this is the badge of Christians whereby they are distinguished froÌ„ the douils company VVhen our Sauiour Christ taught his disciples the time he was conuersant with them humilitie patience contempt of the world and other christian vertues and duties the perswasion of loue charitie and good will he reserued to his last supper to the intent that hee might most firmly imprint the loue of our neighbour into the harts and memories of his disciples For this is giuen vs by nature that looke what our friend doth giue vs last in charge wheÌ„ he departeth from vs that stickest longest in our remembrance In this duty of loue consisteth the perfection of al christianity Therefore S. Paule sayth that the whole lawe is comprehended in this one thing Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe He that fulfilleth both these commaundements as he ought may without blushing appeare before God Dauid saith ô Lord I haue loued thy commaundements and therefore he desired the presence of God but Adam beeing called fled from God hid himselfe because hee had disobeyed God and therefore durst not come into his presence The prophet saith not I haue knowne thy law or I haue kept thy lawe but I haue loued thy lawe To keepe thy lawe is of necessity and feare but to loue proceedeth from inward affection The loue of God is perpetuall but the loue of the worlde or of our selues is but for this life for the loue of the worlde and of our selues we indanger our selues but for the loue of God we finde a meanes to be pertakers of the kingdome of God and of euerlasting ioyes The especiall cause of louing our neighbour is in respect of his soule And a good shepheard wil not spare to lay downe his life for his sheepe and many haue been content to be offered vp for the confirmation of the faith of others This doâ— and thou shalt liue See how Christ doth prouoke vs vnto good works This do c. teaching vs that we should walke in them He saith not Say this or beleeue this but doe this That is loue God and loue thy neighbour and shew forth the vvorkes of charitie As the Apostle speaketh 1. Ioh. 3. Let vs not loue in word neither in tunge onely but indeed in truth Hee that seeeth his neighbour in necessity shutteth vp his compassion from him how remaineth the loue of God in him Hee that loueth his neighbour hath life and hee that loueth not abidâ—th in death 1. Corin. 13 Though wee speake with the tongue of men and Angels haue not loue it were nothing As the body is sustained by naturall heate so is charitie the life of the soule without the which it is as dead If thou hatest thou hast a name that thou liuest but thou art dead and if thou findest thy selfe thus dead loue and liue We are translated from death to life because wee loue the brethren Nothing is so precious vnto vs as life whereof this is an cuident token that for the same we can be coÌ„tent to haue an â—r me or a leg cut off and to drink most bitter potions Yet is this life no true lyfe but rather a shadow an image of death If we can be content to endure such things for this life which is of so short continuance how should we bestirre our selues what should not wee vndertake to attaine the glorious life euerlasting For Christ speaketh not heere of this transitorie lyfe but of euerlasting life which is the seate dwelling place of the blessed The Gods of the Gentiles require the death of infants and that men should sley themselues but the Lord saith by the prophet Ezech. 18. I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he returne liue Oh how good is our God who I would were loued of vs as meete is and that wee could frame our selues to obey his holy will and for thys our loue and holy obedience requiteth vs not onely with this transitory life but will crowne vs hereafter with eternall ioyes But hee willing to iustifie himselfe sayd vnto Iesus Who is then my neighbour But. c. Heerein he sheweth himselfe to be an hypocrite that he would iustifie himselfe as though he had fulfilled the whole lawe of God perfectly and left nothing vndoone Our hypocrisie is especially founde in the keeping of the second table for that is the sold giuen to the poore not being moued there-vnto through charitie but because hee was a thiefe and bare the bagge The sonne of Iacob when they sold their brother Ioseph willing to iustifie themseluâ—s before theyr Father and to cleere themselues from all offence brought their brothers garment stayned with blood as though nothing might be lay de to theyr charge So Herod purposing to kil Christ made a shewe that he would goe vvorship Christ The wicked Iudges woulde haue cleered themselues to be farre from the offence which they lay de to Susannas charge But let all these vnderstand which dissemble with their double hart that there will come a time when all shall bee reuealed as the trechery of Absolon Heliodorus Herods was if not in this world yet in another He sayth he loueth God and yet maketh question who is his neighbour But he that loueth not his neighbour whom hee seeth daily how shall hee loue God whom hee hath not seene He speaketh suspiciously as though a man might loue God and yet neuer thelesse be cruell and hurtfull to his neighbour The Iewes they had onelie respect to them of their owne nation supposing it was lawfull for them to hate allants and forrenners and to let them alone without dooing them any benefit on good at all But the name of neighbour dooth extend it selfe to a further compasse to wit vnto all men Forasmuch as oftentimes it chaunceth that hee which is nighest to vs in birth or country is farther from vs in affection and loue then our very foe And Iesus aunswered and said A certaine man went downe from Ierusalem to Icricho This might bee for Ierusalem was in the high mountaine Sion and Iâ—icho in a low place Besides there was a desert betwixt Ierusalem and Iericho where passengers were spoyled by theeues and where Zedechias the King vvas taken by by the Captaines of the king of Babel when he fled from Ierusalem Some apply this man that was wouÌ„ded by theeues vnto Adam and vnto man-kinde the priest and the Leuite vnto the sacrifices of the old lawe and Christ vnto the Samaritane which healed man-kind being spoiled by the deuils temptations of the gifts graces of God the denill beeing compared heere vnto theeues Some compare the man that came from Ierusalem to Iericho vnto a sinner that falleth from the estate of grace vnto the deformity of sin But how far this is from the sence and true meaning euery man may perceiue For the chiefed cope that our Sauiour aâ—â—eth at 〈◊〉 to shewe vvho is our neighbour
affliction is patiently to bee indured and the parents are in the meane time to content and comfort themselues that in dooing theyr best endeuour they haue discharged theyr dutie Ezech. 3.19 For often times it falls out not onely to slothfull and negligent parents but also to those that are most watchfull carefull that they may haue chyldren wicked and vngodly farre differing from the disposition of the parents And the more worthy and godly the Parents are the more are they vexed with this affliction as Adam had Caine and Noe had Cham Abraham had Ismaell and Isaac had Esau and Dauid had Absolon Ammon Eh had Hophni and Phinehas and Samuell had sonnes giuen to corruption and bribery all which did greatly disgrace theyr Fathers houses stocke and linage In this prodigall Sonne although hee were so forgone yet God doth not vtterly forsake him but reacheth him out the hand of mercy sheweth him the means of repentance First in setting before his eyes his pouerty and misery and then pinching him with famine that by his rods chastisements he might draw him to newnesse and amendement Ose 2.9 And worthily hee began to want to whom the treasure of knowledge and wisedome and of the feare of God did seeme a matter so base preferring his own pleasures and the vanities of the world before it who had forsaken the high estimation of heauenlie wealth Hee that leaueth the well-spring must needes thirst and hee that departeth from treasure must needs want he that emptieth himselfe of honestie goodnes must needes come to nothing Hee began to want suffer hunger because nothing can satis-fie a prodigall minde and hee is woorthy to bee famished which will not feede of heauenly foode Where-soeuer Ioseph went there was plenty and where he was not there was scarcety enough So where God is there is no want and where his helping hand is not it is no maruell though all come to hauock ruine Three things are heere woorthy to be considered First that without God thereis nothing but famine and penury Secondly that nothing can satis-fie our soules but God Thirdly how in God onely not else-where men all other creatures finde all plenty and aboundance Psal 34. The Lyons want â—â—â—d suffer hunger but they that feare the Lord want no manner of thing that is good psal 23. The Lorde is my Shepheard therefore can I lacke nothing And there is no Prince nor Potentate in the worlde that can say so For the greater theyr estate the greater theyr expences and vpon infinite expences come great wants Onely the godly mind which hueth in a contented estate hath this sufficiencie The sheepe ouer whoÌ„ the deuill is shepheard haue noysome hearbes to feede on and venomous water to drinke which secretly infect vnto death For honours pleasures and riches bring destruction to the soule of a sinner they deceiue vs of eternall life and keepe vs farre from it He that is sicke of the Dropsie is still athirst and wealth and pleasure still call for more psal 145.15 The eyes of all waite vpon thee ô Lord and thou giuest them theyr meate in due season Coniurers can sette aboundance of dainty â—eates before thine eyes but if thou touch to tast there is nothing but onely the deceit of the eyes which for a time they can wonderfully delude So the deceauable worlde can perswade her followers that all her gyfts are of great waight and that they are sufficient to satis-fie our desire to the vttermost but in the end they prooue to bee vaine more vnconstant then the wind and lighter then vanitie it selfe And this is a most true cause why sinners can neuer bee satis-fied and finde them-selues contented Hee that is a Husbandman woulde be a gentleman a gentleman a squire a squire a Knight a Knight a Lorde a Lorde an Earle So are all the desires of the world they stirre vp hunger but they neuer satis-fie hunger or quench thirst Therefore the prophet truly speaketh of such Yee haue eaten and haue not enough ye haue drunke and are thirstie ye clothe you and are not warme he that earneth wages putteth the wages into a broken bagge The water that was poured about the Altar was burnt vp 1. Reg. 18. Ionas gourde withered so in all the pleasures profits in the world there is a worme ingendered within them â—hat dooth consume them The more thou hast of this worlds goods the more doth the fire of thy desire breake forth into a flame as if thou shouldest endeuour to put out fire with oyle Secondly nothing can satis-fie our mindes but God as the prodigall Sonne was neuer quiet in mind vntill he returned vnto his Fathers house There is no ioy or perfection but in God As God speaketh by the mouth of the prophet psalme 81. Open thy mouth wide and I shall fill it After that God did commaund vnto the people the keeping of his commaundements he willeth theÌ„ to opeâ— their mouth wide he will fill it Which is not meant of the mouth of the body which a little may fill but of the contentation of the soule which is not easily satisfied The soule beeing made to the image of God must then be in his best perfection when God doth begin to renue it In God onely is sufficiency rest quietnesse and perfect ioy without GOD there is nothing but greefe and perplexity of minde which increaseth and multiplyeth while wee make that account of the world as wee doe seeking our rest and chiefest solace therein That vessell which is put into the vvater is very light but being taken out is very heauie So so long as thy minde doth rest in God all thinges are comfortable and ioyfull but when it is plunged in worldly desires all things seemeâ—â—d and sorrowfull The vngodly beeing weary in seruing the worlde are most combersome vnto themselues hauing a clogged soule and a heauy conscience For honours wealth pleasure they haue not so glistering a shew but they haue as many dangers ioyned with them The godly in theyr chiefest perplexities miseries and distresses haue rest and ioy in God who filleth their harts with great cheerefulnes wheras without God there is neither peace of conscience nor any other true comfort The bodie can take no rest beeing straitned in a narrow roome and all the worlds delights are too strait for a godly soule for it desireth to bee inlarged with that freedome which commeth from God euen as the byrde which is fed with daintie meate in a cage makes more account of further libertie although hee be destitute of dainties Moses beeing in Pharaos Court could not so well serue God as when hee vvas quite cleere from it Seeing theÌ„ there is no rest in these worldly matters turne vnto God and make a better choyce a happier change When God made man hee rested from all the workes which hee had made so did he not rest wheÌ„ he had made other creatures Seeing
