Almighty we shall be found faithfull in our places and shall haue the fruit thereof an eternall blessing as our Sauiour doth teach saying Mat. 24.45 46. Who is a faithfull Steward and wise whom the Master shall make ruler ouer his household to giue them their portion of meate in season Luk. 12.42 43 44. Blessed is that seruant whom his Master when hee commeth shall find so doing Of a truth say vnto you that he will make him ruler ouer all that he hath that is hee will make him an heire of eternall life Hee shall inherit the Kingdome prepared from the beginning of the world Math. 25.34 Hee shall walke with the Lord in white garments that is hee shall be glorified Reu. 3. and haue life euerlasting and the glorious company of Christ He shall be in Abrahams bosome as Lazarus was Luke 16. and eate of the tree of Life in the middest of the heauenly Paradise of God Reu. 2.7 Hee shall haue the Crowne of glory Hee shall be a pillar in the Temple of God that is hee shall be firme and stable in glory as a pillar irremoueable c. Eye hath not seene Reu. 3.12 neither eare heard neither euer did enter into the heart of man what good things the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him and serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Illud verum et summum gaudium est saith Bernard in a Sermon that is the true and greatest ioy and therefore as it were rauished with a great loue thereof cryed out O beata regio Paradist ó beata regio deliciarum O blessed region of Paradise O blessed region of delights And therefore hee exhorteth vs to bee out of loue with this world whiles we bee heere and to hasten thither saying thus Festinemus ad locum tutiorem ad agrum vberiorem ad pastum saniorem vt habitemus sinè metu abundemus sinè defectu epulemur sinè fastidio that is to say Let vs hasten to a more safe place to a more fertile ground to a more sound feeding where wee may inhabit without feare abound without defect banquet without disdaine Here is the hauen the blessed port of rest and the liberall portion of the good and faithfull Steward But the slothfull wastfull cruell and vnfaithfull Steward shall be cut off or cut into pieces and haue his portion with hypocrites there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Math. 24.51 Wherefore seeing that we all rather desire to be reputed yea be indeed good Stewards then bad to enioy a good place and portion rather then a bad let vs depart out of the Kingdome of sinne and Satan and come to the Kingdome of light let vs shew and approue our selues good Stewards keeping our Farme places the world the body and the soule well and let vs not get our goods in the first mannor house the world wrongfully nor put our trust in them idolatrously nor keepe them to our selues basely nor spend them wastfully and vngodly but lay them out for the maintenance of the Gospell and helpe of the poore indigent members of Christ Iesus liberally Againe let vs looke to our second Farme place and mannor house our bodie that it be cleane and fit for the chiefe Lord and Master of all and his Sonne Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost to come into Let vs diligently watch the ports and gates of the same our Hearing Seeing Talking Tasting and Touching that nothing goe in nor come out that may defile the body Lastly let vs haue an especiall care of our principall part the soule the last mannor house Let repentance sweepe it cleane from impure thoughts and wicked cogitations let a good conscience be his bedding let faith be euer looking to Christ Iesus and cleansing and let the graces and vertues of the holy Ghost be the ornaments of his lodging And in all things and in all our places and charges let vs proue our selues good wise and faithfull Stewards that it may be said vnto vs to euery one of vs It is well done good seruant thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee Ruler ouer much enter in into thy Masters ioy This approbation and allowance of our Stewardship and vnspeakeable reward giue and grant vs O heauenly Father not for our worthinesse for we haue no merits but for thy mercies and graces in Iesus Christ Amen The end of the first Sermon THE SECOND SERMON And the same was accused AS all men are Stewards vnder God what good Talents gifts so euer they haue they receiue frō him the fountaine of all graces Euen so they ought to occupy imploy the same according to the good pleasure of him the Collator and Donator as it is plaine in the Parable of the Talents Math 25. And as S. Peter teacheth 1. Epist 4. saying As euery one hath receiued the gift euen so minister the same as good Stewards of the manifold graces of God Whosoeuer doth this is commended and rewarded of his high Lord and Master with these words of grace to his comfort O well done thou good faithfull Seruant thou hast been faithfull ouer few things I will make thee Ruler ouer many things enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord Mat. 25.21 But if a seruant haue much cōcredited vnto him if it be but of an earthly Master and imploy it ill spend it wastfully eating and drinking with the Drunkards participating with the Adulterers and intreating his fellow-fellow-seruants hardly and yet thinketh that his euill carriage and outragiousnesse shall not be knowne but that he shall escape with impunitie O how this man deceiueth himselfe For the fellow-fellow-seruants will relate the treacheries bad vsages and cruelties of their fellowes to their Lord. As those seruants did which saw their fellow-seruant so cruelly handled Math. 18. And heere the bad Steward is accused to his Lord. Now if wee see by dayly experiences that bad Stewards to earthly Masters escape not alwayes free with their false dealings and other euill behauiours but one or other will espy them and disclose them and giue their Master intelligence and then he reckoneth and accounteth with them and displaceth them then we may much more assure our selues that no cloud of darknes no maske nor veile can be cast before the Lords eyes Psal 79.9 For hee that planted the eare shall be not heare Or he that made the eye shall hee not see God knoweth noteth seeth ouerseeth al things yea the very secrets of the heart and yet if he were not so quicke of capacitie of hearing and seeing Yet there are many tell-tales and pick-thankes in the Familie which relate all our misdemeanours and accuse vs vnto him as in my Text the false Steward is said to be accused And here beginneth a lamentable discourse a Tragicall Relation of the miserable estate of a bad Steward laid down in my Text in these points First He is defamed or
yea thy Law is in my heart Againe God said to Dauid Seeke ye my face Dauids spirit heart and soule did answere Thy face Lord will I seeke Many goe to the Church to auoide the danger of the Lawes that they may not be presented to the spirituall courts or come into the danger of the temporall Lawes or be noted of their neighbours to be house-lurdins at home but not moued with religion pietie or any good deuotion to pray or any godly preparation to receiue the holy Communion O carelesse securitie and blind impietie from the which the Lord deliuer vs. I feare much that there are many temporizers that goe to the Church to free themselues from the danger of the Lawes or for company sake These men are so farre from their effectuall calling as the East is from the West For euery one that is but in the way to this carrieth this resolution that whatsoeuer he heareth truly taught out of Gods Booke he will follow Iam. 1. He will not be an idle hearer but a doer of the Word He will walke after the Lord keepe his commandements as much as in him lieth and his Statutes with all his heart as the people consented to do that heard Iosias the king reade the Lawe vnto them 2. Kings 23. 2. Chron. 