Notwithstanding this office of the Ministery truely administred bringeth honour yea it is worthy double honour For the Elders that rule well are worthy double honour specially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine Many loue to rule but they rule not well neither labour in the Word and Doctrine and therefore are not worthy double honour for there is none due but to the painefull Steward the labouring Minister as Father Latimer well said in his fourth Sermon before King Edward the 6. Noblemen Knights and Gentlemen of great valour and worth are Stewards and ought to employ some houres in the seruice of God to please him as Iehosophat Asa Iosias and Ezechias did They ought also to do good to the Commonwealth not neglecting a reasonable and necessary care of their owne followers and Families Ancient Chronicles testifie that Alphred King of England and Founder of the Vniuersitie of Oxon diuided the day and night into three parts eight houres he spent in the seruice of God eight houres vpon his Country and eight houres vpon his body and the maintenance of his Family letting no time to passe away vnprofitably alwayes remembring that whilest he had time he should doe good Ernestus Luneburgensis spent himselfe in doing good and therefore was represented by a golden Candlesticke bearing a Torch in it wherein were ingrauen these Letters in gold shewing his good and charitable minde deeds of charitie proceeding from him A. S. m. i. c. A stood for Alijs S. for seruiens m. for me i. for ipsum and c. for consumo Set all together the sentence will be Alijs seruiens meipsum consumo I consume my selfe by seruing other mens turnes It is a common speech among worldly men when they are exhorted to help the poore beeing in distresse to say We will doe what we can for our neighbour not hurting our selues but wee will looke to our selues first O beloued these men are louers of themselues more then louers of God or of their neighbours The old commandement giuen of God was and is Ioh. 13.34 15.12 Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe and who doth so now And yet our Sauiour in the New Testament presseth vs more nearely teaching vs to loue one another as hee loued vs now Christ loued vs better then himself for if he had not hee would haue harkened to Peter disswading him from his suffrings for vs and perswading him to pity fauour himselfe but hee would not follow his wicked counsell but knowing it not to bee of God said to him Chrysost Get thee behinde Satan for thou art an offence vnto me c. Christians take their names of Christ and should be of Christs minde and reckon euery one an enemie vnto them that disswadeth them from doing good to their neighbour when they may although it be to their owne losse hurt and hazzard not onely of goods but also of life There is a great hatred betweene the Dragon and the Pellican the Dragon when hee knoweth that the Pellican hath yong Birds watcheth her when she goeth from her nest and then commeth and poisoneth the yong ones The Pellican returning and finding her younglings dead bewaileth the losse of their liues sending our most dolefull and lamentable cryes and squeakings and at the last forgetting al care of her selfe and burning with a feruent loue towards them she pecketh her owne brest letteth out her owne bloud which streaming out on them reuiueth them In like manner there was a great hostility betweene the great Red Dragon the old Serpent I meane Satan and all mankinde He in Adam poysoned and killed vs all with sinne Rom. 5.12 Math 26.28 Our Sauiour Christ pittying our miserable case and willing to help vs shed his owne bloud for vs and made vs aliue againe Ioh. 11.25 Such a loue should be in vs when we see our Christian brethren in extremitie 1. Ioh. 3.16 and can help We ought to lay downe our liues for them much more we should impart our goods and bestow any labour and paine to doe them good I write these things to you you Honourable Worshipfull and rich men of the world to moue you if it please God that I may to be liberall and rich in good workes 1. Tim. 6.18 and to lay vp treasures in heauen for your selues by shewing workes of mercy Which thing most of you are able to doe and may doe without danger of life O then be willing to make performance and God will heere on earth increase your basket and your store as he did the Loaues and Fishes in the Disciples hands Math. 14. distributing them and hee will lengthen that which you haue as hee did the Meale and the Oyle of the poore Widdow of Sarephath 1. King 17. you shall receiue mercy at the Lords hands in earth and in Heauen at the last Day an euerlasting blessing Math. 25. Therefore flatter not your selues because of your high Places of Honour and Worship For God priuiledgeth not you more then the poore to be idle Stewards There must bee no ciphers in Gods Arithmetike no mutes in his Grammar no blankes in his Kalender no Drones in his Bee-hiue no loyterers in his