is to bée seene in most ministers of the Church magistrates of the common wealth Parentes of children Maisters of families and housholdes and that too in all sortes both publikely and priuately then that the greater part thinke and beléeue that they are seated in the roomes they are not of God but either of Fortune or of their owne industrie But let ech one in his degrée and calling knowe and vnderstande this much that hee is called and sent of God applying this sentence of Christe euerie man to himselfe I must worke the workes of him that sent me remeÌ„bring the promise that hee which hath beene faithfull in litle shall be made ruler ouer much Math. 25.21 For sith there is such a great blessednes promised vnto those that shall dutifully labour in the Lordes worke wee ought all in our seueral callinges to haue such regard hereunto as that nothing whatsoeuer should prouoke vs to shrinke from the same But the world is at this point now a daies that it is counted a fault and a matter worthy of reproofe yea and of punishment to be zealous and feruent in the Lordes cause especially in beating down sinne and reprouing iniquitie for which are vsed all allurements occasions and excuses to harden their conscience in the same For he that shall deale calmely and temperately him they reckon a wise maÌ„ fittest to speake in the congregation and to beare rule But if the zeale of Gods house hath eaten him vp Psal 69.9 if he touch the quicke if he hunger and thirst the reformation of matters that are out of course then by and by he groweth out of fauour he is reputed rash fonne foolish busie vndiscréete and I wot not what So it is then the more carefull wee shall bee to worke the Lordes workes the worse we shall be thought off and the more enimies wee shall haue Howbeit we ought the lesse to marueile or to bee gréeued hereat because the example is not rare and newe but common and practised against the godly long agone Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat biddeth lay holde on the man of God 1. King 13.4 that cryed out against the altar in Bethel Ahab telleth Eliah that he troubleth Israel and Ieremiah of the false Priestes and Prophets is accused of treason 2. King 18.17 Ier. 26.11 so doe the wicked rage against the seruauntes of God when they declare them his iudgementes Neuerthelatter the man of God cryeth out against the altar Eliah reprooueth the Prophets of Baal and Ieremiah notwithstanding that hee is censured worthy to die continueth his prophesying And if wee looke to the time of the Gospell Act. 24.5 Paule is accused of the Iewes to bee a pestilent fellowe and a moouer of sedition throughout the world and a chiefe maintainer of the secte of the Nazarites The Gentiles also crye out against him in Philippi that hee was a troubler of their citie Act. 16.20 and preached ordinaunces which were not lawfull for them to receiue The like did the Iewes and Gentiles impute to the doctrine of the other Apostles and therefore they ceased not to persecute them as common plagues and enimies of the commoÌ„ peace christiaÌ„ religioÌ„ The Apostles notwithstanding did not cease to do their duetie but most constantly preached and professed Christ for they knew that it was far better that the whole world shoulde bee troubled and in an vprore then that the Gospel of the kingdome shoulde not bee preached or that one soule should be neglected perish 1. Pe. 1.19 so dearelye redéemed with the blood of Christ They knew too that their preachings were not the cause of those offences sects and therfore they were not discouraged but cleauing to their vocatioÌ„ went forward dayly in the temple to teach Act. 5.42 from house to house to preach Iesus Christ knowing that the gospel which they preached howsoeuer it séemed to the Iewes and Gentiles foolish and offensiue was the power of god vnto saluation to all that beléeue 1. Cor. 1.18 Rom. 1.16 All which examples are to encourage and to stirre vs vp to painefulnes in our ministerie and not at all to be mooued with the poysoned tongues of the vngodly to be negligent in our vocation and calling For what if at these daies for working the workes of the father Ieroboam his hand be stretched out against vs What and if with Eliah we be counted seditious with Ieremiah accused of Treason With the Apostles forbidden to preach With Paul reported to be pestilent felowes raisers of sedition preachers of vnlawfull ordinaunces troublers of the citie And to be short what and if with Christ himselfe we be saide to haue the Deuill Shall we therefore faint and shrinke vnder the burden Iohn 8.48 God forbid Now that we haue put our handes to the ploughe let vs not looke backe for if we do wee make our selues vnfit for the kingdome of God Luk. 9.62 Math. 10.37 ver 39. He saith Christ that loueth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me He that will saue his life shall loose it and he that looseth his life for my sake shall saue it There is none that shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or landes for his names sake but shall receiue an hundreth fold more and