of fire This doth Iames teach vs saying Iam. 5.1 2 3. Goe to now ye rich men weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you your riches are corrupt and your garments are moth-eaten your gold and siluer is cankred and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire Ye haue heaped vp treasures for the last dayes How foolish then are greedie couetous men Rom. 1. which heape vp wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God Mat. 5. How much better were it for them to lay vp treasures not vpon earth where the rust and moth doth corrupt and where theeues breake thorow and steale but rather to lay vp treasures in heauen where neither rust nor moth doth corrupt and where theeues doe not breake thorow nor steale Fourthly a mans conscience shall witnesse with him or against him as the Apostle doth testifie Rom. 2. speaking thus of the Gentiles When the Gentiles saith he which haue not the Law doe of nature the things conteined in the Law they hauing not the Law are a law vnto themselues which shew the effect of the Law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witnesse and their thoughts accusing one another or excusing at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to my Gospel Note I beseech you the Apostles words He saith That the conscience of the Gentiles shall beare witnesse and he telleth when she shall doe this to wit when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ meaning the day of Iudgement But that I may speake more plainely note I beseech you beloued Christians that as mens doings are two-fold good or bad They are good which proceed from faith and are agreeable to the Law of God and they are euill which proceed from infidelitie and are repugnant to the Lawes of God So the motions of mens hearts are two-fold either ioyfull which concomitate good deedes or sorrowfull which alwayes accompany euill deedes Hereupon it commeth to passe that one Conscience may bee called good another bad Omnis Conscientia cum scientia Now a good conscience is a ioyfull motion of the heart arising from a certaine knowledge of wel-doing or it is the iudgement of the mind grounded vpon knowledge concerning a mans good deeds ministring ioy vnto him Hereupon Paul said Our reioycing is this the testimonie of a good conscience 2. Cor. 1.12 Paul bended his wit and will and laboured earnestly to haue a good conscience towards God and man and he had such an one and with it could truly say I am pure from the blood of all men And further at his end his conscience so comforted strengthened and emboldened him that he without any scruple or hesitation 2. Tim. 4.7.8 said I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith c. A good conscience makes a merrie heart whiles wee liue makes vs to sleepe more quietly then if we layd our heades on a Doune-pillow and when death approcheth she causeth man not to feare to die and then will not forsake him when all worldly vanities and shadowes vanish fade away and yet she wil doe him the best seruice that she can shee will plead for him and witnesse with him O what a treasure is a good conscience She is as it were mount Tabor a glimpse of glory vpon earth a comfortresse of thy heart at the houre of death and a faithfull friend and witnesse to stand by thee at the day of Iudgement when thou shalt haue most need But an euill conscience is in this world as it were an hellish Hagge an infernall Furie euer tormenteth man followeth him she alwayes keepeth a true record of all mans euill thoughts words and workes troubleth man with direfull suggestions and temptations she is neuer at peace and quietnesse she bringeth man to destruction as it may appeare by the examples of Cain Iudas Arrius and many others and yet she hath not done but continuing an enemy at the last Day will witnesse against a man all his sinnes his swearing forswearing lying stealing iniuries oppressions and all other his workes of the flesh and darknesse She will not nor cannot forget them For all mens faults are so perfectly knowne vnto her and so firmely impressed in her that shee is compared to a booke a booke of remembrance wherein all things are so perfectly recorded that they cannot be forgotten Reu. 20 12. Iob saith Thou hast sealed vp our sinnes in a bagge to shew the exact and strict kind of keeping of them against that Day of account So that not an euill thought not an euil word not an euill deed can be forgotten they are all so surely recorded and the time of opening this booke and reading them ouer to the hearing of the world is the day of Iudgement For then all mens faults shall be knowne and in them that haue offended they shall be punished Foolish men and women think that all their wicked thoughts all their idle and euill words passe away with the wind but it is not so for in this booke they are written and recorded and once the booke shall be opened and thy secret sinnes discouered Now if we come to the liues of men and women alasse they are most wicked they are nothing else but a continuall practice of sinne Well let vs labour to keepe a good conscience an vnblotted and vnblurred booke and then we shall preuent and escape the danger The booke and touchstone of the triall The Booke and touchstone whereby all our thoughts words and workes shall be examined and tried is the Word of God it is I say the Rule and Line by which they ought to be leuelled squared and wrought by The Apostle Paul saith Rom. 1.16 That at the day of Iudgement God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ according to his Gospel he meaneth that Gospel whereof he was a preacher not an authour Our thoughts words and workes must be tryed by the Word of God If therefore our thoughts words and workes are not agreeable to the Word of God to Gods rules and commandements they are as odious distastefull and vnpleasing vnto the Lord as the offering vp of brused things were in the time of the Law Therefore let the Word of God O man be a lanterne to thy feet and a light vnto thy pathes that thou mayest not wander out of the old ancient wayes of the Lord but goe the straight wayes to Heauen alwayes directing thy steps by this Word of God When the poore wretched sinner accused by his own thoughts is found culpable in his words and workes and is conuicted by euident and plaine testimonies as before because he made no conscience of his wayes and neuer directed his goings according to the Word of God behold in what lamentable
vnto their prayers Againe Psal 34.15 16. The face of the Lord is against them that doe euill to cut off their remembrance from off the earth And this we may perswade our selues to be true because he is the onely true Vbiquitarie present euery where with his Spirit and from whose presence no man can flie And therefore the Psalmist by way of interrogation speaketh thus vnto God Psal 139. Whither shall I goe then from thy Spirit or whither shall I goe then from thy presence If I climbe vp into heauen thou art there if I goe downe to hell thou art there also If I take the wings of the morning and remaine in the vttermost parts of the sea euen there also shall thine hand leade me and thy right hand shall hold me If I say peraduenture the darknesse shall couer mee then shall my night be turned to day yea the darkenesse is no darknesse with thee but the night is as cleare as the day the darknesse and light to thee are both alike No man then can hide himselfe from the Lord no place is fit Amos 2. For though they digge downe to hell saith the Lord thence shall my hand take them though they climbe vp to the heauens thence will I bring them downe though they hide themselues in the top of Carmel I will search them and take them out thence though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the sea thence will I command the serpent and he shall bite them The wicked Steward cannot then flee from the Lord his cause must come to the hearing of his Master he must endure sharpe reprehension strict examination and come to an account as after If the vniust Steward the euill man the theefe adulterer and such like offenders were perswaded that God did heare of their misdemeanors and euill carriages or that he did looke vpon them when they perpetrated their wickednesses me thinkes it should be a great terrour and shame vnto them If an earthly Prince a Noble man a Master or a Magistrate should looke vpon a man and see him deale falsely and vniustly or otherwise to play the filthy adulterer would it not make man to tremble feare and to be ashamed How much more then to consider that the King of kings and Lord of lords the high Master Magistrate and Iudge of all doth heare of his sinnes and looke vpon his sinfull and filthie facts Let vs all bee ashamed to commit sinne 2. Sam. 16. and not be like Absolom who shamed not to lie with his fathers concubines in the open Sunne in the top of the house euen in the sight of all Israel for the Lord heareth seeth and knoweth all the sins of man This wicked Steward before he was accused called and reprehended and brought to account was perswaded that the Lord had not intelligence of his falshood but how much was he deceiued For here the Lord saith How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee There are three foolish and vaine conceits suggested of Satan which embolden a wicked man in the perpetration of his wickednesses 1. They thinke that the Lord neither seeth nor knoweth their wickednesses 2. Hee punisheth not straight but either delayeth long or punisheth not at all 3. If the Lord knoweth mans faults yet he concealeth them c. Concerning the first vaine conceit concerning the Lords not seeing and not knowing their sinnes how friuolous and impious it is this place doth proue for here the Lord saith How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee The Master therefore heard it and had notice of all Although I hope that I haue spoken sufficiently of this point yet I beseech you hearken to two examples to ground you throughly in this point The first is of Dauid which committed adulterie and murther 2. Sam. 11. and presently the Lord saw it knew it and it was euill in his sight and sent Nathan the Prophet to reproue him 2. Sam. 12. who boldly layd his great sinnes to his charge The second example of Ahab that vile king of Israel and Iezabel his queene 1. Kings 21. worse then himselfe an instigatrix of his euils as Eua was to Adam when they had wrought poore Naboths death the Lord knew it and sent Elias to rebuke him To end this point in a word Apoc. 2. 3. chapt The Lord did bid Iohn write to the Angels that is to say the Ministers of the seuen Churches I know thy workes The second vaine conceit suggested of Satan is The Lord punisheth not straight nor presently but suffereth the vngodly Steward to flourish To which I answere That the pleasures of the wicked beeing taken with euill consciences neither are nor can be durable they flourish but for a time and in the middest of them are taken away Dauid a man after Gods owne heart Psal 37. saw that by his owne experience and therefore said I my selfe haue seene the vngodly in great prosperity and flourishing like a greene bay tree and I went by and loe he was gone I sought him and his place could no where be found Therefore fret not thy selfe because of the vngodly neither be thou enuious against the euil doers for he shall soone be cut downe like the greene grasse and be withered like the greene herbe For the Lord doth set them in slippery places and at last casteth them downe to desolation suddenly doe they consume perish and come to a fearefull end What plainer example to this purpose Luke 12. can bee produced then that of the rich man who in the middest of his prosperitie and worldly pleasures heard this dolefull voice Thou foole this night will they fetch away frō thee thy soule then whose shall those things be which thou hast prouided So that whereas they haue been fed fat in the great and large greene pastures of pleasures wasting their Masters goods as this bad Steward did yet all endeth in sorrow euen as the fat Oxe after his pleasant feeding commeth to the slaughter and the end of these is confusion For euen as a Snayle by little and a little creepeth vp from the root of an Hearbe vnto the top and as she goeth consumeth the Leaues and leaueth her nothing but foule and filthy slimy steps so likewise lust and pleasure if wee consent vnto them will creepe into our soules and will depriue them of all ornaments of vertue and will leaue behinde nothing but a foule filthy conscience reproach to vs and our posteritie The third vaine conceit suggested of Satan is the Lords taciturnitie For although he knoweth euery sinne when the world doth not yet for a time hee holdeth his peace and it commeth not out to the eyes of the world The impure person sinneth and so doth the Theefe and other offenders the Lord heareth of it and seeth it and yet for a time it may be neither speaketh nor punisheth But this silence is temporarie And therefore
