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
ac ianua lingua necis The tongue is the gate of life and also of death Therewith blesse we God Iam. 3.9 euen the Father and therewith curse we men which are made after the similitude of God But let vs looke to the true vse of the tongue and haue it still in our hearts and minds which is first to glorifie God and then to exhort our neighbour to goodnesse This made Dauid to pray thus O Lord open thou my lippes Heb. 3. and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise and it made the Authour to the Hebrewes to giue this good counsell Exhort one another daily while it is called the day Lactantius writing of the tongue of man setteth down these things to be considered the Finall cause the Materiall cause the Formall the circumstances and the manner how it is wet and moistened 1. The Finall cause which although it is last in execution yet is first in intention and that is as the Philosopher hath to expresse the conceptions of the minde But the Scriptures tell vs Heb. 13.15 3.13 that the tongue was giuen to glorifie God and to instruct one another 2. The matter of the tongue it is made of flesh and not of bones that thou shouldest not bee stubborne and stiffe in thy speech but gentle and courteous 1. Pet. 3.8 3. The forme of the tongue it is more long then broad open aboue and shut below This shewes that it ought to be stretched out and to reach on high to sound out the praises of God but it ought not to be delighted to talke of things below 4. The circumstances Labia et dentes the lippes and the teeth The lippes must speake to the glory of God and the edification of our neighbour and the words as hee saith must bee examined dentibus examinationis with strict examination and due consideration before we speake 5. The tongue is wet from the head so our speech ought to be of Christ our head it is wet also with our owne spittle so our talke should be of our owne filthines of our owne sinnes that wee may be ashamed of them repent and amend that we may be forgiuen The fourth gate of this Farme the body which letteth in sinne into it and hurts the soule also is our tasting our eating and drinking which should be moderate to suffice nature and not to make the flesh proud and rebellious against the spirit which a little will doe as the Philosopher thought The Apostle would haue vs to walke honestly as in the day not in eating and drinking meaning excesse of eating and drinking like to the sonnes of Eli Iob Baltazar and the rich glutton 1. Pet. 4.3 and thus the Apostle Saint Peter vnderstandeth it And our Sauiour giues vs a good caueat to beware of this excesse in eating and drinking Take heed to your selues Luk. 21.34 lest at any time your hearts be oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse Excessiue banquetting with costly meate and drinke makes a man procline and prone to lust Hierom. Venter mer◠aestuans spumat in libidinem Let vs therefore follow both the counsel and example of Paul His counsell is Col. 3.5 that wee should mortifie our flesh our earthly members His example is laid down 1. Cor. 9. where he saith I tame my body or I beate downe my body that is I bring it into seruitude The last gate of this Farme whereof wee are made Stewards and which letteth in sinne and death to the body and soule is Touching the obiect whereof must be no vncleane thing as the Apostle doth teach 2. Cor. 6.17 2. Cor. 6.17 In which place the Apostle bringeth in an exhortation taken out of Esay 52.11 where the Prophet saith Depart ye depart ye goe out from them and touch no vncleane thing c. Which exhortation the Apostle bringeth in there to perswade the Corinthians and all Christians 1. Cor. 6.19 that for as much as they were the Temples of the holy Ghost they should leaue the Temples of Idols the prophanations of the Babylonians and their filthy coinquinations for that which the Prophet speaketh of the peoples going out of Babylon into the Land of the Iewes Esay 52.11 the same he transferreth from the type to the thing signified to wit that all they which haue giuen their names to God should forsake the wicked prophanations of the Gentiles their haynous sinnes Ephes 5.11 their filthy kind of life Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenes yea they should be so farstrangers from an vncleane life that they should not so much as touch any vncleane thing lest they should be defiled for he that toucheth pitch shall be defiled Esay 52.11 1. Cor. 6.17 Act. 2.40 Which places may well be vnderstood of both ill company-keeping and of vncleane liuing from both of these we are forbidden But to speake a little of the former Wee see by daily experience