shall inherite euerlasting life Math. 19.29 Rom. 8.17 Psal 126.5 If wee suffer together with him we shal in the world to come be glorified with him We that sow in teares shal reape in ioy Let Ieroboam then bid laye holde on the man of God let Eliah be counted seditious let Ieremiah be accused of treason let Paule be reported a troubler of the citie and let Christians with Christ be saide to haue the deuill Math. 10.24 The disciple is not aboue his maister nor the seruant aboue his Lord. Let the plowers plowe vpon our backes Psal 129.4 and make long furrowes the righteous Lord shall cut the cordes of the wicked Let the kinges of the earth band themselues and the princes assemble together against the Lord Psal 2.4 1. King 22..24 2. Chr. 18.24 and against his annointed hee that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision Let Zidkijah smite Michaiah on the cheeke he shall see the day when hée shall go from chamber to chamber to hide him To be short let wicked meÌ„ to excuse themselues with shipwrack of coÌ„science as Amaziah vsâ—â— Amos Am. 7.10 intitle great and mighty personages into our reprehensioÌ„ as though we had spoken such and such wordes which the land can not beare all these notwithstaÌ„ding let the lords worke be applied let ech one looke to the necessity laid vpoÌ„ him say like as did our Sauiour me oportet operari c. I must worke the workes of him that sent me Which thing for as much as of our selues we are not able to performe
being a charge so weighty and the greatest of all the Lord both by the pastour and people is to bee prayed vnto to strengthen his minister with the spirit of boldnes and constancie that his forehead may be as the adamant Ezech. 3.9 and harder then the flint that he be not afraid at the lookes of men but may boldly enter into the house of Israel and in the feare of the Lord declare vnto them the fulnes of his wil which I beséech him vniuersally to graunt vnto all the professours and preachers of his holy word Yet one other thing wee haue here to note in that Christ saith that hee must worke the workes of him that sent him Oportet mo operari eius opera qui misit me that is such works by which it might appeare that he was the sonne of God and sent of God the father into the world according to that written in the fifth of Iohn Iohn 5.36 The workes which the father hath giuen me to finish beare witnes of me that the father sent me Iohn 6.38 And in the chapter following I came down from heauē not to do mine owne will but his will which hath sent me Whereby we are taught that wee must not worke such works as we like best our selues but such as God in his word hath commaunded that we may be knowne to be the sonnes of God For our workes are naught and our doings peruerse Our waies are crooked and our cogitations euill Esa 55.8 My thoughtes are not your thoughtes neither are your waies my waies saith the Lord. For as the heauens are hygher then the earth so are his waies higher then our waies and his thoughtes aboue our thoughts And this much of the first argument or reason of Christe whiche hee deriueth Ab officio from hys office and duetie The second argument of Christ deriued from the time Now I come to the second which hee deriueth à tempore from the time conteined in these wordes Donec dies est while it is day which argument or reason of Christ is deduced from the commō vse and custome of men who when they take any taske in hand are wont to apply and followe the same in the light of the day least lingering the time they be preuented with the darkenes of the night Now if men are wont to be so careful to finish that which they take in hand while it is day which concerneth the vse of mā how much more belonged it vnto Christ before his death and passion to finish the workes of the father For saith he The night cōmeth when no man can worke Venit nox ùm nemo lotest opeari In which words Christ doth signifie that he may not omit occasion and opportunitie to worke for that the time would come when he should away Which thing too he declareth more at large by a Similitude comparing the time of his presence to the Day and the time of his departure to the night Now the day is the time to worke and the night is the time to rest Hée then that worketh not in the daye while it is light shall not worke in the night when it is darke The like similitude he vseth afterward in the leuenth chapter speaking to the disciples in this manner Iohn 11.6 If a man walke in the daye hee stumbleth not because hee seeth the light of this world But if a man walke in the night he stumbleth Because there is no light in him In both which it is apparant that he calleth the day the time which in his humaine nature hee ought to spend here vpon earth in the businesse of the Father that he calleth the night the houre of death from which once raised he carried with him his body triumphantly into heauen But yet Christ here compareth the houre of his death vnto the night not because he should yeeld and giue place againe vnto Sathā the prince of darkenes and God of this world Ephes 6.12 2. Cor. 4.4 