Market-place and Vineyard no idle Stewards in his Farmes And so my good Lords and you Worshipfull Gentlemen with all respectiue duties I humbly take my leaue of you Lawiers are Stewards and diligently and faithfully should examine their Clients causes deale plainely and iustly with them and not for gaine sake tell them a lye and confirme them in errours and make them pay for all sowing the seeds of Sedition which come vp euery Terme when as louely compositions and agreements at home might better serue and whereas their Clients are poore already they in the end make them poorer Lib. 5. de guber Siluianus saith Hac lege tueri pauperes videntur vt spolient hac lege defendunt miseros vt miseriores faciant defendendo that is to say With this Law they seeme to defend the poore that they may spoile them With this same Law they defend poore wretches to make them more miserable by their defending And yet for all this who better rewarded then the Lawyer A Preacher that speaketh the truth from God and vseth the meanes to win mens soules to God hath many times for his paines reproaches but Lawiers sometimes for pleading vniust causes haue large fees and when their Client is ouerthrowne his cause lost and his money spent they blame the Client say He told me the best but not the worst we lacked good information But now what becomes of this poore man ouerthrowne He perhaps hath maintained the suite with borrowed mony and is become indebted vnto many and new suites by his Creditors come vpon him Baylifes who liue reioyce at poore mens fals swarm about him like Caterpillers and the Flies of Egypt they take him and prey vpon him Thus the vnmercifull feed vpon him when hee
accused in these words and the same was accused Secondly called and he called him Thirdly reprehended in these words How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee Fourthly he yeeldeth an account Come render an account of thy Stewardsh Fiftly he is put out of his Office in these words For thou mayest be no longer Steward Of these in order and first of his accusation Wherein we are to note first his Accusers Secondly the capitall and hainous crimes whereof he is accused The Accusers or complainants are these 1. Satan 2. Angels 3. Saints 4. His owne Conscience 5. Sinnes 6. Creatures of God The hainous crimes wherof the euill Steward is accused of are these fiue 1. Vnfaithfulnesse 2. Cruelty 3. Slothfulnesse 4. Ill company-keeping 5. Wastfulnesse First the euill vnfaithfull and vngracious Steward is accused of the Diuell For which cause hee is called Reu. 12. The accuser of the Brethren which accuseth them before God day and night Hee accuseth our workes words and thoughts as Gregory noteth saying thus Lib. 2. moral Diabolus prima opera nostra deinde verba tandem cogitationes accusat He defameth man accuseth him of wickednesses reporteth them before God calleth for vengeance and speedy death lest the thred of mans life should be drawne out along and he should repent and obtaine eternall life Iob 1. If Satan was so impudent that he blushed not to defame and accuse before God holy Iob a man to whom there was none comparable in his time on the earth a perfect and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill What is it that he will not alledge against a sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquitie a seed of the wicked corrupt children in whom from the sole of the foote vnto the head there is nothing sound in them but they draw wickednesse with cords of vanity and sinne as it were with a cart-rope Secondly an vniust Steward is defamed and accused of Angels Iob 20.27 Reuelant coeli iniquitatem improbi Esay 1. The Heauens reueale the iniquitie of a wicked man Per coelos Angelos qui in coelis sunt accipe saith the ancient Father In Math. 18. The fellow-seruant told to the Lord the cruelty of his seruant Now the Angels are our fellow-seruants as we may probably gather out of Iohn Reu. 22. where he fell downe to worship the Angell who said vnto him See thou doe it not for I am thy fellow-seruant and the fellow-seruant of thy Brethren the Prophets which keepe the sayings of this Booke Worship thou God Loe the Angell said to Iohn that he was his fellow-seruant and not onely his but of his Brethren the Prophets which kept the sayings of Gods Booke The Angels then tell God our faults as here Our prayers holinesse and righteousnesse as in Tobie 12. Let vs therefore that liue in the presence of God and his Angels carry our selues godly and honestly knowing that most pure eyes doe looke vpon vs. Thirdly a bad Steward is blamed and accused of Saints both triumphant which are in Heauen and militant which liue on earth Of Saints triumphant whose bloud was shed on earth by cruell Tyrants and persecutors for the Word of God and testimonie which they had For these being in the blessed port of Heauen cry out against them that imbrued their hands in their bloud Reu. 6. saying How long tarriest thou O Lord