no nor the Angels in Heauen nay which is most of all not our Sauiour Iesus Christ in his humanitie but in his Deitie knoweth all And let this worke in vs all a serious kinde of watchfulnesse Luk. 12.40 Bee yee ready saith our Sauiour for the Sonne of Man will come at an houre when yee thinke not The end of the fourth Sermon THE FIFTH SERMON God in his inscrutable wisedome and infinite goodnes towards man deferreth this day of iudgement for 3 reasons 1. To stirre vp in vs a vigilant expectance and a patient waiting for his appearance 2. That his Church his flocke may be increased 3. To grant all men time space to repent AS touching the first Chap. 5.7 8. Iames teacheth vs to performe the same by precept and patterne by precept in the beginning of the seuenth Verse where hee saith Bee patient vnto the comming of the Lord and hee in effect repeateth the same doctrine in the eighth Verse saying Bee ye also patient therefore and settle your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth neere His example is taken from Husbandmen who patiently wait for the precious fruit of the earth vntill they receiue the former and the latter raine His words seruing for doctrine and example are these Bee patient therefore vnto the comming of the Lord Behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue the former and the latter raine Be ye also patient therefore and settle your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth neere He that waiteth in Faith Reu. 16.15 hope and patience for the Lords comming Luke 12.37 is blessed for hee shall appeare the second time without sinne vnto them that looke for him vnto saluation as we may see Heb. 9. the last Verse Secondly the Lord deferreth his comming to Iudgement that all the Elect may bee gathered together to his Church may be effectually called be of the Lords flocke who although they are the Lords already in his eternall Decree yet there is a time wherein they are called The Lord would haue them heare the Word and by the same to be born againe vnto which time is required and therefore that they may haue time the Lord delayeth his comming for their sakes the world consisteth and for them all the good things on the earth are prepared For the vngodly vse them as Robbers and Theeues The Apostle saith 1. Tim. 4.3 God hath prepared meates to bee receiued of the faithfull with thanksgiuing and of such as know the Truth The like place the Apostle hath speaking to this purpose thus Vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled Tiâ—us 1. â—5 and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen the minde and conscience of them is defiled The third reason why the Lord is so long before hee come to take this account is very like to the former reason and it is to grant all men time and space to repent that they may bee saued which the godly will not pretermit nor neglect The Lord saith the Apostle that hath promised is not slacke as some men count slacknesse but is patient towards vs for as much as he would haue no man lost but would receiue all men to repentance Vnto which purpose hee speaketh after in the 15. Verse Suppose saith he that the long suffering of the Lord is saluation This time space to repent and prepare themselues for this account the godly will neuer let slip vnprofitably Contrarily the wicked neglect time and therefore by the same are made inexcusable making a fuller measure of their sinne in that they despise the goodnes and bountifulnesse of the Lord Rom. 2.4 calling them to repentance These wicked ones are afraid of this Iudgement and therefore neuer wish for it but the godly desire it because at that time they shall be deliuered from the miseries wherein they liue in this world Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am saith the Apostle who shall deliuer me from the body of this death In Reuelation 22. The Brideman and Bridewoman say Come Lord Iesu Come which they say not that are not ready to entertaine the Lord. Hauing before proued that there is a day of Iudgement and that God would haue vs to know it and the reasons wherefore and also hauing shewed that the certain time the yeere moneth weekes dayes and houres are vnknowne and the reasons also of the same with a confutation of the gaine-sayers and the vse of both And lastly hauing yeelded reasons why the Lord delayeth this Day In the rest I will bee as compendious and short as I may bee so as I may lay downe the truth with perspicuitie Which that I may the better doe obserue with mee these points which I thinke fittest to bee spoken of And first hauing before manifested that there is a day of Iudgement and account-taking next it wil be most profitable to shew First what this Iudgement is Secondly the terrible signes and dreadfull preparations for the wicked Thirdly the manner and comming of the Iudge and settling him in his Throne and raising of the dead to come to Iudgement Fourthly the tryall of the sinner by Accusers and Witnesses Fiftly the Booke and touchstone of the sinners tryall at the last Day Sixtly the lamentable case of the sinner condemned Seuenthly the sentence giuen of both godly and vngodly First what this Iudgement is First it is that Iudgement which God will exercise in the end of the World by Christ which shall come downe from Heauen into the Clouds visibly in great glory and Maiestie and will take this account and by him all men shall bee raised vp which haue beene dead from the beginning of the world euen to the end the rest then being aliue shall be suddenly changed and all shall stand before the Tribunall Seat of Christ who shall giue sentence of all and will cast the euill with the Diuels into eternall punishment and will take the godly to him that with him and the blessed Angels they may in Heauen enioy eternall felicitie This long description is taken out of the knowne Scriptures and therefore if I should labour to proue it I should hold vp a Candle to lighten the Sun I will therefore leaue this matter as yeelded vnto and hasten to the next point to wit what shall be done at that time at that fearefull time of reckoning that men warned of the dangers may be danted and discouraged from doing euill and walking any longer securely in the broad way that leadeth to destruction and by serious repentance be brought to the narrow way that leadeth to saluation Secondly at this Day of Iudgement when this strict reckoning shall be taken there shall be such terrible signes and dreadfull preparations for the wicked that they shall bee at their wits ends their hearts shall faile them for feare and they shall wish that the Hils may couer
THE STEWARDS LAST ACCOVNT DELIVERED IN FIVE Sermons vpon the sixteenth Chapter of the Gospell by Saint Luke the first and second Verses BY Robert Bagnall Minister of the Word of God at Hutton in Somersetshire MATH 25.13 Watch therefore for yee know neither the day nor the houre when the Sonne of Man will come MATH 12.36 For I say vnto you that of euery idle word that men shall speake they shall giue account thereof at the Day of Iudgement LONDON Printed by George Purslowe for Iohn Clarke and are to be sold at his shop vnder Saint Peters Church in Cornhill 1622. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER in God ARTHVR by Gods prouidence Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells ROBERT BAGNALL wisheth all health and true comfort in this world and eternall happinesse in the World to come AS to the building of the materiall Temple Right Reuerend Father in God and my very Honorable good Lord many co adiutors and fellow-labourers were admitted some more excellent then others yet none were repelled nor reiected although they were of the meaner sort as Morter carriers because they were necessarie Euen so reason willeth and necessitie requireth that they which are lawfully called to the office of the Ministery although they are not Architects yet if they may do good in the Church of God should be suffered to help a little to build vp the Spirituall Temple of the Lord For many hands make light worke The consideration hereof hath emboldened me being as it were the least of the Apostles and also requested of many who saw my notes and heard mee preach them to attempt this worke wherein if I may adde but one mite to the treasurie of the Church to help a little to build the Lords spirituall House I shall thinke my labour well bestowed Howsoeuer I would not with that small Talent which I haue concredited vnto me be like to that euill seruant which made no good vse of his but hid it in the ground and therefore was shamefully reproued The subiect or matter which I haue taken vpon mee to intreat of is of our last account at the generall Assize in the last Day A matter most fitting and beseeming my gray haires going to the graue and requisite for all sorts of people liuing in this carelesse age and very auaileable to shake them out of the cradle of securitie wherein they lye lulled and rocked and to stirre them vp to vigilance and watchfulnesse This worke I confesse is a withered fruit of my old age but if it may obtaine your Honours fauour so farre as to cherish and protect it vnder the shadow of your wings it growing to maturitie in processe of time may obtaine some fauour in the world especially among the Children of God whom it may somewhat benefit I therefore beseech your good Honour and reuerend Paternitie being a most godly and vigilant Watchman ouer vs all to patronize this my Doctrine of warchfulnesse and to take in good part my endeuours therin hoping that it may make many waking and looking for the Lords second comming to their saluation So crauing your Honourable fauour herein I humbly take my leaue Resting as dutie bindeth me your Honours poore Minister vnder God in all Christian dutie to bee ordered and commanded ROBERT BAGNALL TO THE GODLY READER GRACE MERCY and Peace from God the Father c. AS in