Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

That worldly things increafeour left reckoning. Soi hid their mailers talent in a napkin;fo as they cannot returne ces nrïrefl'e;v- it with any increafe? and how much more horrible thenwill tram aligutdab it bee to them, who haue riotoufl walled, and fpent their bonrae,an à dée Y mawum(ùiap. Lords rich talents, in their wicked and worldly courfes, ferit.Senec., whereby they haue diíhonoured their mailer and hurt their epift.87. fellow feruants ? For what(hame and confufion offace fhalI they bee poffeffed with, who haue teceinedliberall wages fromthe Lord,that they might be the better i ncouraged and inabled tadoe him feruice,when their Iudgefhall tell them, and their owue confcience fhall witnes againfl them, that they haue abufèd thisvrich bountie of God in the feruice of finne and Satan,and (pent his rich treafures vpon their owoè lulls? how will they then defirethe hits to fall vpon and co- uer them fromtheir wrathfull Iudge;that together with thé they mayhide their reckoning ? what would they then glut that they had imploied their profperity for the fitting forth ofGods glorie,and had vfed all his gifts to the honour of the giuer? and betaute they haue failed heereof, how many worlds, if they had them, would they part with, that they might haue but one day more to hue, wherein they might fet llraight their reckonings by truerepentance,and faith in IefusChrill ?But then alas itwill be too late, feeiug the ac- ceptable time and day of faluation is now pafl,and now their teares,groanes,forrowes, and lamentations, (hall bebegin- nings and parts oftheir hellifh punifhments; which if they had been vied in time, and improued to the bell in this life, would,through Gods gratious and free promifes,and the precious merits oflefus Chrifl, haue procured' lento them certainealfurance of the pardon of all their finnes, reconci- liation with God,and ofthe eternal] inheritance, and neuer ending ioyes of his heauenly kingdome. Butletvs for the better c leeringofthis point inlifl in'the' § :Sell.g, fpeciall examples. And firfl for honors; the more they are That boaoars, multiplied vpon men,the greater account they haue to make rithes,and plea - at the day of iudgement ; for theyhaue receiued honor from % "res doe but God,that theymightreturne honor to him; they are by fpe- f- 4ounour órta ciall priuiledge mide glorious before men,that theymight fI» nebefore- them in an holle example, and glorifie God Fff more