estate is soâ—â—â—ong therefore seeing I cannot chuse but sinne I wil for euer remaine therein Little thinking their foolishnes is so great that though we sinne against GOD through weakenes not of presumption if it be a hundred times yet if we turne to the Lord by tru repentance hee will so often forgiue vs. These faint-harted people despairing of Gods goodnesse and mercy and hauing no hope of amendement cast themselues headlong into sinne and yeeld themselues wholy into the power of sathan perceauing theÌ„selues to be falne from grace from the fauour of God This prodigall sonne had rather suffer the most terrible tiranny of the deuill then to endure some hardnes in comming to his fathers house where he should enioy all freedome and wealth Straite is the gate that entreth into life and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction The Israelites had rather returne into Egypt to suffer the tiranny and persecution of Phamo then to vndertake a little labour in the Wildernes that they might enioy the promised Land flowing with milke and honny Such is the estate of many finners who had rather stil 〈◊〉 kept vnder the slauery of the deuill then by confessing theyr sinnes to receaue spirituall comfort from Christ and to obtaine his grace and fauour He sent him to his farme to feed swine To feede Swine He is cast out of the Citty which is an honourable place and sent to base drudgery The sinner is dismissed of heauenly meditations and intangled in wordly busines and ouercome thereof Such is the course of most men now adaies beeing giuen to worldly busines marchandise bargaines and other affaires of this world that they leaue no time to serue God hauing theyr mindes herewith choked vp so that they doe not so much as once thinke of God Neyther doe theyr mindes runne vpon any thing else speake doe desire any thing but that which is worldly temporall and fleshly In this sort mayst thou be termed a keeper of swine which feeding thy body doost suffer thy soule to starue And as after the death of swine there is no more remembrance of them so of all these thy worldly labours there shall be no profite remaining to thee concerning an other life For what shall a man get if he win the whole world looâ—â— his own soule Our soule is that whereof wee ought to haue especiall care and by the which we are reasonable creatures and differ from brute beastes But following our owne fleshly desires wee become like brute beasts and feede swine taking vppon vs a most abiect state of life not whorthy to be called men but to bee compared to refuse and dunge To feede the eyes with beautifull shewes the taste with sweet meates and the feeling with all inticements what is it else but to feede the belly the sences and the flesh as if with swine wee delighted to wallowe in dirt and mire The place of Esay chap. 34. is notable comparing mans ruinous estate to desolations where in the place of come shall growe nettles and thornes and theyr stately houses shall be nothing else but an habitation for dragons a court for Ostriches c. This swinish people shall be like vnto the Madianites to Sisera and vnto Iabin of whom mention is made psal 83.9 which perrished at Endor and became as the dung of the earth And he would faine haue filled his belly with the huskes that the swine eate but no man gaue them him By husks are heere vnderstood all other matters besides and without God as pleasures profits wherwith we desire to satisfie our selues vvhich are the iewels of this present world For all that is in the worlde as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world Which things the most part of the world do hunt after and for the which they are so eagerly set that they raise strife discord Inâ—â—â—â— and when they haue all doone it is but for buskes for vaine and transitory thinges The daintiest foode dooth but fill the bellie and afterward goeth into the draught and the chiefest pleasures serue but for a time afterward damne the soule When men enioy those pleasures which they would they thinke they shall neuer haue enough therefore is heere mention made that although the prodigall sonne woulde haue filled his belly yet no man gaue them him The deuill will not fulfill thy appetite in the course of sin fearing least when thou hast thy fill thou shouldest forsake him and detest his seruice and betake thy selfe to the seruice of God The deuill sets before thee the beauty of euery woman thou lookst vpon to drawe thee into his net When hee hath caught thee he keepes thee from the presence sight of the woman which thou louest least being satisfied with her loue thou begin to contemne the sin and to condemne thy selfe and depart froÌ„ that sin and turne to the Lord. This is the deuils pollicie to giue thee but a tast to keepe thy appetite alwayes fresh to hunger after his sauce keeping thee still in slauerie and making thy chiefest delight to bee a torment vnto thee Pharao denied to giue the Israelites strawe to make them more weary Holophernes stopped the water springs froÌ„ the Bethulians so that through scarcely of water their thirst was rather increased then quenched So the deuill giues thee a taste to make thee more hungry but neuer satis-fieth thy desire to make thee the more greedily to hunt after it Thou refusest the fountaine of the water of life and diggest vnto thy selfe vnwholsome waters our of broken cesterns thy waters stink through the vncleannes of thy vices and taste full euill through the bitternes of our conscience diuersly defiled What madnes therefore hath entred into our mindes that we forsaking the true and euelasting goodnes of GOD should desire to be fedde with chaffe and with huskes that are cast vnto Swine especially seeing our creation is so noble and that by gods word and by his grace we are chosen called to enioy such excellent treasure in Christ Iesus We being blinded take huskes for dainty meate which are rather prouided for swine then for 〈◊〉 whose stomacks can hardly away with such meate Beware therefore seeing thou are bought of Christ with so high a pâ—icâ— and redeemed and set at liberty that thou deliuer not thy selfe againe into the â—â—iuery of sinne and the deuill Compare this present estate of a sinner with that former wherein he was created or wherein since wee were created by Gods grace we stood Before vvee had a Father nowe vvee haue a Lord what said I a Lord nay a tyrant before we were free but now slaues before was this prodigall sonne furnished with plentie now is he pinched with scarcety before hee liued in his fathers house now among robbing destroying strangers before hee was accepted among the sonnes of a kinde father now is
O Lord breake all our stubborne harts and make vs to sigh grone vnder the most heauy burden and waight of sin who are maruailously loden yet thinke our selues in great ease and at great libertie Make an end of thy sin and looke vp to God who will ease thee For when thou night and day doost thinke vpon nothing else and doost set thy selfe to nothing else but to offend and displease God he dailie hourely heaping vpon thee a thousand meanes of his mercy waiteth for thy returne and daily looketh for thy happy repentance The happy remēbrance whereof did make this prodigall sonne to say Father I haue sinned against heauen before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son Great sinnes great griefe but a short confession and this is a waightie poynt of repentance when with the sence the feeling and remorce of sinne is ioyned both sadnesse and shamefastnesse And where there is not this sadnesse and shamefastnes the sinner can neuer returne to goodnes Therefore there must goe before repentance a holy anger and inward griefe and discontentment that wee haue displeased God For following our owne wayes we grow to great forgetfulnes but returning vnto God then are we brought to true remembrance Truly did the Apostle S. Paule speak 1. Cor. 15.9 I am not worthy to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God ioyfully remembring gods mercy and his own happy returne For the more graciously the lord doth visit a sinner with his mercy the more deeply doth it sink into the hart of a true penitent sinner the more doth he hūble himselfe before God the more greeuously doth he accuse his owne wicked nature and disposition The more cleerly that he doth perceiue Gods mercy and compassion and doth behold his maiestie holines comparing there-vnto his own vn worthines ingratitude frowardnes and his most sinfull inclination the more doth he detest the same the more plainly doth hee confesse his fault All vvhich matters when the prophet Esay did euidently behold hee cryed out of himselfe chap. 6.5 saying Woe is me for I am vndone because I am a man of polluted lyps Iob also 42.5 saith I haue heard of thee by hearing of the eare but now my eye seeth thee Therefore I abhor my selfe and repent in dust ashes When the Apostle Saint Paule savve so much in him-selfe Rom. chap. 7. he cryed out O vvretched shooes on his feete Heere commeth the ninth matter to be intreated of namely the great solemnitie that God all the holy Angels do make at the conuersion of a sinner His Father doth not speake any thundering words of crueltie nor threaten to beate him or to cast him off nor to cast him in the teeth with his bounteous goodnes shewed vnto him neyther doth he lay vnto him his going away nor burden him with his gluttony or other abhominable poynts of lyuing he remembreth none of all this geare he doth so greatly reioyce that he hath got his Sonne againe The Son thought himselfe vnworthy the title or name of his son yet the father restoreth him to his old state and degree againe The sonne doth vtterly condemne himselfe and the father doth absolue and quit him The sonne did cast himselfe downe to be a seruaunt and the father setteth him perfectly againe in his old state dignitie Him that had cast him selfe into the bond seruice of abhominable maisters that is the filthy pleasures of the body him did his father vouchsafe to embrace in his armes to him that had deserued to bee scourged vvith many a sore stripe is giuen a kisse for a token of perfect loue and attonement Happy is that sinner whō the Lord vouchsafeth to kisse and embrace because he confessed his sins and refused the name of a sonne for that in his conscience he knew himselfe faulty there was brought forth the best robe and restored vnto him How-soeuer hee hath behaued himselfe saith