered vnto them O God giue them knowledge of the truth and righteous causes and make them maintainers and followers of the same Amen Husbandmen Artificers Trades-men and all other workemen of occupation and labourers whatsoeuer are Stewards and ought trustily and not deceitfully diligently and not idly labour and take paine early and late lest pouerty come vpon them as one that trauelleth and necessity like an armed man Prou. 6.11 Prou. 6. He that will not worke in Haruest shall want at Christmas The very Bees and Emmets by the instinct of nature labor diligently in Summer 1. Tim. 5.8 to prouide for Winter So should poore labourers do to prouide for them and theirs that they may not proue worse then Infidels A slothfull hand saith Salomon maketh poore Prou. 10.4 but the hand of the diligent maketh rich He that gathereth in Summer is a wise sonne but hee that sleepeth in Haruest is the sonne of confusion Let euery man therefore in his place shew himselfe a good Steward that he may eate the labours of his hands Psal 128. which is a blessed thing and then hee may eate with a good conscience Salomon gaue good counsell Prou. 5.15 when he said Drinke the waters of thine owne cisterne and of the Riuers out of the mids of thine owne Well Get thee goods with thine own honest labours and then eate with thanksgiuing but if thou art idle 2. Thes 3.11 12. and labourest not the Apostle thinketh thee vnworthy to eate The Heathens did hold that no good thing could be had without labour and paines taking and therefore spake of vertue and knowledge thus Virtutem posuere dij sudore parandam Non iacet in molli venerandae scientia lecto Ipsa sed assiduo parta labore venit Man must depend vpon God yet vse the meanes and he will giue a blessing Our Sauiour Christ Iesus could haue giuen fish vnto Peter without casting out his net but he would not to teach him and the Church that is to say all the faithfull by his example Luk. 5. to labour and to vse the meanes Vse 1 This doctrine teacheth vs that all men of what Profession Trade or occupation soeuer they are of are Stewards vnder the high God are seruants or at least-wise ought to be so vnto God and therefore must needes serue labour and not loyter and then they shall better auoide the baites and snares of Satan for the Diuell hath neuer so fit opportunitie to sow Tares among the Wheat Math. 13. as when men are asleepe carelesse and idle for then hee hatcheth and breedeth many vices in vs for like as in a standing water wormes are ingendred and bred and not in a sweet and swift current So likewise in an idle and not in a labouring body many idle and euill thoughts are bred and fostered In which lamentable estate as long as man lyeth in he is in the Diuels seruice he is the Diuels labourer as Bernard writeth vpon the Canticles saying Qui in labore hominum honesto non sunt in labore profectó daemonum erunt that is in effect as if he should say Men that are loyterers are the Diuels labourers Rom. 6. and what is the wages and pay of the Diuell Death and destruction the wages of all sinne The Crab-fish as Plinie saith when he seeth the Oyster lye gaping against the Sunne-beames priuily stealeth vpon him and putteth a pibble into the mouth of the Oyster and so getteth out the fish and leaueth nothing behind him but the shell good for nothing So likewise when we lie idle rocked and lulled in the cradle of securitie the Diuell stealeth into vs getteth away our hearts and destroyeth our soules and leaues nothing but a body subiect to sinne which he also will haue at the last 2. A man that laboureth shall thereby the better be able with a good conscience to prouide for himselfe and his family without making false reckonings to deceiue his Master as this false steward did 3. A painfull man shall the better be able to relieue and helpe others and this is a Christian mans duty for as Plato de legibus hath Non solùm nobis sumus nati sed partem patria partem parentes partem amici vendicant that is to say We are borne onely for our selues but our Countrey claimes part for her own our parents part and our friends part We must doe good to all but chiefely to the household of faith Wee must doe good to all I say yea euen to our enemies that hate vs following the example of our heauenly Father who letteth his Sunne to shine and the raine to fall vpon the good mans ground and the bad And this must a man doe with his true gotten goods for the gift that is giuen being truly gotten maketh the almes more pleasing to God 4. This sheweth the true end wherefore God maketh men rich Stewards and deliuereth them his goods not that they should lay them vp and doe no good with them nor put their trust in them nor keepe them basely nor spend them wastfully sinfully but that they should gladly distribute them according to the good pleasure of the chiefe Owner God to the benefiting of the Church Gods faithfull people for as a sheepe beareth a fleece of wooll not for himselfe but for the necessitie and benefit of men Euen so the gifts of God which he giueth either spirituall or temporall we are not to keepe onely for our selues but to supply the necessities and wants of others for so the Apostle teacheth vs 1. Pet. 4.10 saying As euery man hath receiued the gift let him minister the same one to another at good disposers of the manifold graces of God Wee as feeling members one of another ought to relieue and support one another for as the Stagges when they swimme ouer a great riuer to feed in some meddow swimme all on a row and lay their heads one ouer anothers backe carrying the waight of one anothers hornes and when the first is weary another takes his roome and so doe it by course Euen so must we doe beare one anothers burthen helping and doing good one to another til we haue passed the troublesome waues of this world and are come to the hauen of eternall saluation Then shall we approue our selues good Stewards good seruants to our high Master the Lord God