34. This good resolution did the people make which when Moses had told them all the words of the Lord said All the things which the Lord hath said Exod. 14. will we doe And so ought euery man and woman be resolued In which good resolution O God settle vs all for thy mercies sake But here it may be O Christian Reader that you desire to know what maner of calling this Steward had which was so grieuously accused to his Master To this I answere His calling was neither of the former but fearefull and very disconsolate a sudden and vnexpected calling to reckoning after manifest crimes and false dealings against his Master and vpon the same an account taken and he found faultie expulsion and finall departure from his office for euer following This Stewards Master dealt with him after the order and fashion of great men in this world which when they find their seruants vniust will presently call them to account and set them packing This is a great losse to poore seruants that haue nothing but their seruice to trust vnto But this Stewards losse went beyond all common seruants losses for it was of seruice goods life present and the life to come from all which wicked men depart as the rich man Luk. 12. and the rich Glutton Luk 16. Thus much of his calling Next of his reprehension or increpation in these words How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee These words giue singular instructions to all sorts of people taken literally and plainely or Allegorically If you take them plainely as the words are and vnderstand by the rich man any Magistrate whatsoeuer and by the Steward or seruant the subiect Or by the rich man any great Master and by the seruant them that serue in his house They giue foure instructions and informations to these great men of authoritie First that they may not couer sinnes and enormious offences but ought to reproue and correct them neither spare the rod and sword and deale too gently like old Eli when faults are committed 1. Kings 2. Rom. 13. 1. Pet. 2.14 For Magistrates are set ouer the people for the punishment of euill doers and for the praise of them that doe well Secondly they ought to enquire out the truth of the same and examine the matter diligently Which thing we are taught by the example of the best euen God himselfe concerning the cry and exceeding grieuous sinne of Sodom and Gomorrha for thus the Lord said Gen. 18.21 I will go down now and see whether they haue done altogether according to that cry which is come vnto me and if not that I may know This Iob reported that he did Iob 29.16 I was a father saith he vnto the poore and when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently Thirdly the accusers of the true bringers of the newes when the truth is knowne are not alwaies to be disclosed and vttered to them that are accused for feare of dissention and debate For here he saith not This man or that man told me but he spake indefinitely saying How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee He would not set the fellow seruants together by the eares but would maintaine charitie the bond of all perfection Col. 3.14 Fourthly he discloseth not openly to others the principall point whereof the Steward was accused to cause murmuring but calleth him vnto him priuily and telleth him priuately of the euill report that went of him saying How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee following the sweet charitable and wholesome counsel and aduice of our Sauiour Mat. 18.15 teaching vs thus If thy brother trespasse against thee goe and tell him his fault betweene thee and him alone if he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee These words as I said before being taken allegorically containing aliud verbis aliud sensu speaking of a rich man and yet meaning God and speaking of a rich mans Steward and yet vnderstanding all mankind a large collectiue or Nowne of multitude doe giue vs to note two things worthy all godly mens considerations First that our faults are not hid from the Lord. Secondly that the Lord is displeased with them Mans faults are not hid from the Lord but although man worketh them neuer so secretly and closely which wicked men still affect for which cause their workes are called the workes of darknesse Rom. 13. because they proceed from the darknesse of mans vnderstanding are done in darknesse and leade men to extreme darkenesse yet all are knowne of the omniscient God the all-seeing God the searcher of the heart and reines who is totus animi totus animae knowing seeing and foreseeing all things Which thing who will be so mad as to deny seeing that the Psalmograph truly and reuerendly telleth God so saying O Lord thou hast searched me out and knowne me Psal 139. thou knowest my downe-sitting and mine vprising thou vnderstandest my thoughts long before and that is most of all He holdeth on in his speech and speaketh further saying Thou art about my path and about my bed and spéest out all my wayes He seeth euery thing that is done on the face of the earth For his eyes are like a flame of fire Reuel 1. Psal 121. Psal 142. they are most cleare and bright and neuer sleepe Hee looketh downe vpon the children of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke after God He seeth both good and euill for as Dauid hath The eyes of the Lord are ouer the righteous and his eares are open
Heauen to the dayes of Noah wherein the carelesse people did eate and drinke Luke 17. married wiues and gaue in marriage vnto the day that Noah went into the Arke and the Floud came and destroyed them all euen sodainely when they neuer thought much lesse knew of the certaine and prescript time For the same reason those dayes wherein Christ shal come are compared to the daies of Lot These similitudes doe tell and teach vs that the Lords comming to Iudgement is vnknowne and shall bee sodaine For to this purpose the Euangelist most aptly applyeth this doctrine Luk. 17.30 Luke 17.30 saying After these ensamples shall it be in the day when the Sonne of Man is reuealed Epist 88. Augustine writing to Hesichius hath an excellent saying to this purpose Ego namque de Saluatoris aduentu qui expectatur in fine tempora dinumerare non audeo nec aliquem propheta de hac re numerum annorum existimo praefinsse that is to say I dare not number the times of the comming of our Sauiour which in the end is looked for neither do I thinke that any Prophet hath determined the number of yeeres I therefore conclude this point thus Man knoweth not that day and houre nor the Angels Nay which is most of all not the Sonne as touching his humanity and mediatorship Math. 24. Mar. 13. but the Father onely and yet I stand assured that in his Godhead hee knoweth this time 3. Reasons wherefore the Lord concealeth the times of his comming 1. It is not expedient for vs to know them 2. That wee might exercise our faith and patience 3. To make vs more vigilant c. First it is not expedient nor meet for vs to know these things I meane those secrets which the Father hath kept in his owne power Act. 1.6 The Apostles asked our Sauiour Iesus Christ whether hee at that time would restore the Kingdome to Israel that is to say to his old ancient state Hee answered It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power as though he should say it belongeth not to you to know the moments of times and occasions of abstruse secret and mysticall things not reuealed in the Word as what houre a man shall dye what houre the Lord will come to Iudgement when he will vtterly destroy the kingdome of Satan at what moment hee will bring his subiects into the Kingdome of his Father There is a time when these things shall bee performed but hid from vs and therefore we ought to beleeue them for they are true and in their due times shall truely be performed but wee ought not curiously pry into these secrets For this as Hugo hath is curiositas superflua inuestigatio rerum ad se non pertinentium that is this is superfluous curiositie a searching out of matters that doe not belong to vs. This is no doctrine of the Spirit For as Bernard writing vpon the Canticles hath Doctrina spiritus non curiositatem acuit sed charitatem accendit The doctrine of the Spirit doth not whet on curiositie but inflameth charitie Therefore let vs learne to refraine from curious questions as the Apostle teacheth Timothy