And briefly to manifest the mysteries which here are comprised , Refert illos Viegas in Apoc. cap. 10 Andreas Episc. Cesareae in c. 5. Apoc. Act. 1.2 . This Angell according to the exposition of many Authors , is Christ our Lord ; the Angell of the great Councell , or els is one of the blessed Angels which representeth his person , and executeth the office of Legat-ship , as his Imbassadour . He came downe from Heauen , because visibly he is to discend from thence in a cloude shining with great power and maiestie , to iudge the whole world : Howbeit , his comming clothed with a cloud , doth signifie the confusion and turmoile which shall happen as well in those last dayes , as also in that space and time , in which the persecution of Antichrist shall indure : when specially they shall behold those hideous signes and terrible tokens , which are to happen before the day of the vniuersall Iudgement , & are euery moment to expect that fearfull presence of the Iudge . The Raine-bow signifies peace ; and the Fire , wrath , furiousnesse and punishment : and in those two extremities of mans body , which are , the feet , and the head ▪ both the end and beginning thereof ( viz. ) both top & toe , are pourtrayed both the commings of our Sauiour CHRIST into the world . The first was , of meere mercie , to make peace and attonement betweene God and men ; and because of that , for his Escutchion and speciall difference , hee bare vpon his head the Raine-bow of heauen , in token that the Deluge of his former anger , displeasure and passed punishment , were now ceased . And in the latter comming , hee shall come as Iudge , and therefore hee shall carrie feete of fire , which betokens inflexible rigour , and terrible wrath : Ignis ante ipsum praecedet , Psal. 50.3 . saith Dauid , There shall goe before him a consuming fire . The Forme and shape of the Pillars signifies , the mighty strength and force he shall haue , for the execution of his final sentence and last Iudgement . The Booke open in his hand , in respect of his God-head , representeth the eternal wisdom he hath , for the which he appropriateth to himselfe the office of Iudge ; & in respect of his Manhood , it signifieth the absolute knowledge he apprehendeth to vnderstand the worth & worthines of the causes , processe and actions of all the sonnes of Adam , and the scroll or proclamation of the diuine lawe , wherevpon they are to be iudged . The putting of one foote vpon the Sea , & the other vpon the Land , is as much to say , as that he imbraceth , compasseth & comprehendeth all things , sea and land , earth and water ; & that nothing can escape his hands , free it selfe from his power , Psal. 139. ver. 3. & 8. nor be hid from his presence . The roaring , as of a Lyon , signifieth the wrath and vengeance , wherewith hee shall pronounce sentence against the condemned ones . And the solemne oath , signifieth the infallible certaintie & assurednesse he shall haue , in the accomplishment and execution of those things before prophecied , & preached to the people , which in the dayes of the seuenth Angell , when they shall heare that fearefull Trumpet sounding and summoning all the sonnes of Adam to Iudgement , shall ende and finish the Time for euer afterwardes ; and they who made no profit thereof , when they had it , but haue deferred their good works vntill the vttermost day , & last houre of their liues , shall eternally remaine without it . And that publike sounding and proclamation of the Angell , with such and so many circumstances , That on some day Time should ende and cease , & when that should be , is , to giue vs intelligence that wee may vnderstand of what price , value and estimation , and what a great benefite of God bestowed vpon vs it is , that hee hath made vs Lords of the same all the dayes of our liues . And on the contrary , what a great crosse and punishment is it , for othersome to bee absolutely bereaued therof and to haue it quite taken away from them , as a thing by them mispent , and ill imployed .

