THis chapter is chiefely directed & written against Pharisaical couetousnes and delicacie ; exhorting to liberalitie , and a care of the poore , and this vnder two parables ; the first of the Steward , who did wisely , though not iustly : Luc. 16.1.2 &c. the other of the rich man and Lazarus , v. 19.20 . &c. The parable of the vniust Steward doth not warrant any pickery or vnfaithfulnes in stewards ; but only doth implie , that as hee made him friends vniustly ; so wee should both iustly and wisely make vs friends of this Mammon of wealth , v. 9. by dispersing abroad ; Ver. 9. that the fountaines of our liberalitie may runne ouer to all that neede , Prou. 5.16 :

The Pharises , that were couetous , hearing this , Ver. 14. v. 14. thought that Christ spake foolishly , and dangerously in so saying , they could not endure that their sore of couetousnes should be touched ; and , when his hand came neere it , they put it from them with a scoffe , and mocked him : they would neuer beleeue but any man might serue God , and gather riches ; or how should the Common-wealth stand ? and how should one man bee aboue another ? or , would hee haue all men alike ? as if they had thus reasoned against him , as against one that spake both absurdly and impiously . Ver. 15. But vers. 15. hee tels them , that desire of riches and loue of themselues , had so blinded them , that they sawe not where they were , nor in what dangerous wayes : and that because they held themselues wise , therefore they iudged him foolish , and his doctrine ( that was wise ) ridiculous : but that that pleased them , God abhorred : and so he commeth to the Scripture , now read , v. 19. which I take to be , not any story or thing done , but as was said , a parable where his chiefe purpose is to disswade these Pharises from cruell hardnes and a carnall life by the example of this rich man , hung vp ( as it were ) in chaines in hell for a terrour to others , because he fed himselfe curiously , and fed not poore Lazarus .

And heere vnder the persons of the rich man and Lazarus , we haue two sorts or states of men ; such as were then in the world , are now , and shall be to the end of time . In both which , we may note their different states , and that which is common to them : their different states are heere on the earth , or after they left . It in their liues they differed very much , and after their deaths , much more : for , the rich man was finely clothed , or clothed with soft and gorgeous rayment : and for his fare , it was delicate and of the best euery day . v. 19. the beggar and Lazarus was vexed with sores and hunger , desiring the coursest bread , or crummes of bread that fel from the richmans table . v. 20.21 . After death , the beggars soule was glorified in the bosom of Abraham , being caried thither by the Angels : but of his buriall there is no mention . The richmans body was gloriously buried in the earth , and his soule pittifully buried in hel . v. 22.23 . and this is common to both , that they both died . v. 22.

Thus standeth the scope and summe of these fiue first verses , Luc. 16.19 and the summe of all is to aduise men to spend their goods well , and not vpon their lusts : not to forget mercy , and to be liberall to Christs poore , that their fountaines , that is , their estate and possessions may be blessed vnto them Prou. 5.18 . But , let vs returne to the rich man , and heare what is said of him .

The text speaketh of a certaine rich man , but without any name ; or of a rich man , not named : because ( as one saith ) God takes no care of the wicked , neither remembreth their names . Doctr. Where we learne that sinners are in no credit with God : the wicked , and him that loueth iniquitie , doth his soule abhorre , saith Dauid , Psal. 11.5 . that is , such are so farre from hauing credit with him , that he hateth them ; and not superficially , but from his very soule . Yea , they shall well know that hee hates them , by raining vpon them the raine of snares , of fire and brimstone , and stormie tempest ▪ v. 6 he whose countenance beholdeth the iust , v. 7. will not suffer sinners to stand before him . Ps. 1.4.5 . Iob saith , God will not take a wicked man by the hand . Iob 8.20 . Iobs meaning may well be , that he will not giue him so much countenance , as men giue to a man , when they giue him their hand ? or he will not offer them his hand ; and if they offer theirs , he will pull away his : sure it is , that as he will not cast away a perfit man , so he will not helpe the euill doer . Iob. ibid. He that made the remembrance of Iosiah as honie in all mouths , Syr. 49.1 , put out the memoriall of Amalek ; Exod. 17.14 . and hee that said to Moses , I know thee by name , Exod. 33.12 , saith to all wicked doers , I know you not . Matth. 7.22 . & 25.12 .