that one mangie horse will infect another therefore when wee see in a close or stable such a one wee will say Wee will not put our horses there lest they should be infected In like manner wee our selues will refraine the company of such as haue any contagious and and dangerous diseases as the Leprosie or the plague and we will desire the societies of such as are sound and healthy And why doe we not refraine the companies of the wicked whose vile and lewd examples in speeches and liuing soone depraue vs and confirme vs in naughtinesse And againe Why do we not delight in the cōpany of the godly knowing that of them we may learne goodnesse for with the holy thou shalt be holy and with the froward thou shalt learne frowardnesse Let vs therefore detest abhorre and flee from naughtinesse and wicked mens companies as from the sting of a Serpent and poyson of a Basiliske vnlesse it be in hope to conuert them and let vs touch no vncleane thing but practise holinesse of life and conuersation 1. Thes 4.3 4 5. For this is the will of God euen our sanctification and that we should abstaine from fornication that euery one of vs should know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence euen as the Gentiles which knowe not God and God hath called vs not to vncleannesse but vnto holinesse 7. verse O deare Christians Christ hath made vs Priests vnto God Reuel 1.6 and St. Peter Ep. 2.5 saith That we are an holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ and Paul beseecheth vs to giue vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice Reuel 12.1 holy and acceptable vnto God O let vs doe so let vs doe so let vs sleepe no longer in sinne rocked and lulled in the cradle of securitie And thus much concerning the second Farme place and the ports and gates of the same which a carefull Steward should circumspectly and warily looke vnto
Almighty we shall be found faithfull in our places and shall haue the fruit thereof an eternall blessing as our Sauiour doth teach saying Mat. 24.45 46. Who is a faithfull Steward and wise whom the Master shall make ruler ouer his household to giue them their portion of meate in season Luk. 12.42 43 44. Blessed is that seruant whom his Master when hee commeth shall find so doing Of a truth say vnto you that he will make him ruler ouer all that he hath that is hee will make him an heire of eternall life Hee shall inherit the Kingdome prepared from the beginning of the world Math. 25.34 Hee shall walke with the Lord in white garments that is hee shall be glorified Reu. 3. and haue life euerlasting and the glorious company of Christ He shall be in Abrahams bosome as Lazarus was Luke 16. and eate of the tree of Life in the middest of the heauenly Paradise of God Reu. 2.7 Hee shall haue the Crowne of glory Hee shall be a pillar in the Temple of God that is hee shall be firme and stable in glory as a pillar irremoueable c. Eye hath not seene Reu. 3.12 neither eare heard neither euer did enter into the heart of man what good things the Lord hath prepared for them that loue him and serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of their life Illud verum et summum gaudium est saith Bernard in a Sermon that is the true and greatest ioy and therefore as it were rauished with a great loue thereof cryed out O beata regio Paradist ó beata regio deliciarum O blessed region of Paradise O blessed region of delights And therefore hee exhorteth vs to bee out of loue with this world whiles we bee heere and to hasten thither saying thus Festinemus ad locum tutiorem ad agrum vberiorem ad pastum saniorem vt habitemus sinè metu abundemus sinè defectu epulemur sinè fastidio that is to say Let vs hasten to a more safe place to a more fertile ground to a more sound feeding where wee may inhabit without feare abound without defect banquet without disdaine Here is the hauen the blessed port of rest and the liberall portion of the good and faithfull Steward But the slothfull wastfull cruell and vnfaithfull Steward shall be cut off or cut into pieces and haue his portion with hypocrites there shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Math. 24.51 Wherefore seeing that we all rather desire to be reputed yea be indeed good Stewards then bad to enioy a good place and portion rather then a bad let vs depart out of the Kingdome of sinne and Satan and come to the Kingdome of light let vs shew and approue our selues good Stewards keeping our Farme places the world the body and the soule well and let vs not get our goods in the first mannor house the world wrongfully nor put our trust in them idolatrously nor keepe them to our selues basely nor spend them wastfully and vngodly but