the contriuing managing and bringing to good effect worldly businesses that tend to the maintenance of the body in this present life we account opportunitie of time and fit occasions the greatest furtherers and losse of time the greatest hinderers and therefore in euery thing wee take the fittest time as in planting sowing gathering in the fruits of the earth and all other affaires So nothing doth more helpe in the course of Piety and further our iourney to eternall life then to be vigilant and carefull to take all times and occasions to serue God and to let no time passe away vnprofitable For time hasteth away and tarrieth for no man and foolishly spent cannot be recalled And therefore the Heathens painted out Time with wings at her hands and also at her feet with a locke of haire before but bald behinde This velocitie of time and irrecuperablenesse of her being carelessely and idly let slip Bernard laid downe to his Schollers when hee said Bern. ad Scho. Volat tempus irreuocabile volat tempus irremeabile nec aduertit insipiens quid amittat c. that is Time flyeth away that cannot bee recalled Time flyeth away that cannot come againe and foolish man doth not consider what he loseth and yet alas hee loseth all the good vse of time and all the benefit that hee might make of the same when it offereth it selfe Basil And therefore Basil well said Nemo vsum temporis habere queat nisi quis cum se offert arripiat that is no man can receiue any profit of Time but he that speedily layeth hold on it when it offereth it selfe Let the parabolicall example of the ten Virgins teach and admonish vs herein and make vs take Bildad the Shuhites counsell Early to seeke the Lord and seeke him while he may be found and speedily to goe about the Lords businesse Exod. 25. as the Cherubims did and therefore were pourtraied with wings before the place where the Israelites prayed O good Christian Reader consider I beseech thee what a foolish thing it is for thee to let time passe away securely to let thy reckonings runne so long without any examination of thy life and doings and without calling thy wayes to account that thou shouldest be growne obdurate past sense and feeling yea and so forgetfull of thy dealings that thou canst not bring in a true reckoning Consider this in time and call thine owne wayes to remembrance sleepe no longer in securitie but be sober and watch that thou maist not bee called to account when thou thinkest not thereof and be found false therein and so he proued and conuicted a false Steward Securitie will bring thee to extremities and to all these distresses as it did the people in Noah his time in Lots time and many other people in all ages and so it will doe many at the last audit Therefore let me beseech thee yea and perswade thee by the tender mercies of God to suffer mee to pull thee backe by the sleeue from running into the pit of perdition haue thy bookes of account in a readinesse be a vigilant and watchfull Steward that at the last Day it may be said vnto thee O well done thou good and faithfull Seruant thou hast been faithfull ouer few things I will make thee Ruler ouer many things enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord. I haue good Christian Reader bestowed my small skill and labour in this Treatise to make thee a good Steward and accountant at the last audit and Generall Assize I pray thee reade the same not with a preiudicate opinion but with a yeelding resolution
rich in grace for he is called the God of all grace All which graces and gifts he giueth vs in his Sonne Christ Iesus the most plentifull fountaine of all goodnesse in whom and by whom all these and many other good gifts ineffable are conferred vnto vs Chap. 1.16 as Iohn well proueth saying Of his fulnes haue all we receiued and grace for grace as if he should say grace vpon grace or graces heaped one vpon another The consideration of this doctrine should make vs in faith and full assurance to pray to this rich God and to none other for vnto whom should wee pray and of whom should wee craue for all good things but of him which hath all to giue and from whom euery good giuing and perfect gift commeth Iam. 1.17 Gen. 17.1 who is able to helpe in all extremities for hee is omnipotent is present with vs and neare vs as hee is vnto all that call vpon him faithfully And lastly he is willing to helpe and saue for hee would haue all to bee saued and to come to the knowledge of his truth 1. Tim. 2.4 And therefore our Sauiour Christ calleth all vnto him promising vnto all that come vnto him in repentance and faith refreshing Math. 11.28 Math. 28. He commands his Gospell to be freely preached vnto all and he biddeth all to his great Supper Luk. 14. O let vs in repentance and faith come vnto him and pray vnto him continually for he is the rich man here ment able to grant our requests Againe if all the good things we haue come from our rich God it should make vs most thankfully to acknowledge him to be the giuer and to returne all laude and praise to him from whom the benefit commeth for as all the waters come from the Sea and returne thither againe so all the benefits which we receiue come from God Iam. 1.17 and by our thankes-giuing should returne to him againe O let vs be thankefull and say with Dauid from our hearts and speake to our owne soules as he did Praise the Lord Psal 103.1 2 3 4 5. O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits which forgiueth all thy sinne and healeth all thine infirmities which saueth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and louing kindnesse which satisfieth thy mouth with good things making thee young and lusty as an Eagle Let vs praise God our selues and exhort others to doe the like for it is good and godly so to doe And therefore the Prophet said 147. O praise the Lord for it is a good thing to sing praises vnto our God yea a ioyfull and pleasant thing it is to bee thankefull Thus much concerning the person meant by the rich man to wit God Now of his Steward The iudgement of ancient Writers concerning this Steward who he should be what should be his name haue been diuers euery man hauing a seuerall opinion and speaking as he thought quothomines tot capita tot sententiae Look how many men so many heads so many opinions which thing is to be deplored that so many learned men and famous in other matters should in this point bee so much deceiued Rom. 15.7 as to restrict this parcell of Scripture written for all our learning to one particular Man People or Nation it being also parabolically spoken Whereas it deepely concernes vs all and is to bee applyed particularly to euery seuerall man of vs. Some haue thought that Saint Paul was this Steward Act. 9.4 For he was a bad one vntill he was called of Iesus Christ and of this iudgement was Theophilus Bishop of Antiochia Some affirmed that the Iewes were this Steward and the Gentiles these Debtors Of this opinion was Tertullian lib. de fuga cap. 13. Gaudentius writing to Germinius supposeth that this Steward was the Diuell mis-implying all his gifts his wit and power to tempt men to their destruction Many others haue diuersly and strangely set downe their opinions which I thinke more fit to omit then to fill my paper with friuolous matters Let vs harken to them who come neerer to the scope of the place In this number I place Ambrose in his Commentaries Aug. in quaest Euang. Augustine in his Euangelicall questions Theophilact others who affirme that this Steward is all mankind further say that the word OIKONOMOS a Steward doth signifie not only Villicum a Bayly of Husbandry but one to whom all manner of goods and possessions in a Farme are concredited committed to tâ—â—â— to wit a generall Steward best expressed by the word dispensator which signifieth an Officer laying out money for an houshold vnder another man And therefore these reade the words following Render account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward Thus Redde rationem dispensationis tuae non enim poteris amplius dispensare So then this Steward is all mankinde For euery man hath receiued of God the proper owner of all one good gift or another in trust which he ought to dispose and employ not as he listeth but as God the proper owner of al would haue him and must yeeld an account to him euen as the earthly Steward doth to his earthly Master For this cause euery man must needs be a Steward and a disposer of some good gift of God Kings then are Stewards to the highest of all acknowledge their aduancements to come froÌ„ the Lord and therefore in their stiles of Dignity vse these words by the grace of God Ministers are Stewards of the Lords House which is the Church and ought to breake the Bread of Life to their Flockes to preach the Word in season and out of season and must render an account 2. Tim. 4.7 All Magistrates are Stewards of the common house which is the weale publique and ought to consider that they are set ouer the people for the punishment of euill doers 1. Pet. 2.14 and for the praise of them that doe well Masters are Stewards of their owne Houshold and ought not onely to dispose all things in order but especially to make this resolution that they and their housholds will serue the Lord. Iosu 24.15 All men are Stewards of their owne bodies and of the priuy closet of their own conscience as Pontan hath There is none so mighty that is greater or so meane and base that is lesse then a Steward to the King of Kings to the Highest of all and what goods or goodnes he vseth hee hath receiued them all of the Father of Lights Iam. 1.17 1. Cor. 4.7 For what hast thou that thou hast not receiued He it is that deliuereth to his Seruants his Talents to some more and to some lesse Which doctrine confuteth the Pelagians Math. 2.5 and all such as ascribe all that they haue to their owne industry Whereas all that is good