God hath threatned to dishonour them : 1. Samuel . 2.30 . And Dauid , Gods king and folower , Reasons . will make no mention of them . Psal. 16.4 . Secondly , they be the enemies that he will roote out , and who , except he meane to dissemble , ( which vile affection is farre from God ) will countenance those , whom he meanes to destroy ? Thirdly , other-wayes God shall should doe as much for the children of wrath as hee doth for his deare children ; and that which he hath forbidden as euill , to speake good of euill , Esa. 5.20 . himselfe should offend in , which once to thinke , were blasphemy . Fourthly , shame is an inseparable companion of sinne , as glory is of goodnes : which should not be so , if sinners should haue credit with God , who should receiue shame both from God and godly men .

Vses . Vse . 1 A terrour to wicked sinners , for though they care not for the fauor of God ; yet , by loosing it , they shall loose that whic●●●●y more esteeme , the fauour of men . They thinke , b●●●●e they set against God by fleshly courses , they shall ●●●ast ) be set by , by fleshly men : but they cannot be hi●●●●g , 1. Tim. 5.25 . and this hope will faile them , as it ha●●●●ne many , who for a while spread as the greene bay , Psa. 37.35 . and after a little while , were cut downe as the greene grasse , Psal. 90.5 , 6. Hest. 7.1.8.9 . to day in great grace at Court , to morrow , or before night in great disgrace in prison . In the turne of the wheele , turned from honor to basenesse , and from open liking to open contempt .

A comfort to the righteous : Vse . 2 for , they haue Gods countenance , though they cannot haue bad mens good willes : they are in with God , who can and will maintaine their true credits , whosoeuer speakes against them : and if God be with them , mens euill willes shall be reconciled , or doe them no harme . Nay , when the name of the wicked shall rotte , Prou. 10.7 . that is , rotte aboue ground , as his carcasse doth vnder ; the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed , and their glory (a) (a) Mat. 26 13. without end .

He that hath the keeping of their names , will preserue their good name as sure as he doth their saluation : therefore is it written , that they shall be had in euerlasting remembrance . Psal. 112.6 . And is it not so ? Is not Naboths name now in all mouthes better then either the cursed name of Ahab that was sold to sinne , or the carrion-name of Iezebel that was giuen to dogges ? and who doth not now more honour Mardochas that was so poore and dispised , then hee doth insolent Haman , whose name so shone for a time , lightned with the glorious beames of his Princes countenance vpon him ? And what comparison now betweene Peter , Paul , Iames , with other Apostles and Martyrs of Christ , and their persecutors ; the one so simple in the world , and the other so great ?

But now againe to this rich man ; who is described heers by his clothing , and by his fare : for his clothing , it was too curious , and with too much pride and affectation ; else both colour and finenesse might haue bene tollerated in so rich a man : for it is not vnlawfull for great men to put on other , that is more costly , both apparell and colours , then poore men may . But this man put on pride with his apparell , and wore his garments as the effects of a lofty minde , with the contempt of the poore : or , he wore strange apparell , and such as stood altogether in the putting on : therefore is his apparell censured , and he for wearing it .