lay them out for the maintenance of the Gospell and helpe of the poore indigent members of Christ Iesus liberally Againe let vs looke to our second Farme place and mannor house our bodie that it be cleane and fit for the chiefe Lord and Master of all and his Sonne Iesus Christ and the holy Ghost to come into Let vs diligently watch the ports and gates of the same our Hearing Seeing Talking Tasting and Touching that nothing goe in nor come out that may defile the body Lastly let vs haue an especiall care of our principall part the soule the last mannor house Let repentance sweepe it cleane from impure thoughts and wicked cogitations let a good conscience be his bedding let faith be euer looking to Christ Iesus and cleansing and let the graces and vertues of the holy Ghost be the ornaments of his lodging And in all things and in all our places and charges let vs proue our selues good wise and faithfull Stewards that it may be said vnto vs to euery one of vs It is well done good seruant thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee Ruler ouer much enter in into thy Masters ioy This approbation and allowance of our Stewardship and vnspeakeable reward giue and grant vs O heauenly Father not for our worthinesse for we haue no merits but for thy mercies and graces in Iesus Christ Amen The end of the first Sermon THE SECOND SERMON And the same was accused AS all men are Stewards vnder God what good Talents gifts so euer they haue they receiue frō him the fountaine of all graces Euen so they ought to occupy imploy the same according to the good pleasure of him the Collator and Donator as it is plaine in the Parable of the Talents Math 25. And as S. Peter teacheth 1. Epist 4. saying As euery one hath receiued the gift euen so minister the same as good Stewards of the manifold graces of God Whosoeuer doth this is commended and rewarded of his high Lord and Master with these words of grace to his comfort O well done thou good faithfull Seruant thou hast been faithfull ouer few things I will make thee Ruler ouer many things enter thou into the ioy of thy Lord Mat. 25.21 But if a seruant haue much cōcredited vnto him if it be but of an earthly Master and imploy it ill spend it wastfully eating and drinking with the Drunkards participating with the Adulterers and intreating his fellow-seruants hardly and yet thinketh that his euill carriage and outragiousnesse shall not be knowne but that he shall escape with impunitie O how this man deceiueth himselfe For the fellow-seruants will relate the treacheries bad vsages and cruelties of their fellowes to their Lord. As those seruants did which saw their fellow-seruant so cruelly handled Math. 18. And heere the bad Steward is accused to his Lord. Now if wee see by dayly experiences that bad Stewards to earthly Masters escape not alwayes free with their false dealings and other euill behauiours but one or other will espy them and disclose them and giue their Master intelligence and then he reckoneth and accounteth with them and displaceth them then we may much more assure our selues that no cloud of darknes no maske nor veile can be cast before the Lords eyes Psal 79.9 For hee that planted the eare shall be not heare Or he that made the eye shall hee not see God knoweth noteth seeth ouerseeth al things yea the very secrets of the heart and yet if he were not so quicke of capacitie of hearing and seeing Yet there are many tell-tales and pick-thankes in the Familie which relate all our misdemeanours and accuse vs vnto him as in my Text the false Steward is said to be accused And here beginneth a lamentable discourse a Tragicall Relation of the miserable estate of a bad Steward laid down in my Text in these points First He is defamed or
The third farme is the soule of man which although it is created pure of God as the Angels are yet being in the body a foule and filthy prison and yet part of man for man doth consist of a body and a soule is polluted by this participation with the body is tainted now with originall sinne and performes not many times good parts and offices Now to speake somewhat more plainely to this purpose Whereas there are two parts of mans soule the Vnderstanding and the Will The office of the intellect is to discerne among obiects what is good to be allowed or meet to de disalolwed It is the office of the Will to chuse and follow that good which the intellect shall appoint and to despise and refuse that which the vnderstanding shall disallow If the former the intellect faileth in discretion and iudgement then the Will faileth also in chusing and following for the intellect is as it were the soules guide and gouernour the Will euer expecteth