The third farme is the soule of man which although it is created pure of God as the Angels are yet being in the body a foule and filthy prison and yet part of man for man doth consist of a body and a soule is polluted by this participation with the body is tainted now with originall sinne and performes not many times good parts and offices Now to speake somewhat more plainely to this purpose Whereas there are two parts of mans soule the Vnderstanding and the Will The office of the intellect is to discerne among obiects what is good to be allowed or meet to de disalolwed It is the office of the Will to chuse and follow that good which the intellect shall appoint and to despise and refuse that which the vnderstanding shall disallow If the former the intellect faileth in discretion and iudgement then the Will faileth also in chusing and following for the intellect is as it were the soules guide and gouernour the Will euer expecteth iudgement from the intellect and is still at his becke Now whereas man faileth many times in iudgement and vnderstanding and the Will not onely couets but chuseth that which is euill it commeth to passe that the soule is polluted and in mans members performes wicked actions And therefore man must craue the conduction of Gods holy Spirit to be led by him and the Word of God which must be a lanterne to his feet a light to his pathes and then he shall goe well This soule of man should not be polluted with impure and vncleane thoughts and bad choyces and all the vertues and powers of it ought to be directed principally to the knowledge loue and honour of God The soule of man performeth diuers offices in man and according to her seuerall performances takes diuers names as Isiodorus writeth Anima dum viuificat corpus Secundo etimolog anima est dum vult animus est dum scit mens dum recolit memoria dum rectum iudicat ratio est dum spirat spiritus est dum aliquid sentit sensus est This is a point fit for the learned and therefore I leaue the Englishing of it to them that can vnderstand it And so much of the third and last Farme-house which Man a Steward vnder God must looke vnto and haue an especiall care of for it is immortall By this which I haue spoken it may appeare what a great burthen and charge lyeth vpon euery mans conscience to looke vnto his wayes and pathes his consultations studies and all his labours and workes For Almighty God who by his Word and great power made all things in his infinite wisedome created nothing vaine and idle The glorious Angels are ministring spirits Seruentes vnto God his Messengers to do his wil sent for the good of the Church to bring glad tidings to comfort and help which the word AGGELOS teacheth Which thing the Author to the Hebrewes hath well obserued Chap. 1.14 saying that they are sent from God to Minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation And therefore Gregory saith Angeli ad ministerium pro nostra salute semper mittuntur that is the Angels are alwayes sent to serue for our saluation The coruscant and glorious Sunne doth goe and accomplish his courses as God hath appointed by motions and operations Adam the first and principallest man as soone as he was created was placed in the Garden of Eden to dresse trim and keepe it in a decent and good order Gen. 2.15 And yet this being before the fall and before any weedes and trumperies that there might grow there was no need to labour yet God appointing him to this worke hereby doth shew how much he abhorred idlenes Adam then was as it were the Lords labourer as well as his owne euen before the fall in the time of his integritie But after the fall labour was a punishment laid vpon Adam and all his posterity In the sweat of thy browes or face thou shalt get thy liuing Now labour is paine and therefore when we speak of a laborious man we say such a one taketh great paine whether it be in Mechanicall crafts and occupations or altogether in contemplation All men are Stewards and must labour the Word of God exempteth none and God hath no respect of persons Our Sauiour Mat. 20. will suffer none at any time to be idle but sendeth them to labour in his Vineyard Ministers are the Lords Stewards and must labour Math. 9.37 2. Cor. 6.1 and therefore are called Labourers they are called workmen and workers together and should shew themselues to bee cunning workemen rightly diuiding the Word of God They are the Lords Seruants and receiue Talents 2. Tim. 2.15 and therefore should make good vse of them His Shepheards Ezec. 34. therefore must feede and ouersee his flockes His Cryers therefore must cry alowd and spare not Esay 58.1 Tell the people their transgressions and the House of Iacob their sinnes they may not be dumbe His Builders therefore should goe on in their worke Fishers therefore ought to let slip their Nets to take and winne soules but cast their Angle to take money as Peter did Embassadours of the Lord 2. Cor. 5.20 Therefore they ought to haue tongues and sufficiency to doe the Lords message Feeders therefore ought to haue meat and to distribute it Sowers therefore ought to scatter the Seed of the Word into mens hearts His Leaders therefore they should conduct their flockes in the way of the Lord. His especiall Fighters against Sinne the World the Flesh the Diuell Heretikes and all the enemies of Gods Truth as Paul was 2. Tim. 4.7 By these and many other like Appellations and Names we see and may learne that God vouchsafeth the helpe of Ministers to execute his will and vseth them as meanes to saue his Sheepe from perishing yea they are the instruments to conuert the people The Lord saued the Arke but by Noah He conuerted the Niniuites but by Ionas instructed the Eunuch but by Philip perswaded Cornelius but by Peter called Paul but by Ananias Paul must plant Apollo water and God giueth the increase Albeit Christ is the light yet Ministers beare witnesse of the light though he be the fountaine of liuing water yet Ministers are the conduits to conuey them to the people though he be the Physician yet Ministers are the Apothecaries to make the confection though he be the cause efficient yet Ministers are the instrument euen helpers though hee be King yet Ministers are his Embassadours yea which is more if more can bee Paul telleth Timothy that if hee take heede to himselfe and vnto doctrine and continue therein he shall saue both himselfe and them that heare him and so Timothy should not onely be an Helper but a Sauer in sort Ministers then must bee good Stewards carefull and painefull Cura curarum regimen animarum The gouernment of soules is the care of all cares
Almighty we shall be found faithfull in our places and shall haue the fruit thereof an eternall blessing as our Sauiour doth teach saying Mat. 24.45 46. Who is a faithfull Steward and wise whom the Master shall make ruler ouer his household to giue them their portion of meate in season Luk. 12.42 43 44. Blessed is that seruant whom his Master when hee commeth shall find so doing Of a truth say vnto you that he will make him ruler ouer all that he hath that is hee will make him an heire of eternall life Hee shall inherit the Kingdome prepared from the beginning of the world Math. 25.34 Hee shall walke with the Lord in white garments that is hee shall be glorified Reu. 3. and haue life euerlasting and the glorious company of Christ He shall be in Abrahams bosome as Lazarus was Luke 16. and eate of the tree of Life in the middest of the heauenly Paradise of God Reu. 2.7 Hee shall haue the Crowne of glory Hee shall be a pillar in the Temple of God that is hee shall be firme and stable in glory as a pillar irremoueable c. Eye hath not seene Reu. 3.12 neither eare heard neither euer did enter into the heart of man what good things the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him and serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Illud verum et summum gaudium est saith Bernard in a Sermon that is the true and greatest ioy and therefore as it were rauished with a great loue thereof cryed out O beata regio Paradist ó beata regio deliciarum O blessed region of Paradise O blessed region of delights And therefore hee exhorteth vs to bee out of loue with this world whiles we bee heere and to hasten thither saying thus Festinemus ad locum tutiorem ad agrum vberiorem ad pastum saniorem vt habitemus sinè metu abundemus sinè defectu epulemur sinè fastidio that is to say Let vs hasten to a more safe place to a more fertile ground to a more sound feeding where wee may inhabit without feare abound without defect banquet without disdaine Here is the hauen the blessed port of rest and the liberall portion of the good and faithfull Steward But the slothfull wastfull cruell and vnfaithfull Steward shall be cut off or cut into pieces and haue his portion with hypocrites there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Math. 24.51 Wherefore seeing that we all rather desire to be reputed yea be indeed good Stewards then bad to enioy a good place and portion rather then a bad let vs depart out of the Kingdome of sinne and Satan and come to the Kingdome of light let vs shew and approue our selues good Stewards keeping our Farme places the world the body and the soule well and let vs not get our goods in the first mannor house the world wrongfully nor put our trust in them idolatrously nor keepe them to our selues basely nor spend them wastfully and vngodly but lay them out for the maintenance of the Gospell and helpe of the poore indigent members of Christ Iesus liberally Againe let vs looke to our second Farme place and mannor house our bodie that it be cleane and fit for the chiefe Lord and Master of all and his Sonne Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost to come into Let vs diligently watch the ports and gates of the same our Hearing Seeing Talking Tasting and Touching that nothing goe in nor come out that may defile the body Lastly let vs haue an especiall care of our principall part the soule the last mannor house Let repentance sweepe it cleane from impure thoughts and wicked cogitations let a good conscience be his bedding let faith be euer looking to Christ Iesus and cleansing and let the graces and vertues of the holy Ghost be the ornaments of his lodging And in all things and in all our places and charges let vs proue our selues good wise and faithfull Stewards that it may be said vnto vs to euery one of vs It is well done good seruant thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee Ruler ouer much enter in into thy Masters ioy This approbation and allowance of our Stewardship and vnspeakeable reward giue and grant vs O heauenly Father not for our worthinesse for we haue no merits but for thy mercies and graces in Iesus Christ Amen The end of the first Sermon THE SECOND SERMON And the same was accused AS all men are Stewards vnder God what good Talents gifts so euer they haue they receiue frō him the fountaine of all graces Euen so they ought to occupy imploy the same according to the good pleasure of him the Collator and Donator as it is plaine in the Parable of the Talents Math 25. And as S. Peter teacheth 1. Epist 4. saying As euery one hath receiued the gift euen so minister the same as good Stewards of the manifold graces of God Whosoeuer doth this is commended and rewarded of his high Lord and Master with these words of grace to his comfort O well done thou good faithfull Seruant thou hast been faithfull ouer few things I will make thee Ruler ouer many things enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord Mat. 25.21 But if a seruant haue much cōcredited vnto him if it be but of an earthly Master and imploy it ill spend it wastfully eating and drinking with the Drunkards participating with the Adulterers and intreating his fellow-seruants hardly and yet thinketh that his euill carriage and outragiousnesse shall not be knowne but that he shall escape with impunitie O how this man deceiueth himselfe For the fellow-seruants will relate the treacheries bad vsages and cruelties of their fellowes to their Lord. As those seruants did which saw their fellow-seruant so cruelly handled Math. 18. And heere the bad Steward is accused to his Lord. Now if wee see by dayly experiences that bad Stewards to earthly Masters escape not alwayes free with their false dealings and other euill behauiours but one or other will espy them and disclose them and giue their Master intelligence and then he reckoneth and accounteth with them and displaceth them then we may much more assure our selues that no cloud of darknes no maske nor veile can be cast before the Lords eyes Psal 79.9 For hee that planted the eare shall be not heare Or he that made the eye shall hee not see God knoweth noteth seeth ouerseeth al things yea the very secrets of the heart and yet if he were not so quicke of capacitie of hearing and seeing Yet there are many tell-tales and pick-thankes in the Familie which relate all our misdemeanours and accuse vs vnto him as in my Text the false Steward is said to be accused And here beginneth a lamentable discourse a Tragicall Relation of the miserable estate of a bad Steward laid down in my Text in these points First He is defamed or