which art holy and true to iudge and auenge our bloud on them that dwell on earth And that an vngracious Steward is accused before God of Saints that are liuing in this mortall life it is also most manifest Ieremy blamed and accused the Iewes vnto God yea and craued reuengement against them in these words O Lord of hosts thou righteous iudge Ier. 11. thou that tryest the reines and the hearts let me be auenged of them For vnto thee haue I committed my cause When Antiochus oppressed the Church of God with great tyrannie Dauid accused him vnto God in these words Psal 74.10 18. Remember this O Lord how the enemy hath rebuked and the foolish people hath blasphemed thy Name Ieremy in like manner accused and blamed his persecutors vnto GOD and craued him to reuenge him saying Ier. 15.15 O Lord thou knowest remember me and visit me and reuenge mee of my persecuters If the poore is oppressed of the rich and make his mone vnto the Lord accusing him and crying for reuengement The Lord respecting the deepe sighing of the poore will awake as one out of sleepe and as a Gyant refreshed with Wine Psal 12. and will smite their enemies in the hinder parts and put them to a perpetuall shame True it is and memorable which Siracides hath chapter 35. where he saith God hath no respect of persons against the poore but doth heare the prayer of him that is wronged hee will not neglect the prayer of the fatherlesse nor the widdow if she complaine Doe not the widdowes teares goe downe her cheekes and they cry out to God on high in Heauen against him that hath caused the same Now beloued brethren and sisters if wee should wrong an innocent and harmelesse man in a righteous cause vpon earth we would be vnwilling yea we would tremble and quake to haue a complaint we knowing our selues guilty to bee made vnto a mighty Iudge or Potentate that can punish vs seuerely How much more then should it grieue vs and astonish vs and cause vs to make recompence and satisfaction to the parties whom we haue wronged when wee know that the complaints and cryes of them that are iniured doe sound in the eares of the Lord that an accusation is made against vs that an account must be giuen to the high Iudge and iustice without partialitie ministred Fourthly Rom. 2. the bad Steward is accused of his owne thoughts and testified against of his owne conscience and this is as forcible to conuict a man as a thousand witnesses and hereupon grew the prouerbe Socrates Conscientia mille testes When a mans Conscience is wronged hee liueth as merry as a Bird in a pitfall Lib. de moribus For Conscientia laesa est nunquā secura as Seneca writeth Chrysostome writing vpon the 50. Psalme saith Conscientia peccati formidinis mater that is to say The Conscience or knowledge of sin is the mother of feare If a man feare any creature Man Beast or Worme he may auoid them but hee can neuer flee from his Conscience she is a bird which hee alwayes carrieth in his bosome pleasant as the Nightingale if shee bee not violated but being wronged shee is like a Waspe or Snake vnder a mans cloathes or rather like the Bots in a Horse belly which neuer suffereth him to be quiet but are still eating and gnawing Sat. 12. And therefore Inuenal said that this is the greatest punishment and we must needs all yeeld vnto it Nocte dieque suum gestare in pectore testem This
to be put to torments and cruell death In like maner shall it bee with the Elect and Reprobate faithfull and vnfaithfull the godly and the wicked at this generall and great Assize both shall arise out of their close prison I meane their Graues but the one sort to be euer with the Lord and to be euer in a continuall ioyfull practice ministring praises and Songs of Thanksgiuing saying Saluation and glory and honour bee to the Lord our God c. Math. 25. The other to bee banished from the presence of the Lord and to bee finally adiudged to euerlasting fire and torments Therefore O godly man hold on and goe forward in a godly course of life Thou shalt haue comfort and ioy at the last euen a solace sempiterne and perpetuall For eye hath not seene eare hath not heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man 1. Pet. 1.4 what good things the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him and the inheritance of Gods Children is incorruptible vndefiled and neuer fadeth away But if thou art a wicked man and hast walked in the broad way that leadeth to destruction and continuest in thy wicked life without repentance then thou shalt rise in the last Day but to iudgement to torment to bee cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where are paines endlesse Luke 16. caselesse and remedilesse Looke to the example of the rich Glutton At this day and time of account Kings Queenes Princes Earles Barons and Baronets Knights Esquires Gentlemen Yeomen rich and poore young and old all one as well as another shall bee demanded how they haue occupied their Talents as wee may gather by the