Chapter XVII. What we may judg will become of those who live wickedly

What therefore shall they then do, or rather what shall they then suffer who have committed wickedness, when they shall hear: Get ye into eternal fire, you who have done no works of Piety? For how shall he be admitted to the Marriage-Feast, who neither girt up his loins that he might abstain from evil, nor held a light in his hand that he might do good: when neither the integrity of Virginity, nor the clarity of Lamps shall be able to excuse the bare want of Oil? Or what torment may we well believe does expect those who in this life do not only bad things, but perhaps the very worst of things; if they who here received good things are so to be tormented, that in the midst of scorching flames they shall not be able to obtain the least drop of cold water to refrigerate their burning tongues? Let us therefore have a care we do no bad things, nor freely offend within the Church, out of a confidence of being included in the net: knowing this, that not all men whom the net shall draw, shall the vessels of the Fishermen receive, but it shall happen when they shall be come to shore, they shall pick out the good into their vessels, but the bad they shall cast away. Nor yet let us be content with this girding of our loins, but let us also light our Lamps, and fervorously work that which is good; remembring that every tree, not only which shall have brought bad fruit, but also which shall not have brought good fruit, shall be cut down, and thrown into the fire, to wit, into that eternal fire which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Let us so abstain from evil that we also do good; let us seek Peace, and not Glory. For that is Gods, and he will not give it to another. My Glory (says he) I will not give to another, Isa. 42. And the man after God's heart, said; Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to thy Name give the Glory, Psal. 123. Let us remember also the Scripture, which says; If thou rightly offers, and doest not divide rightly, thou hast sinned, Gen. 4. Brethren, the division we have made is right and just, let no body find fault with it. But if perhaps somebody may be less pleased with it, let him know that it is not ours, but the Angels. For the Angels first sung, Glory be to God on high, and upon earth Peace to men of good will, Luke 2. Let us therefore keep Oil in our Vessels, lest perhaps (which God forbid) knocking in vain at the Wedding-Gates, now shut, we chance to hear a sad word, the Bridegroom answering us from within; I know you not. Still notwithstanding Death lies not only near impiety, unfruitfulness, and vanity, but also neer the entrance of even pleasure. Wherefore we have need of fortitude against the temptations of sin, that being strong in Faith we may resist the roaring Lion, and with this Buckler manfully repel his fiery darts. We have need of Justice, that we may work that which is good. We have need of Prudence, lest with the foolish Virgins we be rejected. Finally we have need of Temperance, lest indulging to sensuality, we one day hear what that miserable Epicure, when he cried for mercy, after all his Junkets and fine Clothes, heard, Remember, Son, that thou receivedst good things in thy life, and Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented, Luk. 16. ver. 25. In good deed God is terrible in his Counsels about the Sons of men. But if he be terrible, he is also found merciful, whilst he does not hide from us the form of the Judgment that is to be hereafter. For the Soul which shall have sinned, that shall die; and the branch which shall have born no fruit, shall be cut off, Ezek. 18. v. 4. The Virgin which shall have wanted Oil, shall be excluded the Marriage-Feast; and he who shall have received good things in this life, shall be tormented in the other. But if perhaps it happen that in some one all these four things together be found, such an estate is in the highest degree desperate.