whō before hee had spoiled and ouercome through the force of his death and passion but because then being dissolued from the troubles of this life he passed to eternall rest which now he enioyeth with the father till the latter day in which he shall come againe with maiesty and great glory in the cloudes Math. 24.30 with a shoute with the voice of the Archangel 1. Thes 4.16 and with the trūpet of God to iudge both the quicke and the dead at which time as S. Paul teacheth al things shall be made subiect vnto God 1. Cor. 15.28 that God may be al in all We may not here contentiously reasō and dispute whether Christ also after his death did not the workes of the Father or whether yet to this day he be not the light of the world Quandiu fuero in mundo Lux sum mundi for the Similitudes of Christ are simply and plainely to be conceiued and not to be wrested hither and thither Christs meaning is then that he must worke the workes of the Father while hee is in this life signifying that shortly by death he should be taken away who yet to this day shineth vnto his elect and still worketh in them by the power grace and vertue of the holy Ghost and will do to the end and consummation of the world according to that most comfortable promise of his in the last of Matthew Math. 28.20 Hereof we may gather this generall doctrine that as Christ had a certaine time appointed him to worke the workes of the Father so haue we a certaine day and time appointed vs to worke which once ended and finished we can worke no more Let vs worke then while it is day least if the night come vpon vs we be not able to worke But now the Day is the present life which God hath giuen vs here vpon earth and in which we may worke but when night that is to say when death commeth on and when the Soule is once loosed from the bodie wee shall not be able to worke would we neuer so faine So writeth Theophilact Dies quidem est presens vita Theophi in Ioan. eò quòd possumus nunc sicut in dic operari The day is the present life because that nowe wee maye worke as in the day Nox autem futurum seculum eò quòd nullus illic poterit operari But the night saith he is the worlde to come because that no man can worke there While then we are in this life let vs not omit the presēt occasiō that is offered vs to do wel Seeke the Lord saith Esay while hee maye bee founde Esa 55.6 and call vpon him while hee is neere Sirach saith sinnes in this life committed in the world to come Wherefore as Chrysostome counselleth Omnia hîc dissolue vt citra molestiam illud videas Tribunal Set all thinges here in order that without griefe thou maiest behold that
shal be wéeping gnashing of téeth As often then as wee féele our selues negligent and slothfull in the Lordes worke let vs call to minde this argument and reason of Christ to stir vs vp vnto labour which by nature are sluggish and slothful vnto euerie good worke vnlesse we purpose to rebel and to procure the heauie wrath and indignation of God to bee kindled against vs. Ye know that God was very angry with Moses because he refused to do the message vnto Pharaoh Exod. 4.14 which hee inioyned him to do Ion. 1.4 Into how great perils daungers Ionah was cast because hee woulde not promptly follow the Lords calling who willed him to preach to the people of Niniueh it is better knowne then I néed to declare And truely worthily was the Lord displeased with Moses worthily did he punish Ionah that giuing place to their own reason would flée frō the vocatiō wherunto God had called thē in which he would mightily haue assisted thē with the might of his power The Prophet in the first of kings thirtéenth 1. King 13.24 that did eate bread in the house of another prophet cōtrarie to the cōmandement of the Lorde was slaine of a Lion and his bodie was cast in the way A fearefull example by which we are taught how daungerous a thing it is for men to behaue themselues coldly or deceitfully in that charge wherunto God hath called them And I would to God al men would learne as by this so by the example of Saul to beware who receiued a commaundement from the Lorde by Samuell to apply the Lordes worke to goe and smite Amalek and without compassion to slaye both man 1. Sa. 15.3 and woman both infant and suckling both oxe and shéepe both camell and asse howbeit hee left the Lordes worke vndone for he spared Agag the King and the better shéepe and the Oxen and the fat beastes ver 9. and the lambes and all that was good and he would not destroy them But for this his negligence he receiued a most sorowfull message from the Lord because thou hast cast away the word of the Lord ver 23. therefore hath he cast awaye thee from being king True it is that in euerie well ordered common weale God hath authorized rulers to destroy Amalek and to deliuer the poore and such as be in néede from the hand of the oppressour Now if they looke not to their charge but as Saul did will suffer Amalek to liue not onely so but to grow vp in might doubtlesse the Lord almightie and God of Israel shal turne them out of their seates and bring them to confusion Nom. 24.20 