Parable Mat. 25. The Virgins that expect the Bridegroome with Oyle and Lampes prepared shall be blessed The wicked shall be sifted with straight examination and shall giue an account of a thousand matters whereof they would haue scorned to haue been told of in this life by Minister or Magistrate as how they haue spent their time whether they haue fought against the world the Flesh and the Diuell Of which and many other things they must giue an account of The sinners Tryall yea of euery idle word And heere wee are to note that as when persons are tryed at our Assizes vpon matters of life and death there are vsually accusers and witnesses written and printed Lawes and Bookes by which men are tryed for no man is condemned vpon a bare accusation without testimonie some apparant proofe or at leastwise some great probabilitie that cannot bee spoken against and the breach of the some branch of the Lawes So the Scriptures speaking after the manner of men proue that there shal be both accusers and witnesses against a false Steward a wicked man at this great Assize The accusers are a mans owne thoughts after which sort the thoughts of the Gentiles are said to accuse them or excuse them Rom. 2.15 16. at the day when God shall iudge the secrets of men by Iesus Christ A mans wicked thoughts then are sinnes and vnlesse a man repent him of them deserue death And therefore Peter bad Simon Magus pray to God if perhaps the thoughts of his heart may bee forgiuen him And for this cause our Sauiour speaking of an euill heart saith that out of it proceede euill thoughts Mat. 15.19 from these wicked thoughts come many euill and wicked words whereof the sinner must giue an account yea Mat. 12.36 many sinnes and wickednesses that shall correct a man and many turnings backe that shall reprooue him Ier. 2.19 Our thoughts therefore may well bee said to accuse vs at this day of reckoning And here it is strange to see how wonderfully worldly men are deceiued in this point they will say Thought is free as though it were lawfull for them to thinke at pleasure without sinning or punishment It is true that man may thinke what he will freed from mans knowledge and punishment For as it is true that no man knoweth the thoughts of man so it is as true that no man can iustly inflict punishment vpon man for his thoughts for he knoweth not them Onely God the searcher of the hearts and reynes knoweth mans thoughts and punisheth them if they are wicked and that deseruedly For euill thoughts defile man Mat. 15.19 20. and therefore worthily are condemned Zech. 8.17 The witnesses against man are foure 1. God 2. Heauen and Earth 3. Rust of the Gold and Siluer of wicked rich men 4. A mans Conscience First God is a witnesse who knoweth all things yea the very secrets of the heart therefore the truest and best witnesse This is proued Malachy 3.5 Mal. 3.5 I will said he come neere to you in iudgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the Southsayers and against the Adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages and vex the widdow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not mee saith the Lord. This righteous Lord and true witnesse will set before mans face the things that hee hath done Hee vvill bring to light the hidden things of darknes make manifest the counsels of the heart that euery one that thinketh well and doth well may haue praise of God and he that thinketh not well Math. 25. nor doth well may bee cast into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels Deut. 4.26 The second witnesse Heauen and earth The Lord saith to Israel when thou shalt beget children and childrens children and shalt haue remained long in the land if yee corrupt your selues and make any grauen image or likenesse of any thing and worke euill in the sight of the Lord thy God to prouoke him to anger I call Heauen and Earth to record against you this day that yee shall shortly perish from the land whereunto ye goe ouer Iordan to possesse it yee shall not prolong your dayes therein but shall vtterly bee destroyed The like place we haue Deut. 30.19 Deut. 30.19 Where the Lord calleth Heauen and Earth to witnesse against them saying that he had set before them life and death a blessing and a curse and bids them chuse life that they may liue with their seed Beloued Christians let vs take heed what we doe heere on the earth For our sayings doings are knowne and seene from aboue and the earth vpon which our sinnes are committed can beare witnesse of the same against vs if our words and deeds are euill Thirdly the rust of the gold and siluer of couetous worldlings shall be a witnesse against them which hath beene layd vp till it rusted for want of vsing and well employing to the vse of the poore And as their gold and siluer is eaten vp and fretted with rust so they for not vsing their treasure well shall be eaten vp and deuoured with the fire of hell that is they shall be tormented with euerlasting flames