and Titus let vs not search and diue too deepe in dangerous whirlepooles lest we should be drowned This is good for the Teacher and profitable for the Hearer And this good counsell Augustine giueth in his eightieth Epistle answering Hesychius and in his doctrine teaching men not curiously to search into the times and seasons but to study the Death and Resurrection of Christ that is to say matters of saluation Secondly Christ concealeth this day and houre to exercise mens faith and patience Chap. 5. And to this purpose Iames giueth this good exhortation Bee patient brethren vnto the comming of the Lord c. In which place he doth comfort the poore oppressed of the rich warning them to wait for the Lords comming patiently who will reuenge the iniuries which the rich men doe to them and giue vnto them waiting in Faith and Hope and yeelding patience a prosperous issue and deliuerance and in the meane time when a man is in misery patience will make the griefe lighter and easier to bee borne This made the Poet say Horace Durum sed leuius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas It is hard I confesse that thou canst not redresse yet lighter through patience if quietly thou beare it Thirdly the Lord telleth vs not when hee will come to call vs to account that wee assured of his comming and not knowing when should at all times be vigilant watchfull and carefull to doe our duties to haue all things in a godly and good order at our Lord and Masters comming As good domesticall seruants when their Master is gone from them assuring themselues that hee will come againe vnto them and not knowing when and that he will call them to an account if they haue any care will at all times haue all things in readinesse and good order that their earthly Master may not come vpon them vnawares and finde them idle and ill occupied and all things out of right course So we seruants to Christ Iesus our Sauiour and knowing that hee is gone from vs into Heauen and standing assured that hee will come to take a reckoning of vs of our liues and conuersations and not knowing when should at all times haue our accounts straight haue all things in readinesse and good order that our heauenly Iudge and Master when he commeth to iudge the quicke and the dead may not come vpon vs vnawares at the last Day and finde vs idle or ill occupied and all things out of good order And to this purpose tendeth that exhortation of our Sauiour Christ Luk. 12.35 36. Let your loynes bee girt and your lights burning and yee your selues like vnto men that wait for their Master when he will returne from the wedding that when hee commeth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediately Blessed are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde waking c. And Paul giueth the like godly exhortation But of the times and seasons 1. Thes 5.1 2 3 4 5 6. Brethren yee haue no neede that I write vnto you for yee your selues know perfectly that the Day of the Lord shall come euen as a Thiefe in the night For when they shall say Peace and safety then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauell vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape But ye brethren are not in darknesse that that day should come on you as it were a Thiefe Yee are all the children of light and the children of the day wee are not of the night neither of darknesse Therefore let vs not sleepe as doe others but let vs watch and bee sober And what plainer exhortation can there bee deliuered to this purpose Mar. 24.42 44. Mar. 13.35 then
commeth from God as being infinitely rich in goodnesse and mercy towards all Rom. 10.12 and yet hath neuer the lesse himselfe for his riches and treasures are inexhaustable All we therefore are Baylifes Stewards and Disposers vnder God and should Minister the gifts which we receiue spirituall or temporall 2. Pet. 4.10 as good Stewards and disposers of the manifold graces of God And then a man proueth himselfe to bee a faithfull Disposer 1. Cor. 4.2 vvhich whosoeuer doth is blessed of God a most happy man and if he doth not discharge his office of Stewardship and seruice well of all men most vnhappy The Lord saith Who is a faithfull Luke 12.42 43 44 45 46. and wise whom the Master shall make Ruler ouer his houshold to giue them their portion of meat in due season Blessed is that Seruant whom his Master when hee commeth shall finde so doing Of a truth I say vnto you that hee will make him Ruler ouer all that he hath But if that Seruant say in his heart My Master doth defer his cōming and shall begin to smite his Seruants and Maidens and to eat and drinke to be drunke the Master of that Seruant will come in a day when he thinketh not and at an houre when he is not ware of and will cut him off and giue him his portion with the vnbeleeuers Euery Christian man and woman bee they neuer so high or neuer so low neuer so rich or so poore haue a threefold Farme committed vnto them the fruits of which they ought to dispose wisely and faithfully and therefore good Stewards are called faithfull and wise of our Sauiour before Luke 12 42. It behooueth vs therefore to take heed what we doe that we may make a good reckoning of our Stewardship bee found true and not false in gouerning these Farme-places Mannors and Mannor-houses which are these three as the Learned haue set them downe Ludolphus de Saxonia Iodocus Rad. Prima villa est mundus iste secunda proprium Corpus tertia anima The first Farme-House is the world the second a mans owne body the third his soule Now in being a Steward in the first Farme the world man must take heed that hee become not so great a friend vnto it and be not so much in loue with it that he become an enemy vnto God an vntrue false Steward vnto his Master for he that will be a friend of this world Iam 8. Mat. 6.27 is made an enemy to God For no man can serue two Masters He may not looke to flowe in the treaasures and pleasures of the world and raigne with Christ Augustine said August Nemo potest gaudere cum mundo regnare cum Christo that is no man can reioyce with the world and raigne with Christ And againe he saith Difficile imo impossibile est vt praesentibus futuris quis fruatur bonis vt hic ventrem illic mentem impleat vt à delicijs ad delicias transeat vt in vtroque faeculo primus sit vt in terra in coelo appareat gloriosus that is it is an hard thing yea impossible that any man should enioy the goods of this present world and also of the world to come that heere hee should fill his belly and there his soule that hee should bee chiefe in both worlds that he should be glorious in the earth and in heauen And this made Iohn so earnestly to disswade vs from the one the world 1. Ioh. 2.15 16 17. and so louingly perswade and exhort vnto the loue of the other the world to come Loue not the world neither the things that are in the world If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him For all that is in the world as the lust of the Flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world and the world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth for euer The riches treasures and stocke of this Farme are all goods Temporall which being concredited to vs of this rich person God the true owner of them we must take heed that we play not the bad Stewards with them and that is done foure wayes First in getting them wrongfully Secondly in setting our hearts on them idolatrously Thirdly in keeping them to our selues basely Fourthly in spending them vnlawfully and sinfully Of these foure in order First wee placed of our great and good Lord and Master Stewards in this Farme the world may not gaine goods through other mens hurts building our houses as the moth in other mens cloth feeding our selues fat by hurting biting and spoiling others as the moth is fatted by spoiling the cloth where she liueth Such men are very like to the filthy worme in a sheepe which is made fat by eating and consuming the poore seely sheepe and like Lice and Fleas which fatte themselues by sucking mens bloud Iam. 2.6 Such bad Stewards are the wicked