To manifest what a pretious thing Time shall be , it sufficeth onely to know , that in one instance of time , one may gaine infinite eternitie of glorie . And therefore the Holy Ghost counsaileth vs , Eccli. 4.20 . to preserue and keepe Time , as we doe gold , so shall we depart from euill ; which is , as if he had told vs , that we should vse & imploy it in good works , & not loose the least moment thereof . Againe , he willeth vs to be aduised by the same Ecclesiasticus , Eccli. 14.14 . saying : Defraud not thy selfe of the good day , and let not the portion of the good desires ouerpas thee . One translation hath Particula bonae diei : & others ( as likewise in the vulgar edition ) Boni doni . One while he saith , let no part of the good day ouerpas thee for nought ; another while he saith of the good gift , or desires . The meaning is , to admonish vs , that we spend wel the Time , and the Day , yea all days : for he that can wel order & redres one day may by the same amend and reforme al his life , & in the same , man ought to do all the good he can for him selfe , & for his neighbors , exercising himself in works of Pietie and mercie . King Dauid so much feared to loose the least particle of Time , & so farre indeuored wholy to imploy the same wel , that he striued & contended with the sun , for early vprising to praise God , which at length the king preuented , according to those words , Psal. 11● . ver. 147.148 Praeuenerunt oculi mei ad te diluculo . Early in the morning do I cry vnto thee : Mine eies preuent the morning watch , that I might meditate in thy words : for before the Sun was vp , I was occupied in the same . Which according to the exposition of S. Ambrose , is as much as if more clearely hee had spoken , Rise earlier thou Christian , before the Sun be vp , for I hold it great negligence & carelesnesse most culpable in thee , that the beames of the Sunne when it riseth , should find thee idle and sleeping in thy bed . Thou art ignorant perhaps , that thou oughtest euery day to render vnto God almighty the first fruits of thy toung and heart ? See thou haue a daily haruest , and daily fruite in like maner . And in another Psalme , the Prophet saith , Psal. 77.4 . Anticipauerunt vigilias oculi mei . My eyes preuented , and awaked before the watch-men , and gard of the citie : that is to say , ( as S. Ierome declareth ) before that any body went to watch , or did awake , I awaked and watched at midnight and in the morning , at mid-day & in the euening ; and finally seuen times a day doe I laud my Lorde , yea , alwayes and at all houres haue I his prayses in my mouth . Hee well knew how to obserue Time , hee duely acknowledged what it was , and what stood him auaileable ; & as of a thing so pretious , hee knew how to make profite thereof , without loosing one iot either of the Good day , or of the good gift . Time saith Theophrastus is a most costly Theophrast . expense . Seneca . Epist. 1. And Seneca in his first Epistle ( which hee wrote to his friend Lucilius ) saith thus ; What man is he , that will suffer me to set price on his Time ? How much thinkes hee , is the day worth , admitting that euery day hee were to die ? wherfore we do much deceiue our selues herein , because we fix not our eies vpon death , a great part whereof is already past ; all that of our age & life which yet remaineth behinde , death holdes in possession . Wherfore my deere friend Lucilius , persist still in doing of that which thou thy selfe in thy Letters , didst write vnto me thou doest , being a person that so well knowest the due estimation of Time : imbrace al the houres , so shalt thou depend lesse vppon the morrowe , pointing ( as it were ) this day with thy finger , not permitting the same to ouerpasse thee idlely , for the life ( putting it selfe off with prolonging ) flies away & passeth at random ; And all things els beeing estrainged & alienated from vs , onely Time is ours ; and very naturall reason hath infourmed vs , that we obtaine the possession of a very swift thing , which runneth away so fast , and slideth amaine , yea flyes apace from betweene our hands . The knowledge and discretion of mortall men is so litle and weake , that they impute it a great losse incase they leaue vndone the least vilest thing , or smallest trifle , being indeed reuocable and amendable though pretermitted , none thinkes that hee oweth or is indebted any thing for hauing receiued Time , considering that Time is but one sole thing , which yet the gratefull man can make no due satisfaction for that which he receiued as hee ought , in regard of the high price , and for that the debt is great in vndertaking the day vpon himself . And in his booke of the shortnesse of life , Idem lib. de breuit vitae . he saith : There is no man that will forgoe or part with his patrimonie or substance , nor disinherite himselfe , but rather will keepe it , and augment it : as for Time , and his course of life , hee will with great facility impart and bestow them many times on diuerse vaine things . They are very niggard of their wealth , but for Time they are most prodigall and lauish , when as indeed their honest and laudable couetousnesse , should be onely of Time ; because most truely ( as in the same Booke , then presently after hee saith : Time is the most precious thing that is , and yet for al that , they dispraise it and hold it of no esteeme , for nought , and of no worth ; as though it were right nought indeed , bearing no price at all . Not one makes reckoning of it when they haue it , but if any be sicke , then shall you see bowing of knees & crouching before the Physitian , and if hee feare the sentence of death , that man will waigh him with gold for to ransome his life ,