Where learne , that all intemperance in apparell , Doctr. and abuse of apparell , is vnlawfull to all : as when it is other then belongeth to the sexe , Deut. 22.5 . which may cause , and be leader to some horrible sinne : when it is costly , that is , aboue our estate and meanes , with excesse , or with stretching of the cloth , 1. Tim. 2.9 . when it is light for the fashion or colour ; called , Prou. 7.10 . whorish apparell , and Zephan● 1.8 . strange raiment : when it is not made according to temperance and shamefastnes , which is the Apostles fashion , 1. Pet. 3.3 . but according to euery new fashion that comes : when as heere it is put on and worne with the impeachment of hospitalitie , and other charitable deeds to the poore : for , so attiring our selues , we after a sort vnclothe them ; and wearing our apparell with such contempt , weare out theirs . And lastly , when it is worne , as the ensigne of an arrogant and hautie minde : such was the flaring apparell of the daughters of Sion , so much and sharply censured by Esa. 3.16.17.18.19 . &c. And God will cloth such , for their garments of glory , which garments of shame . Reasons : they that weare such apparell , forget their Christian calling , which is , to walke soberly . Tit. 2.11 . Secondly , such put their heauen in their apparell , and make it their happines , not to goe modestly in their clothes as Saints , but curiously and finely in them , as this rich man : thirdly , such make nets of their apparell to intrappe themselues and others in it : and not onely nets of wantonnesse , but sponges to drinke vp both their owne , and the poores prouision .

A reproofe to the maner of attiring vsed in our dayes , Vse . 1 and to the proud and chargeable apparell that is so common now : for doe not meane persons now offend heerein , as well , and ordinarily , as sinfull Diues ? They that cannot spare a penny to a poore man , can find inough to spare for their great ruffes , and silke shooe-strings : euen seruing-men , and seruant maids , that receiue but smal wages , haue a common hand in this vanitie ; and by their apparell it is hard to know , who is Diues , and who Lazarus . It is but a simple maide that weares not as fine linnen as her mistresse : and that man is as no body , and of no fashion , that is not assoone in the fashion as his maister , or , ( if he be sober in his clothes ) before him : How neare doth this come to the curious and vnmercifull apparell of this rich man ? therfore it is not curiositie in Ministers to deale in these matters , but a necessarie and charitable labour in them to presse them to the full in their Sermons and exhortations : for , though fine garments be Gods gifts , and the riches of the earth , Gods goodnes , yet the abuse of these to all proud and vnsober couerings ; is our shame . Our apparell was giuen vs to hide our nakednes ; Gen. 3.21 . which nakednes came from our fall and sinne : and shall we glory in that , which at first was , and to this day , is the couer of our shame ? Is it seemely that a theefe , saued from the gallowes , should be proud of the halter that should haue hanged him ? or if this be vnseemely , as little and ill doth it become Christians to bee proud of that , that should as much humble them , as the halter the theefe ? What difference then , I meane for any good or sound matter of reioycing , betweene thy proud clothes and his poore halter ? Adam , in his innocencie , though naked , needed no couer ; his nakednes being then so full of glorious brightnes , or as the Sunne in his strength : our apparell , the brauest we put on , would haue as much obscured it , as a darke cloud now doth the comfortable Sunne : but euer since sinne entred ; all is contrarie : and what should haue beene our glory , is now become our shame . Therefore to make so much of our shame , and with so great neglect of better duties to our neighbour and the poore , so to trimme it , what is it but an intollerable and cruell vanitie ? Againe , who would glory of the ragges that are wrapped about his wounds ? Our attire , what doth it but hide , in our bodies , the wound of our f●ll ? and what glorying then of our proudest couer , there being no better matter in it ? The world , while it was yong , was simple and plaine , now in the dotage of it , it is clothed with double , not garments only , but hearts , Prou. 31.21 .

