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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70241	The vanity of man at his best estate, and the vanity of Dives, his desire when at his worst viz. to have a preacher sent from the dead to his fathers house / discoursed of in two sermons, the first before the University of Oxon, the other at Ayno in Northamptonshire, at the anniversary for the foundation of the free-school there, by T.H., B.D., sometime rector of Souldern in Oxfordshire.	Hodges, Thomas, d. 1688.	1676 (1676)	Wing H2325; ESTC R38792	37,311	52

Leviticus chap. 9.9.14 Stella upon Luke Chap. 11 v. 29. and Erasmus upon the first Epistle to the Corinthians the 13 Chap. and 13 verse 4. If the power of Miracles should be continued in the Church most probably it would be exerted for the conversion of infidels and consequently the gift of languages should be given to them now a days who are sent to preach to the Indians or other heathens but we have no sufficient or credible witnesse or testimony that those preachers of late times or for many years have had or ever have been endued with the gift of languages Again doth Abraham in heaven direct to Moses and the prophets as above-said 2 Vse of Confutat Coufut 1. Of the doctrin of the Papists then this may serve to confute the Doctrine and practice of the Church of Rome their Doctrine in exalting the testimony of the present Church above the Authority of the holy Scriptures the judge and touch-stone of the Church Our Saviour said to the Jews you have one that accuseth you even Moses in whom ye trust John 5.45 't is observable that Abraham takes no notice of any infallible judge or interpreter of Moses and the Prophets In this the Papists out-wit the scribes and Pharisees when they disputed with Christ yea they out-do and go beyond the devil himself that old subtil serpent when he tempted our Saviour for when our Saviour quoted Scripture neither the pharisees nor the devil ever thought of replying I but who must interpret the Scripture who must be judge it belongs not to thee to reade them much lesse to interpret Scripture this belongs to the Jewish Church who is the only supream judge of Scriptures and of controversies Again hence we may see Confut. 2. Of the practise of the Papists that the Papists erre in withholding the Scriptures from the Laity what an unreasonable and unrighteous thing is it that Gods children must not be permitted to reade their fathers will without the licence of man first had and obtained for their so doing Abraham saith they have Moses and the Prophets let them bear them 3. Hence then we may be exhorted greatly to prize and value the Scriptures the Bible as the book of books 3 Vse Of Exhortat Exhort 1. as a cabinet of most rich and precious jewels as a fountain of water of life as a fiery pillar to lead us through this wildernesse to Canaan 2. And let us blesse and praise God for his word Exhor 2. how highly did David esteem the holy Scriptures how doth he magnifie them and yet he had but a third part of what we have now and if Moses applauded the Jews happinesse when he had finished his Pentateuch if he accounted the law as the inheritance of the congregation of Israel and as 't is in the Psalm he hath not dealt so with any Nation neither hath the heathen the knowledge of his law how should we prize and praise and blesse God for the law and Gospel the whole Canon of the Old and New Testament and let 's know this that our best way of praising God for the Scriptures will be to reade study meditate on them but above all to conform our hearts lips lives to the rules and precepts contained in them doubtlesse obedience to the law is the best way to honour both the law-giver and the law To draw towards a conclusion From the text and context the parable of Dives and Lazarus we may learn many useful and profitable lessons such as these 1. That rich men must give an account how they have laid out their riches rich men are stewards and it is requisite in stewards that they be found faithful they must not lay out their Lords money upon themselves their own backs and bellyes and let the poor such as Lazarus their fellow-creatures and fellow-servants and their own brethren to starve at their gates manus pauperis the saurus Christi And rich men must cast into Christs treasury of their abundance 2. That rich men must be careful not only not to hurt the poor but to relieve them they must not be Dives's to do good to themselves only but like the good Samaritan do good unto them that are in necessity and in extremities Dives is blamed and condemned not for taking away from the poor by oppression or injustice but for not communicating to poor Lazarus in his necessity in his extremity 3. That men may sin in the misuse of lawful things of outward comforts and enjoyments purple fine lynnen delicate fare Musick were all lawful to be used but Dives did not use them lawfully In licitis perimus omnes we must not use our lawful enjoyments unseasonably nor excessively nor make every day a Feast-day We must not forget the afflictions of Joseph in the prison nor themiseries and necessities of Lazarus at our Gates 4. That good men may have evil things in this life and evil men good things Dives had his good things here and Lazarus his evil things I know this is a bard saying who can bear it This is it that hath troubled heathen philosophers Jewish Rabbies and the Doctors of the Christian Church yea that it was malis bene and bonis male hath been a trouble to some of the best men in the Scriptures to Job to Jeremy to David to Habakkuk but let 's not judge of Gods works till he hath finished them wait but a while and thou shalt see a Dives in hell and a Lazarus in Abrahams bosome and then God will be cleared and justified and all the world will become silent before God 5. That some men are more kinde to their dogs then