his Father my son he was he hath beene dead and nowe is he called to life againe For sin is the death of the soule and hee runneth toward death which leaueth and forsaketh the Authour of life Hee leaueth and forsaketh the Authour of life whosoeuer is in loue with the things of this world for the worldly pleasures are farre wide from Gods schooling And such a one is reuiued againe as dooth repent and reforme his sinfull life He was lost without any hope euer to be recouered againe if he had be one left to himselfe howbeit he was found and gotten againe To depart away from the fathers house is to perrish for out of the same house there is no health The Father speaketh not to the Son but to the seruaunts he that repents prayes for Gods goodnes receiueth no aunswere Nowe when I passed by thee and looked vppon thee behold thy time was as the time of loue and I spredde my skirts ouer thee and couered thy filthines yea I sware vnto thee and entred into a couenaunt with thee saith the Lord God thou becammest mine Then washed I thee vvith water c. Thus doth our heauenly father not onely forgiue our sinnes in burying putting quite out the remembrance of them but also hee restoreth vnto vs those gyfts which we had lost As he dooth depriue vs of them and take them away punishing our vnthankfulnesse thereby and driuing vs to shame by the reproch of our nakednes Now by these tokens of Gods loue the true and effectuall forgiuenes of our sinnes is signified The father willeth the seruants to bring forth the best robe and giueth no time of delay for in this case delay breedes danger When a sinner in this sort dooth recount his manifold offences Despayre and is vexed with the torment of conscience it is high time to yeeld help for feare least through despayre he be cast away There is no stay betwixt forgiuenes of our sins and Gods grace and fauour The health of the body is not recouered but by little and little because the matter is not of so great waight but the distressed estate of the soule must be releeued with all speede that may conueniently be offred and affoorded When the body is sicke wee are meruailous diligent to haue health yea if it bee but the head-ache we can suffer no delay seeking for helpe and calling for Phisitions according as our power and abilitie vvill stretch So after our sinne committed we shoulde be as hasty to rise and to repent Repentance but heerein euery little excuse stayeth vs backe and wee are content to delay thys time of our conuersion a great deale longer then we should so much the more beeing intangled in wordly affaires and altogether drowned in forgetfulnes In so dooing thou loosest the practise of good workes and art troubled for want of the peace and quietnes of conscience Againe thou knowest not hovve suddainelie thy lyfe shall be taken from thee The humble
them selues with the chiefe oyntments but no man is sorry for the afflictions of Ioseph And this rich man in his iolity had no regard of poore Lazarus But that the rich man and all his house should be vtterly ashamed and left without excuse see what followeth Yea and the doggs came and licked his sores When the Prophet Balaam did wickedly God opened the mouth of his Asse hee rode on to giue him vnderstanding and these doggs that had better fare to tast licked Lazarus sores to reach their maister mercy O cruell people more mercilesse then dogges which commonly hunt the poore from the doore yet nowe they were pittifull to condemne their maisters great vnkindnes and to make them if they had any grace to blush for shame The property of dogs is to barke and bite at strangers and to driue them away But heere the kind nature of doggs ouercame the hard harts of men and they are more gentle and louing then men that should haue shewed mercy The rich man was cloathed in soft and costly rayment fed with dainties to the full and is laide vpon his beds of downe But the poore man pines with famine is pincht with cold and a meruaile it is that hee liueth among his great wants and as the other lay easily vppon his soft bed so the poore man had no other lodging then the bare ground But as they were vnlike in life so were they far vnlike in death as the euent of the history doth prooue We all die and as water we passe away the rich and poore the noble and base the learned and vnlearned all are subiect to death and when death commeth that makes a newe alteration For many that haue beene most miserable in this world after death haue a ioyfull estate and many that did flourish in this worlde after death see all thinges changed quite contrary And it was so that the begger died and was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Lazarus dieth as though hee were forsaken of God and man and the rich man lyueth yet longer to enioy his pleasure Yet a little while and surely but a little while although in the sight of the world his life be long This is the third principall consideration in this History setting foorth the ioyfull estate of the godly after death beeing full of vnspeakeable comfort and glory The godly greatly desire to bee vnburdened of this miserable life wherein they are daily in daunger to loose eternall life for the best may fall Philip. 1.21 And when this life is ended all sinnes and sorrowes haue an ende also God calleth the sinner to repentance that hee may enioy heauen Doest thou not knowe that Gods bountifulnes and patience leadeth thee to repentance If thou dooest not knowe so much thou heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath The deuill dooth greedily wayte for the death of a sinner fearing least while he liueth he may repent although hee seeme neuer so desperate But when the sinner dyeth in his sinne the deuills reioyce saying Now thou art ours and hast lost euerlasting life for euer thou art ours and no man can deliuer thee or take thee out of our hands Then shall hee see heauen shutte vppe against him and GODS displeasure to take full place and him selfe to be in most lamentable misery and past all hope of remedy VVherefore nowe bethinke thy selfe novve craue mercy and forgiuenesse at GODS handes novve shedde aboundance of teares for this is the time of grace this is the acceptable time this is the day of saluation And if ye haue the grace to to heare and vnderstande and to fore-see your ovvne misery harden not your harts from God harden not your hearts vnto your owne destruction The order of the narration of the History is to bee considered for vvhen the Euangelist speaketh of them being aliue hee pâ—â—ferreth the rich man before Lazarus For in this life the rich are of chiefest account in chiefest places in bankers and iudgement seates in honour and dignity who but they But in speaking of them being dead Lazarus is first mentioned for before the wicked rich the godly poore are preferred in another life The glory of the godly begins in their death as the glory of the wicked doth end in their death The misery of Lazarus is ended in his death for hee whom no man regarded in his life the Angels tooke him vppe after death And who would haue thought that this poore wretch being so despised shold be so accepted of God but the wayes of God doe far differ from the waies of men neither are his thoughts as our thoughts Esay 55. But to see howe God doth honour the godly in their death let vs marke what followeth And was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome And c. Whereby we vnderstand that the Angels are present at the death of the godly to performe theyr charge appointed vnto them Heb. 1 14. Psal 91 11. O happy soule which heere was visited of none but of dogs nowe not one Angell but many Angels come to do it seruice So that the deuill hath no power ouer the soules of the godly but ouer the vessels appointed vnto wrath A bay or bosome is a hauen place free from turbulent waues the world is the maine sea and heauen the hauen of rest And he that in life could finde no comfort after death was carried into Abrahams bosome that man of great compassion and hospitalitie Or rather because Abraham was the Father of the faithfull hee is there placed where Abraham is or more neere where Christ our head is there shall the godly faithfull Christ his members be Iohn 14.1.2 And although heere is no mention made of Lazarus buriall wee must not therefore suppose that he was cast foorth to the foules of the ayre or the beastes of the field for no doubt he was laid in Christian buriall but his buriall is not remembred because it was not performed vvith pompe solemnitie as the rich mans buriall was which was the last of all the Rich mans pride and brauery And what good can a pompous buriall doe to miserable soules that are damned in hell world for the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer It is appointed to all men to die and after death commeth iudgement Heb. 9.27 And no otherwise likely it was but that this Rich man had his doome and iudgement before he vvas sent to hell For after his death and buriall was hee condemned and forsaken of God and vtterly depriued of all ioy and comfort And beeing in hell in torments hee lyft vp his eyes And c. and sawe Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in his bosome VVhat did his pompous buriall doe him any good as the rich men take great care for theyr glorious funeralls but as for poore Lazarus there was no mention made of his buriall But better were it for
it proceedeth namely from affliction the knowledge and feeling of his owne misery Seuenthly how Christ is our present Aduocate in our distresse and misery when we call vpon him earnestly and vnfainedly and in truth and sincerity Because through the humble sure of Christ the prodigall son obtained mercie Eyghtly the infinite mercy of GOD which is not ouercome by the multitude of our sinnes to remoue all despaire Ninthly the great solemnity that God and all the holy Angels doe make at the conuersion of a sinner Lastly an incouragement to them that liue well that they may continue in well dooing and be godly stil As also an instruction to them not to murmure at Gods works but rather to reuerence them and to reioyce that it hath pleased him to deale so graciously with sinners and to call them home that went so far astray Whereby vvee are further taught not rashly to iudge of any but to hope the best and in charitie to pray for their amendment There is no parable in the gospell more full of comfort consolation Whereby I am perswaded that there is no such greeuous sinner nor hainous offender vvhich would not turn vnto God if he consider in this example gods goodnes boūtifulnes and the entire loue of so mercifull a Father which of his own gracious accord went out to meete his prodigall sonne and to receiue him without any shew of deniall contrary to the custome of earthly Fathers vvhich fret and fume and are hardly drawne to such mercy How kindly doth he embrace him array him put a ring on his finger kill the fatted calfe for him make merry reioyce for him And howe farre of hee was frō casting in his teeth his former euill life that he maketh no mention thereof but rather findeth fault vvith the elder brother that repined thereat seeking to satis-fie and appease him The younger sonne not in age but in manners not in yeeres but in want of wisdome whereby he is the more easily inclined and drawne vnto bad wayes Some aged men are but young in theyr wordes gesture and conuersation and these the prophet Esay 65. calleth young men of an hundred yeeres old Some are young men concerning their time yet are aged men in good behauiour as Ioseph Dauid Samuell Daniell Iohn Baptist According to that the Lord said vnto Moses Numb 11. Gather vnto me seuenty men whom thou knowest to be auncient in discretion giuen to be vertuous and godly well disposed The foolishnes and lightnes of a sinner is heere set forth in that he is termed a young man For