iudgement from the intellect and is still at his becke Now whereas man faileth many times in iudgement and vnderstanding and the Will not onely couets but chuseth that which is euill it commeth to passe that the soule is polluted and in mans members performes wicked actions And therefore man must craue the conduction of Gods holy Spirit to be led by him and the Word of God which must be a lanterne to his feet a light to his pathes and then he shall goe well This soule of man should not be polluted with impure and vncleane thoughts and bad choyces and all the vertues and powers of it ought to be directed principally to the knowledge loue and honour of God The soule of man performeth diuers offices in man and according to her seuerall performances takes diuers names as Isiodorus writeth Anima dum viuificat corpus Secundo etimolog anima est dum vult animus est dum scit mens dum recolit memoria dum rectum iudicat ratio est dum spirat spiritus est dum aliquid sentit sensus est This is a point fit for the learned and therefore I leaue the Englishing of it to them that can vnderstand it And so much of the third and last Farme-house which Man a Steward vnder God must looke vnto and haue an especiall care of for it is immortall By this which I haue spoken it may appeare what a great burthen and charge lyeth vpon euery mans conscience to looke vnto his wayes and pathes his consultations studies and all his labours and workes For Almighty God who by his Word and great power made all things in his infinite wisedome created nothing vaine and idle The glorious Angels are ministring spirits Seruentes vnto God his Messengers to do his wil sent for the good of the Church to bring glad tidings to comfort and help which the word AGGELOS teacheth Which thing the Author to the Hebrewes hath well obserued Chap. 1.14 saying that they are sent from God to Minister for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation And therefore Gregory saith Angeli ad ministerium pro nostra salute semper mittuntur that is the Angels are alwayes sent to serue for our saluation The coruscant and glorious Sunne doth goe and accomplish his courses as God hath appointed by motions and operations Adam the first and principallest man as soone as he was created was placed in the Garden of Eden to dresse trim and keepe it in a decent and good order Gen. 2.15 And yet this being before the fall and before any weedes and trumperies that there might grow there was no need to labour yet God appointing him to this worke hereby doth shew how much he abhorred idlenes Adam then was as it were the Lords labourer as well as his owne euen before the fall in the time of his integritie But after the fall labour was a punishment laid vpon Adam and all his posterity In the sweat of thy browes or face thou shalt get thy liuing Now labour is paine and therefore when we speak of a laborious man we say such a one taketh great paine whether it be in Mechanicall crafts and occupations or altogether in contemplation All men are Stewards and must labour the Word of God exempteth none and God hath no respect of persons Our Sauiour Mat. 20. will suffer none at any time to be idle but sendeth them to labour in his Vineyard Ministers are the Lords Stewards and must labour Math. 9.37 2. Cor. 6.1 and therefore are called Labourers they are called workmen and workers together and should shew themselues to bee cunning workemen rightly diuiding the Word of God They are the Lords Seruants and receiue Talents 2. Tim. 2.15 and therefore should make good vse of them His Shepheards Ezec. 34. therefore must feede and ouersee his flockes His Cryers therefore must cry alowd and spare not Esay 58.1 Tell the people their transgressions and the House of Iacob their sinnes they may not be dumbe His Builders therefore should goe on in their worke Fishers therefore ought to let slip their Nets to take and winne soules but cast their Angle to take money as Peter did Embassadours of the Lord 2. Cor. 5.20 Therefore they ought to haue tongues and sufficiency to doe the Lords message Feeders therefore ought to haue meat and to distribute it Sowers therefore ought to scatter the Seed of the Word into mens hearts His Leaders therefore they should conduct their flockes in the way of the Lord. His especiall Fighters against Sinne the World the Flesh the Diuell Heretikes and all the enemies of Gods Truth as Paul was 2. Tim. 4.7 By these and many other like Appellations and Names we see and may learne that God vouchsafeth the helpe of Ministers to execute his will and vseth them as meanes to saue his Sheepe from perishing yea they are the instruments to conuert the people The Lord saued the Arke