Our fathers kept sheepe , Gen. 43.2 . we , their children , scorne to weare the w●oll : the garments that God made to Adam and to his wife , our first parents , were coates of skinnes . Gen. 3.21 . Christs garment was plaine , and simple without seame . Ioh. 19 23. and many , whom the world was not worthy of , wandred about in sheepe-skinnes . Hebr. 11.37 . that is , in leather coates , being destitute , afflicted , and tormented : which I speake not , to bind all , rich and poore , to one kind of apparell without difference ; or as if I thought that rich men might not put on more rich attire then other men : but iustly to reproue by the word , and by such examples of holy men , all fond affectation and lightnes this way . Iacob knew his sonnes coate so soone as his other sonnes Iosephs brethren , brought it to him . Gen. 37.33 . He knew that it was the same coate which he made to his sonne Ioseph . The coates of fantasticall men and women of the fashion , at this day , cannot be knowne to be coates of Gods making : for , bring them to God , and the Poppets in them ; and will be s●y . These are my sonnes coates ? or may not the diuell rather say ; These are my sonnes ; for I made them these coates ? But my speech of these vanities rather craueth a reformation then any imbittering ; and therefore praying all humorists in apparell to consider betimes , and before the decree which is gone forth , be sealed with some notable iudgement , what God by Zephans hath threatned against all that are clothed with strange , that is , monstrous garmets ; which is that he will visit for them , by a cutting off of man and beast , Zeph. 1.8 . I leaue , what might be further spoken , to consideration , and come to a second vse . Vse . 2 For , if intemperance in apparell be censured by the word ; then it is not true that the Scripture medleth not with apparell , neither hath any measure to make it by : for the holy Ghost ( as hath beene shewed ) doth in it , send vs a most fit measure for all the garments we put on . And where some , that say to their proud coates and vpstart fardingales , as Saul to Samuel , honour me before this people , 1. Sam. 15.30 . are of opinion that the apparell is not to be regarded , but the heart ; heere we see , that the apparell is the surest shewing signe and inscription of the foolish heart that weareth it . Indeede , the intemperance of all our strange apparell is from our heart ; but when our heart hath once laid it vpon our backe , we may reade an intemperate heart there : and so long as the leafe is greene on the top of the tree , we know that all sappe is not gone downe to the roote . Therefore , when we see such streamers of pride in so many garish tires and attirings of men and women , and of women specially ; we may say there dwelles a proud heart , a vaine heart , a wanton heart , and a heart of no modestie or good stay . Such was the clothing of this rich man ; which is therfore branded by the holy Ghost , vnder the names of purple and fine linnen , and vnder the daily and wanton vse of such pride swolne clothes . Heerein , there is no doubt , but hee offended greatly ; but heerein expresly and principally , that in all this waste and glory of apparell , he was cruell to Lazarus : and in this , he hath but too many followers at this day , who carry all good housekeeping with them in their trunkes to London , or some other great Citie or Towne that they purpose to liue in , and not at the Ephrathah of their owne home , Ruth . 4.11 . And heere it is true which is spoken by one ; that there war neuer good house kept by Gentlemen , since the Tailor measured their land by the yard . So much for the Rich mans clothing , his sumptuous fare followeth .

What , euery day ? and that sumptuously , or choisely euery day ? this was a double sinne : one , that he was giuen so much to his bel●y ; another , that he was giuen so continually to it : one that he fed so curiously and daintily ; another , that he fed so , not at certaine times , but daily : and by such filling of the belly with meates , and stuffing of the head with drinkes , made himselfe altogether vnfit for any good duti●s in his calling . I doe not say but the cup may sometimes ouerflow : and that a Christian may be more cheerefull , and feede more liberally at one time , then at another . For , euen Christ at a marriage in Cana , approued a more liberall and full diet , then at another time hee would haue done , Ioh. 2.9 . But how doth this iustifie that fulnes of bread which was Sodoms , and this rich mans sinne ? Ezech. 16.49 . Or , how doth it warrant at any time , any eating out of Gods feare ? and if no such eating at any time , how much lesse then any comonnes this way ? Two things therefore are reproueable in this voluptuous rich man . The first , that he was so curious for his belly : the second , that he was euery day so , for which his soule is in hell .