That blessed holy man , Laurentius Iustinianus , Laur. Iust. de vitae solit. 6.10 . treating of Time and the value thereof , sayeth thus : Who hath that power to comprehend or conceiue in his heart , what a precious thing Time is ? O what grace , eloquence or sweet flowing speach of man is able to declare it ? None knowes it , but such as now want and misse the same . Then all the goods of the world , honours , dignities , and prelacies , the pompe of this age , corporall delights and bodily pleasures yea and all maner recreations , sports and pastimes , ioyes and intertainements whatsoeuer they be , which are vnder the cope of heauen , would bee giuen in boote and exchanged for one houre of Time , if it were possible to bee obtained ; because in this most short space , they would appease the diuine Iustice , they would make glad and reioyce the Angels , they would eschewe from that fearefull sentence of eternall damnation , and gaine ( yea without al doubt they would procure ) life euerlasting . And they are most vnhappie , vpon whom the Sunne of mercie is already set , who most irreuocably shall descend into that lake of miserie , where there is neither order nor good course , Iob. 10.15 . & 22 , but fright and horror perpetuall , and with good reason shall bee denyed of their pardon , because of their contempt and disdaining of Time when it was offered them , who respected neither consideration nor the experience of the validitie and worthinesse of the same , nor yet the great necessitie & lacke therof , which one day they should feele , liuing after the taste of their pallats and proofe of their appetites , as though they should neuer dye . Oh I would to God , that they who imploy the time wickedly , and liue most idlely & securely , did know how to estimat that , which they ouerpasse , and looke without consideration and due regarde . For what thing is it that is more valuable then Time ? what thing more excellent ? what thing more seemly & cheerfull ? what thing of more fruit and better profite ? or what thing more louely , amiable and beautifull ? But out alas ! great dolour , woe and griefe ! There is not any thing more vilipended , nor at least worse respected , nor more basely reputed , nor more indignely , and opprobriously vsed then Time is , whereas indeede men are able to gaine and obtain heaps of eternal reward , in whatsoeuer small portion of Time . Wherefore they who well know the due value of Time , will not ouerslip any space or quantity thereof , be it neuer so litle without some profit , and for which they are to yeeld to God , a most strait account . And the famous S. Bernard saith : Ber. ser. ad Schol. That hee reckoned nothing more pretious then Time ; but in these daies nothing more base nor more contemptible . They let goe the dayes of health , and none considers of them , as though by right and equitie , a man should not be greeued to loose that day which is neuer to returne againe . But let men note , and be assured , that as one haire of the head shall not perish , Luc. 21.18 . much lesse shall anie one moment of Tyme , without rendering good reason & account for the same . Let none of you ( my Bretheren , ) esteeme that Tyme for nought , which you consume away , and spend in idle talke , Words flye away irreuocable , Tyme runnes on irremediable , and the ignorant doth not vnderstand what hee looseth . It is lawfull ( say some ) to chat a litle , and to hold conference till one houre be past , O! but how long will that houre endure ? That very houre , which our Lord hath granted thee to repent , to sue and prosecute for thy pardon , to purchase grace , and to procure glory . O! but how long will that Tyme continue ? That verie time , wherein thou art to procure fauour & mercie of the diuine Pietie , and to make all possible speede to accompanie the Angels , to sigh and desire feruently for that euer-during Inheritance ; to waken that slowe and luke-warme wil , and to bewaile all wicked fellowship and impious iniquitie . Thus farre the Diuine Bernard . I would to God ( saith Bernardine de Sena ) if that traffique and marchandise of Time , Bernardin . tom. vlt. ser. 13. art. 3. & 4. Et tom . vlt. ser. 18. p. 1. princip. might be caried into Hell to be solde ; where for one onely halfe houre , would be giuen a thousand worldes , if they had them . But Time surpasseth all things , that are in the worlde , it is so gainefull , that men enioying the same , may reape and obtaine such grace , as that they may come to possesse and enioy euen God himselfe , goods & treasure infinite . And if the Diuell might obtaine to himselfe but a small space of Time , wherein hee might repent him , then would hee saue himselfe , and recouer that good , which now without remedie he hath lost . That thing is most pretious ( saith the same man ) wherof a small parcell , valueth so much as a great quantitie of another thing : And therefore that is the gold , because that with a litle thereof one may buy manie and large waights of any other thing or mettal ; Considering all which , marke well , what a thing Time is , and how auaileable , in respect that in one instance of the same , if thou knowest how to traffique wel , thou mayest win heauen & life euerlasting in such sort as the good Thiefe hath done .

That holy Arsenius wel knewe the estimation of Time , Dion . Carth. in Opusc . who after he had retired himselfe from his ordinary deuotions , was so greedie in spending the time , that hee was wont to say , That a few houres of sleep was sufficient for a religious minde . And whereas on a time perceiuing himselfe to be stung and conquered of Time hee called it vnto him , saying ; Come , now come my violent enemie , then setting himselfe downe , did sleepe a litle .

And if it be lawfull to speake of Gentiles & Heathen men for the confounding of ill liuers and bad Christians , Plutarch . Plutarch writeth of Marcus Cato censorius , that three thinges hee greatly abhorred . The first was , to repose secrets in women , The second , To go by water , when one might trauaile by land . And the third was , that hee should ouerpasse any day , wherin some good were not done . Plinie the great , seeing one day a Nephew of his , walking for pleasure , sore chid and reprehended him , saying , well thou mayest doe , not to loose them houres . Sertorius the Proconsull & Capitaine generall of the Romaine Forces , Plutarch in Sertorio . at such time as hee was forced to redeeme and buy his Passage for money of certaine barbarous people , some of his company murmured , and took that action in verie ill part , for that it appeared vnto them , as Tribute giuen by the Romains , he made them this answer , I haue neither redeemed nor bought any other thing saue onely Time , which is a Treasure most pretious of all the best and richest thinges that are in the eyes of the most greediest , and most couetous persons that be : To conclude then , if the Heathen haue so reputed & thought of Time , how much more ought a Christian man to estimate thereof , considering that in and by Time , hee may gaine eternall wealth and endlesse glory .