some difference betweene thee and a booke T is Seneca his counsell Wherefore for conclusion of this part Reuerend Fathers and learned Brethren you that haue gone downe into the deepe you that haue searcht the secrets of diuine learning following truths to their last resolution into principles and chasing heresies to the first point of their deuiatiō deale with vs as your Fathers dealt with you as much is giuen vnto you bring out of your treasures you learned Scribes both new and old knowing for certaine that you shall instruct and incourage vs by our instruction and incouragement you shal increase your Talents in your selues for vnto him that hath shall be giuen and you shall double them in others I meane you shall commit what you know to faithfull men who shall be able to teach others also 2. Tim. 2.2 in that double increase you shall discharge that much which is required at your hands and so further your owne reckoning which is my second generall Onely for intimation of this account which serues my turne you may find that after the deliuery of the Talents Matth. 25. t was a long season indeed but at the length the Master of those seruants came and reckoned with them But in stead of all places that I should commend vnto you that commandement Luk. 16. Giue an account of thy Stewardship is most pregnant for my purpose though it be but a parable because it carrieth within it selfe the reason of a reckoning For when we consider that a Steward is no more then as the Lawyers describe him who are the onely competent Iudges both of the Terme and function 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A seruant which is woont to set foorth his Masters goods for aduantage or as that Church-Reeue is defined in the Code Oeconomus est cuires Ecclesiastica gubernanda mandatur Episcopi consensu He is a Steward to whose gouernment the goods of the Church are committed We may well conceiue that hee alwaies stands accountable wherefore whether hee bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they are called 1. Pet. 4. Steward or Dispenser of the grace of God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Erastus is termed Rom. vlt. Steward Chamberlaine or Receiuer of the City Minister or Magistrate the Talent that is giuen him is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 depositum or fidei commissum a matter of trust and confidence the deliuery of it but a bailement himself but a Steward his very name will bring him to the Audit and the nature of his office will call vpon him for a reckoning for as it is 1. Cor. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is required of a Steward that a man be found faithful 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word with this in my Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is barely askt or coldly demanded but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an intensiue particle it is required or exacted and so required if we vrge the extent of the word as things are required by an importunate disputer in the Scholes or a violent tormenter on the rack Whence it seemes there shall be an account in generall but because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much the last in the receit doth eccho backe againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much first in the account I shall by your fauour a while according to my promise follow the speciall proportions for heere is more then a generall account an account answerable and correspondent with the receit and that either in correspondency of duty that is exacted or for defect and in default of duty a correspondency in punishment that shal be executed in this sense I take it much shall bee required Our Lord and Master is not like Pharao or his cruell Task-masters denying straw and yet exacting the full number of the bricke no that was a slaunderous imputation of the euill seruant I knew that thou wast an hard man which reapest where thou sowedst not gatherest where thou strowest not Mat. 25. Yet when hee hath planted a Vine-yard and hedged it round about made a Wine-presse built a Tower and let it out to husband-men who can in equity denie that he may send for the fruits thereof As he hath filled Ioshuahs heart with his Spirit Deut. vlt. so we must looke that he will fill his hands likewise with businesse Ios 1. And if the Rubenites and Gadites bee serued in their possessions on this side Iordan before their brethren they must sustaine the brunt of the skirmish and goe in armes ouer Iordan before their brethren This it seemes the blessed Vessel of election applied to himselfe in his calling and therefore as grace had abounded vnto him so hee laboured more abundantly then they all Neither can I imagine how any man may handsomly shake off his conscience the great burden that great blessings will he nill he must needs impose vpon him both for the intent of the giuer wherein if the world doe not blind vs we may reade that old canonized rule beneficium propter of ficium the benefit is for the duty And also for that of Aristotle Eth. 5.