to the truth as thou shalt finde it and perswade thy selfe that this is written howsoeuer it may crosse thy humours in taking thy fleshly pleasures yet for thy learning and to doe thee good and to set thee in the way to Heauen in the which way God speed thee with faithfulnesse and constancie to the end and then thou shalt be sure of thy wished desire a crowne of incorruptible glory Which God of his infinite goodnesse and mercy grant mee and thee and the whole Church quickly Amen THE STEVVARDS LAST ACCOVNT The first Sermon LVK. 16.1 2. 1. There was a certaine rich man which had a Steward and he was accused vnto him that he wasted his goods 2. And he called him and said vnto him How is it that I beare this of thee Giue an accounts of thy stewardship for thou maist be no longer Steward THese two verses and the other following vnto the ninth verse according to the plaine literall and verball sense and meaning containe a parable spoken by our Sauiour Christ vnto his Disciples concerning a certaine rich man which had a Steward that dealt falsely with him iniuriously scraped and raked together great store of worldly riches and all that he could get from his Master by hooke and by crooke by any meanes were they neuer so vngodly vniust and wrongfull that hee ill imployed and wastfully spent in pleasures and sinfull courses of life Of which fraudulent dealing and wasting his goods as soone as his Master had intelligence hee called him and reprehended him saying How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee And presently calleth him to account and putteth him out of his Office Which thing when the Steward perceiued he knowing hee could not frame himselfe to painefull labours as to digge and delue because in former times he had liued idly and pleasantly but yet in reputation and therefore he was ashamed to begge for that as hee was perswaded would much abase him and make him contemptible then he resolueth himselfe of a third way which was priuily to call his Masters debters together and to abate the debts which they owed him and to one that owed his Master an hundred measures of Oyle he parteth at halfe and abates fifty And another that owed his Master an hundred measures of Wheate hee bids take his writing and write fourescore cutting large thongs of another mans leather thinking by these meanes to procure friends that afterward when he was put out of his Office might receiue him into their houses and maintaine him thus carefully prouiding for the time to come And the Lord not allowing falsehood and wrongfull dealing for he loueth righteousnesse but to shewe that worldly men are more carefull to obtaine earthly things and prouide for this world then the children of God are desirous of heauenly treasures that inrich them in the world to come for the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light is said to commend the vniust Steward for dealing so wisely and so carefully prouiding for this world wishing a farre greater care to the children of light to prouide for the world to come Which thing we may see to be true by the fit application of the parable made by our Sauiour in the ninth verse saying thus And I say vnto you Make you friends with the riches of iniquitie that when yee shall want they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations To bee yet somewhat more plaine The true sense scope and purpose of the holy Ghost as it were by way of comparison and resoluing vpon the best is this The Steward of a certaine rich man is carefull what shall become of himselfe when hee is put from his Office much more therefore Christians who are Stewards vnto God in sundry gifts should be carefull what shall befall them when they shall depart out of this life and make their accounts vnto God for the same But as the worldly Steward purchaseth him friends with the Mammon of vnrighteousnes that may receiue and maintaine him when hee is remoued from his Office So should Christian folke with their goods gifts and talents concredited vnto them make the poore so beholding vnto them that they by their prayers made to God for them Verse 9. may receiue them into euerlasting habitations as in the ninth verse This briefely is the sum of this present Gospell Howbeit to the intent that it may minister more plentifull instruction to all Gods people I will by the assistance of Gods holy spirit intreate of these two points First the persons mentioned in the parable which are three First the rich man in these words There was a certaine rich man Secondly the Steward in these words which had a Steward Thirdly the accusers of the Steward in these words and he was accused c. The second point What the rich man did to his Steward when hee found him false and vniust in the second verse in these words And hee called him and said vnto him How is it that I heare this of thee Giue accounts of thy Stewardship for thou maiest bee no longer Steward In the first part I will shew vnto