couetous bad rich men who are made full by deuouring the poore and oppressing them by tyrannie Good Christians are compared to Trees which doe bring forth good fruit in due season Psal 1.3 and help euery way For a good Tree will bring forth fruit to quench hunger and thirst and it will put off the iniury and violence of the stormy weather but a bad tree a Bryer when the poore Sheepe flye vnto it for succour scrapeth and scratcheth all the wooll from their backs and pilleth them bare Such trees are the mercilesse Stewards the Tyrants of the world which when the poore fly vnto them for succour they tye them and wrap them in Bonds like as the Bryer doth the sheepe and then vnmercifully spoile them 1. King 21. The rich Steward Ahab could not rest vnlesse he had poore Naboth his Vineyard and he and his cursed wife Iezabel cared not how wrongfully and cruelly they came by it Greg. decret l. 5. tit 19. Gregory reporteth that such cruell and bad Stewards were denyed Christianorum Sepulturam Christian mans buriall And Glanuill Glanuil l. 7.16 writing of the Lawes and Customes of England saith that by the most ancient Lawes of England the goods of an iniurious and defamed oppressour dying without restitution were escheated to the King and all his Lands to the Lord of the Towne And what becomes of himselfe His flesh is giuen to the wormes a right Cadauer Looke to the sillables of that word and let ca stand for caro da for datur and ver for vermibus It sheweth That mans flesh is giuen to wormes and his soule to the Diuels to bee tormented world without end And therefore the ancient Father saith Si haberes sapientiam Salomonis si pulchritudinem Absalonis si fortitudinem Samsonis Aug. super Mat. 25. si longaeuitatem Enoch si diuitias Croesi si foelicitatem Octauiani quid prosunt haec
cùm tandem caro datur vermibus anima daemonibus cum diuete sinc fine crucianda That is to say If thou haddest the wisedome of Salomon the beauty of Absalom the strength of Samson the long life of Enoch the riches of Croesus the felicity of Octauian what doe these profit thee when at the last thy flesh is giuen to the wormes and thy soule to the Diuels with the rich man to be tormented world without end For what will it auaile a man to winne all the world and to lose his owne soule or what ransome shall a man giue for his soule 2. Men placed Stewards in this world hauing the stock of the same at their disposition play the bad Stewards in setting their hearts vpon them idolatrously From this vice and hainous sinne Dauid dehorteth when he said Psal 62.10 1. Tim. 6. If riches increase set not your heart theron And Paul commands them that be rich in this world that they be not high-minded neither put their trust in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God In which place hee yeeldeth a great reason to moue men not to trust to riches adding a fit Epithite to riches calling them vncertaine For they ebbe they flowe they come they goe they are neuer certaine Therefore the Wise man gaue good counsell when as hee said Trust not in vncertaine riches Valerius said well to this purpose Diuitiae istae in quibus summam foelicitatem consistere putant sunt caducae momentancae crepundijs simillimae affluunt subitò subitò dilabuntur nullo in loco nullo in homine nullo tempore sunt certae sed incertissimo flatu fortunae huc illuc actae quos in sublime sustulerunt subito casu deijciunt That is to say Those riches wherein men place their chiefe felicitie are caduke momentany most like to gugawes they come suddenly and suddenly slide away they are certain in no place in no man at no time but tossed hither and thither by fortunes instabilitie whom they haue exalted highly they throw downe suddenly This was one of the Philosophers reasons why riches should not bee felicitie quia fluunt refluunt that is they come speedily to a man and hastily runne away like the tyde of the Sea So long as Troy flourished it was said of King Priamus quo nō foelicior alter neuer was any more happy but when it was destroyed so vncertaine was his state and so vaine his former trust in riches infoelix Priamus so that this saying Priami calamitates became a common prouerbe spoken of all distressed persons What a foolish thing it is for men to trust in riches may appeare by the example of that rich Steward who considering his great in-comes and friuts that were to come in reasoned with himselfe saying What shall I doe because I haue no roome where I may lay vp my fruits And he said This will I doe I will pull downe my Barnes and build greater and therein will I gather in all my fruits and my goods and I will say to my soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime But God said vnto him O foole this night will they fetch away thy Soule from thee then whose shall those things bee which thou hast prouided So is he that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich towards God which trusteth to vncertaine riches and considereth not how deadly they sting in the end For as the Bee carrieth Hony in his mouth and a sharpe sting in his tayle euen so the couetous and cruell man trusting to his riches hath pleasure in his life but pain at his death Like to the example of the rich Glutton whose pleasant life you may see whiles hee liued and his dolefull sorrows after death from the 19. Verse to the end of this Chapter Thirdly men play the bad Stewards in this Farme this world by keeping their goods to themselues basely and miserably of which goods the Lord is the true owner and not themselues but Stewards and Disposers of them and therefore O man thou shouldest dispose them and doe with them as he would haue thee for so ought euery one to doe that is a Steward and Bayliffe vnder another Therefore be rich in good workes glad to distribute For this is the true vse of riches in good men that vse them wel to whom they are Gods blessings and the ornaments of vertue But to the wicked that imploy them not to help others but rather do hurt they are sentina malorum Arist a sinke of euils Keepe not that to thy selfe basely which God the true owner bids thee layout cheerefully to help others For if thou doest thou art false to God in thy dealing If a rich man that hath a Bayliffe a seruant vnder him should say vnto him Here is twenty shillings pay this to such and such persons and it is as good as if thou payedst it vnto me If this seruant should keepe this twenty shillings vnto himselfe and not lay it out as his Master bids him nor restore it you will say with mee that this were a bad seruant a false Steward God of his gracious goodnes bestoweth all that thou hast vpon thee and bids thee giue vnto the poore feede the hungry cloath the naked Math. 25. visit the sicke and imploy it to other good vses and then thou giuest it to him If thou shouldest not doe this thou art a false Steward thou doest not repay that which thou hast receiued Thou a rich man carriest as it were the poore mans stocke and therefore let them haue part with thee Stips pauperum thesaurus diuitum Tiberius Constant the rich treasure is the poore mans stocke as said the good Emperour God will haue no Begger in Israel Nature suffereth nothing empty and the Raine when it falleth downe and runneth filleth euery chinker and hole as it runneth and leaueth still some moisture behinde it to doe good where need is So doe you ye rich Stewards of the weale publique Lay out some goods for the maintenance of the Gospell some for thy poore neighbours that is done to Christ that is a treasure in Heauen surely kept for thee Reu. 18. and hath a finall blessing Math. 25. for the works of the godly follow them to defend them and reioyce them in the world to come But if thou art a false Steward gettest thy goods by pilling polling grinding the faces of the poore and selling them for hose and shooes and keepest them basely to thy selfe and thinkest at thy death to leaue them to thy wife and children thou shalt vndoubtedly leaue behind thee for all thine not a blessing but a plague and a curse and so vtterly vndoe all thy posteritie De malè quaesitis vix gaudet tertius haeres Exod. 20. God doth visit the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him And the Lord