for the most part they know but little and haue experience but of a fewe matters they are vnskilfull in theyr owne affayres and stand in great neede of counsell If this prodigall Sonne left his Fathers house Foolishnes and sought his owne decay and destruction it was through his owne folly where-with hee was ouer-ruled and headlong carried away As fore-cast is more worth then great maintenaunce so is wisedome the disposer the continuer of great wealth Children consider no more then that which is before theyr eyes neyther doe they fore-cast things to come Deut. 32. O that they were wise then woulde they vnderstand this they would consider theyr latter end And our Sauiour Christ saith Luke 19. O that they had known the time of theyr visitation at the least in thys theyr day The Apostle Saint Paule wisheth euery where vnto the faithfull that they bee filled with the knowledge of God For it is no meruaile if God be forsaken of them to whom hee is not knowne which neyther heare the worde of God nor haue it nor make any care or regard thereof The prodigall sonne vnderstood not the great blessings that vvere in his Fathers house but afterward affliction gaue him to vnderstand when he felt the want thereof So we leaue God fall into sinne Blindnes because we know not the mischiefes that flow from thence Were it not that the Hawkes eyes were hidde and his feete tyed hee would mount aloft into the skies so if the eyes of our minde were not blinded with worldlie pleasures and vanities wee should sure be lifted vp with heauenly thoughts to despise these earthly delights For all the commodities and pleasures of this life haue but a short time of continuance Phil. 3. Sinners continuing in theyr sinfull race are inwardly blinded that they cannot see the light of God nor finde the way to come out of theyr lothsome darknesse For although there be many sins some of weaknes and some of malice yet ignorance is the roote of all For when we know not whether there be a God or a deuill heauen or hell ioyes or torments no meruaile if wee wilfully runne into all wickednesse All vvhich if the sinner did well knovve and beleeue hee would not so easily offend as he doth at least-wise hee would not fall into so many and so great and dangerous sins as he doth and that daily No man sinneth but hee that seeth not what hee looseth by sinning Therefore let vs pray with the prophet psalme 12. Lord lighten mine eyes that I fall not in death And psalm 118. Giue mee vnderstanding and I will search thy law yea I will keepe it with my whole hart Let vs desire true knowledge that we doe not leaue GOD that wee may remaine with him and be in his house be content to be ruled by him keepe his commaundements Not onely ignorance of Gods goodnes blessings gyfts and graces doth turne vs away from God Confidence in his owne wisedom but also the confidence in our owne strength our owne selfe will and our owne selfe-loue No perswasions can alter a young mans mind and a wilful sinner vntill he haue fully tryed his own way Beyond all measure they trust too much to themselues to their own strength and wisdome policy and fetches thinking themselues to be of such good gouernment that they know well enough how to order to dispose their owne matters And this selfe wisdom is the cause that many forsake god Therefore the Lord saith Reuel 3. Thou sayest I am rich and want nothing and knowest not that thou art miserable and poore and blind and naked But how little wee are able to doe without Gods helpe and grace shall be shewed hereafter Peter was bold and presumed saying Though all men be offended yet will not I be offended who because he trusted too much to his owne strength was ouer-come by a filly maid Mat. 26. So also Dauid heerein confesseth his owne fault Psal 29. I sayde in my prosperitie I shall neuer be remooued and presently after Thou turnedst away thy face from me and I was troubled And hauing full tryall in himselfe hee reproueth them which put not theyr trust in God Psal 52.8 Loe this is the man that tooke not God for his strength but trusted vnto the multitude of his riches and strengthned himselfe in his wickednes But
therefore GOD rested in making man let mans chiefest happines be in resting in God God filleth our desires with goodnesse saith the Prophet neyther is our appetite satis-fied vntill it enioy that vvished end For our soule is of so noble a disposition that it can finde rest no where but in the chiefest good Therefore the holy king and prophet sayth Euen as the Hart desireth the water brookes so longeth my soule after thee ô God My soule is a thirst for God yea euen for the liuing GOD when shall I come before the presence of God My teares were my meate day and night while they daily said vnto me where is now thy God Hee was absent farre from god therefore he wept hungring and thirsting after him desiring to be replenished with god that hee might finde all perfect ioy And feeing the worlde cannot fill vp thy desire betake thy selfe to Christ Come vnto me ye that hunger and thirst and I will refresh you Math. 11.28 Iohn 4.14 And I will fill the emptie soule with goodnes Psalm 36. Delight thy selfe in the Lord and hee shall giue thee thy haâ—s desire Hetherto we haue shewed how that in the world there is nothing but famine and great scarcetie and penury of all thinges but in God onely there is perfect sufficiencie ioy and glorie to be sounde Nowe let vs see a further reason of these thinges afore-sayde and vvhy in the vvorlde is scarcely and all plenty with God which is the third thing to be spoken of The world is not sufficient because the large and ample capacitie of our mindes dooth further extend it selfe The soule which was created for God what-soeuer is inferiour to God it counteth it but base The pottle or the gallon cannot bee filled with the measure of a pynt all the worlds goods is but as a graine of mustard seede in the belly of an Elephant they fill the soule satisfie the minde in such sort that stil there is some place empty so vaine they are and fall of sound as empty vessels haue a great sound in these desires there is no soundnesse no perfection Againe the desires of the soule are infinite the profits pleasures of this world haue their bounds So that there is no other remedy for vs in this life but to remoue our mindes from the desire of these earthly things and to transport them vnto God and heauenly considerations that so our mindes and our desires may fully be contented For all other creatures GOD hath appoynted theyr foode but God only is the foode of the soule As grasse for the Lyon flesh for the horse is vnmeete foode because they are not agreeable to theyr nature so ought not earthly desires to be the foode of the soule For there is nothing in the worlde to serue the minde but onely God Pryde and couetousnes and enuy and pleasure are the things that mens mindes doe most ayme at but these are rather the famine then the foode of the soule The grace of God and the heauenly gyfts of his holy Spirit they onely comfort and nourish the soule and strong then it Why is breade rather the nourishment of mans body then poyson The reason is because the one is agreeable to the nature of man the other dooth destroy it So is GOD the foode of the soule because his presence and goodnesse is most agreeable there-vnto beeing created after the likenes of God as for all other matters they are nothing else but death and famishment And if thou feede the soule vvith any earthly considerations it is as if thou shouldest feede the body with stones and grauell As our soule without God beginneth to be sad heauy hungry and dead so all the delights pleasures profits commodities of this worlde are nothing but misery pouerty The fist generall matter is the miserable estate of a sinner vnder the condition of the prodigall sonne feeding Swine Then hee went and claue to a Cittizen of that Country and hee sent him to his Farme to feed swine This is the best preferment that we get by the deuils seruice First by our owne voluntary free-will we yeeld ourselues slaues vnto the deuill for the deuill hath no power ouer vs till wee haue put our necks into his yoake Which worke when we haue once performed we are very hardly with-drawne from our vngodly purpose And when the deuill hath vs in his bands he then sticks too close vnto vs neither is it as we may suppose so easie a matter to shake off his yoke Our wilfull disobedience comes not of ignorance or infirmitie but of froward and stubborne disposition inclined to all wickednesse And this is the difference betwixt the godly and the wicked the godly falling into sinne riseth againe but the wicked continueth his course Neyther can wee be likened to the deuill in nothing more then in the perseuerance of sinne in spending the best of our time so and in waxing old therein The prodigall Sonne inforced by famine went not to his Father Shame vnprofitable not that hee had altogether forgotten his Father but that shame kept him back which keepeth many from good purposes He had rather suffer famme and banishment then that he would once confesse his fault Many had rather be vexed by the torment of conscience then in the sight of God to humble themselues and to keepe a smothering fire within their breast then to open theyr griefe to a godly friend or faithfull Minister to haue ease comfort If thou didst consider the safetie of thy soule and the quietnes of thy conscience the reproch of men shoulde neuer daunt thee neyther should the shame of the world euer confound thee VVhat needest thou to care what the world thinketh of thee so that thou be in Gods fad our and be reconciled vnto him VVhose displeasure if thou couldest perceiue neither the shame of the world nor any other let should keepe thee backe from the due consideration of thine estate God knoweth all why shouldst thou be ashamed to confesse thy fault before him But because either the shame or estimatioÌ„ of the world doth more preuaile with thee then the quietnes of thy conscience or the feare and fauour of GOD therefore art thou drowned in thy sin sinking therein daily more and more It may be he thought his father so seuere and extreame that he would not be intreated or that all former charity or fauour was banished from his breast so that eyther by famine Despaire or through despayre hee was brought into that case to be separated farre from his Father and to yeelde himselfe into dishonorable slauery who before was free But many are of so abiect a mind that they feare there is no place for mercy hauing so often repented and yet falne againe and despayring of amendement they say within themselues Many times haue I purposed to cut off the course of sin and to mend my life but yet I cannot my sinfull