you who the rich man is who is the Steward and who are the accusers when I come to handle that point In the second part to wit what the Lord did to his Steward when he proued him vntrue is declared in foure points First hee called him in these words And hee called him Secondly he reprehended him saying How is it that I heare this of thee Thirdly he calleth him to account saying Come render account of thy Stewardship c. Fourthly he putteth him out of his Office For thou maiest be no longer Steward Of these in order and first of the rich man The rich man is God who is chiefe Emperour Lord King true owner and possessor of all good things temporall and spirituall earthly and heauenly For of earthly things Dauid Psalme 24. Psal 24.1 truly speaketh saying The earth is the Lords and all that therein is the world and they that dwell therein Againe Psal 50.10 11 12 verses he saith All the beasts of the forrest are mine and the beasts on a thousand mountaines I know all the fowles of the mountaines and the wilde beasts of the field are mine If I be hungry I will not tell thee for the world is mine and all that therein is This is most plainely proued in the 115. Psal verse 16. where the Psalmist saith The Heauens are the Lords and the earth which hee hath giuen to the sonnes of men Hee is rich also in spirituall and heauenly things and so euery way rich as Bernard 57. Sermon noteth Deus vndique diues diues misericordia magnifious in iustitia munificus in gratia that is to say God is rich euery way rich in mercy Ephes 2.4 Ephes 3.16 Iam. 2.5 1. Pet. 5.10 magnificent in iustice liberall in Grace Hee is rich in mercy rich in glory rich in wisedome
commaunded the cruell seruant himselfe his wife and children and all that hee had to be sold Math. 18. inflicting the punishment not onely vpon himselfe but also vpon his wife and children Therefore let men be not vniust and cruell but true and mercifull for as the holy father hath August Sola misericordia est comes defunctorum Onely mercy accompanieth the dead That a man shall carry away with him and God in his mercy will reward mercy Fourthly men play the bad Stewards when they receiue the Lords goods and lay them not out according to his will but spend them vnlawfully wilfully and wastfully for which they are culpable and accusable as this bad Steward was The idolatrous person layeth out his riches vpon superstitious workes as Ahab and Iezabel The quarrelsome man layeth out his goods vpon vnnecessary suites of law hindering himselfe and his neighbours as the Corinthians did The vncleane person in chambering and wantonnesse as Sardanapalus and Absalon liuing altogether in carnalitie The Epicure and belly God in faring deliciously euery day as the rich Glutton Gamâ—ters in gaming as Octauius Augustus To conclude euery one which layeth out his goods in idle superfluous and vngodly courses of life playeth the parts of an vnthrifty and vnfaithfull seruant as the prodigall sonne And if a Preacher Magistrate or other Officer rebuke any of these for their vnfaithfull dealing and prodigall swaggering they will say What haue they to doe with vs we wast and spend but our owne money and goods building vpon a base ground for no man is Lord and proper owner of his wealth but onely a Steward for a time to the high Lord of all And as a great mans Bayliffe and Steward on earth ought to lay out the goods of his Master as he commandeth and must render an account how he doth it euen so must euery man being made a Steward in this farme the world employ the talents and gifts which he receiueth as the Lord of Lords the high Master of all commandeth and shall render an account as hereafter followeth The second Farme or Mannor-house wherein man a Steward vnder this rich man God is to be employed and which he ought carefully to looke vnto is his owne body the goods whereof as health power and strength are to be employed to the honour of God to supply our owne necessary occasions 1. Cor. 6. and to helpe our neighbour in all godly and honest affaires This Farme ought to be well and cleanly kept that it may be a fit dwelling Place and Temple of the holy Ghost for if wee will adorne our houses decke them sweepe them and euery way as much as in vs lyeth make them hansome and commodious for a great earthly person much more should wee haue a care to preserue from pollution and keepe cleane our owne bodies because they are the houses of the holy Ghost and further to giue our members instruments of righteousnesse vnto God Rom. 6.13 and to offer vp our bodies a quicke sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God Rom. 12.1 This Farme a good Steward should carefully looke vnto lest death should enter through the ports and gates thereof to the soule and worke the destruction thereof which ports and gates I will set open vnto you making as much haste as the Porter doth when his Master waiteth for him at the gate The ports and gates of the body are these fiue Hearing