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It behooueth the party gratified to be proportionably seruiceable to him that did him kindnesse and to begin againe So that euery good turne in nature is obligatorie whatsoeuer benefiteth ipso facto bindeth If this be an effect of free donations much more of donations in trust and therefore vnto whom much is giuen of him much shall be required And as much grace receiued asketh for much duty so you will all grant great duty neglected must needs bee great sinne in the receiuer When God had done what euer hee could vnto his Vineyard and the fruit was wild grapes Esay 5. the sin was aggrauated Among other things enbaunsing iudgement knowledge is not the least In this respect it is euident that the sinnes of the Iewes were greater caeteris paribus then the sinnes of the Gentiles of old for In Iury was God knowne he hath not dealt so with euery nation neither haue they knowne his iudgements And the sinnes of the Christian if other circumstances be matches are greater then the sinnes of the Iewes because vnto them he spake by the Prophets and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 part after part precept vpon precept now a little then a little then was there but an aspersion but vnto vs by his Sonne and Apostles that is fulfilled I will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh Ioel. 2. now there was an effusion And as the neglect of great duty implyeth great sinne so to conclude the prosecution of this proportion great sinne calleth for great punishment for answerable to the offence are the stripes Deut. 25.2 So are we come home at length to this our seruant the occasion of my Text who knew his Masters will and did it not and therefore shall bee beaten with many stripes he that knew it not shall be beaten with few But first he
seruant deserues who steales himselfe like Onesimus from his Master what will hee say but The whipping post or the house of correction What doth hee then deserue who changeth his God for them that are no gods There must be no whipping post for such a Renegado no house of correction for a Recusant Aske againe the Patrone of a Benefice what shal be done to him that embezels his neighbours goods Hanging he cries were too good for Felons What then shal bee done to him that robbes his God Mal. 3. in Tithes and Offrings Here he can see no Felonie This is a simple theft they call it Sacriledge Aske any man toucht in his good name whither he will send his reuiler He presently curses as if he meant to send him to hell Be it true or be it false Veritas conuitij non excusat conuitium The truth of the matter excuses not the guilt of the staunder hee therefore sweares no meane oathes hee will send him to the Consistorie Whither then shall hee goe who dishonours Gods Name That beares no action cursing and swearing inferres not any defamation Thus as in a throng it comes to passe that a man of lowest stature who kept least adoe is lifted vp aboue the shoulders of the taller made a laughing stocke So in the course of this world where sinnes of all sorts are pell mell confounded the least are many times exposed to most shame and censure A poore Sea-Captaine brought before great Alexander for Piracie confessed his fault and said Indeed I am a Pirat because I preyed vpon some poore Fishermen in a Cock-boate But if I had scowred the Seas as thou haft done and robd all the world with a Nauie and an Armie I had beene no Pirat I had beene an Emperour I wonder any wittie malefactor while hee is punished for pettie larcenie can escape application of this Historie Me thinkes hee should grant his fingers were to blame for a few trifling points of pidling theeueriâ— But if hee had robd the bowels of Gods people by giuing many Childrens bread in a deare yeare vnto dogges if hee had spoiled the Church of her right by Simonie God himselfe of his honour by blaspheming of his seruice by Sabbath-breaking he might haue beene some Iustice of Peace or some great landlord The cause of all that truth may be confessed and dissimulation confuted is we haue peruetted the degrees of all good duties we be louers of our sâ—lues more then louers of God we care not for God so much as we care for men which conclusion in carnest I haue heard vnhappily brought about out of iesting premises A seruant conuicted for misdemeanours before a Magistrate besought some fauour for his Masters sake Why Whom do you serue askt the Magistrate I serue God said the seruant With that his Mittimus was dispatcht the sooner for scoffing at authoritie Not long after a great Lord sends for enlargement of this his seruant and the Magistrate in all haste sent for the Prisoner of whom he demaunded in a rough and chiding accent why hee told him not that hee serued such a Lord The seruant answered Because I thought you cared more for the Lord of Heauen Some may smile peraduenture at the relation as too fabulous for this place Haec tamen vt res est ficta ita facta alia est I would to God too much matter of Fact in the World agreed not with this fiction But they who haue the soundest warrant not to respect the persons or feare the faces of men can no more withstand the arme of flesh in humane and worldly