accused in these words and the same was accused Secondly called and he called him Thirdly reprehended in these words How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee Fourthly he yeeldeth an account Come render an account of thy Stewardsh Fiftly he is put out of his Office in these words For thou mayest be no longer Steward Of these in order and first of his accusation Wherein we are to note first his Accusers Secondly the capitall and hainous crimes whereof he is accused The Accusers or complainants are these 1. Satan 2. Angels 3. Saints 4. His owne Conscience 5. Sinnes 6. Creatures of God The hainous crimes wherof the euill Steward is accused of are these fiue 1. Vnfaithfulnesse 2. Cruelty 3. Slothfulnesse 4. Ill company-keeping 5. Wastfulnesse First the euill vnfaithfull and vngracious Steward is accused of the Diuell For which cause hee is called Reu. 12. The accuser of the Brethren which accuseth them before God day and night Hee accuseth our workes words and thoughts as Gregory noteth saying thus Lib. 2. moral Diabolus prima opera nostra deinde verba tandem cogitationes accusat He defameth man accuseth him of wickednesses reporteth them before God calleth for vengeance and speedy death lest the thred of mans life should be drawne out along and he should repent and obtaine eternall life Iob 1. If Satan was so impudent that he blushed not to defame and accuse before God holy Iob a man to whom there was none comparable in his time on the earth a perfect and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill What is it that he will not alledge against a sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquitie a seed of the wicked corrupt children in whom from the sole of the foote vnto the head there is nothing sound in them but they draw wickednesse with cords of vanity and sinne as it were with a cart-rope Secondly an vniust Steward is defamed and accused of Angels Iob 20.27 Reuelant coeli iniquitatem improbi Esay 1. The Heauens reueale the iniquitie of a wicked man Per coelos Angelos qui in coelis sunt accipe saith the ancient Father In Math. 18. The fellow-seruant told to the Lord the cruelty of his seruant Now the Angels are our fellow-seruants as we may probably gather out of Iohn Reu. 22. where he fell downe to worship the Angell who said vnto him See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow-seruant and the fellow-seruant of thy Brethren the Prophets which keepe the sayings of this Booke Worship thou God Loe the Angell said to Iohn that he was his fellow-seruant and not onely his but of his Brethren the Prophets which kept the sayings of Gods Booke The Angels then tell God our faults as here Our prayers holinesse and righteousnesse as in Tobie 12. Let vs therefore that liue in the presence of God and his Angels carry our selues godly and honestly knowing that most pure eyes doe looke vpon vs. Thirdly a bad Steward is blamed and accused of Saints both triumphant which are in Heauen and militant which liue on earth Of Saints triumphant whose bloud was shed on earth by cruell Tyrants and persecutors for the Word of God and testimonie which they had For these being in the blessed port of Heauen cry out against them that imbrued their hands in their bloud Reu. 6. saying How long tarriest thou O Lord which art holy and true to iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on earth And that an vngracious Steward is accused before God of Saints that are liuing in this mortall life it is also most manifest Ieremy blamed and accused the Iewes vnto God yea and craued reuengement against them in these words O Lord of hosts thou righteous iudge Ier. 11. thou that tryest the reines and the hearts let me be auenged of them For vnto thee haue I committed my cause When Antiochus oppressed the Church of God with great tyrannie Dauid accused him vnto God in these words Psal 74.10 18. Remember this O Lord how the enemy hath rebuked and the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name Ieremy in like manner accused and blamed his persecutors vnto GOD and craued him to reuenge him saying Ier. 15.15 O Lord thou knowest remember me and visit me and reuenge mee of my persecuters If the poore is oppressed of the rich and make his mone vnto the Lord accusing him and crying for reuengement The Lord respecting the deepe sighing of the poore will awake as one out of sleepe and as a Gyant refreshed with Wine Psal 12. and will smite their enemies in the hinder parts and put them to a perpetuall shame True it is and memorable which Siracides hath chapter 35. where he saith God hath no respect of persons against the poore but doth heare the prayer of him that is wronged hee will not neglect the prayer of the fatherlesse nor the widdow if she complaine Doe not the widdowes teares goe downe her cheekes and they cry out to God on high in Heauen against him that hath caused the same Now beloued brethren and sisters if wee should wrong an innocent and harmelesse man in a righteous cause vpon earth we would be vnwilling yea we would tremble and quake to haue a complaint we knowing our selues guilty to bee made vnto a mighty Iudge or Potentate that can punish vs seuerely How much more then should it grieue vs and astonish vs and cause vs to make recompence and satisfaction to the parties whom we haue wronged when wee know that the complaints and cryes of them that are iniured doe sound in the eares of the Lord that an accusation is made against vs that an account must be giuen to the high Iudge and iustice without partialitie ministred Fourthly Rom. 2. the bad Steward is accused of his owne thoughts and testified against of his owne conscience and this is as forcible to conuict a man as a thousand witnesses and hereupon grew the prouerbe Socrates Conscientia mille testes When a mans Conscience is wronged hee liueth as merry as a Bird in a pitfall Lib. de moribus For Conscientia laesa est nunquā secura as Seneca writeth Chrysostome writing vpon the 50. Psalme saith Conscientia peccati formidinis mater that is to say The Conscience or knowledge of sin is the mother of feare If a man feare any creature Man Beast or Worme he may auoid them but hee can neuer flee from his Conscience she is a bird which hee alwayes carrieth in his bosome pleasant as the Nightingale if shee bee not violated but being wronged shee is like a Waspe or Snake vnder a mans cloathes or rather like the Bots in a Horse belly which neuer suffereth him to be quiet but are still eating and gnawing Sat. 12. And therefore Inuenal said that this is the greatest punishment and we must needs all yeeld vnto it Nocte dieque suum gestare in pectore testem This
Prodigall Sonne was such a Steward for he craued his portion of goods which belonged to him and got it of his Father and not many dayes after when he had gathered all that he could together hee tooke his iourney into a farre Country there he wasted his goods with ryotous liuing Euery man that hath good gifts giuen him of God and doth mis-imploy them is guilty of this sinne of wastefulnesse And so much concerning the hainous crimes whereof the bad Steward is accused The end of the second Sermon THE THIRD SERMON NOw next of his calling in these words And he called him God may bee said to call a man many wayes Sometimes he louingly inuiteth inticeth and calleth vs vnto him by his benefits shewing himselfe very bountifull vnto vs and patient to draw vs hereby as the Father doth his Child with an Apple Rom. 2.4 or some pleasing thing to repentance And thus kindely God dealt with the Iewes Ier. 5. but all the Lords louing kindnesses towards them were lost the people were so vnthankefull Againe the Israelites were thus called and inuited For they had Moses and Aaron to declare the Law of God vnto them to guide them and which by prayers put away all hurtfull things from them and by the same obtained all necessarie things for them euen Manna from Heauen but they like wanton and vndutifull children abused the goodnesse and lenitie of God towards them And thus the Lord calleth and inuiteth vs. For what singular blessings hath the Lord bestowed vpon vs not onely common and generall to all his people as our Election Redemption Vocation Iustification and other spirituall and perfect good things but priuate also which other Nations want For wee haue a most gracious learned godly and vertuous King peace and all other good things vnder him which other Nations doe lacke For which the Lord make vs thankefull God calleth man by castigations and the Rod of correction Reu. 3.19 Heb. 12. which are arguments of Gods loue to his children and proceed from it The Lord saith Whom I loue I correct And againe My sonne despise not thou the chastening of the Lord neither faint when thou art rebuked of him For whom the Lord loueth he chastneth and he scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth Afflictions are the rod which our louing Father taketh in his hand and wherewith he whippeth his children round to make them repent and obey his calling and this may be a great comfort to Gods children that their heauinesse and afflictions are but short they haue a prosperous issue a speedy deliuerance for heauinesse endureth for a night and ioy commeth in the morning As after stormes and tempests comes sunne-shining weather and after a bloudy and red euen a faire bright morning Euen so after momentanie afflictions patiently endured the Children of God shall haue a farre more excellent and an eternall waight of glory 2. Cor. 4.17 Hereby the Children of God are bettered in this life For as iron is more bright when the rust is scowred from it Wheat more pure when the Chaffe is blowne from it and the Weeds sifted out and Gold when it is tryed in the fire is more precious So are the Children of God when they are tryed in the fiery furnace of afflictions and found faithfull This makes them to repent to seeke vnto God to pray vnto him to hope for deliuerance from him and to end as it were in a word is the plaine high way to Heauen Act. 14.22 For through many tribulations wee must enter into the Kingdome of Heauen Wherefore all yee that suffer in a good cause take the comfortable exhortation of Saint Iames Iam. 1.2 3 4. My brethren count it exceeding ioy when yee fall into diuers tentations knowing that the trying of your Faith bringeth forth patience and let patience haue her perfect worke that yee may bee perfect and entire lacking nothing God calleth man by his Word and this calling is two-fold Generall Speciall The Generall calling is an inuitation and bidding of all good and bad tagge and ragge to come from the kingdome of Satan sinne and darknesse to the Kingdome of Christ of grace and light executed by the outward preaching and reading of the Word For God which is rich in mercy and would haue all men to be saued 1. Tim. 2.4 and to come to the knowledge of his Truth vouchsafeth his meanes to all would haue his Gospel to be preached to all Math. 28. that all might beleeue yeeld their obedience and bee saued or else wilfully contemning their calling be left inexcusable This we may see to be true by his bountifull feast and the liberall inuitation which he made and appointed Luk 14. This is and hath been euen from the beginning the administration of the Lords Kingdome