Out of both which we learne , Doctr. 1. that all abuse of meates and drinkes to excesse , is a sinne to hell . In the 13. Chapter to the Romanes , the Apostle of the Gentiles , Saint Paul , hauing exhorted such beleeuers at Rome as had put on the armour of light , to keepe the path of life ; saith , Not in gluttony and drunkennes : as if he had said , these are out of your way to saluation : walke therefore honestly , that is , in temperance , and not in these , if you meane to be saued , Rom. 3.13 . From whence it must needes follow , that they offend to damnation , who drinke as much as a Horse , and not so soberly as hee : and who make it their exercise to eate and drinke : eating as beasts , who eate all the day and part of the night . But the same Apostle speaketh plainely as much , Phil. 3.19 . telling the Church to which he there wrot , that their end is damnation , whose belly is their God . For , these are the vncleane hogges that the Diuels of intemperance enter into , and carie with violence into the great deepe , Luc. 8.33 . So Esau , louing his belly so much , and the blessing so little , is sir-named prophane , or one that could not be saued , Hebr. 12.16 . And , what doth our Sauiour meane , Luc. 2● . 34 , so carefully to forewarne his disciples and followers with a take heede , that your hearts be not ouercharged with surfetting and drunkennes ; if he had not held these to be strong lets to saluation ? They that are maried to these ; say not as the other ghests did , who refused to come to the great supper of Christ ; I pray thee haue vs excused ; but without all blush of shame , we haue married wiues , and therefore we cannot come : Luc. 14 20. That is , we will neither be good nor seeme good . And for this , some haue not vnfitly compared our Tap houses and Tauernes ( as men vse them now ) to the lawe of the asse in Sampsons hand , which laid the Philistimes heapes vpon heapes , Iudg. 15.16 . For the world hath slaine his thousands , but these haue slaine their ten thousands , 1. Sam. 18.7 , and not with a mortall wound , but with an immortal to eternall death . But that all abuse of the creature to excesse is a sinne to hell , may further bee proued .

The reasons . For ( first ) it is a waste of the good creature , abusing that to sinne which might haue comforted many , perhaps , haue saued the liues of some . And what are such but theeues to their brethren , Prou. 3.27 , and murtherers of their brethren , and themselues ? He that robbes a man of that which is his , is a theefe : And such theeues are they that eate the poore , that is , that which is theirs , at their tables of excesse . So hee that keepes away the oile from the lampe , puts it out as well as he that quencheth it with water : and such are they , who deuoure that bread which is the poore mans life : their hand is in his blood as well as theirs , who oppresse him to death by taking away his bread . Now , doe theeues and murtherers offend to damnation : and doe not voluptuous theeues , and murtherers offend so too ? Secondly , such an abuse of the creature oppresseth the heart with surfetting and drunkennes : and how can the heart so oppressed , and person liuing in such a trade of exceeding , looke to be saued ? Thirdly , it is flat idolatrie , making the belly a God . Old idolaters turned the image of a beast into God , and these new , turne the image of God into a beast . But idolatrie is a sinne ; and are not idolaters sinners vnto hell ? Fourthly , it is a chaine to adultery to drawe it in . For such eaters in excesse , and drinkers out of measure cannot be (b) (b) Prou. 23.30.33 . chaste persons ; or there is no sleeping in these , and watching against adultery : and who can lay on more fewell but hee shall haue a greater flame ? Ier. 5.8 . Now , cannot adulterers without repentance be saued ? and shall not that that maketh adulterers , be a sinne to damnation ?