but by Noah He conuerted the Niniuites but by Ionas instructed the Eunuch but by Philip perswaded Cornelius but by Peter called Paul but by Ananias Paul must plant Apollo water and God giueth the increase Albeit Christ is the light yet Ministers beare witnesse of the light though he be the fountaine of liuing water yet Ministers are the conduits to conuey them to the people though he be the Physician yet Ministers are the Apothecaries to make the confection though he be the cause efficient yet Ministers are the instrument euen helpers though hee be King yet Ministers are his Embassadours yea which is more if more can bee Paul telleth Timothy that if hee take heede to himselfe and vnto doctrine and continue therein he shall saue both himselfe and them that heare him and so Timothy should not onely be an Helper but a Sauer in sort Ministers then must bee good Stewards carefull and painefull Cura curarum regimen animarum The gouernment of soules is the care of all cares
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
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
be thanked the Lawes are so well established and executed that no man dareth to lay violent hands vpon his Minister but yet the wicked will hurt him with their slanderous tongue many times and keepe his dues from him sometimes priuily that hee shall not know it And if hee doth know it then many times they will plead a custome their custome to deceiue yea they will say Our custome is an ancient custome Whereas Mala consuetudo est erroris vetustas that is An euill custome is the antiquity of an errour Some when they are called are somewhat more Formall Morall and mannerly then the former were For although they are meere Worldlings and preferre earthly things before heauenly yet they couer their affections and make comely excuses and reasonable as they thinke and will say when they are absent from a Sermon Wee were hindred by such and such meanes that wee could not be at it very like to them that were bidden to the great Supper and made seuerall excuses One said Luke 14. I haue bought a Farme and I goe to see it Another said I haue bought fiue yoke of Oxen and I goe to proue them and the third said I haue married a Wife and therefore I cannot come But none of these excuses pleased the Lord the maker of the Feast For hee being angry with these said None of these shall taste of my Supper of my spirituall and heauenly dish-meates and of my costly banquet What greater ingratitude and churlishnesse could any shew Nay what greater sottishnesse can the whole world bewray then to preferre Chaffe before pure Wheat rust before Iron Lead before Siluer Copper before pure Gold earthly and fraile things before heauenly and eternall good things And yet so foolish are we and ignorant yea so void of discretion and piety that we will still pretend and alledge one cause or another to hinder our comming when we are called thinking that we thereby help our selues when we most of all hurt our owne soules We pretend lets as that man did who when our Sauiour called him said Suffer me first to goe and bury my Father and we are worse then hee that would goe and bid them that were of his houshold Farewell and then resolued to come For many neuer resolue to obey their calling at any time but stand backe with wily shifts good for nothing but to beguile themselues So truely spake Christ No man commeth to me saith he vnlesse the Father draw him Marke the word draw as though a man were holden backe of some Tyrant as of Satan or were of himselfe so vnwilling to come that he must be drawne and haled along Let vs make excuses no longer but pray vnto God to giue vs both to will and power to performe Phil. 2. for in him it is to performe both The speciall and effectuall calling a benefit proper to Gods Children hath euer election going before it for it is the first fruit of it and comes next from it and therefore Paul sets our falling next to predestination Rom. 8.30 This speciall and effectuall calling takes place onely in them that are elect when as God doth by the preaching of the Gospel call vs out of the kingdome of Satan and sinne and as it were out of this world of wickednesses to the kingdome of Christ of grace and of light to be of the number of his children to be sheepe of his fold And here we are to note that God doth not call vs all at one time but at sundry times as it shall please him to dispense his grace vnto vs as we may see by his sending of labourers at seuerall houres into his Vineyard Mat. 20. Some are sanctified in their mothers wombe and speedily called and sent to their offices Mat. 3. as Iohn Baptist in his youth Peter when hee was of ripe age