Thus God called Adam saying Adam Where art thou Thus hee called the people in Noah his time by Noah himselfe and so the people in the Prophets time by the Prophets themselues So he called them in the New Testament by Iohn Baptist Mat. 3. Math. 11. Yea Christ himselfe so called saying Come vnto me all ye that trauell and are heauy laden c. And hee commanded the Apostles so to doe giuing them their message saying Goe ye and teach all Nations c. Mat. 28.19 20. Mar. 16. And now Ministers doe it yea and shall doe it in Christs stead to the end of the world 2. Cor. 5.20 Now then saith the Apostle are wee Messengers for Christ euen as though God did beseech you through vs so pray we you in Christs stead that yee be reconciled vnto God But alas this generall Calling this bountifull offering of Grace takes no place among the wicked moues their hearts nothing at all For although their soules are almost famished and they are euen sicke vnto death yet they refuse all Physicke and reliefe and therefore are left inexcusable Musc and worthily perish Meritò perit aegrotus qui medicum non solùm non vocat sed vltrò venientem recusat that is the sicke man worthily perisheth which not onely refuseth to call a Physician but when hee is come repelleth him Some being called say as the rebellious Iewes said Ier. 44.16 17. The word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the Name of the Lord we will not heare it of thee But wee will doe whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of Heauen c. Others are persecuters of them that call them as they that were bidden to the great wedding who tooke the Kings seruants and intreated them sharpely Mat. 22.6 and slue them Such a one was Herod to Iohn Baptist Mat. 14. who could not abide him calling him from his filthy incestuous sinne with Herodias his brother Philips Wife Mark 6. but as soone as he was reprooued tooke a light occasion instigated by the curtizan to put him to death But now God
yea thy Law is in my heart Againe God said to Dauid Seeke ye my face Dauids spirit heart and soule did answere Thy face Lord will I seeke Many goe to the Church to auoide the danger of the Lawes that they may not be presented to the spirituall courts or come into the danger of the temporall Lawes or be noted of their neighbours to be house-lurdins at home but not moued with religion pietie or any good deuotion to pray or any godly preparation to receiue the holy Communion O carelesse securitie and blind impietie from the which the Lord deliuer vs. I feare much that there are many temporizers that goe to the Church to free themselues from the danger of the Lawes or for company sake These men are so farre from their effectuall calling as the East is from the West For euery one that is but in the way to this carrieth this resolution that whatsoeuer he heareth truly taught out of Gods Booke he will follow Iam. 1. He will not be an idle hearer but a doer of the Word He will walke after the Lord keepe his commandements as much as in him lieth and his Statutes with all his heart as the people consented to do that heard Iosias the king reade the Lawe vnto them 2. Kings 23. 2. Chron. 34. This good resolution did the people make which when Moses had told them all the words of the Lord said All the things which the Lord hath said Exod. 14. will we doe And so ought euery man and woman be resolued In which good resolution O God settle vs all for thy mercies sake But here it may be O Christian Reader that you desire to know what maner of calling this Steward had which was so grieuously accused to his Master To this I answere His calling was neither of the former but fearefull and very disconsolate a sudden and vnexpected calling to reckoning after manifest crimes and false dealings against his Master and vpon the same an account taken and he found faultie expulsion and finall departure from his office for euer following This Stewards Master dealt with him after the order and fashion of great men in this world which when they find their seruants vniust will presently call them to account and set them packing This is a great losse to poore seruants that haue nothing but their seruice to trust vnto But this Stewards losse went beyond all common seruants losses for it was of seruice goods life present and the life to come from all which wicked men depart as the rich man Luk. 12. and the rich Glutton Luk 16. Thus much of his calling Next of his reprehension or increpation in these words How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee These words giue singular instructions to all sorts of people taken literally and plainely or Allegorically If you take them plainely as the words are and vnderstand by the rich man any Magistrate whatsoeuer and by the Steward or seruant the subiect Or by the rich man any great Master and by the seruant them that serue in his house They giue foure instructions and informations to these great men of authoritie First that they may not couer sinnes and enormious offences but ought to reproue and correct them neither spare the rod and sword and deale too gently like old Eli when faults are committed 1. Kings 2. Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2.14 For Magistrates are set ouer the people for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well Secondly they ought to enquire out the truth of the same and examine the matter diligently Which thing we are taught by the example of the best euen God himselfe concerning the cry and exceeding grieuous sinne of Sodom and Gomorrha for thus the Lord said Gen. 18.21 I will go down now and see whether they haue done altogether according to that cry which is come vnto me and if not that I may know This Iob reported that he did Iob 29.16 I was a father saith he vnto the poore and when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently Thirdly the accusers of the true bringers of the newes when the truth is knowne are not alwaies to be disclosed and vttered to them that are accused for feare of dissention and debate For here he saith not This man or that man told me but he spake indefinitely saying How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee He would not set the fellow seruants together by the eares but would maintaine charitie the bond of all perfection Col. 3.14 Fourthly he discloseth not openly to others the principall point whereof the Steward was accused to cause murmuring but calleth him vnto him priuily and telleth him priuately of the euill report that went of him saying How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee following the sweet charitable and wholesome counsel and aduice of our Sauiour Mat. 18.15 teaching vs thus If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone if he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee These words as I said before being taken allegorically containing aliud verbis aliud sensu speaking of a rich man and yet meaning God and speaking of a rich mans Steward and yet vnderstanding all mankind a large collectiue or Nowne of multitude doe giue vs to note two things worthy all godly mens considerations First that our faults are not hid from the Lord. Secondly that the Lord is displeased with them Mans faults are not hid from the Lord but although man worketh them neuer so secretly and closely which wicked men still affect for which cause their workes are called the workes of darknesse Rom. 13. because they proceed from the darknesse of mans vnderstanding are done in darknesse and leade men to extreme darkenesse yet all are knowne of the omniscient God the all-seeing God the searcher of the heart and reines who is totus animi totus animae knowing seeing and foreseeing all things Which thing who will be so mad as to deny seeing that the Psalmograph truly and reuerendly telleth God so saying O Lord thou hast searched me out and knowne me Psal 139. thou knowest my downe-sitting and mine vprising thou vnderstandest my thoughts long before and that is most of all He holdeth on in his speech and speaketh further saying Thou art about my path and about my bed and spéest out all my wayes He seeth euery thing that is done on the face of the earth For his eyes are like a flame of fire Reuel 1. Psal 121. Psal 142. they are most cleare and bright and neuer sleepe Hee looketh downe vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke after God He seeth both good and euill for as Dauid hath The eyes of the Lord are ouer the righteous and his eares are open
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
preserued at this generall and great Assize and they that cannot shall bee tumbled downe to the pit of perdition But because secure and carelesse men Epicures and Atheists deny this great and strict account that shall bee taken at the last Day 2. Pet. 3.3 4. according to Saint Peters prediction which telleth vs that in the last dayes there shall come mockers of Christs cōming to Iudgement to take this account And these are the last dayes in which wee see by many workes of the wicked liuing in Atheisme and Epicurisme that they are so perswaded and differ nothing as appeareth from the wicked iudgement of Paulus Tertius the Pope who when there was a speech made vnto him of this account at the last Iudgement said vnto Cardinall Bembus O Bembe Bembe quantum nobis profuit fabula de Christo making this doctrine a fabulous thing Therefore the more is the pitty the question An sit whether there is any last iudgement is most necessary to bee discussed and spoken of Which whiles I endeuour affirmatiuely to proue I beseech you without partialitie lend mee your yeelding resolutions vnto the truth as it shall be proued And Si tu quid rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his vtere mecum If better then these thou hast in store Let vs haue part and say no more But if thine owne doe thee not please Vse that I haue and rest at ease Psal 100. The first proofe is the Word of God an eternall an infallible truth as our Sauiour doth witnesse speaking thus to his Father a maintainer of it Ioh. 17.17 Sermo tuus est veritas thy Word is the Truth Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied prophesied of this day of the Lords comming to take an account saying Behold Iude 14. the Lord commeth with thousands of Saints to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all that are vngodly among them of all their wicked deeds which they haue vngodlily committed and of all their cruell speakings which vngodly sinners haue spoken against him In which place the Lords comming to iudgement is plainely foretold and because it is a thing certaine and sure to be therefore hee speaketh in the present Tense and said Behold the Lord commeth And so the high Iudge himselfe speaketh saying Behold I come as a Theefe Reu. 16. speaking in the present Tense as before and not in the future Tense saying I will come And Peter reporteth Act. 10. that the high Iudge our Sauiour Iesus Christ commanded him and the other Apostles to preach vnto the people and to testifie that it is he that is ordained of God a Iudge of quicke and dead And Paul prepareth men by repentance against that Day saying Act. 17.30 31. Now hee admonisheth all men euery where to repent because hee hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnesse c. The same Paul assureth vs that wee all must appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ 2. Cor. 5. that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it bee good or euill The same Apostle most plainely setteth downe the order and manner of the Lords descension from Heauen to doe this weighty businesse when as he saith 1. Thes 4.16 17 The Lord himselfe shall descend from Heauen with a shout and with the voice of the Archangell and with the Trumpet of God And the dead in Christ shal rise first then we which liue remaine shall bee caught vp with them also in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and so shall we euer be with the Lord. This comming of our Sauiour to iudge and to take this account was foretold of the Angels who standing by him when hee ascended into Heauen and seeing the men of Galilee gazing after him said This Iesus which is taken vp from you shall so come as ye haue seene him goe into heauen And how can we doubt hereof seeing that our Sauiour himselfe euen the high Iudge foresheweth the same Mat. 27. 