But happely some will saie we must do as we may do and accordingly as time and occasion wil serue Vnto such saieth the preacher Eccl. 11.4 Hee that obserueth the wind shall not sow and hee that regardeth the cloudes shall not reape For with such the weather is alway either too hoat or too cold or els too wet or too drie The sense and meaning whereof is this that hee which feareth inconueniences and setteth not forward when necessitie requireth shall neuer do his duetie It teacheth vs then that we must not stande ouer long gasing at the season and putting off the time but must earnestly and zealously go about the Lordes cause and the Lord shall blesse our labours and giue good successe vnto the same Otherwise if we prolong the time and post it ouer from day to day our prolonging and posting ouer will purchase the Lordes curse For as Ieremiah telleth the Caldeans from the mouth of God Iere. 48.10 Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Therefore Dauid commaunding his sonne Salomon to build the temple of the Lord which thing he himselfe was forbidden to do exhorteth him in this manner vp and be doing 1. Ch. 22.16 as if hee should haue said go about it quickly and the Lord will be with thée Yea Dauids zeale was such toward the furtheraunce thereof that it made him to spare no expenses but to bestowe his owne peculiar treasure and withal to prouoke others to the forwardnes of the Lordes worke for saide he And who is willing to fill his hand to daye vnto the Lorde Hereto let vs ioyne the worthie example of Elisha 1. Chro. 29.5 who returning from his father and about to depart from the plowmen tooke a couple of Oxen and slewe them and sodde their fleshe with the instrumentes of the Oxen 1. King 19.21 and gaue vnto the people Elisha would not staye till woode was brought so great was his desire to followe his vocation So the Prophet Amos Am. 3.8 the Lyon saith hée hath roared who will not bee afraid The Lord God hath spoken who can but prophesie Wherefore when Amaziah Priest of Bethel willed him to get him into the land of Iudah Am. 7.12 and to eate his bread there and to prophesie there to teach no more in the land of Israel cōtrary to the cōmandement of king Ieroboam the prophet obiected his vocation calling told him that he could not but obey God ver 14. who called him an herdman a gatherer of wilde figges to such an excellent function giuing him knowledge with knowledge constancie to reproue sinne and wickednes in all estates and degrées whatsoeuer and to denounce his most horrible iudgementes against them except they did spedily repent and amēd Ieremiah likewise because he was in derision dayly and mocked of euerie one for doing his office determined with him selfe not to make mention of the Lorde Ier. 20.9 nor to speake any more in his name saue that his word was in his heart as a burning fire shut vp in his bones so that hée was wearie with forbearing and coulde not stay This same did the apostles for when as the rulers Scribes and Elders gaue them in charge to preach Christ no more Act. 4 1◠preferring their authoritie to the ordinaunce of God they answered whether it be right in the sight of God to obey you rather then God iudge ye For we can not but speake the things which we haue sene heard Paul in like maner necessity is laid vpō me wo is vnto me if I preach not the Gospell 1. Cor. 9 1◠Doubtlesse greatly is the worthines and authoritie of the vocation and calling of God estéemed of those who know what God is and weigh well with them selues what on their partes to him doth belong But on the other side intollerable is the slacknes or rather the wilfull obstinacie of those and litle do they esteeme of the diuine vocation and calling who halt in the knowledge of the caller who hath called them to this or that according to his good will and pleasure And it séemeth vnto me that there can no better reason be giuen of this diuelish and damnable carelessenes which euen at this day
Tribunal seate For if all thinges be not wel and in good order whylest thou art here it will bee too late for thee to redresse them when thou commest there Hierony in cap. 6. epist ad Gal. 2. Cor. 6.2 Psal 65.7 This is saith Ierome the last time of sowing Beholde saith the Apostle nowe is the accepted time now is the day of saluation To day saith Dauid if ye wil heare his voice harden not your hartes It is a daungerous thing in all kinde of matters to let passe opportunitie and conuenient time If the generall omit it hee maye léese the victorie If the mariner he may léese his passage If the Marchantman he may misse his gaine And therefore are wee thus often admonished to take time while time is to teach vs that if wee take it not when it is offered when we our selues woulde wee shall not haue it Christ himselfe as wee see here tooke his time I must saith he worke the workes of him that sent me while it is daye For this wee must consider with our selues from the highest to the lowest that one is the condition of the present time and another of the time to come We maye nowe doe that which hereafter we shall neuer