boast of the name of a Christian and not to shewe the practise thereof in our life conuersation For not euery one that can say Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee that dooth the will of my Father which is in heauen Math. 7.21.22 Many shall say in that day Lord Lord. And hee shall say vnto them I know yee not Depart from me yee that worke iniquitie The foolish Virgins Math. 25.11 could say Lord Lord open to vs But he aunswered and said Verily I knowe you not And they that sayd Lord when sawe wee thee a hungry or naked To them it shal be sayd Inasmuch as yee did it not to the poore for my sake yee did it not to mee knowing that I committed and commended the poore vnto you in my steed The poore yee haue alwaies with you but mee shall ye not haue alwaies Then also shall they heare that dolefull doome sentence and iudgement Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire Math. 25.41 Father Abraham haue mercy on me He called for mercy too late as also he was farre vnworthy of mercy which would take no pitty and compassion of his poore neyghbour And he shall haue iudgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy Math. chap. 18. Heere-hence wee may gather two profitable instructions The first is to shewe mercy to our poore neighbour if vve will looke for mercy at Gods hands Secondly to call for mercy and forgiuenes and pardon of our sinnes in this life and not to deferre it vntill the last howre or at least wise till after death To defer it to the last howre is to hazzardous and venterous when as we may sooner misse theÌ„ to haue our request graunted the other that is after death is altogether vaine and vnprofitable He that would not shewe mercy to his fellowe seruant that ought him but a hundred pence was greeueously punished Ecclus. 28.2 Forgiue thy neighbour the hurt that he hath done to thee so shall thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee also when thou prayest What measure thou metest the same shall be measured to thee Endeuour therefore what thou canst to be mercifull to the poore calling thy selfe to rememberance how greatly thou standest in neede of mercy from God As for this rich mans too late repentance hee was not so wise as Dauid psal 50. Heare ô Lord and haue mercy vpon me Lord be thou my helper for what profit is there when I goe downe to the pitte and out of hell there is no redemption And therefore earnestly and humbly hee prayeth for mercy in his lyfe time before the eternall barres doe close him in Neither did this rich man repent that hee had offended God but beeing in excessiue paine he called for release vvhen as then none would bee granted Follow the Wise mans counsell Eccles. 9.10 All that thy hand shall finde to doe doe it with all thy power for there is neither worke nor inuention not knowledge nor vvisedome in the graue whether thou goest O Lord in death who wil remember thee and in hell whose tale shall be heard So long as a great peece of timber is caried vppon the water so long it seemeth light but when it is cast vppon the Land then he that before could moue it with his hand cannot now doe it with all the force of his body Likewise so long as wee liue the burden of sin seemeth light as though wee had no burden at all but when death Gods messenger hath cited vs to appeare before the court of his tribunall seate then doe our sinnes appeare in theyr collours shewing themselues to be infinite and the burden of them intollerable And vvee which woulde not fore-see these eternall punishments shall then be thrust dovvne among the damned for euer to feele them My sinnes saith Dauid are gone ouer my head and are like a burden too heauy for me to beare psalm 40. My sinnes haue taken such holde vpon mee that I am not able to looke vp yea they are moe in number then the haires of my head my hart hath failed mee O Lord let it be thy plesure to deliuer mee make hast ô Lord to helpe mee Set the 50. psalme before thee for a patterne to follow and let thy hart shed forth teares aboundantly And then shalt thou finde that comfort which Christ promiseth Math. 11.28 Come vnto me all yee that are weary and laden and I vvill ease you And howe comfortable this easing shall be looke vppon the historie of the prodigall sonne Luke 15. Thys foolish rich man would not lay downe his burden in his life time after death is was bound of so fast that he could not shake it of But why did he speake to Abraham not to Lazarus Because hee iudged him after his owne disposition that hee would not forget to reuenge whereas vvith the godly there is no such qualitie euen in thys life much lesse in another Thinking thys with himselfe If I in my great prosperity had no care of him surely hee will haue as little care of me neither will he come vnto me Therefore he maketh his request vnto Abraham supposing that hee knewe not what was happened But let vs heare what his request vvas Send Lazarus that hee may dip the typ of his finger in water coole my tongue for I am tormented in this flame Alas what could a droppe of water comfort him and should he not by and by againe be in as great torment And what was the torment of the tongue to the vnspeakable paines of all the rest of the body Iust are the iudgements of God and hee recoâ—â—penceth accordingly For he that denied small matters was enforced to craue euen the least helpe which neuerthelesse according to his desert was denied him Let no man despise the poore for God can make the richest man poore in a moment The sonnes of Iacob came afterward into the hands of Ioseph Despise no body whom before they hated vnto the death contemned and despised Thou mayest stand in need of his helpe whom now thou dost scorne For so it may fall out that GOD may appoint him to doe thee good Saul deadly persecuted Dauid God deliuered Saul into his hands twice and had not the godly hart of Dauid had more pitty the cruelty of Saul had iustly deserued death Simei that cursed Dauid and thought hee should neuer returne any more to raigne was faine to cast himselfe downe as it were at his feete to craue mercy Haman was enforced to doe Mardocheus great honour whom before hee could not abide to looke vpon And this hapneth to many VVherefore if thou beest placed in high authority doe not exalt thy selfe too high for he whom thou contemnest may be in higher estate then thy selfe and may requit thee againe VVhere there is mention made of the rich mans tongue wee must vnderstand that the soule hath no tongue nor hands nor fingers Tongue but this is rather to be vnderstoode in
a spirituall consideration The soules haue no parts nor members of the body because they are spirits Yet they are sayde to suffer in the members of the body because in those members they haue most offended As this rich man in his dainty fare and delicate dyet Balthazar after his banquets and boules of vvine lost his Kingdome and his life 2 Maccabees 15 13. Nicanor blasphemed GOD and therfore Maccabeus hand conquered him caused his head and hands to be cutte off and his tongue to be cutte out and giuen to the fowles They that haue abused theyr tongues in swearing and cursing by GODS appoyntment at the time of theyr death cannot speake vvhereby they might confesse theyr sinnes and craue mercy vvho as this rich man shall bee cruelly tormented in hell vvhen their soules are parted from theyr bodies This torment is expressed by Saint Iohn in his Reuelations 16 10. They gnew their tongues for sorrovve And blasphemed the GOD of heauen for theyr paynes and for theyr sores and repented not of theyr vvorkes Heere-hence lette vs learne to bridle our tongues because as Saint Paul saith What soeuer thinges are written are written for our instruction VVhy did not the rich man require the helpe of Iacob Ioseph Iob Dauid and the lyke because the poore vvere brought foorth for the rich that they seeing them might be prouoked to liberality and that GOD might fauour them the more Many good instructions in beholding the poore and especially that the poore mans prayers ascending aboue the skies might preuaile for them not after death for our prayers preuaile one for another while we liue That wee beholding the poore might be put in minde of our great wantes that wee might exercise the workes of charity that wee might giue God thankes that hee hath prouided for vs better that we might learne deuotion from them That wee might be put in minde to aske of God as they aske of vs that we being good to the poore we might cut off all languishing expences and fulfill Gods commandement that it might be a meane to practise all vertue and god lines Now followeth the answer of Abraham to this rich man But Abraham saide Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receauedst thy pleasures likewise Lazarus paines now therefore is hee comforted and thou art tormented He puts him inmind of his former flourishing estate to vexe him so much the more For it is one of the vnhappiest thinges in our great misery to remember that we haue been happy Remember that thou in thy life time as if he had said Thou hast liued to thy selfe not to God thou hast serued thy owne lusts and pleasures hast not lined in Gods obedience thou hast had all the care for thy selfe and not for thy neighbor Remember or else there should be no sting of conscience for wee would faine forget God graunts the wicked many good things in this life for special causes to teach vs not to murmure at their estate As God doth lay many afflictions and crosses upon the godly to purge them to refine them to try them But after this life the one haue perpetual torments the other most happy ioyes Looke not thou therefore for ioy and prosperity heere on earth and to haue thy heauen heere and in another worlde The rich man for his stately houses hath darl hell for his dainties and delicates eternall torments for his mirth and musicke weeping and gnashing of teeth and pittifull wringing of hands Contrariwise Lazarus for his manifold afflictions and tried patience infinite recompence 2 Cor. 4 17. For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre most excellent and an eternall waight of glorie While we looke not on the things which are seen◠but on the things which are not seene c. Also the Lord saith by his prophet Esay chap. 6 My seruants shall cate and you shal be a hungry my seruants shal reioyce and you shall be ashamed Let vs learne to suffer afflictions with the people of God as Moses rather then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season They that reioyce heere shall sorrow there psal 126 6. They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Mathew 5 4. Blessed are they that mourn for they shal be comforted When Iacob blessed Iosephs sonnes hee put the youngest at the right hand In this world the wealthy are at the right hand of glory the poore at the left hand of shame but in the world to come it shal be otherwise for God will exalt the poore and throw down the mighty When the Egiptians lay dead vpō the Sea-shore the Israelites sang praises vnto the Lord. When Lazarus wept the rich man was in ioy but after a while the rich mans ioy was turned into most lamentable teares Let vs learne not to despise those that be poore and weake for this is Gods worke in them to purge their manifolde infirmities and imperfections and in like case vvas Iob tryed and in manie such distresses are the godly afflicted from time to time and so shall bee vnto the worlds end Againe let vs not iudge the rich and vvealthy to bee happy because they suffer no aduersity For the end trieth all not in this vvorld but in another psalm 73. Sonne This is spoken by way of reproach because in his life time hee did so much and so vainely boast that he was Abrahams sonne nowe his hipocrisie and vaine boasting is laide before his eyes to wound his mind the more Againe heerewith-all wee must not so take it that eternall destruction is reserued for them alwayes that haue had aboūdance of wealth For riches doe not debarre or shut vs out of the Kingdome of God But the meaning is that this rich man beeing drunken with the pleasures of this present lyfe gaue himselfe to all worldly delights setting light by GOD not beleeuing but contemning heauenly ioyes therefore is hee woorthily plagued for his great negligence and contempt VVho when thou wast created to immortality the law of God did lift vp thy mind to heauenly meditations thou forgetting thy excellent estate hadst rather be like the swinish Epicures who put all their felicity in pleasure therfore thou receauest a reward meet cōuenient sutable to thy brutish life And nowe where is thy fine silkes and purple where be thy perfumes where be thy feastings bankettings where is thy piping and dauncing and the variety diuersity of thy manifolde pleasures While thou wert aliue no kinde of wine could please thee being cloyed with them so great was the deliciousnes of thy mouth neyther wouldest thou all that while so much as giue a little water to Lazarus being thirsty and now thou canst not obtaine so much at a pore drop of water to refresh the scalding heate of thy tongue Insteede of thy gallant Mannours which thou hadst then thou hast now the darke dungeon of hell for thy delicate pastime euerlasting paine for