motiues then Israel the men of Ai while God forsooke them It is therefore high time for all true-hearted Ioshuaes to rent their cloathes fall downe and water the dust with teares and blubbering prayers Oh Lord what shall we say when Israel turne their backs When Elias who should call for fire from Heauen loses one sillable of his name turnes Eli and besprinkles his sonnes with such cold water It is not well and I heare no good report doe so no more when Samuel who should hew Agag in peeces relents with Saul sparing the fattest for a sacrifice O Lord what shall wee say when Magistrate and Minister the Israel of Israel turne their backs This we say Wee hope for aide from you right Honourable right Worshipfull whom God hath made Custodes vtriusque Tabulae Commissioners to enquire Iustices of Oier and Terminer to determine of offences belonging vnto both Tables as farre as they may be discouered And can you want in this case discouerie There are shops and houses and Tauernes euery where which professe their entertainment Aequa ibi libertas The Gamester and the Drunkard and the Whoremonger and among the rest which is most lamentable some crackt piece of broken Magistracie meete there and are reconciled with Haile fellow well met vpon equall termes in cursing swearing and blaspheming against the Lord. Now for the care of this Kingdome and Common-wealth cause these cursed Associations to be dissolued for the zeale of Gods House appoint these Dagons to bee defaced which out-braue the Arke of GOD For the loue of the Inhabitants command the signes to bee pulled downe before vengeance importuned by sinne pull downe their habitations or if they stand before the simpler sort of Gods Saints vexed with their profane resorts beginne to mutter in Cyprians words 2. Epist 2. Consensere iura peccatis cepit esse licitum quod publicum erat The Lawes consent vnto sinne and that beginnes to bee lawfull which was before common and customarie Not to perplex your attention with diuers interpretations following vpon the diuers both significations of a Noune and Coniugation of a Verbe in Hebrew nor yet to enlarge mine owne ground by resolution of iudgement into seuerall acts of iudiciarie proceeding from the summons to the sentence all which Lawyers deduce from Gods owne example in the first sinners conuiction but briefely to prosecute the different successe of sinne against a man and sinne against the Lord of the one it is heere pronounced The Iudge shall iudge it There can bee no societies amongst men without hope of indifferencie no hope of indifferencie where one man sinnes against an other without some satisfaction satisfaction may be sought many waies no way enforced but by iudgement To make a Iudge two conditions must concurre at the least the one outward Warrant or Commission the other inward inablement or sufficiencie For the former iudgement is not euery mans worke I confesse extraordinarie designes of Iustice the Scripture mentioneth Such as was that of Iael and Phineas without specification of warrant they had no doubt the substance of authoritie from priuate reuelation though they wanted the solemnities of authoritie from publike deputation The widdow in the Parable Luke 18. tooke the direct course in comming to the Iudge and saying Auenge me of mine aduersarie When they haue a matter saith Moses they come vnto me
reuerence begge of such that in arbitrary censures concerning voluntary iurisdictiō they would consider and beware of peremptory rashnes which at S. Ambrose his motion caused Theodosius his decree in the Code that there should be 30. daies respit betweene his sentence and execution but I turne my selfe willingly vnto you that are Iudges at home Masters of your owne families beseeching you by these mercies of God as you haue found the patience of a Master in heauen when in conscience you did not goe at his sending come at his calling nor do your duties at his cōmand among your couenant seruants rather spare where in equity you might haue punished then punish where with a little clemency you might haue spared walke before them in such innocent conuersation your selues that they may despaire of pardon for their offences and yet so pardon theirs as if your selues did offend continually They are your Apprentices that is Scholers vse them like Scholers giue faire meanes alwaies the preeminencie multiplie direction vpon direction instruction after instruction now a warning and then a threatning discharge not your whole authority like a peece of Ordinance which bruseth crusheth and breaketh into peeces or cuer it reporteth when words will not serue yet let not blowes come without weeping eies yerning bowels and melting hearts Qui fruitur poenâ ferus est leguinque videtur Vindictam praestare sibi Passion and precipitation may make mentall murder of a iust correction Betherefore mercifull as your heauenly Father is merciful vsing your power all that haue power for edification not for destruction for Saint Iames hath spoken it James 2.13 and the day of Iesus Christ shall make it true There shall be iudgement mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercy and mercy