25. And Saint Mathew setteth downe the order and maner of this Iudgement so plainely that no man led by the Spirit of God can once mutter against his doctrine The second proofe is taken from the end vnto which mankind was made of God God necessarily obtaineth his end And this was the end for which he made mankind that he might be his Image and his eternall Temple wherein he might and should be celebrated to whom he might communicate himselfe his chiefe wisedome goodnesse righteousnesse and felicitie which felicitie is part of the Image of God but this is destroyed and defaced of the Deuill Therefore God which is stronger then the Deuill will restore it And although the end for which man was made is hindred diuers wayes in this life yet the Lord once will attaine vnto it Wherefore there must of necessitie once be a change and an adiudging vnto the same end And here it is admirable to consider how like a Diuine the learned Philosopher aymed and leuelled at this marke and matter For thus hee said Verisimile est hominem ad has miserias non esse conditum sed longè verissimum est praestantissimam creaturam omnium ad meliorem finem conditam esse That is to say It is like to be true that man was not made to endure these miseries but rather it is farre most true that the most excellent creature of all was made to a better end The third proofe is taken from the righteousnesse of God his goodnesse and diuine truth which require that the godly should be perfectly well and the wicked perfectly euill and this falleth not out so many times in this life For here we see the wicked many times flourish with all worldly prosperitie Psal 37.35 luke 16. according to Dauids report and the example of the rich Glutton Therefore there must be another life wherein this iustice of God may appeare that both bodies and soules as they haue beene ioynt partakers of good actions and bad may haue either ioy and comfort or paine terrour and discomforts the wicked may haue tribulation the godly rest And the inchoation of this shall be at this day and time as Paul prooueth where he comforteth the Church of the Thessalonians shewing that their persecuters shall be afflicted and euerlastingly punished at this day and time and the godly rewarded The words are these 2. Thess 1.6 7 8 9 10. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that doe not know God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of
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
Heauen to the dayes of Noah wherein the carelesse people did eate and drinke Luke 17. married wiues and gaue in marriage vnto the day that Noah went into the Arke and the Floud came and destroyed them all euen sodainely when they neuer thought much lesse knew of the certaine and prescript time For the same reason those dayes wherein Christ shal come are compared to the daies of Lot These similitudes doe tell and teach vs that the Lords comming to Iudgement is vnknowne and shall bee sodaine For to this purpose the Euangelist most aptly applyeth this doctrine Luk. 17.30 Luke 17.30 saying After these ensamples shall it be in the day when the Sonne of Man is reuealed Epist 88. Augustine writing to Hesichius hath an excellent saying to this purpose Ego namque de Saluatoris aduentu qui expectatur in fine tempora dinumerare non audeo nec aliquem propheta de hac re numerum annorum existimo praefinsse that is to say I dare not number the times of the comming of our Sauiour which in the end is looked for neither do I thinke that any Prophet hath determined the number of yeeres I therefore conclude this point thus Man knoweth not that day and houre nor the Angels Nay which is most of all not the Sonne as touching his humanity and mediatorship Math. 24. Mar. 13. but the Father onely and yet I stand assured that in his Godhead hee knoweth this time 3. Reasons wherefore the Lord concealeth the times of his comming 1. It is not expedient for vs to know them 2. That wee might exercise our faith and patience 3. To make vs more vigilant c. First it is not expedient nor meet for vs to know these things I meane those secrets which the Father hath kept in his owne power Act. 1.6 The Apostles asked our Sauiour Iesus Christ whether hee at that time would restore the Kingdome to Israel that is to say to his old ancient state Hee answered It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power as though he should say it belongeth not to you to know the moments of times and occasions of abstruse secret and mysticall things not reuealed in the Word as what houre a man shall dye what houre the Lord will come to Iudgement when he will vtterly destroy the kingdome of Satan at what moment hee will bring his subiects into the Kingdome of his Father There is a time when these things shall bee performed but hid from vs and therefore we ought to beleeue them for they are true and in their due times shall truely be performed but wee ought not curiously pry into these secrets For this as Hugo hath is curiositas superflua inuestigatio rerum ad se non pertinentium that is this is superfluous curiositie a searching out of matters that doe not belong to vs. This is no doctrine of the Spirit For as Bernard writing vpon the Canticles hath Doctrina spiritus non curiositatem acuit sed charitatem accendit The doctrine of the Spirit doth not whet on curiositie but inflameth charitie Therefore let vs learne to refraine from curious questions as the Apostle teacheth Timothy and Titus let vs not search and diue too deepe in dangerous whirlepooles lest we should be drowned This is good for the Teacher and profitable for the Hearer And this good counsell Augustine giueth in his eightieth Epistle answering Hesychius and in his doctrine teaching men not curiously to search into the times and seasons but to study the Death and Resurrection of Christ that is to say matters of saluation Secondly Christ concealeth this day and houre to exercise mens faith and patience Chap. 5. And to this purpose Iames giueth this good exhortation Bee patient brethren vnto the comming of the Lord c. In which place he doth comfort the poore oppressed of the rich warning them to wait for the Lords comming patiently who will reuenge the iniuries which the rich men doe to them and giue vnto them waiting in Faith and Hope and yeelding patience a prosperous issue and deliuerance and in the meane time when a man is in misery patience will make the griefe lighter and easier to bee borne This made the Poet say Horace Durum sed leuius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas It is hard I confesse that thou canst not redresse yet lighter through patience if quietly thou beare it Thirdly the Lord telleth vs not when hee will come to call vs to account that wee assured of his comming and not knowing when should at all times be vigilant watchfull and carefull to doe our duties to haue all things in a godly and good order at our Lord and Masters comming As good domesticall seruants when their Master is gone from them assuring themselues that hee will come againe vnto them and not knowing when and that he will call them to an account if they haue any care will at all times haue all things in readinesse and good order that their earthly Master may not come vpon them vnawares and finde them idle and ill occupied and all things out of right course So we seruants to Christ Iesus our Sauiour and knowing that hee is gone from vs into Heauen and standing assured that hee will come to take a reckoning of vs of our liues and conuersations and not knowing when should at all times haue our accounts straight haue all things in readinesse and good order that our heauenly Iudge and Master when he commeth to iudge the quicke and the dead may not come vpon vs vnawares at the last Day and finde vs idle or ill occupied and all things out of good order And to this purpose tendeth that exhortation of our Sauiour Christ Luk. 12.35 36. Let your loynes bee girt and your lights burning and yee your selues like vnto men that wait for their Master when he will returne from the wedding that when hee commeth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediately Blessed are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde waking c. And Paul giueth the like godly exhortation But of the times and seasons 1. Thes 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. Brethren yee haue no neede that I write vnto you for yee your selues know perfectly that the Day of the Lord shall come euen as a Thiefe in the night For when they shall say Peace and safety then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauell vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape But ye brethren are not in darknesse that that day should come on you as it were a Thiefe Yee are all the children of light and the children of the day wee are not of the night neither of darknesse Therefore let vs not sleepe as doe others but let vs watch and bee sober And what plainer exhortation can there bee deliuered to this purpose Mar. 24.42 44. Mar. 13.35 then