be able to doe Worke then while it is daye the night commeth when no man can worke Yet a litle while saith Christ is the light with you walke while ye haue light Iohn 12.35 least the darkenes come vpon you And whereas it is vncertaine how long wee haue here to liue for death tarieth not and the couenant of the graue is not shewed vnto vs we ought the more earnestly to labour while we are here Eccl. 14.12 least preuented by death we be not able to finish the worke which is taken in hand If the goodman of the house knewe at what houre the théefe woulde come Luke 12 3◠hee would surely watch and not suffer his house to be digged through So likewise if wee knewe when Death the messenger of the Lorde woulde come Colloss 4.5 we would redeeme the time We would amend all that is amisse we would bring forward that which is behind we would haue our worke at an ende we would be prepared wee would not slumber and sleepe out the time with the foolysh virgins Math. 25.5 we would haue lights in our hands and oyle in our lampes But for as much as it is not for vs to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power for them hath he wholy and soly reserued vnto him selfe it standeth vs all vpon to be diligent and carefull Act. 1.7 to giue the housholde their portion of meate in season and blessed is that seruant whom his maister when hee commeth Luke 12.43 shall find so doing But if with the vngratious seruant we shall say in our heartes Our maister will deferre his comming and shall beginne to smite our fellow seruants ver 45. and to eate and drinke and to be drunken without doubt our maister will come in a daye when wee thinke not and in an houre when we are not ware of and will cut vs off and giue vs our portion with the vnbeleeuers Wherefore let vs worke while it is day lest the night steale vpon vs and wee couered with darkenesse bee not able to worke But out of these words Donec dies est While it is day a farther sense may bee gathered and that is this Many thinke that they may lawfullye giue ouer and worke no longer the works of the father when they be once old growē in years and such men say Wee haue borne the heate of the day long enough wee haue wrought in the vineyarde long enough wee haue preached long enough wee haue borne office long enough It is now high time for vs to giue ouer another while to take our ease Let the younger men in Gods name take paines another while as wee haue done and so foorth But Christ héere teacheth them by his owne example that they must worke as long as it is day that they must continue in wel doing to the last gaspe and neuer giue ouer For why It is nothing to beginne well vnlesse we continue to the end Hee that endureth to the end Mat. 10.22 shall be saued To him that ouercommeth Apoc. 2.7 shal bee giuen to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradice of God Hierony in 6. cap. Epist ad Galat. Gal. 6.9 A lasting rewarde followeth a lasting righteousnesse Therefore did S. Paul exhort the Galathians Not to bee weary of wel doing because that in due season they should reape if they fainted not Likewise he charged his Timothy to do the worke of an Euangelist and to cause his ministery to be throughly liked of 2. Tim. 4.5 Whereunto that he might the rather incourage him He setteth down his own example togither with the rewarde in these words I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith Vers 7.8 Henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue me at that day and not to mee onely but vnto all them also that loue his appearing For God is not vnrighteous that he should forget the worke Hebr. 6.10 and labour of loue We muste not then call to mynde how long we haue laboured but muste haue a watchfull eye and a diligent regard vnto the end So runne sayeth the Apostle that yee may obtaine Cor. 9.24 And againe We desire that euery one of you shew the same diligence Heb. 6.11 to the full assurance of hope vnto the end that yee bee not slouthfull but followers of them which through faith and pacience inherite the promises And thus much for the first part Now let vs take a view of the order and meanes which Christ our Sauiour did vse in giuing sight to this blind man The order and meanes which Christ did vse in giuing sight to the blind man The Euangelist saith As soone as hee had thus spoken as afore declared hee spat on the ground and made claye of the spettle and anointed the eies of the blind with the clay and saide vnto him Goe washe in the poole of Siloam c. Christ could haue giuen sight to this blind man by his only worde and secret power as he did to Bartimeus the son of Timeus in the 10. of Marke Mar. 10.52 but to declare to the disciples and vs all the occasion of the blindnesse of man and the remedy thereof hee vseth these outwarde and externall signes and ceremonies by which he prouoketh not only the minde but also all the other senses into the contemplation of his grace and fauour and confirmeth vs wholye in the truth of his promise By the Clay then which he made of the spettle and duste of the ground is represented humaine and