and with-holding part of their owne goods from the Apostles He spared not Hierusalem no nor the very Angels that sinned but cast them downe and deliuered them into chaines of darknesse to bee kept vnto iudgement To conclude hee spared not Christ Iesus his deare Sonne but our sinnes beeing imputed to him he laid the punishment also vpon him both in his body and also his soule whose bloudy wounds and paines were sufficient to saue all but efficient and effectuall onely to redeeme all the soules and bodies of his elect and faithfull Therefore seeing that we know that he left no sinne vnpunished in the vnrepentant in all former ages but seeing hearing and knowing them all as wel the offenders as their offences straightwayes armed himselfe with iustice and iudgement and punished them most seuerely We may assure our selues that he hauing perfect knowledge and notice of all our misdemeanours and manifold transgressions perpetrated against his diuine Maiestie will not spare vs but will reprehend vs and say vnto euery vnrepentant and bad Steward How commeth it to passe that I heare this of thee and presently will call vs to account Which is the fourth point wherein the lamentable estate of a bad Steward a wicked man consisteth The end of the third Sermon THE FOVRTH SERMON Come render account c. AS the benefits which our good GOD bestoweth vpon the good Stewards are in number infinite in dignity excellent and in measure incomprehensible and as the ancient Father hath Chrysost Beneficia Dei omnibus horis consideranda For who is able to expresse to the full the happy state of that Steward to whom it is said of him that neuer dissembleth nor deludeth O well done thou good and faithfull seruant thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee Ruler ouer much enter into thy Masters ioy Math. 25. So on the contrary no man can expresse to the full the lamentable estate of an euill Steward and vnprofitable seruant to whom it will be said of the true Iudge Cast that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darknesse there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth two bad dishes to come in at the last where the first dish is weeping and the second gnashing of teeth And to this passe is this bad Steward come before him is praecipitium a place to fall downe forward behinde him is occipitium a place to fall downe backward on the one side Scilla on the other side Charybdis so that he can flee no way without great danger He must needs stand still and indure all hazzards and perils and come to his account to the true audit For now hee must take his vltimum vale his last farewell and sing his dolefull and euerlasting euen song Such a great and horrible day is come Ioel 2. Mal. 4. as the Prophet speaketh of Yea the day shall burne like an Ouen But first the account shall be taken For as a Prince and Nobleman when he taketh a dislike of his Steward first reckoneth with him and then putteth him out of his Office So this Rich man is here said to deale with his Steward and Christ with all at the last day yea his account shall bee more exactly and accurately taken then of any other in this world For he is God the Searcher of the heart and according to the same hee will iudge righteously hauing no respect nor regard to any mans person For before him the King and the Begger is all one when he shall come to take an account and iudge then Scepters and Shepheards shall be all one Princes and Pesants noble and ignoble yea the very King and the Begger shall be fellowes no better regarded shall bee the highest then the lowest but as when men put gold and siluer into a bagge many pieces are shuffled together and yet the best may be the lowest So will it bee at this generall audit If the greatest men of this world are the worst in faith and godly life and conuersation there will be no partiality vsed by the Iudge but they shall be tumbled to the bottome of the pit as soone as the poorest delinquent in the world For when our Lord shall come with his holy Angels to take an account and iudge the world all are alike For if great men and meane persons are in the same sinne they shall be bound together and cast as a faggot into hell-fire The glorious Angels at the great Haruest shall first gather the Tares separating them from the Wheat Mat 25.32 which is poena damni that is the punishment of that a man loseth a plaine priuation of God and all that is good Angels Saints Friends and then they shall binde them in Sheaues to be burnt which is poena sensus the sense of punishment as it were a possession of Hell and all that is euill Ludolphus thinketh that they shall not bee bound all in one but in many Faggots An Adulterer with an Adulteresse shall make one Faggot a Drunkard with a Drunkard another faggot c. Hee thinketh that they shall not bee bound together that haue commited distinct and seuerall sinnes neither according to the greatnesse of their Persons as King and King together rich and rich base and base But as there are seuerall sinnes so seuerall Sheaues and all this shall bee done without respect of person This account shall bee taken not onely of externall things but also of internall that is to say both of bodies and soules No man can excuse himselfe or vse any cunning to deceiue as before an earthly Iudge but euery man shall appeare rightly as he is For Christ to whom the Father hath giuen all iudgement will respect no man for his purse sake nor friends Ioh. 5. Therefore let vs deale sincerely towards God and Man knowing that we shall be called to account most strictly and accurately for euery idle word much more for euery wicked deed and because a good conscience is a perpetuall and best supersedeas in this point let vs follow the example of Paul who said Act. 24.16 that in this hee exercised himselfe that he might haue a good conscience towards God and men Tremble and quake O sinner at the cogitation of these things Repent reuert and turne vnto the Lord. For what art thou to stand in the presence of this Iudge being fraile vaine weake naked miserable filthy and horrible A man that hath imperfections in his eyes cannot looke on the brightnesse of the Sunne And how canst thou be perswaded that thou being an Infidell fraile and full of blemishes shalt looke vpon the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ Iesus Repent and beleeue and thou shalt look vpon him otherwise thou shalt be reiected For as the Eagle when she hath yong ones taketh them out of the nest and such as can looke on the Sunne them she keepeth and such as cannot she casteth away Euen so they that with the eyes of their Faith looke on Iesus Christ shall bee
rich in grace for he is called the God of all grace All which graces and gifts he giueth vs in his Sonne Christ Iesus the most plentifull fountaine of all goodnesse in whom and by whom all these and many other good gifts ineffable are conferred vnto vs Chap. 1.16 as Iohn well proueth saying Of his fulnes haue all we receiued and grace for grace as if he should say grace vpon grace or graces heaped one vpon another The consideration of this doctrine should make vs in faith and full assurance to pray to this rich God and to none other for vnto whom should wee pray and of whom should wee craue for all good things but of him which hath all to giue and from whom euery good giuing and perfect gift commeth Iam. 1.17 Gen. 17.1 who is able to helpe in all extremities for hee is omnipotent is present with vs and neare vs as hee is vnto all that call vpon him faithfully And lastly he is willing to helpe and saue for hee would haue all to bee saued and to come to the knowledge of his truth 1. Tim. 2.4 And therefore our Sauiour Christ calleth all vnto him promising vnto all that come vnto him in repentance and faith refreshing Math. 11.28 Math. 28. He commands his Gospell to be freely preached vnto all and he biddeth all to his great Supper Luk. 14. O let vs in repentance and faith come