or rather some other Elias of the Rabbins because it is not found in the sacred Scriptures but in the Thalmud of the Iewes hath set downe his opinion thus Sex millia annorum mundus durabit deinde conflagratio that is The world shall continue sixe thousand yeeres and then burning makes an end of it And because of sinnes which shall be many and great some yeeres shall be wanting Irenaeus the Martyr was of the same mind these are his wordes Quot diebus factus est hic mundus tot millenarijs consummabitur nam mille anni apud Dominum quasi dies vnus Psal 90. and 2. Pet. 3.8 Now all things were finished perfectly in sixe dayes and the seuenth day was a time of rest Therefore the consummation of all those things shall be in the seuen thousandth yere the perpetuall Sabbath the euerlasting rest This is their fallible collection and conclusion altogether repugnant to the Scriptures The greatest reason or rather shew of reason that made Elias and Ireneus and their followers to erre was for that they vpon these words A thousand yeeres are with the Lord as one day doe say that the world was made in sixe dayes and the seuenth day was a day of rest therefore the world shal stand and continue sixe thousand yeeres and in the seuenth thousand shall be the consummation and end of all In very deed I must needs confesse that these men were learned But Bernardus non vidit omnia neither these men for in my opinion herein they were deceiued in that they thought that in eternall life in the world to come with God were spaces of times yeeres dayes and houres as well as with men in this mortall life which is not true for in heauen I meane not the aereum Coelum ayrie heauen conteining the space from vs vnto the Firmament nor coelum coelatum the engrauen heauen which I so call because it is as it were ingrauen and enameled with glorious lights the Sunne the Moone and the Starres but the heauen which is called of the Philosopher Empyreum but by Diuines in Scripture the glorious Heauen of heauens or Heauen aboue the visible heauens wherein is our Sauiour the Angels and glorified Saints In this are no spaces nor seasons of yeeres dayes moneths houres or other times which thus I proue because there is no Sun nor Moone nor Stars nor no vse need nor necessitie of any of them For the claritie and brightnesse of the Lord shineth there There is no night no Clockes nor Dyals nor Watches How then is it possible for a man to know the spaces of times there Wherefore in the life to come a thousand yeeres are as one day and one day as a thousand yeeres The Psalmist therefore well said A thousand yeeres in thy sight are but as yesterday Psal 90.4 seeing that is past as a watch in the night Againe there is so much ioy in heauen that for the greatnesse and pleasantnesse thereof a thousand yeeres seeme to be but one day But in no wise can it be hereby gathered that because in sixe dayes the world was made and in the seuenth was rest that therefore the world shall continue sixe thousand yeeres and in the seuenth shall be a perpetuall rest and Sabboth and an end of all and so a certaine time knowne Besides the maintainers of the opinion abouesaid there are others which haue taken vpon them to ghesse at the yeere when there should be an end of all things In this number are they which thought that the end of the world shall be in the yeere from Christs birth 1656. because there were so many yeeres from the creation of Adam vnto the Flood and the rather they haue so supposed because our Sauiour and Saint Peter doe compare the times of the Floud Mat. 24. 2. Epist 3. and of the fire in the last day together Wheras therefore from the Creation of Adam vnto the Deluge were 1656. yeeres and sixe dayes they collect that there shall be so many yeeres vnto the last Iudgement when the World shall bee purged by fire Some thought that it should bee in the yeere 1588. among which number was Regiomantanus who left to the world certain Verses shewing his too farre reaching opinion Which Verses are these following Post mille expletos à partu Virginis annos Et post quingentos rursus ab orbe datos Octo gesimus octauus mirabilis annus Ingruet is secum iristia fata trahet Si non hoc anno totus malus occidet orbis Si non in nihilum terra fretumque ruent Cuncta tamen mundi sursum ibuâ—t atque deorsum Imperia luctus vndique grandis erit After one thousand yeeres full explere ended And fiue hundred more vpon the same And eightie eight iust added From the Virgins birth without all staine A wonderfull yeere shall come vpon And dolefull deaths shall follow on If not this euill world this yeere With Land and Sea decay Yet all the Empires euery where Assuredly shall sway And mourning much will follow Albeit beloued Christians there was some shew of alteration that yeere yet many that are here liued then and all can speake by experience that in this matter of the last Iudgement Regiomontanus was deceiued as vvell as others and although there were some shew of troubles yet GOD bee thanked the feares were greater then the harmes and we that liue can relate the same to Gods glory who mercifully and miraculously protected vs making the Seas and Windes to fight for vs and to get the conquest that all the praise might be the Lords Some would haue the time to be certainely knowne or very neerely pointed at because our Sauiour saith Behold the Figge-tree and all the trees Luke 21. when they shoot forth their buds yee beholding know of your owne selues that Summer is then nie at hand So likewise yee when yee see these things come to passe bee yee sure that the Kingdome of GOD is nigh This similitude teacheth that as when vvee see Trees begin to budde then we know assuredly that Summer is nigh So when wee see and know these things performed that the Euangelists haue by the Spirit of GOD penned and set downe and our Sauiour foretold and which Daniel prophesied of then wee may assure our selues that the day and time is neere at hand but we cannot out of these words gather the particular and certaine time Againe men should consider that our Sauiour spake by a similitude which illustrateth but proueth not any set time knowne to man In very truth I confesse that the time of the last Iudgement may be knowne quod ad genus that is that certainely it will come but it cannot bee knowne quod ad speciem to wit as touching the houre day moneth and certaine yeere I therefore assure my selfe and I beseech you all bee so perswaded that no man knoweth the certaine time the very day nor houre of the Lords comming
them For it shall be at midnight when men commonly are asleepe 1. Thes 4.16 The Trumpet the Word of the Lord compared to a Trumpet because of the fearefull shrill and lowd sound thereof shall sound out a most dreadfull taratantara Surgite mortui venite ad Iudicium that is Rise ye dead and come to Iudgement At which voice these dreadfull and terrible effects shall follow Mat. 24.29 The Sea and the Waters shall roare the Hils shall moue out of their places the Earth shake the Sunne shall be darke the Moone shall not giue her light the Starres shall fall from Heauen the whole Element shiuer in pieces the world shall bee in a consuming fire the Graues shall open and yeeld forth the bodies lying in them yea and the Sea and all other places also Reu. 20.13 they that then shall be aliue shall with a sudden mutation be renued and all corruption wiped from their bodies 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thes 4. and all mortalitie remoued they shall be made incorruptible and immortall which changing shall be instead of death vnto them and all shal come to meete the Lord in the Aire as thick as swarmes of Bees The Angels shall separate the good from the bad Math. 13.41 the Tares from the Wheat the Sheepe from the Goates and euery one shal receiue according to that he hath done in this life 2. Cor. 5. whether good or bad The World 2. Pet. 3. Heauen and Earth shall bee dissolued by fire there shall bee a change of this present state and a purging of the Creatures and not an vtter consumption Thirdly the Iudge himselfe euen Christ Iesus the Sonne of God to whom the Father hath giuen all iudgement shall bee seene comming in the Clouds of Heauen Ioh. 5.22 Math. 24. in his very humane Nature not in poore and base state and sort as at his first comming in the flesh which was to good purpose to giue vs an example of true humilitie of true lowlinesse but in glory and great power waited on not with mortall and sinfull men but with the immortall and holy Angels And then hee beeing most Regall maiesticall and powerfull Math. 25.31 The settling of him in his Throne and being also vpright and pure will ascend into his great white Throne most beseeming his Imperiall and immaculate person And this Iohn saw plainly in a vision reuealed vnto him by Christ Iesus Re. 20.11 Reu. 20.11 where he thus reporteth And I saw a great white Throne c. The greatnesse of this Throne sheweth his might Maiestie For he is a King hauing on his head a golden crown The whitenes of it his purity and holines Reu. 14.14 Heb. 7.26 For he is a Priest and a Iudge holy innocent vndefiled separate from sinners and made higher then the Heauens When this Regall mighty and vncorrupt Iudge hath setled himselfe in his Tribunall Seat then at the shrill sound of the Trumpet The Resurrection of the dead to come to Iudgement Iob. 19. all that are dead shall rise euen in the same state and forme as they were when they dyed couered againe with the same skinne and hauing the same flesh shall also behold God not with other but with the same eyes as they had when they departed out of this life and all this shall come to passe although a man is burnt to ashes For God who is Omnipotent and made man of nothing is much more able of ashes to reedifie and make man againe then a simple man of ashes can make a beautifull glasse And if a Goldsmith or a Pewterer of a melted vessell can make another againe then much more God of a man returned to dust can make a man againe He made man I say at the first of nothing therefore much more is able to make him againe of something and to bring together all parts and pieces of him wheresoeuer they bee scattered and dispersed An excellent example and demonstration whereof we haue in Ezechiel 37. where the Prophet foreshewing the bringing againe of the people being in captiuitie telleth how the Lord set him downe in the middest of a field which was full of dry bones and led him round about by them Ezec. 37. and said vnto him Sonne of Man can these bones liue And the Prophet answered O Lord God thou knowest Then the Lord proceeded further and said vnto the bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall liue and I will lay sinnewes vpon you and make flesh grow vpon you and couer you with skinne and put breath in you that ye may liue And as soone as the Lord spake the word all this was done shewing plainely vnto vs our restauration to life at the Resurrection in the last Day All that are dead shall liue shall rise againe and come to be iudged for the dead shall liue they shall rise againe with their body Esay 26.19 Awake and sing ye that sleepe in the dust for thy dew is as the dew of Hearbs and the earth shall cast out the dead Let vs therefore resolue our selues that the houre shall come in the which all that are in their graues shall heare Christs voice Ioh. 5.28 29. and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the Resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation Ioh. 11.24 Martha therefore truely said to Christ of Lazarus I know that hee shall rise againe at the last Day Martha knew this to bee true and so did Iob and in this point let vs all be resolued Iob 19. 2. King 4. Luke 7. Math. 9. Iohn 11. for as truely as Elizeus called to life a dead Boy Christ the Widdowes sonne in Naim and Iairus Daughter and Lazarus so wee shall be raised againe to life and stand before this high Iudge sitting in his Imperiall Throne of Maiestie I pray God that wee may appeare before him cloathed with his holinesse and righteousnesse Now although some shall be aliue at the last Day 1. Thes 4.17 yet they shall not preuent them that sleepe for they shall bee caught vp with them also in the Clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and shall come to Iudgement that both the dead 2. Cor. 5.10 and they that then shall bee liuing may receiue the things that are done in their bodies according to that which they haue done whether it be good or bad For God by his Sonne Christ Iesus Acts 17.31 will Iudge the world in righteousnesse It shall therefore goe well with the righteous the godly but ill with the wicked It shall be with the godly and the wicked at the Resurrection in the last Day Gen. 40. as it was with Pharaoh his seruants his chiefe Butler and his chiefe Baker Both of them were taken out of Prison the one to be restored to his Office to minister before the King but the other