Seeing Talking Tasting and Touching Which gates should be heedfully watched that nothing goe in or out but that which pleaseth the Lord for as a great earthly man hath a Porter to keepe his gates that no lewd filthy nor contagious person should enter in to pollute his house or infect his people and so procure danger or death vnto theÌ„ or otherwise disorder himselfe Euen so euery Christian man should looke to the gates and doores of his body lest sinne enter in by them and death follow to the subuersion of body and soule The first port and gate of the body is the care the proper organ and instrument of hearing it is the mouth of the soule which giues it nourishment and sendeth downe foode into it and which makes it liuely and fructifie in all the rest of mans members Mans eares should be open to heare good things Reuel 2. Math. 13. as the Word as our Sauiour would haue vs and the Prophet Esay verse 3. exhorteth vs so to doe shewing the vtilitie thereof saying Incline your cares and draw neere Heare and your soule shall liue This word is the sincere milke whereby our soules are nourished and receiue their spirituall growths it is a lanterne to carry light 1. Pet. 2.2 and to direct it is a medicine to heale a guide to conduct a bit to restraine a sword to defend water to wash fire to inflame salt to season wine to reioyce raine to refresh a treasure to inrich a key to vnlocke heauen gates vnto vs and by the merits of Christ Iesus to let vs into an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not away Now beloued seeing that mans eares are the instruments vessels to receiue this Word let vs study to keepe them cleane and open to receiue the Word 1. Cor. 15. Moenan but shut this gate against al blasphemous speeches slanderous and filthy talking for euill words corrupt good manners The second port of the body is the eye which must not let in bad sights it must not couetously looke on his neighbours goods lands or liuings 1. King 21. as Ahab did on poore Naboths vineyard nor wantonly looke on his neighbours wife as Dauid did vpon the wife of Vrie 2. Sam. 11. This caused Iesus the sonne of Sirach in his ninth chapter verse eight to say Turne away thy eyes from a beautifull woman looke not vpon others beauty for many haue perished by the beauty of women for through it loue is kindled as a fire What harmes enter in by this gate it may appeare by the example of Putiphar his Lady and wife Gen. 39. who steadily beholding the beauty of Ioseph after many dayes at the last said Come lye with mee Let vs therefore take heed of wanton looking sinfull lusting and vngodly committing of sinne and wickednesse The third port and gate which letteth in sinne and death to the soule is talking out of the mouth executed by the tongue This should not be filthy nor foolish Ephes 5.4 Col. 3 8. Ephes 4.29 but good to edifie withall that it may minister grace to the hearers The tongue is the best member that a man hath if it be in tune in good order but the worst member if it is out of order And therefore Anacharsis being demanded what was the best member of a man and what the worst The people looking for a double answere vnto a double question He spake in one word and said The tongue for the former reasons Therefore the Poet said Est vitae pariter
no nor the Angels in Heauen nay which is most of all not our Sauiour Iesus Christ in his humanitie but in his Deitie knoweth all And let this worke in vs all a serious kinde of watchfulnesse Luk. 12.40 Bee yee ready saith our Sauiour for the Sonne of Man will come at an houre when yee thinke not The end of the fourth Sermon THE FIFTH SERMON God in his inscrutable wisedome and infinite goodnes towards man deferreth this day of iudgement for 3 reasons 1. To stirre vp in vs a vigilant expectance and a patient waiting for his appearance 2. That his Church his flocke may be increased 3. To grant all men time space to repent AS touching the first Chap. 5.7 8. Iames teacheth vs to performe the same by precept and patterne by precept in the beginning of the seuenth Verse where hee saith Bee patient vnto the comming of the Lord and hee in effect repeateth the same doctrine in the eighth Verse saying Bee ye also patient therefore and settle your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth neere His example is taken from Husbandmen who patiently wait for the precious fruit of the earth vntill they receiue the former and the latter raine His words seruing for doctrine and example are these Bee patient therefore vnto the comming of the Lord Behold the Husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it vntill he receiue the former and the latter raine Be ye also patient therefore and settle your hearts for the comming of the Lord draweth neere He that waiteth in Faith Reu. 16.15 hope and patience for the Lords comming Luke 12.37 is blessed for hee shall appeare the second time without sinne vnto them that looke for him vnto saluation as we