vnto him and pray vnto him continually for he is the rich man here ment able to grant our requests Againe if all the good things we haue come from our rich God it should make vs most thankfully to acknowledge him to be the giuer and to returne all laude and praise to him from whom the benefit commeth for as all the waters come from the Sea and returne thither againe so all the benefits which we receiue come from God Iam. 1.17 and by our thankes-giuing should returne to him againe O let vs be thankefull and say with Dauid from our hearts and speake to our owne soules as he did Praise the Lord Psal 103.1 2 3 4 5. O my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits which forgiueth all thy sinne and healeth all thine infirmities which saueth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and louing kindnesse which satisfieth thy mouth with good things making thee young and lusty as an Eagle Let vs praise God our selues and exhort others to doe the like for it is good and godly so to doe And therefore the Prophet said 147. O praise the Lord for it is a good thing to sing praises vnto our God yea a ioyfull and pleasant thing it is to bee thankefull Thus much concerning the person meant by the rich man to wit God Now of his Steward The iudgement of ancient Writers concerning this Steward who he should be what should be his name haue been diuers euery man hauing a seuerall opinion and speaking as he thought quothomines tot capita tot sententiae Look how many men so many heads so many opinions which thing is to be deplored that so many learned men and famous in other matters should in this point bee so much deceiued Rom. 15.7 as to restrict this parcell of Scripture written for all our learning to one particular Man People or Nation it being also parabolically spoken Whereas it deepely concernes vs all and is to bee applyed particularly to euery seuerall man of vs. Some haue thought that Saint Paul was this Steward Act. 9.4 For he was a bad one vntill he was called of Iesus Christ and of this iudgement was Theophilus Bishop of Antiochia Some affirmed that the Iewes were this Steward and the Gentiles these Debtors Of this opinion was Tertullian lib. de fuga cap. 13. Gaudentius writing to Germinius supposeth that this Steward was the Diuell mis-implying all his gifts his wit and power to tempt men to their destruction Many others haue diuersly and strangely set downe their opinions which I thinke more fit to omit then to fill my paper with friuolous matters Let vs harken to them who come neerer to the scope of the place In this number I place Ambrose in his Commentaries Aug. in quaest Euang. Augustine in his Euangelicall questions Theophilact others who affirme that this Steward is all mankind further say that the word OIKONOMOS a Steward doth signifie not only Villicum a Bayly of Husbandry but one to whom all manner of goods and possessions in a Farme are concredited committed to tâ—â—â— to wit a generall Steward best expressed by the word dispensator which signifieth an Officer laying out money for an houshold vnder another man And therefore these reade the words following Render account of thy Stewardship for thou mayest be no longer Steward Thus Redde rationem dispensationis tuae non enim poteris amplius dispensare So then this Steward is all mankinde For euery man hath receiued of God the proper owner of all one good gift or another in trust which he ought to dispose and employ not as he listeth but as God the proper owner of al would haue him and must yeeld an account to him euen as the earthly Steward doth to his earthly Master For this cause euery man must needs be a Steward and a disposer of some good gift of God Kings then are Stewards to the highest of all acknowledge their aduancements to come froÌ„ the Lord and therefore in their stiles of Dignity vse these words by the grace of God Ministers are Stewards of the Lords House which is the Church and ought to breake the Bread of Life to their Flockes to preach the Word in season and out of season and must render an account 2. Tim. 4.7 All Magistrates are Stewards of the common house which is the weale publique and ought to consider that they are set ouer the people for the punishment of euill doers 1. Pet. 2.14 and for the praise of them that doe well Masters are Stewards of their owne Houshold and ought not onely to dispose all things in order but especially to make this resolution that they and their housholds will serue the Lord. Iosu 24.15 All men are Stewards of their owne bodies and of the priuy closet of their own conscience as Pontan hath There is none so mighty that is greater or so meane and base that is lesse then a Steward to the King of Kings to the Highest of all and what goods or goodnes he vseth hee hath receiued them all of the Father of Lights Iam. 1.17 1. Cor. 4.7 For what hast thou that thou hast not receiued He it is that deliuereth to his Seruants his Talents to some more and to some lesse Which doctrine confuteth the Pelagians Math. 2.5 and all such as ascribe all that they haue to their owne industry Whereas all that is good
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
is downe as Wolues Dogs Kites Crowes and such like doe vpon a Sheepe that lyes in a Ditch and is not able to rise But this dangerous and hurtfull sore is commonly bred and maintained by the inferiour sort of Lawiers who wringing out matter from poore silly men bring it vp out of the countrey to the better sort of Lawyers and worke them to vndertake businesses concealing the truth many times from them which these good Lawyers whereof God be thanked we haue great store learned and godly skilfull in our Lawes would neuer vndertake if the truth at the first were deliuered vnto them O God giue them knowledge of the truth and righteous causes and make them maintainers and followers of the same Amen Husbandmen Artificers Trades-men and all other workemen of occupation and labourers whatsoeuer are Stewards and ought trustily and not deceitfully diligently and not idly labour and take paine early and late lest pouerty come vpon them as one that trauelleth and necessity like an armed man Prou. 6.11 Prou. 6. He that will not worke in Haruest shall want at Christmas The very Bees and Emmets by the instinct of nature labor diligently in Summer 1. Tim. 5.8 to prouide for Winter So should poore labourers do to prouide for them and theirs that they may not proue worse then Infidels A slothfull hand saith Salomon maketh poore Prou. 10.4 but the hand of the diligent maketh rich He that gathereth in Summer is a wise sonne but hee that sleepeth in Haruest is the sonne of confusion Let euery man therefore in his place shew himselfe a good Steward that he may eate the labours of his hands Psal 128. which is a blessed thing and then hee may eate with a good conscience Salomon gaue good counsell Prou. 5.15 when he said Drinke the waters of thine owne cisterne and of the Riuers out of the mids of thine owne Well Get thee goods with thine own honest labours and then eate with thanksgiuing but if thou art idle 2. Thes 3.11 12. and labourest not the Apostle thinketh thee vnworthy to eate The Heathens did hold that no good thing could be had without labour and paines taking and therefore spake of vertue and knowledge thus Virtutem posuere dij sudore parandam Non iacet in molli venerandae scientia lecto Ipsa sed assiduo parta labore venit Man must depend vpon God yet vse the meanes and he will giue a blessing Our Sauiour Christ Iesus could haue giuen fish vnto Peter without casting out his net but he would not to teach him and the Church that is to say all the faithfull by his example Luk. 5. to labour and to vse the meanes Vse 1 This doctrine teacheth vs that all men of what Profession Trade or occupation soeuer they are of are Stewards vnder the high God are seruants or at least-wise ought to be so vnto God and therefore must needes serue labour and not loyter and then they shall better auoide the baites and snares of Satan for the Diuell hath neuer so fit opportunitie to sow Tares among the