hate thine enemies yea spill the deerest blood if it be in thy power But the royall law of God speaketh of peace and loue willing vs to loue our enemies and to doe good to those that hate vs and to pray for them that persecute and hurt vs. If the tentation of the flesh doe trouble thee the world would haue thee to satisfie thy lust to follow thy pleasures to offend God to be vncleane and beastly But God saith heereby thou loosest thy honour thy soule thy conscience the ioyes of heauen and that blessednes which neuer shal haue end thou loosest thy selfe thou loosest with-draw thy loue But seeing there is no howre wherein GOD doth not blesse vs with his benefits wee alwaies owe all dutifull affection vnto him VVho planteth a vinyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof and to whom is the fruite due but to him that planted the viniard Who would not shew loue to him that doth him good The brute beasts are most louing to theyr benefactors the fierce Lyon is as meek mild as a lambe to him that feedeth him How doth the dogge fawne vpon his master yea and mourne for him fight for him committing himselfe to danger and hazard to doe his Maister good Onelie vngratefull man doth not know his Creator which doth sustaine and nourish him and seeketh by all meanes how to befriend him Esay 1. Here-hence it is that the prophet exclaimeth The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his maisters cryb but Israell hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood O the sencelesse brutishnes of man who in his duty may bee instructed of the brute beasts Thou louest thy grounds thy cattell thy possessions because they are thine why doost thou not loue GOD who is thine The deuision of the hart is the death of the soule for as the body beeing deuided cannot liue so neither can the hart if it bee deuided How long saith the prophet Eliah doe yee halt betweene two opinions If riches increase saith Dauid set not thy hart vpon thē If God possesse that roome why should wee giue place to any other God is a iealous God who as the husband would haue his wife not to set affection on any but vppon him alone so God requireth thy whole hart If he see our harts and mindes too much set either on wife chyldren or goods hee taketh them away that we should not be forgetfull of him But if we will needes continue in that mind hee giueth vs ouer to our distempered humor I will take away my zeale from them saith the Lorde by his prophet Ezechiell loue what thou wilt fulfill thy desire The Prophet Esay when hee sawe the people of his time so vnbrideled so doted vpon the loue of the world wondred howe God could so patently beare it and being so iealous hee asketh the question Where is thy zeale whereof thou speakest I will put my zeale in them and now doe I see euery soule play an adulterous part God therefore seeing hee is most iealous saith prou 23.26 My sonne giue me thy hart yeelding no part thereof to any other but loue him with all thy hart with all thy soule with all thy vnderstanding Concerning which matter read maister Smiths sermon intituled The Christian sacrifice most excellently penned This commaundement seemeth vnpossible that we should loue the Lord with al our hart so that there be no regard left to any thing else VVhich is especially to be vnderstood in matters of weight great necessity as in the cause of religion in time of persecution and in the tryall of thy honestie when thou art tempted as Ioseph and Susanna and in auoyding any sinne what-soeuer Setting God alwaies before thy eyes and treading vnder foote vvhatsoeuer the world or the deuill or thy flesh shall moue thee vnto beeing either most delightfull pleasant or profitable to the outward man And such a one is truly said to loue God with all his hart and with all his soule In the meane time while there is no occasion of sinne offred wee may loue our parents wife and chyldren friends on this condition that our soule haue alwaies a watchfull cave not to sinne against god at any time for them or for our selues or for any cōsideration in the world whatsoeuer Holy loseph that patterne of humilitie loued god aboue all who being inuited by his Mistresse to commit adultery gaue this wise and discreete aunswere setting God before his eyes Gen. 39. Hovv canst doe this great wickednes and so sin against god He had rather loose his vnlawfull pleasure then loose God Holy Dauid when hee might haue slaine King Saule chose rather not to offeud god then to reuenge himselfe Renouned and chast Susanna when she might haue offended god without any impeachment or open knowledge in respect of the world the thing beeing kept close yet shee had rather in a good cause vndergoe any worldly shame or great wrong iniury what-soeuer then to forsake God her hope her crowne her castle Loue those thinges which god dooth suffer thee to enioy in this vvorlde as much as thou wilt for god dooth giue thee large liberty so that when there is any occasion of offending god offered then wee gather our wits together and looke about vs as did holie Ioseph Dauid Daniell the three chyldren Susanna and the like louing god aboue all and in the highest degree rather submitting our selues to any torment what-soeuer then by offending god to hazzard our soules in euerlasting torments And thy neighbour as thy selfe Our Sauiour may seeme heerein too much to cōmend vnto vs the loue of our neighbor in that he ioynes it so neere vnto the loue of god How-beit the loue of god the loue of thy neighbour spring both from one fountaine from one inward affection frō one cause so that they cannot be separated or parted a sunder Therefore S. Paul saith Hee that loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the lawe Thou canst not auoid the loue of thy neighbour but thou must shake off the loue of god also Wherin we may cleerly see how much god doth account the loue of thy neighbour that he thinks he is not loued vnlesse for his sake we loue our neighbour also As also that God in the 2. table of his lawe hath spoken more largely of the loue of thy neighbor For the cōmandements of the first table are but 4. in nūber the cōmandements of the second table are sixe and yet in the first table is contayned the loue of God In the second table the commandements are all negatiue but one which doth shew the seueritie and straitnes thereof to make vs take the better heede Therfore our Sauiour saith Ioh. 13. In this shal they know that you are my disciples if ye loue one an other He sayth not that ye are knowne to be my disciples by working miracles or by the gift of prophecie but if yee shall loue one another for
to shew such extremitie towards others And therefore he may be poynted at with a note of wonder VVho woulde haue doone it but that seruaunt that gracelesse and vnthankfull creatureâ— little considering that hee would be loth so to be dealt with all himselfe and as we are went to say in this case shewing himselfe vvorse then a Iew or Turke His cruelty is further expressed from the person of his fellowe seruaunt who kneeled downe to him and could find no mercie a 〈◊〉 hart that had no pittie he coulde haue 〈◊〉 no more if hee had vtterly denied him Again his cruelty in expressed by his gâ—â—sture in that he tooke him by the thrâ—â—â—e vvithout any former ciuill and â—uâ—teous means of demaunding al which did shew a hart fully possessed with cruelty But that all cruell mindes may somwhat relent lâ—t theÌ„ consider the manifold causes to moue them to charitie and forgiuenes The first is Gods commaundement Secondly because reuenge is the honor due onely vnto God Thirdly because we are guiltie of manifold offences wherein wee desire forgiuenes of God and therfore we ought to forgiue others Fourthly the coÌ„mon peace and quietnes of the Church which is mightily troubled by this meanes Fiftly our prayers the most necessary work in this life are hindered by continuall hatred which thirsteth after reuenge And lastly heereby many waightie affayres of this life are broken of Either the second third or fourth warning may take place and it is the dutie of Christians to seek peace insue it If they be iniuries doone vnto our selues then be pacified and mittigâ— to thy anger forgiue them for the causes afore-sayd If they coÌ„cerne the honour of God then may vvee be 〈…〉 let our zeale be 〈…〉 with wiseâ—â—â—â— As in the case of blasphemy heresie and Atheisme which we â—â—ght to redressâ— to the vtmost of our 〈◊〉 and such stubborne people whom we cannot 〈◊〉 wee ought to leaue to the iudgement of God 2. Tim. 4.14 The godly often times â—â—ire and giue offence among them also â—re dissentions These 〈◊〉 fall out among them that are more perfect then others and therfore the scripture doth so manifestly set down the faults and offences of the godly The reprobate euill disposed after twice or thrice warring are to be left vnto themselues and to GOD 〈◊〉 those that haue any sparke of grace cannot be too often warned This vnmercifull seruaunt should haue 〈…〉 what power his Maister had 〈◊〉 him when hee kneeled downe vnto him asking forgiuenes in a case very despâ—â—â—â— and past hope His maisters boundtifulnes and his 〈…〉 should haue drawne him to mercy and compassion 〈…〉 all thâ—se 〈◊〉 vvere 〈…〉 had so fraught him and possessed him with cruelty and 〈…〉 him 〈…〉 into 〈◊〉 Whose 〈…〉 selfe in these 〈…〉 had 〈◊〉 from hi◠〈…〉 had 〈…〉 with him and â—â—â—ecting with 〈…〉 by will 〈…〉 of his crueltie Secondly â—panâ— toward a stranger which 〈…〉 but 〈◊〉 his owne fâ—llow 〈◊〉 Thirdly for a finall 〈…〉 himselfe was 〈…〉 forgiuen for what is a 〈…〉 hâ—ndred penâ—â— Where by talâ—â—â—â— are signified our greâ—â—ous and haâ—nous of 〈◊〉 and by the persee câ—sâ—el 〈…〉 and finall 〈◊〉 fâ—â—lts His 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—leth downe yet doth 〈…〉 His fellowe seruaunts 〈…〉 and cruelâ— behaued 〈…〉 hart for the godly haue a fellow 〈…〉 world be to passe by oâ— full 〈…〉 The godly are not only 〈…〉 when they cannot 〈…〉 vnto God 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 prayer for redresse 〈…〉 The 〈…〉 vnmercifull of 〈…〉 〈…〉 and what iniâ—de 〈…〉 will not put in practise hauing 〈◊〉 â—â—â—enly coÌ„sideration Christ his 〈◊〉 death for them and the heauy anâ—â—â— and distresses of his soule are not 〈…〉 Heb. 4.15 Rom. 5. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 No such 〈◊〉 doe enter into theyr 〈◊〉 VVell the poore cryeth comâ—â—â— his cause to God and GOD will 〈◊〉 a time to consider it psalme 10. For 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ing â—â—â—ed with the prayers of the godlie who are greened to see such 〈…〉 â—â—â—ing highly offended 〈◊〉 the greaâ— ingratitude of worldlie 〈…〉 for these great disorders punish 〈…〉 with â—â—ueâ—s miseries caâ—â—◠〈◊〉 And now the third matter commeth to he â—andâ—ed which containeth the punishment of this ingratitude â—nd cruell behauiour Then his Maister called him and saâ—d to him 〈◊〉 â—ill sâ—â—â—unt I forgaue thee all 〈…〉 c. This great cruelty cannot 〈◊〉 vnpuâ—â—â—hed though it be toâ—â—erâ—ted for a 〈◊〉 And as God is the god of wisdome so â—ee handleth his matters most 〈…〉 dooth not rashly punish him but first reproâ—ueth him and debt 〈◊〉 the cause with him So doâ—â—â— God by his Ministers and messengers reprooâ—â— vs before he doth punish vs. Ough tell thou not c. Christ requireth of vs thankfulnes for his beneâ—â—â— bestowed and for the forgiuenes of ouâ—â—â—â—nifold offences that wee should not be â—â—gorous vnto our brethren and vnto our neighbours but that wee should be ready and ensie to forgiue So his Maister was wreth This sheweth the infinite anger of God against sin especially against those sinners which 〈◊〉 hard harted towards others and are 〈◊〉 desirous of reuenge theâ— inclined to mercie and forgiuenes And deliuered him to the Iaylers which is spoken concerning the doleful prison of euer lasting damnation For although god do offer mercy vnto all yet this cruel minded people are not worthy of it vvho â—â—ll yeeld no fauour nor pardon Which saying agrâ—â—th with that of Saint Iames chap. 2 1â— Thâ—â—â— shall be iudgement vvithout merâ—â— to him that wil shew no mercy The same punishment is appoynted to them which will not bee reconciled to other in this 〈…〉 Thou shalt not come thence all thou hast paide the vtmost farthing Wheâ— hence the aduersaries of true religion gather theyr fained doctrine of puâ—gatoriâ—◠〈◊〉 will deliuered say they to the â—aylor Purgatory 〈◊〉 he payd which was some time or other though if were long first Though not in this world nor in hell yet 〈◊〉 â—â—â—orie But this place dooth euerâ—â—◠〈◊〉 purgatory For certaine it is that Christ meaneth heâ—re eternall â—amnation no tempoâ—â—â— punishment whereâ—â—◠〈…〉 God 's iudgement And 〈…〉 coÌ„deâ—â—ed to these eternall puâ—â—â— there is no release 〈◊〉 â—â—ylors â—ormenters are his conscience condemning his sin the â—â—â—ble acâ—â—â— of the 〈◊〉 outward punishâ—â—◠〈…〉 warre peâ—â—◠〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 a thousand such dangers and 〈…〉 punishments of this life but 〈…〉 come He 〈◊〉 deliueâ—â—◠〈…〉 any hope of reâ—â—◠〈…〉 so much 〈…〉 is no hope of reâ—â—◠〈…〉 to the â—ayâ—our 〈…〉 To 〈…〉 God 's eternall iudgment and punishmentâ— so griâ—â—ous are the punishments and paines that are appointed to them that will not forgiue So that if men women cannot bet drawn to mercifull dealing by Gods commaundâ—â—â— and for his loue and for his sake 〈◊〉 leâ—â—â—wise for theyr own safetie yet let theÌ„â—â—ue especiall care there vnto for the terrible most eternall torments which are reserued for vnmercifull people Gods plagues in this worlde and his punishments in another The debt of thy manifold
against the witnesse of theyr own conscience Let vs therfore pray that Gods will may be done that our rebellious will may yeeld obedience vnto him And the more froward that we finde our affections the greater neede haue wee to pray to God for grace Rom. 7.23 I 〈◊〉 an other lawe in my members rebelâ—â—g against the law of my minde leading me captiue vnto the law of sin which is in my members O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee 2 Cor. 12.8 I besought the Lord thrice And he said vnto me My grace is sufficient for thee For my power is made perfect through weaknes Ministers are chosen to bee the light of the world and the salt of the earth and therefore greater watchfulnes is required at their handes Our Sauiour considering mans weaknet and frailtie and the great charge of his disciples willeth them instantlie to watch and pray least temptation should ouercome them least theyr own vnruly dispositions shoulde ouer-rule them least when they had preached to others they should become like vnto the Carpenters that made Noahs Arke 1 Cor. 9 27. Wee are all the seruaunts of God and therefore we ought all of vs to be painfull in the works of godlines they that haue greatest knowledge and greatest gyfts graces froÌ„ God ought to shew themselues Good examples to win other not to destroy manie by giuing great offence All in 〈◊〉 case are not funished alike vvith Gods â—yfts and therefore more is requiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 theyr handes to whom God hath shewed himselfe more beneficiall He that hath the greater knowledge must be more circumspect warie in his behaviour not only before God who knoweth all things but also before men that wee giue no offence as much as is possible and to the vtmost of our power Hee also whom God hath inriched with temporall blessings seeing God hath put him in trust there-with must haue care and conscience to be beneficiall where God appoynteth Else shall we be like to that euill and vnfaithfull seruaunt who negligently and vnwillinglie let passe and set light by his maisters commaundement For he that knoweth howe to doe vvell and dooth not heapeth sin and heapeth vvrath Many heare Gods Word preached good exhortations and good admonitions and yet sinne wilfully hauing knowledge forwarning to forbeare The contempt of Gods word shall neuer goe long without punishment And this was the cause that made our Sauiour to denounce so great a iudgment Math. 14 21. Woe be to thee Chorazin wee be to thee Bethsaida for if the great 〈◊〉 vvhich were doone in you had beene done in Tirus and Sidon they had repented long agone in sack-cloth ashes But I say to you it shall be easier for Tirus and Sidon at the day of iudgement then for you The dissolute behauiour of Tirus Sidon might haue excuse through ignorance wherein Gods Word was not preached to call them to repentance vvho though they wanted Gods word yet had they the light of nature and the lavve of theyr conscience to direct them But Chorazin and Bethsaida which heards Gods Word and yet were neuer the better shall be worthy of greater iudgement Whom God doth not vouchsafe of mercy them he doth iustly appoynt to destruction and from whom he with-draweth the blessing of his Word them doth he suffer to perrish Acts. 16.6.7 Againe to make other without excuse he causeth his Word to be preached and that they should be exhorted vnto repentance But of all other the Ministers are heerin to looke to themselues and as they knowe most so to frame themselues to liue best and 〈◊〉 suspect a fall in the greatest time of theyr strength 2. Pet. 2.20 For if they after they haue escaped from the filthines of the vvorld through the knowledge of the Lord of the Sauior Iesus Christ are yet intangled againe and ouercome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning For it had beene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue knowne it to turne from the holy commandement psal 125. Vnto those that are good and true of hart the Lord no doubt will doe well But as for such as turne back vnto their owne wickednes the Lord shal leade them forth with the euill dooers It was said to the Scribes and Pharises who had the interpreting of Gods law and to deale in Gods affaires Math. 23. Woe be to you Scribes and Pharises hipocrites for you shall receiue the greater condemnation And let the saying of the apostle to the Heb. chap. 10.26.27 preuaile sufficiently to admonish vs. If we sinne willingly after that wee haue receaued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement The Lorde therefore in mercy grant vs his grace to liue in his feare let vs endeuour what we can to make an end of our saluation with feare and trembling phil 2.12 and 3.14 And let vs follow hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus and continue so vnto the end For as none shal be crowned before the end of their race so before the day of our death we may fall away from GOD. Solomon that was perfect in Gods seruice yet toward his latter end his out-landish wiues woone his hart vnto idolatry This second part of the punishment of the euill seruant and negligent minister is aggrauated and made more greeuous by that which is added thereunto that their portion wofull inheritance shall be in that place where shall be nothing else but weeping and gnashing of teeth perpetuall sorrowe without the least tast of comfort no not so much as the least droppe of colde water shall be granted to them that shal be tormented in those flames Iere. 48.10 Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently 1. Cor. 9.16 They that preach the Gospell haue nothing to reioyce of in respect of merrit desert Luk. 17.9 10. for necessity is laid vpon them But if they preach not they must looke for a woe For if they doe it willingly they haue a rewarde of Gods bountifulnes but and if they doe it against their will notwithstanding the dispensation is coÌ„mitted vnto them I would to God they would consider this that haue the greatest gifts and yet vse them least which are fit instruments to glorifie God and yet make themselues the vassalls of this present world forgetting the Apostles earnest perswasion Ro. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye fashion not your selues like vnto this present world 1. Iohn 2.17 For the worlde passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer Such hipocrites and loose-liuers and also carelesse and forgetfull ministers for their sweet pleasures where-with they are drunken in this world taking so deepe a draught of this cuppe of transitory fornication estranging their harts from God vnto whom once they had espoused themselues in holy marriage and giuen their names vnto him shall be punished with intollerable torments And they that by the dutifull performance of their office and calling would not waite for their maisters comming but gaue them selues in the meane time to all libertie and licentiousnes their laughing shall be turned into weeping and their songs into gnashing of teeth The worme of their conscience shall neuer die they shall be vexed with perpetuall greefe for the neglect of their duty and they shall alwayes weepe and mourne that they had no better grace They that behaue themselues most negligentlie thinke least of all to come to this torment I could wish that men would betimes looke vnto themselues and haue a due consideration of their waighty charge and not so much to be exhorted thereunto through the feare of hell torments as to be allured with the consideration of the vnspeakable reward of eternall ioyes As the Apostle S. Peter 1. Epistle 5.4 doth most comfortably perswade all ministers Feede the flock of God which dependeth vppon you willingly and with a ready mind And when the chiefe sheepheard shall appeare ye shall receaue an incorruptible crowne of glory Which he hath promised that cannot lie and with whom is no variablenes nor shadowing by turning Iames 1.17 Heauen and earth shall passe away but the promises of GOD shall be most sure and certaine To which gracious God be all prayse and thanks-giuing in the congregation for euer Amen Soli Deo omnis laus sit et gloria et gratia