Heere we see in what a fearefull state they stand of wretchednes , Vse . 1 and perdition from God , who follow that cursed fellowship which men call good fellowship . For whither doth it leade the followers , but to the house where the dead are ? Prou. 9.18 . Death is in the pot : 2. King . 4.40 . Hell and death in their drunken pots : but if we will not be damned with such mates , we must not follow their damnable wales ; that is , their pottes of excesse , and pipes of smoke : and where such liue to eate , we that would not be iudged such , must eate to liue to God . There are many Esaus now , and their number is without number that hunt all for the belly in the wide field of an Epicurish-life : but we must be of another number , and follow another course that meane to follow the Lambe , or to be the first fruit●s to God , and to Christ : Apoc. 14.4 . And we that haue the hope of the Saints , must separate from such , alwaies in affection , and as much as wee may in body ; selfe , as we delight in their company on earth , we must looke to beare them company in hell . Let them consider this , who can take no such delight in the fellowship of the Saints , as they take pleasure in the large fellowship of those drunken companions , who like a spreading canker infect Towne and Countrie . It may be , if we runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riot , or be not combined in fellowship with them , when they thus poure out their heart to wickednes , they will speake euill of vs , 1. Pet. 4.4 : yet let vs turne from such , if we would not be turned into hell with them , and with this rich man , one of the companie : for better be euill spoken of for good deedes , then well for bad .

A terrour to all that make it their trade to eate and drinke in excesse : Vse . 2 for such offend to eternall death . In the dayes of Nee they ate , they dranke , that is , they did both excessiuely : Luk: 17.27 ; and as they were drowned in such excesse , so they were in the waters that tooke them away . So Sedom , burning with such lusts , was burnt with fire , and burneth now in hell fire , Iude. 7. Christians are called to serue in the hall , not in the kichen ; to serue God , and not that which carnall men make their god , the belly . We must put on the Lord Iesus Christ , Rom. 13.14 : and shall we thinke to put on him , and to keepe on flesh ? The body is but the garment of the soule : and is the garment better then the body , the body then the soule ? Or is not the body more worth then raiment ? and so the body lesse worth then the soule , being but the raiment of it ? Why then is there so much care for the belly to feede it , when the soule is so little cared for , to saue it ? specially seeing that in such care of our bellies , and little care of our soules , we can haue no hope to be saued ? Let them consider , who giue their time and soules to this vngodly loue of meates and drinkes in excesse . There are that gather by the Omer , and eate by the Ephah ; Exod. 16.36 , that is , where one dish were inough , they must haue tenne : and plaine Maister Nabal must feast like a King , 1. Sam. 25.36 . Though there was oddes betweene Beniamins messe and his brethrens , fiue for one : Gen: 43.34 , yer now men fare but coursely , except they fare better , or as well , as farre their betters doe . The sinne of Eli his sonnes hath taken hold vpon these dayes , wherein the custome of our temperate Ancestors is not kept . For meane persons are not contented with sod flesh : they must haue Manna and Quailes , sod and rosted too , or they fare not well . 1. Sam. 2.15 . In our quaffing cuppes , we sacrifice to health , and speake of healths , when we prepare for nothing lesse , and the contrarie followeth ; wherein we doe as some of the heathen did in the daies of sacrifice to their idols for health : for sacrificing for health , they banqueted drunkenly to the preiudice of their health . But take we heede of the pottage so red , Gen. 25.30 , that is , of the wine when it sheweth red in the cup , Prou. 23.31 : and of our morsells when they baite vs with their pleasantnes in the dish , least with Esau ( that was prophane , and a cunning hunter of these things ) we thinke the time long , till we haue eaten and drunke away the blessing . One telles a tale of a certaine Bird , which hath the face of a man , and yet is so fierce of nature , that sometime in her hunger she will prey vpon Man . This Bird ( saith my Author ) comming to the water to drinke , and seeing a face in it ( which is her owne ) like the face of that Man which before she deuoured ; in great sorrow for one slain by her so like her selfe , she neuer after either eats or drinkes , but beates herselfe to death . I will not iustifie the tale : but me thinkes all drunkards and great deuourers , ( not for any want , as that Bird , but for wanton and damnable pleasures ) should conceiue great sorrow ; greater then that Bird did , for killing of one ; not like themselues , but their very selues . Me thinkes , if they would see that face in their cuppes of wine , and glasses of strong drinke , the face of that Christian man , whose graces and vertues , so many in one man , they haue beene the death of ; they could not , ( hauing reason , which the Bird we spake of hath not , and being greater murtherers by farre ) but pierce themselues through with many sorrowes , not to death , but to true life by sound repentance . Or , how can they heare either of a strong man , or a sober man , or a wise man , and not be wounded with stings of horrible feare , in the loude crie of their consciences , telling them that they haue slaine so many men in themselues ? And may they not say : of wise , we haue made our selues fooles ; of strong , weake ; of sober by calling , drunken and more then brutish by the custome of sinne ? But when they shall enter into meditation of a farre worse estate , by such lusts in the body cruelly pulled vpon them to damnation , if God be not mercifull to them ; nay if they be not mercifull to themselues to weepe presently and bitterly for all their vnsober conuersation , and turne to God , in a iust hatred of a course of life so murderous and vngodly : I say , when they shal thinke rightly of their estate so pittifull and terrible , caused by themselues ; how can they but be amazed with a horrible dread , and so passe the rest of their dayes in feare , that they come not into condemnation ?