Wheat Math. 13. as when men are asleepe carelesse and idle for then hee hatcheth and breedeth many vices in vs for like as in a standing water wormes are ingendred and bred and not in a sweet and swift current So likewise in an idle and not in a labouring body many idle and euill thoughts are bred and fostered In which lamentable estate as long as man lyeth in he is in the Diuels seruice he is the Diuels labourer as Bernard writeth vpon the Canticles saying Qui in labore hominum honesto non sunt in labore profectó daemonum erunt that is in effect as if he should say Men that are loyterers are the Diuels labourers Rom. 6. and what is the wages and pay of the Diuell Death and destruction the wages of all sinne The Crab-fish as Plinie saith when he seeth the Oyster lye gaping against the Sunne-beames priuily stealeth vpon him and putteth a pibble into the mouth of the Oyster and so getteth out the fish and leaueth nothing behind him but the shell good for nothing So likewise when we lie idle rocked and lulled in the cradle of securitie the Diuell stealeth into vs getteth away our hearts and destroyeth our soules and leaues nothing but a body subiect to sinne which he also will haue at the last 2. A man that laboureth shall thereby the better be able with a good conscience to prouide for himselfe and his family without making false reckonings to deceiue his Master as this false steward did 3. A painfull man shall the better be able to relieue and helpe others and this is a Christian mans duty for as Plato de legibus hath Non solùm nobis sumus nati sed partem patria partem parentes partem amici vendicant that is to say We are borne onely for our selues but our Countrey claimes part for her own our parents part and our friends part We must doe good to all but chiefely to the household of faith Wee must doe good to all I say yea euen to our enemies that hate vs following the example of our heauenly Father who letteth his Sunne to shine and the raine to fall vpon the good mans ground and the bad And this must a man doe with his true gotten goods for the gift that is giuen being truly gotten maketh the almes more pleasing to God 4. This sheweth the true end wherefore God maketh men rich Stewards and deliuereth them his goods not that they should lay them vp and doe no good with them nor put their trust in them nor keepe them basely nor spend them wastfully sinfully but that they should gladly distribute them according to the good pleasure of the chiefe Owner God to the benefiting of the Church Gods faithfull people for as a sheepe beareth a fleece of wooll not for himselfe but for the necessitie and benefit of men Euen so the gifts of God which he giueth either spirituall or temporall we are not to keepe onely for our selues but to supply the necessities and wants of others for so the Apostle teacheth vs 1. Pet. 4.10 saying As euery man hath receiued the gift let him minister the same one to another at good disposers of the manifold graces of God Wee as feeling members one of another ought to relieue and support one another for as the Stagges when they swimme ouer a great riuer to feed in some meddow swimme all on a row and lay their heads one ouer anothers backe carrying the waight of one anothers hornes and when the first is weary another takes his roome and so doe it by course Euen so must we doe beare one anothers burthen helping and doing good one to another til we haue passed the troublesome waues of this world and are come to the hauen of eternall saluation Then shall we approue our selues good Stewards good seruants to our high Master the Lord God
24. and should so imploy and minister the gifts of God as becommeth good Stewards of the manifold graces of God To bee briefe should get their goods truly and bestow them in godly affaires 1. Pet. 4. and matters bountifully may not he worthily be accused of infidelitie and falsehood which maketh waste of his Masters goods when he is in office and seruice and when he knoweth that he shall out will not study amendment nor craue mercy nor fauour nor forgiuenes of his faults but will perseuer in his naughtinesse and study further to deceiue at the last as this false Steward did which being accused and knowing that hee should goe out of his Office to make vp the full measure of deceit he compareth and complorreth with his Masters debters and abateth their sums to this end that they might maintaine him when he was put out of his Office Valer. Max. l. 9. Occultum insidiosū malum est haec perfidia this treachery is a secret and deceitfull euill Such fellowes shew themselues to be no true members of the Church Psal 15.2 for euery one that is such walketh vprightly and doth the thing that is right and speaketh the truth from his heart Such a wicked Steward commeth by riches but not righteously in the middest of his life must be leaue them behind him Ier. 17.11 Luke 12. and at the last be found a very foole Such a one was the rich man Nothing crosseth the Lords loue more then this for the righteous Lord loueth righteousnesse his countenance doth behold the iust Psal 11.7 Secondly the euill and naughty Steward is accused of crueltie Math. 24.49 because hee beateth his fellow-seruants that is dealeth rigorously Mat. 18. cruelly and iniuriously with them as the other seruant did to his fellow that ought him an hundred pence and was not able to pay him and therefore fell down be sought him saying Refraine thine anger towards me and I wil pay thee all but the creditor would shew no mercy vpon him but hauing caught him by the throat ready to thrattle him cast him into prison O cruell pranke rather agreeable to the nature of a beast who wil huntch his fellow that is vnder him thē the humane qualities that should be in a man who should succour relieue the poore that are next him and not to be currish vnto them like churlish Nabal 1. Sam. 25. 1. King 21. nor cruell like Ahab not suffering them to haue any thing neere them nor any way to prosper but the more is the pitty as the high trees drop vpon the low and hinder their growth and as the mountaine Radish being planted neere the Vine causeth it to starue and wither away So the great wicked ones of this world being too neere the poore godly make them to decay and fall away to nothing for where the hedge is lowest the beasts will breake ouer and it is vsually seene that the great fish wil eate vp the small In the holy Booke of God we find that Eliah was fed by Rauens 1. King 17. Dan 6. Daniel not hurt among hungry Lions and man indued with reason and who should be led by Gods holy Spirit and his word a asse for pitty is many times neither charitable nor mercifull to the poore but most cruell and vnmercifull So true is that saying of Cyprian lamenting this case Serm. de erat dominic O detestandam humanae malitiae crudelitatem aues pascunt ferae parcunt homines saeuiunt that is to say O detestable cruelty proceeding from the malice of man birds doe feed men wild beasts spare men but men doe rage one vpon another But what becomes of the wicked cruell and vngodly Steward They consume suddenly perish and come to a fearful end although for a time they beare neuer so faire a shew in this world for as fire made of thornes burneth fiercely for a time and keepeth a great noise and crackling but yet is speedily burnt out and consumed So the attempts of the wicked are for a time violent and dangerous but God in his good time doth with speed extinguish and quench them This Dauid doth proue by his owne experience who speaking of his cruell aduersaries Psal 118.12 Psal 68.2 saith They came about me like Bees and are extinct euen as the fire among the Thornes For in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them And therefore as the smoke vanisheth and commeth to nothing so the wicked and vngodly perish at the presence of God So that they hurt themselues most and therfore are little better then mad men For as mad men franticke are wont to rent and teare themselues So wicked and vngodly men inflict vpon themselues most deadly and incurable wounds yea they are most