Paul somewhat late and the theefe when he was readie to be crucified Before the time of their calling they wander in the vast solitude and wildernesse of this world nothing differing from other men in outward shape but in qualities and maners and they being Christs sheepe are so saued and guided by him that they cannot bee taken from him Ioh. 10. neither runne into the pit of destruction This effectuall calling is wrought by the preaching of the Word and by these three meanes First God openeth and prepareth the eares which are the mouthes of the soule the bodie hath but one mouth to receiue corporall nutriment to sustaine it but the soule being the better part of man hath two mouths I meane his two eares to receiue in food for it which God openeth to that purpose as Dauid doth teach vs by his owne example Psal 40. saying Sacrifice and offerings thou didst not desire for mine eares hast thou prepared Secondly attendance is giuen to that which is preached and taught for he that hath cares to heare is commanded to heare Mat. 13. Reuel 2. Esa 55.3 And the Prophet Esay craueth and calleth for this attendance saying Encline your eares and draw neere heare and your soules shall liue Thirdly there followeth this preaching eares opening and good attendance giuen a wonderfull compunction and pricking of the heart as it may appeare by the example of those people that heard the Sermon of Peter who said vnto Peter and the other Apostles Act. 2.37 Men and brethren What shall we doe Well Peter followed them so earnestly when he saw them comming with good doctrine and exhortation that he did win them and there was added to the Church about three thousand soules But beloued note this that there is euer much adoe before that the Law compared to an hammer can breake the knottie affections of the heart and so currie and make the ground of mans heart fit to receiue the seede of the Gospel and there plant faith that may purifie it Acts 15.9 But here perhaps some may desire to know by what characters markes and signes a man may assure his soule that hee is predestinated to eternall life that he may take comfort by this doctrine For resolution marke this which I haue penned for thy good If thou seest thy sinnes and perceiuest Gods wrath and anger ready to fall on thee for them dislikest them art grieued for them bewailest them and heartily crauest pardon for them and beginnest to become a new man continuest with increase in the faith of Iesus Christ and doest seeke after the kingdome of God then no doubt thou art elected and effectually called Moreouer if thou art readie as it were with an Eccho to answere to euery thing that the Spirit of God shall endite and the Preacher shall speake truly out of Gods Booke then thou art effectually called Looke to Dauids example Psal 40. Psal 40. In the volume or rolle of thy booke it is written of me that I should doe thy will O my God I am content to doe it or I am delighted with it
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
preserued at this generall and great Assize and they that cannot shall bee tumbled downe to the pit of perdition But because secure and carelesse men Epicures and Atheists deny this great and strict account that shall bee taken at the last Day 2. Pet. 3.3 4. according to Saint Peters prediction which telleth vs that in the last dayes there shall come mockers of Christs cōming to Iudgement to take this account And these are the last dayes in which wee see by many workes of the wicked liuing in Atheisme and Epicurisme that they are so perswaded and differ nothing as appeareth from the wicked iudgement of Paulus Tertius the Pope who when there was a speech made vnto him of this account at the last Iudgement said vnto Cardinall Bembus O Bembe Bembe quantum nobis profuit fabula de Christo making this doctrine a fabulous thing Therefore the more is the pitty the question An sit whether there is any last iudgement is most necessary to bee discussed and spoken of Which whiles I endeuour affirmatiuely to proue I beseech you without partialitie lend mee your yeelding resolutions vnto the truth as it shall be proued And Si tu quid rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his vtere mecum If better then these thou hast in store Let vs haue part and say no more But if thine owne doe thee not please Vse that I haue and rest at ease Psal 100. The first proofe is the Word of God an eternall an infallible truth as our Sauiour doth witnesse speaking thus to his Father a maintainer of it Ioh. 17.17 Sermo tuus est veritas thy Word is the Truth Enoch the seuenth from Adam prophesied prophesied of this day of the Lords comming to take an account saying Behold Iude 