might be vsed against any estales against the Nobility of this Land the Iudges and Gentlemen or any other degree besides ministers for the pretended faults of some few to ouerturne the estate of all who might promise to himself one houres security Seeing then the matter so standes that ministers are but men and the goâ—â—â—est iustest and wisest haue had their falls we are not in this sort to set our selues 〈…〉 hatred against theÌ„ neither to scoffe taunt scorne or libell at their faults but rather in a fellow-feeling as though the case were our owne to pitty them and to be sorrie for their faults and falls especially if they proceeded of infirmity and not of vse and custome To pray to God that he would vouchsafe in mercy to pardon their faults and that hee would graunt them better grace not onely to repent and ament but also that they offend not againe in that or the like sort and that they may continue in grace and goodnes to their liues end And that as they haue dishonoured God by their offences so now they may showe themselues good examples to Gods glory 〈◊〉 good of the church and the satisfying of their owne conscience that if it be possible they may recouer what they haue lost both before God and men Furth â—â—ore wee haue in them an example of our owne weaknes what we are of ourselues that we might haue fallen into the same or the like offence as also we haue occasion to giue GOD thanks that hiâ—â—â—â—to wee haue not so fallen into open â—â—â—â—dite or shame though our priâ—â—â— and paâ—â—â—ler sinnes haue beene and 〈…〉 God as theyr knower offenâ—â—◠〈◊〉 most profitable vse we gather from hoâ—â—e that â—â—â—ing of our own strength we 〈…〉 â—â—â—right not a day not an howâ—â— with out Gods assistance but that â—â—slesh is â—â—â—yle and the deuils temptations strong so are wee of our selues euery way too â—â—â—ke to resist such fâ—â—ie darts and therefore dâ—â—â—â— and howrely instantly and earnestly and humbly to call to GOD for his â—â—pe and grace to deliuer vs from ouer throwing temptations and that God would giue vs strength to ouer come them and that hee would giue an issue vnto the tempâ—â—â—â—â—â— that we may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10.13 And let him that it strongest most resolute and in his ovvne conceite sure let him take heeds least hee fall For as for the wicked and vngodlie who are already in the deuils spares vnder his â—hâ—â—â—dome and captiuitie he taketh no ease for theyr back-slyding but as for theÌ„ which yet are not his he is still about and sliâ—â— theyr elbowe to prouoke them he 〈…〉 thee when thou least thinkest of him â—ight and day hee vvaites vpon thee and against him that stands out most euen against him doth â—â—beâ—â— all his 〈◊〉 Those thinges we â—â—â—â—â—â—ly and hoâ—â—fully to looke vnto 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 and in respect of thâ—◠〈…〉 we are to performe the 〈◊〉 of â—â—â—â—ty to doe as we would be 〈…〉 and to 〈◊〉 to God for them that they may repâ—â—â— amend And that God 〈◊〉 renueâ—â—ns holy spinâ— within 〈…〉 54 which is almost eâ—â—niguished and driue 〈◊〉 onâ—ly some remnant less 〈◊〉 of fire vnder a heape of ashâ—â— That is would plâ—â—se God not to cast 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—tly as they 〈◊〉 deshâ—â—ed but 〈…〉 with the comfortable 〈◊〉 passion 〈◊〉 of his grace he would shâ—w them merâ—y as â—e shewed vnto 〈◊〉 â—he Apostle Ga 6 1. That seruant maister wil come 〈◊〉 day â—â—te◠〈…〉 for him and in an 〈…〉 and aware of And wil euâ— hiâ— off giue 〈◊〉 his portion with hipoâ—â—â—â—â— Thâ—â—â— shâ—ll be weeping gnashing 〈…〉 The punishment of the negligent minister As the 〈◊〉 â—â—ruant and painfull minister 〈…〉 his blessing reward so 〈…〉 the euill seruant and negligent 〈◊〉 â—ooke to râ—â—pe according to 〈…〉 2 Cor. 5 10. Gal. 6.8 Ro. 2.9 13. The punishment therefore of the euill seruant and negligent Minister is two-fold First that his expectation shal be deceiued and his hope suddenly cut off And secondly that his portion shal be with hypocrites The grieuousnes of which punishment is here expressed in these words that there shal be weeping gnashing of teeth Such euill seruants and negligent Ministers which presuming of the long stay of their maisters comming giue themselues to all licentiousnes hauing no care eyther of theyr inward conscience or outward conuersation beeing rocks of offence and making themselues examples of euill dâ—â—ings cannot looke for any other then a iust punishment for theyr due deserth According as the Lord speaketh by the prophet Ieremy chap. 9.9 Shall I not visite them for these things faith the Lord or shall not my soule be auenged on such a Nation as this Yea theyr punishment shall be greater then they are aware of and it shal come more suddainly then they looked for it And the suddaine ouerthrow of the wicked shall be farre more terrible then that which is looked for For those troubles inconueniences vvhich come vnto vs whereof wee haue a forwarning are borne more patiently and with a more contented mander but vnlooked for mischiefes besides the grieuous extremity of them do greatly amaze our mindes with the sudden fright thereof The rich man saide to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres when suddenlie his yeeres and his dayes and his long expectation was expired and finished in one nights warning O foole this night shall they take away thy soule from thee Our â—â—â—ter and and the day of iudgement and the comming of Christ all is kept close to the intent that through hope of long lyfe men might not become too presumptuous in the meane time playing the Atheists forgetting GOD and themselues For as though this thing were certaine that mens liues were to bee prolonged according to their wish and desire many settle themselues to enioy the pleasures of thys life spending their time in all vngodlines malâ—ing this account that if they haue but opâ—â—â—â—â—re to repent before theyr death all shall be safe with them VVho are as farre vvide in their iudgement as the heauen is from the earth For when they shal thinke of nothing but of peace and rest then hastie destruction shall comin place 1. Thessalonians chap. 5.3 1. Conn chap. 15. ver 5 32. When as no time or respite of repentance shall be graunted And manie in theyr death hauing time yet finde repentance a most harde thing to performe that repentance as it is too late so in a manner it is neuer true and effectuall Which thing is commonly seene in the lyues of them whom GOD doth grant to recouer theyr former health after dangerous and desperate diseases that they returne to theyr olde byas and become as badde if not vvorse then euer they vvere before Others there are of another vaine Let vs eate and drinke say they for to morrovve vvee shall die VVhich kinde of people are so farre from loooking
for their Masters comming that they thinke there is no such matter at all that after death there is no more remembrance VVho had great neede to be often put in mindâ— that they be not deceaued for such â—uill wordes doe not onely corrupt their 〈◊〉 that vtter them but make them also farre worse that heare them and euill speeches often-times proue more offensiue then euill deedes because we are far more easilie drawne to sin and vice then to goodnes and euill wordes doe soone corrupt good manners Awake therefore to liue righteously and sin not For some haue not the knowledge of God nay many haue the knowledge of God and yet make theyr Christian profession reprochfull through their euill behauiour and to them it may well be so spoken to theyr shame To whom theyr maisters comming shall be in the twinckling of an eye vvhen as the dreadfull sound of a trumpet shall call summon them in all hast to appeare before his tribunall seate of iudgement there to giue their accounts who no doubt will be found altogether vnprepared and vnreadie They vvhich in the vvhole course of theyr life haue refused the grace of God offred vnto them and haue not harkned vnto the Lorde knocking at the doore of theyr harts and consciences Reu. 3.20 shal at the time of theyr death and in theyr â—â—st neede misse of that grace fauour which so often negligently and carelessie they haue refused and despised When the time is let theÌ„ accept thereof god knowes when euer the time shal be againe and let them take heede it be not said vnto them The time was and the time is pastâ— Gods grace and fauour is not at our commaundement as time and tyde tarrieth no man so the time of Gods grace must peâ—â—â—â—e neglected of any For such a sudden time of death may come that all thought of â—â—pentance may be out of the way when as feare and horror shall wholy possesse their mindes The second part of the punishment of an euill and negligent minister is that has shall be cut of and that his porâ—â—n shal be with hypocrites He shall be cut of and separated from the company of the godlie foreuer During this life the tares and the wheaâ—e grow both together and the wicked shall be mingled with the godly 〈◊〉 in this life it so falleth out that the wicked shall be preferred and set ouer the godlie also are in their company but in the life to come then they shall be parted asâ—â—der the sheepe from the Goates the â—lâ—ct froÌ„ the reprobates After death there shall be a separation and by death they shall be 〈◊〉 off they shall 〈◊〉 no part in the ioyâ—l of the elect they shall haue neyther fellowship not company with them They shall not onely be not off from the compaâ—â—â— of the godlie but also from the presence of GOD. They shall not come into the mount Sioâ—â— to the Cane of the lining God the celestiall Ierusalem neyther 〈◊〉 the cornpâ—â—ie of innumerable Angâ—â—â— Nor to the congregation of the first boâ—â—â— that are written in heauen neyther to the Spirits of inst â—â—dip erfect them But as the Wheate and chaffe are both vppon one floorâ—â—â—ll the time 〈◊〉 voin noing und then the winde bloweth away the 〈◊〉 Mathew chap 13.47 In the Net there are all fifâ—â—â—â— good and bâ—dde but whâ—â— they come to the Sea-shore they 〈…〉 gather the good into vessels and â—â—st the badde away The golde and the â—â—â—sse 〈◊〉 joynedâ—ogether insper ably till 〈…〉 puâ— in the fire then the golde goeth one way and the â—â—osse anothers in the 〈◊〉 of hâ—â—uest the Tares are first gathered and bound in sheaues to be burnt but 〈…〉 being gathered shal be brought 〈◊〉 the Barne So shall it be at the end of the world the time of cutting off the time of triall the time of sepâ—â—â—â—â—â— the Angels shal goe foorth and soâ—â—◠〈◊〉 from among the iust shal cask them into a sâ—â—â—nace of fire there shall be wayding gnashing of teeth And the shall the ins◠〈◊〉 in the king dome of their 〈◊〉 This separation shal be farre worse then was that of king Nabuchadnezzer Dan chap 4 20 when as the watchman and the Holie one came downe from he auen and said Hour downe the wee and destroy it for though he vvas driuen from the company of men to liue among the beasts being thrust 〈◊〉 of his throne to liue a long time in great dishonour and disgrace yâ—â— he reâ—orned againe to his kingdome But these euill â—â—â—uaunts and negligent ministers being dâ—câ— cut off shall neuer come to thâ—â—r place c neure reconer their for men estate again The maister vvhen he coÌ„meth shall not only put this euill seruant beside his office but also he wil out him off separate him ioyne his part with hypocsiles vvhich haue the title and name of the office of the gospell which haue the name of christians but their liues behauiâ—â— are quite â—â—â—â—â—ry betwixt whose inward coÌ„science 〈◊〉 ward profession there is great difference 〈◊〉 appeare vnto you For a hard iudgement shall they haue that bear eâ—â—le Principally all euill stewards vnfaithfull seruants and negligent ministers generals lie all that haue knowledge if they leade a wicked life shall haue a greater iudgment because of theyr knowledge where-with God hath youchsafed to open the eyes of theyr minde that they may discerne betweene good and euill Luke 12. That seruant that knew his maisters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his wil shal be beaten with many stripes For knowledge without a life aunswerable there-vnto is like the Letters which Vâ—iah carried against himselfe it draweth with it a greater iudgement oftentimes condemnes the bearer Knowledge vvithout vertue leanes a man without excuse and is a witnesse against him because hee vnderstandeth what is good and yet vvill not doe it Iam. 4.17 To him that knoweth howe to doe well and doth it not to him it is sin To him it is sin with a witnes with a witnes of forwarning with a witnes of a â—â—â—ful conâ—sâ—â—ence with a witnesse of Godâ— displeasure and of the grieuous punishments that hang ouer our heads He that wittingly offendeth GOD is woorthy of the greater iudgement For if that seruant which ignorantly doth fal into sin shall not escape punishment what is he worthy of who vpon set purpose shall transgresse his maisters commandement They which haue charge ouer gods people if they offend they doe it not vpon ignorance but beeing ouer-come of theyr owne euill affections they dishonor theyr Lord and maister and prouoke his great displeasure against theÌ„ In the mean time let no man thinke that ignorance shall excuse him from his fault and from the punishment thereof For lightly ignorance commeth through negligence and many may know which refuse to know A great difference is betwixt them that sin of ignorance and them that violently and furiously rush