may see Heb. 9. the last Verse Secondly the Lord deferreth his comming to Iudgement that all the Elect may bee gathered together to his Church may be effectually called be of the Lords flocke who although they are the Lords already in his eternall Decree yet there is a time wherein they are called The Lord would haue them heare the Word and by the same to be born againe vnto which time is required and therefore that they may haue time the Lord delayeth his comming for their sakes the world consisteth and for them all the good things on the earth are prepared For the vngodly vse them as Robbers and Theeues The Apostle saith 1. Tim. 4.3 God hath prepared meates to bee receiued of the faithfull with thanksgiuing and of such as know the Truth The like place the Apostle hath speaking to this purpose thus Vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled Tiâ—us 1. â—5 and vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen the minde and conscience of them is defiled The third reason why the Lord is so long before hee come to take this account is very like to the former reason and it is to grant all men time and space to repent that they may bee saued which the godly will not pretermit nor neglect The Lord saith the Apostle that hath promised is not slacke as some men count slacknesse but is patient towards vs for as much as he would haue no man lost but would receiue all men to repentance Vnto which purpose hee speaketh after in the 15. Verse Suppose saith he that the long suffering of the Lord is saluation This time space to repent and prepare themselues for this account the godly will neuer let slip vnprofitably Contrarily the wicked neglect time and therefore by the same are made inexcusable making a fuller measure of their sinne in that they despise the goodnes and bountifulnesse of the Lord Rom. 2.4 calling them to repentance These wicked ones are afraid of this Iudgement and therefore neuer wish for it but the godly desire it because at that time they shall be deliuered from the miseries wherein they liue in this world Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am saith the Apostle who shall deliuer me from the body of this death In Reuelation 22. The Brideman and Bridewoman say Come Lord Iesu Come which they say not that are not ready to entertaine the Lord. Hauing before proued that there is a day of Iudgement and that God would haue vs to know it and the reasons wherefore and also hauing shewed that the certain time the yeere moneth weekes dayes and houres are vnknowne and the reasons also of the same with a confutation of the gaine-sayers and the vse of both And lastly hauing yeelded reasons why the Lord delayeth this Day In the rest I will bee as compendious and short as I may bee so as I may lay downe the truth with perspicuitie Which that I may the better doe obserue with mee these points which I thinke fittest to bee spoken of And first hauing before manifested that there is a day of Iudgement and account-taking next it wil be most profitable to shew First what this Iudgement is Secondly the terrible signes and dreadfull preparations for the wicked Thirdly the manner and comming of the Iudge and settling him in his Throne and raising of the dead to come to Iudgement Fourthly the tryall of the sinner by Accusers and Witnesses Fiftly the Booke and touchstone of the sinners tryall at the last Day Sixtly the lamentable case of the sinner condemned Seuenthly the sentence giuen of both godly and vngodly First what this Iudgement is First it is that Iudgement which God will exercise in the end of the World by Christ which shall come downe from Heauen into the Clouds visibly in great glory and Maiestie and will take this account and by him all men shall bee raised vp which haue beene dead from the beginning of the world euen to the end the rest then being aliue shall be suddenly changed and all shall stand before the Tribunall Seat of Christ who shall giue sentence of all and will cast the euill with the Diuels into eternall punishment and will take the godly to him that with him and the blessed Angels they may in Heauen enioy eternall felicitie This long description is taken out of the knowne Scriptures and therefore if I should labour to proue it I should hold vp a Candle to lighten the Sun I will therefore leaue this matter as yeelded vnto and hasten to the next point to wit what shall be done at that time at that fearefull time of reckoning that men warned of the dangers may be danted and discouraged from doing euill and walking any longer securely in the broad way that leadeth to destruction and by serious repentance be brought to the narrow way that leadeth to saluation Secondly at this Day of Iudgement when this strict reckoning shall be taken there shall be such terrible signes and dreadfull preparations for the wicked that they shall bee at their wits ends their hearts shall faile them for feare and they shall wish that the Hils may couer