14. the Lord commeth with thousands of Saints to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all that are vngodly among them of all their wicked deeds which they haue vngodlily committed and of all their cruell speakings which vngodly sinners haue spoken against him In which place the Lords comming to iudgement is plainely foretold and because it is a thing certaine and sure to be therefore hee speaketh in the present Tense and said Behold the Lord commeth And so the high Iudge himselfe speaketh saying Behold I come as a Theefe Reu. 16. speaking in the present Tense as before and not in the future Tense saying I will come And Peter reporteth Act. 10. that the high Iudge our Sauiour Iesus Christ commanded him and the other Apostles to preach vnto the people and to testifie that it is he that is ordained of God a Iudge of quicke and dead And Paul prepareth men by repentance against that Day saying Act. 17.30 31. Now hee admonisheth all men euery where to repent because hee hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnesse c. The same Paul assureth vs that wee all must appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ 2. Cor. 5. that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it bee good or euill The same Apostle most plainely setteth downe the order and manner of the Lords descension from Heauen to doe this weighty businesse when as he saith 1. Thes 4.16 17 The Lord himselfe shall descend from Heauen with a shout and with the voice of the Archangell and with the Trumpet of God And the dead in Christ shal rise first then we which liue remaine shall bee caught vp with them also in the clouds to meet the Lord in the Aire and so shall we euer be with the Lord. This comming of our Sauiour to iudge and to take this account was foretold of the Angels who standing by him when hee ascended into Heauen and seeing the men of Galilee gazing after him said This Iesus which is taken vp from you shall so come as ye haue seene him goe into heauen And how can we doubt hereof seeing that our Sauiour himselfe euen the high Iudge foresheweth the same Mat. 27. 25. And Saint Mathew setteth downe the order and maner of this Iudgement so plainely that no man led by the Spirit of God can once mutter against his doctrine The second proofe is taken from the end vnto which mankind was made of God God necessarily obtaineth his end And this was the end for which he made mankind that he might be his Image and his eternall Temple wherein he might and should be celebrated to whom he might communicate himselfe his chiefe wisedome goodnesse righteousnesse and felicitie which felicitie is part of the Image of God but this is destroyed and defaced of the Deuill Therefore God which is stronger then the Deuill will restore it And although the end for which man was made is hindred diuers wayes in this life yet the Lord once will attaine vnto it Wherefore there must of necessitie once be a change and an adiudging vnto the same end And here it is admirable to consider how like a Diuine the learned Philosopher aymed and leuelled at this marke and matter For thus hee said Verisimile est hominem ad has miserias non esse conditum sed longè verissimum est praestantissimam creaturam omnium ad meliorem finem conditam esse That is to say It is like to be true that man was not made to endure these miseries but rather it is farre most true that the most excellent creature of all was made to a better end The third proofe is taken from the righteousnesse of God his goodnesse and diuine truth which require that the godly should be perfectly well and the wicked perfectly euill and this falleth not out so many times in this life For here we see the wicked many times flourish with all worldly prosperitie Psal 37.35 luke 16. according to Dauids report and the example of the rich Glutton Therefore there must be another life wherein this iustice of God may appeare that both bodies and soules as they haue beene ioynt partakers of good actions and bad may haue either ioy and comfort or paine terrour and discomforts the wicked may haue tribulation the godly rest And the inchoation of this shall be at this day and time as Paul prooueth where he comforteth the Church of the Thessalonians shewing that their persecuters shall be afflicted and euerlastingly punished at this day and time and the godly rewarded The words are these 2. Thess 1.6 7 8 9 10. It is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen with his mighty Angels in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that doe not know God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ which shall be punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of