reioyceth against iudgement This viall of wrath hanging ouer the crowne of pride doth more euidently demonstrate their misery that are threatned for God which giueth his Husbandman discretion as you may reade in the end of this Chapter to beate out Fetches with a staffe not with a threshing instrument and Cummin with a rod not with a cart-wheele much more himselfe fitteth his menaces to the merits of his people neuer thundering out a woe vpon them whose present estate is not already wofull The punishment is added I confesse as a reason not for that it should giue the being but because it should work the feeling of their misery then euen then before Samaria was takē whilest the Prophet cried from the time they begā to be sinful they began to be miserable Take away sins my brethren outward things haue lost their stings punishments are no punishments but gentle corrections plagues no plagues but gracious visitations deaths no deaths but blessed changes and in a good cause glorious martyrdomes Omnis paena peccatipoenaest All punishment is the punishment of sin Admit againe of sinnes you must needs admit of calamities calamities vpon your persons If I haue done wickedly woe vnto mee Iob 10. Calamities vpon the Church Woe now vnto vs that we haue sinned Lament 5.10 Calamities vpon the Common-wealth for sinne is a shame vnto the people some reade it the peoples misery Prou. 14. One part of mans vnhappines consisteth in a woe priuatiue the want of Gods gracious coūtenance so is it said of Ephraim Of. 9.72 Woe to them when I depart from them which is strait vpon mans departure from him plainly to be seene in the 59. of this Prophecy Esay 59.2 Your iniquities haue separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare Reprobates and castawaies ordained to condemnation like Owles that cannot see till night come seldome perceiue this woe before they depart into that vtter darknesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth only the children of light are mightily distressed in this life by spirituall desertions and Ecclipses of grace when their body hath been for a time interposed betwixt their soules and the Lord of life Therefore as Archimedes that peerelesse Mathematician after his braines had been hammering about a difficult conclusion leaped and daunced and cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue found it I haue found it The children of God when hunger hath been their best sauce and want of feeling hath increased their feeling after recouery spring and exult reioycing and singing with ioy vnspeakable and glorious Hee is come hee is come our soules haue found him whom our soules doe loue The second part of mans vnhappinesse is a woe positiue a captiuitie which far surpasseth the captiuity foretold in this place Isai 5.18 Woe to them that draw iniquity with cords of vanity and sinne as with cart-ropes Salomon giueth the reason Prou. 5. His owne iniquities shall take the wicked himselfe and he shall bee holden with the cords of his owne sinne God helpe the man thus held thus entangled this is a case wherein a King may be pitied by a Galley-slaue Miserabilis seruitus a miserable bondage saith Aug. tract 14. vpon Iohn for other seruants haue their remedies but what shall the seruant of sinne doe whither shall hee flie or how can he change his Master Se trahit quocunque fugit He drawes himselfe along whither soeuer he flieth Not to mention them whose naturall hardnesse of heart is confirmed in euill by voluntary customes so that their seared consciences being past feeling can as easily dispense with the hardest offences as an Ostriges stomake can digest the hardest Iron Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum What more miserable then that miserable man which hath no commiseration vpon himself Many men now adaies apprehend a Woe but when when their counsels of pride and couetousnes be crost and their hands haue not power to practise by day that wickednesse which their heads haue imagined by night like Ahab and Haman they mourne for their parts in their closets as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the vally of Megiddon and will not bee comforted because they iudge it a death that they cannot bee suffered to die a hell that the gates of hell are shut against them whereas euery such arrest should aduise them to cast vp their arrerages and when the Lord staies their iourneies as hee staied Sauls and Balaams it should concerne them to grow iealous of those enterprises wherein they meet so strange impediments whether their abilities be hindred by the shortning of their owne armes or the strengthening of others or their wills hindred by reasons drawne from dishonesty disprofit or impossibility whether their religion hath been hindred by the feare of God or their infirmity by the spirit of God or their ignorance by the word of God for so manifold and more manifold is Gods wisedome in hindring the sinnes of men howsoeuer whensoeuer against whomsoeuer the Lord hath stopt their wayes or made an hedge about them downe they should fall vpon their knees in secret and lifting vp their hearts imitat the ground of S.