wilfull murderers of their owne soules and bodies and when they hurt a poore man a little they most wrong themselues And so the rich Glutton in this Chapter by his vnmercifulnes cruelty towards poore Lazarus did hurt himselfe more then he did the poore man For the poore man went presently to Heauen and he to Hell The cruelty of Pharaoh towards the Israelites Exod. 14. hurt himselfe and the Egyptians more then the Israelites as their fearefull end most plainely shewed when the Waters ouerwhelmed them in the Red Sea so sodainly ouertaking and couering them that no signes of true repentance could appeare The griefe and torments of Cain his conscience Gen. 4. his feare and trembling perfecting his miseries with death of the body here euen an end vnnaturall and euerlasting torments afterward must needs bee worse then the onely vntimely death of the body to Abel Gen. 3.19 Heb. 9.27 death being euer certaine a misery incident to all flesh Adonibezec was a most vile and cruell Tyrant to many For he cut off the great Toes and Thumbes of seuenty Kings Iudg. 1. and made them to gather bread vnder his Table but at the last the iudgements of God laid on him were such that hee was taken and his owne were cut off and his owne conscience made him acknowledge his owne worthinesse of that punishment and to say Verse 7. Seuenty Kings hauing the Thumbs of their hands and of their feet cut off gathered bread vnder my Table as I haue done so GOD hath rewarded mee So they brought him to Ierusalem and there he dyed O beloued Christians seeing that cruelty is a thing so hurtfull to your selues and others let me beseech you that are men of valour might and power euen great and mighty Stewards to lay aside the same and all wrath the cause of the same Lib. de morib as Seneca counselleth saying Euitabis crudelitatem ministram crudelitatis iram that is to say Auoid cruelty and anger a seruant of cruelty And againe Reijce crudelitatem matrem crudelitatis iram that is Reiect cruelty and anger the mother of cruelty Cassiodorus thinketh that Ambition Pride and desire of
case he shall stand in The lamentable case of the sinner condemned For aboue him he shall haue the Iudge offended for his wickednesse beneath him the burning pit of Hell open and boyling ready to swallow him vp on his right hand his sinnes accusing on his left hand the Diuels as it were Iaylors and Executioners ready to execute Gods Sentence vpon him within him his conscience shall gnaw him paine him grieue him and testifie against him before him iudgement without mercy behinde him his euill life on euery side all damned soules bewailing and which way soeuer you cast your eyes you shall behold a burning fire O consider this ye that forget God lest hee teare you in pieces and there be none to deliuer you Sentence giuen of godly and vngodly and first of the godly The iust Iudge will pronounce sentence righteously both of the Sheepe on his right hand and Goates on his left hand of both godly and vngodly iust and vniust faithfull and vnfaithfull Sentence shall bee giuen of the godly according to the Gospel not onely offering but now giuing saluation to Gods faithfull children by the merits of Iesus Christ And the sentence will bee a kinde inuitation or rather receiuing to ioy in these words Come ye blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world c. On the contrary sentence shall be giuen of the Goates of the wicked and vngodly on the Iudges left hand according to the rigour of the Law with all it maledictions tortures and torments then presently to be put in execution against a lewd liuer these shall then indure their deserued endlesse punishments The Sentence against these is Depart ye cursed into euerlasting fire Sentence giuen against the wicked prepared for the Diuell and his Angels c. All this is ratified with a clause of an irreuocable sentence to wit These shall goe into euerlasting paine c. Of these paines of Hell as also of the ioyes of Heauen I had thought to haue written that by the consideration of the one the wicked may bee deterred from sinning and so auoid the punishment and by the consideration of the other they may be allured to well doing to seeke those things that are aboue and tread the straight way that leadeth to euerlasting life But hauing spent so much time already as I could well spare I will end for this present promising if my labours are accepted and God granteth time of life to performe it that I will write of the same at some other conuenient time I will therefore now end praying all Christians to listen to the exhortation following Beloued let vs prepare our selues for this iudgement dayly and euery moment Let the commandement of the Lord stirre vs vp to watch prouide and be in a readinesse Luk. 12.35 Let your loynes bee girded about and your lights burning and yee your selues like vnto men that wait for their Master when he will returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh they may open vnto him immediately Blessed are those seruants whom the Lord when he commeth shall finde waking c. Let the example of the sudden floud proposed by Peter 2. Pet. 3. strike a care into vs and make vs afraid to be secure Let the consideration of the High Iudge which iudgeth with iustice and equitie all men of euery order age and kinde make vs prepare our selues against this day Let the signes now accomplished and fulfilled make vs fully resolued that the Day is at hand and strike a care into vs to bee prepared against the Lords comming Let the vncertaine houre to vs when it shall come and yet certain that once it will come and sooner then we thinke make vs obseruant and watchfull To conclude let the execution it selfe to wit euerlasting rewards and euerlasting punishments wanting all ease and mitigation of torments strike a feare in vs not to offend and make vs carefull to please God For God as the Apostle hath 2. Thes 1. will render vengeance in flaming fire to them which know him not and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ Which shall bee punished with euerlasting damnation from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be made maruellous in all them that beleeue Let vs prepare our selues against that Day Aug. ad Demet. Epist 142. wherein Mundi gloria finienda est that is the glory of the world must take his end I say against that day and time which shall take tardy in deceitfull securitie many and therefore compared to the comming in of the Floud 2. Pet. 3. 1. Thes 5. in the dayes of Noah and to the comming of a Thiefe If a band of men should enter into a Citie and begin to destroy with fire and sword would not euery man tremble and quake If we thus feare our mortall enemies and the hand of man what shall wee doe when as the fearefull Trumpet shall sound from Heauen and at that voice of the Archangell more cleere and shrill then any Trumpet all the whole world shall rumble when we shall see not weapons made with hands but the whole powers of Heauen to be mooued and to threaten vengeance vnto vs. If a man-slayer or any other wicked person of whom punishment were to be taken by the iudgement of an earthly Iudge will tremble and quake at the sight of the Iudge and others standing about in iudgement and at the bloudy hand of the Hangman or Tormenter although he know that his end will bee but short then beloued consider what shame feare dolour and griefe will bee at the Day of Iudgement when all the euils and sorrowes that can bee imagined and deuised shall bee broached and ready to be inflicted vpon the wicked men of this world These and many other euils shall befall them which are holden with many cares of this world and thinke not of this last end of all things But we which repent beleeue and thinke of Christs comming conceiue ioy and wish for his comming as the certaine time of our Redemption and reward saying Come Lord Iesu Come To this Lord Iesus together with the Father and the Holy Ghost three Persons in one Essence be rendered all honour and glory power and seruice in Heauen and in Earth henceforth and for euer Amen FINIS