But ( specially ) this cruell rich man was condemned in that which he did , because he did it with the contempt of the poore . Then , though a man goe not apparelled as this man did , nor fare as he fared , that is , sumptuously or choisely euery day : yet , if with him , he forget to stretch out his hand to the needy , he may be damned as he was : though he haue not that which he had , yet if he lacke that which he had not , namely , the care of the poore , he may goe to hell . For , there are more waies to hell then one : and the vnmercifull , as well as the theefe and murtherer shall goe thither . Not only hee that getteth his goods ill ; but he that spends them ill and wantonly , or holds them in couetously and cruelly , when there is neede of his mercy , shall beare his condemnation , whosoeuer he be . We may see it heere in this rich man : for we doe not reade either that he gate his riches and wealth ill , or tooke any thing by oppression from the poore and Lazarus ; it was sufficient matter to his condemnation in hell , that he did not vse his riches well , and to the reliefe of the poore in miserie .

Where learne againe , Doctr. 2. that Christians ( if they would not be damned ) must not onely not oppresse the poore members of Christ , but relieue , and doe for them in their necessitie , as God hath dealt the measure vnto them of his power and gift to doe it with . For the sentence of the great day proceedeth against the damned on Christs left hand , in this forme of words : Depart from me yee accursed into euer lasting fire . The reason is giuen : For I was an hungred , and yee gaue me no meate : I thirsted , and yee gaue me no drinke : I was a stranger , and yee lodged me not : naked , and yee clothed me not : sicke , and in prison , and yee visited me not . The Iudge doth not say ; I was hungry , and yee tooke away my bread : and thirsty , and yee deceiued me of my drinke : or , I was harbourles , because yee made me so : and naked , for you kept away my clothes . Nor doth he say ; I was sicke , and yee afflicted me , nor yee cast me into prison ; but I was sicke and in prison , and yee came not to me . So the inhabitants of Meroz were accursed ; not for taking part with the enimie , but for not taking the Lords part against his enimies , Iudg. 5.23 . And the axe is laid to the roote of euery tree that bringeth forth no good fruit , though it bring forth no bad , for the cutting of it downe to death & hell , Mat. 3.10 , though Christians , who should be trees of righteousnes in the Church , as it were garden of God , beare no euil fruit , yet if they beare no good , there hangeth ouer their heads an axe of cutting downe : Our good workes cannot saue vs ; but our euill , or want of good , are able to condemne vs . This plea in mans Court , that we haue done no man harme , is good : but it will not hold in that Court , where not onely the euill done is iudged , but the good vndone must be answered for . To this agreeth that prouerbiall speech of Salomon : He that turneth away his care from the crie of the poore , he saith not , he that makes him cry , shal cry himselfe , and not be heard , Prou. 21.13 . That is , though he fall into such miserie as shall make him crie , and that to God and man for helpe ; yet neither God nor man shall helpe him . So it is proued , not only that we should not hurt the poore , if we will be saued ; but that , ( as their needes shall require ) we must helpe them , to our best abilitie , if we will not perish with the cruell that cannot be saued .