wiped from their eyes When we are in extremity let vs consider yea and comfort our selues with that consolation which the Lord gaue to the Church of Philadelphia Reuel 3.11 12. saying Behold I come shortly and so hee comforted the other Churches And the like ioy and consolation may we all conceiue in all our tribulations and miseries Let vs euer consider that the Lord will come quickly and that he that endureth temptation is blessed and shall at the last receiue the crowne of glorie Iames 1.12 which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him The third vse We should by the knowledge and remembrance of this day keepe vs in the feare of God and care to doe our duties 1. Epist 4.7 8. And this Saint Peter teacheth vs to doe saying The end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watching in prayer But aboue all things haue feruent loue among you for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes The same Apostle declaring the fearefulnelsse of this day 2. Pet. 3. to wit how it shall come as a theefe in the night and that the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp maketh this vse thus concluding of his former doctrines Seeing therefore Verse 11. that all these things must be dissolued what manner persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlines c As though he should say You ought to be most religious most godly of a most pure life and conuersation Verse 14. And me thinkes we should haue a care to be most holy without spot and vndefiled euen blamelesse because wee shall at that day stand before the righteous and vncorrupt Iudge and shall stand openly in the sight of the holy Angels S. Augustine writing vpon these words Reu. 20.12 And I saw the dead both small and great stand before God c. hath these words Rogo vos fratres vt quotidiè cogitemus quales esse debemus in die iudicij purissimis Angelorum conspectibus offerendi aeterno Iudici rationem de libris conscientiae reddituri that is O brethren I beseech you let vs consider what maner of persons we ought to be in the last day of iudgement that shall be presented to the most pure sight of Angels and that shall render an account to the most high Iudge of the bookes of our conscience It seemed that the good Father kept himselfe in good order in the feare of God and in his Christian dutie with the daily cogitation of this Day and serious meditation how to make a good reckoning at the last day and that hee exhorted others to the like vigilance and carefulnesse Hierom reporteth Tract 5. cap. 3. that whatsoeuer he did he alwaies bore in mind this Day and thought that he was going to Iudgement Siue comedam siue hibam siue aliquid aliud agam semper videtur vox illa sonare in auribus Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium that is to say Whether I eate or drinke or doe any thing else me thinkes I alwaies heare this speech ring in my eares Rise ye dead and come to Iudgement and so by this meanes he kept himselfe in awe and refreinad to commit sinne and wickednesse As the Lord would haue vs to know that there is a day of iudgement for his owne glory our owne comfort the confutation of Epicures and Atheists and to keepe vs in our duties so he hath concealed from vs the certaine time when it shall be as it may be proued out of the sacred Scriptures these two wayes 1. By plaine sayings and sentences 2. By Parables or similitudes Mat. 24.42 First by plaine speeches such as these Watch for yee know neither the day nor the houre when the Sonne of man will come Mat. 25.13 Againe Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the Master of the house will come at euen or at midnight at the cocke crowing or in the dawning lest if he come suddenly hee should find you sleeping And those things that I say vnto you I say vnto all men Mar. 13.35 Watch. Note the words Watch ye therefore for ye know not the day nor the houre c. And to this purpose speaketh Saint Augustine Epist 78. writing to Hesychius Tempora computare hoc est CHRONOS vt sciamus quando sit huius saeculi finis vel aduentus Domini nihil mihi aliud videtur quà m scire velle quod Christus ait Scire neminem That is to say To count times that is to know the seasons when shall be the end of this world or the comming of the Lord this seemeth to me that a man is willing to know no other thing but that which Christ saith No man shall know And why should a man diue into the Lords secrets which hee is not willing to reueale vnto vs Act. 1.7 and which it is not expedient for vs to know Our Sauiour said vnto the Apostles Mark 13. It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Hee hath not reuealed this secret to Man nor Angell Math. 24.36 Secondly this is proued by Parables as of the ten Virgins that went to meet the Bridegroome these slept Mat. 25. and suddenly at midnight when they looked not for him there was a cry that the Bridegroome came and these words were vttered Goe out to meet him Note the words I beseech you and sodainly at midnight when they looked not for him This proueth that the Lords comming to Iudgement shall be sudden and that hee shall finde the vvicked ones secure and carelesse Againe the Parable of the Talents doth admonish vs to be watchfull because the day and time of the Lords comming to take an account is vncertaine and vnknowne For as the deliuerer of the Talents going into a strange Countrey gaue the receiuers of them a charge to occupy them till he came and did not tell when he would come but yet after a long season came to reckon with them and to call them to account and to reward them in his mercy according to their seuerall imployments Euen so our Sauiour beeing gone as it were into a strange countrey into Heauen where he neuer was in body before hath deliuered vnto sundry and seuerall persons excellent gifts which he would haue them vse to his glory and the good of his Church and hee will come after a season he telleth not when and therefore no man knoweth the time to take a strict account of all the receiuers of them The sodainenesse and vncertaintie of his comming 1. Thes 5.2 Reu. 16.15 Luk. 17.24 is compared to the comming of a Thiefe which giues no warning to lightening that giues a sodaine flash and lighteneth out of the one part vnder Heauen and shineth vnto the other part vnder