to the poor some there are who take the childrens bread and give it to the dogs but grudge to give the dogs portion to the children to such I should commend the Example of Amideus Duke of Savoy sometimes chosen Pope but too good a man for so bad an office who shewed a hall full of poor people fed by him daily when it was expected he should have shewed his hounds and said these are the hounds wherewith I hunt after the Kingdom of Heaven 6. That Lazarus received more kindnesse from Dives his dogs then from himself Humaniores saith one fuerunt canes hominibus The dogs were more hospitable then the master or his servants and yet saith one Canis est latrare peregrinos mordere abigere Hospites 't is the property of dogs to bark at to bite strangers and to drive them away not to sawn on guests that are strangers 7. That like master like servants no man gave unto him the master would not give him a bit from his table and the servants would none of them give him a crumb that fell from the table 8. That even Dives in hell seems to have more Charity and kindness to his brethren especially to their souls then many men on earth and in the bosome of the Church he would have used means to save

THE VANITY of MAN At his best Estate AND THE Vanity of Dives His Desire when at his Worst VIZ. To have a PREACHER sent from the Dead to his Fathers House Discoursed of In Two SERMONS the First before the University of Oxon the other at Ayno in Northamptonshire at the Anniversary for the Foundation of the Free-School there By T. H. B. D. Sometime Rector of Souldern in Oxfordshire July 17. Imprimatur G. Jane LONDON Printed by J.B. for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and 3 Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel and at the Bible on London-Bridge 1676. To the much Honoured Mrs MARY FANE Madam THe two following Sermons here humbly presented into your hands may have leave to beg if not pretend a Title to your Patronage The first having been made in a good measure long since upon occasion of the death of that excellent person Sir Roger Townshend Baronet your Vncle and now made seasonable by the late losse of your dear Husband that worthy and nobly descended Gentleman Mr Fane as also of your dear father Mr Cartwright a great losse both to his Family and Countrey your Husband deceasing in the morning and your Father about the Noon of his age The second Sermon may plead for your acceptance also upon this accompt that it was not long since preached at Ayno upon the Anniversary for the foundation of the Free-school there by your Grandmother and God-mother Mrs Mary Cartwright late Lady of that Manour Madam should I be censured for this Addresse to you your birth at Soulderne when I was Minister there my Obligations to your Husbands Family as also to your Father Mother and Grandfather Cartwright with other of your Relations shall be my Apology So with my hearty prayers to God for you that you may go on in the good ways of your educations and that although you are left Husbandless Fatherless and Motherless yet that neither you nor yours may ever be left Friendless helpless or comfortless but that he would please to be a comforter a Friend a Father a Husband to you and that you may be the blessed of the Lord and your off-spring with you I humbly take leave and remain Madam Your very humble servant Thomas Hodges June 27th 1676. A SERMON Concerning the Vanity of man even at his best estate Psalm 39.5 Verily every man at his best estate is altogether Vanitie Selah ' T Is usual and useful for Travellers to carry about them Maps or draughts of the Countries through which they travel We are all pilgrims and strangers here but travellers as all our fathers were For as they were so are we in this world Let me therefore commend unto you this Psalm to carry along with you in your bosomes to have often in your eyes It is a little map of the lesser world man and of the greater world what it is or can be to man 'T is a true perfect map drawn and coloured by the pen of the Royal prophet David as his hand was held and guided by the Holy Ghost 'T is possible that it may and my prayer is that it might prove of singular use and benefit to us in this world that we lose not our way that we lose not our selves in this forrein countrey T●… text 't is the marrow and quintessence 't is the great lesson of this Psalm 't is the sum of the whole book of Ecclesiastes 'T 〈…〉 and prophesie of Solomons experience 'T is the 〈…〉 Prophets text upon which the son the King-Preaent Solomon made after wards that Sermon or Comment that excellent piece the book of Ecclesiastes Here 's magnum in parvo much in a little a description of two Wordls in two or three Words yea here 's the universe All as it were in Nothing all briefly comprehended in this one word Vanitie 'T is thought it was Absoloms conspiracy that occasioned Davids penning this Psalm David before this when the house of Saul was layd in the dust thought that surely his Mountain was so strong that it could never be moved but behold on a suddain a viper in his own bosome an Absalom that seeks the death of him that gave him life and after he had driven h●s father from his Royall palace and City consults to assemble together all Israel to whatsoever place or City wheresoever they could finde him even to bring ropes to that City and to draw it into the river untill there should not be one small stone found there 2. Sam. 17.12 13. And now the sweet singer of Israel changes his tune to this sad note in the text Verily every man at his most fined or setled estate is altogether Vanity Selah And although we should suppose or grant as some do that the prophet David uttered these words out of his impatience yet the words for the matter of them hold forth the same truth with many other Scriptures see Job 14.1 and 16.22 and 34.20 Eccles 9.12.1 Corinth 7.29 31. Psal 89.48 and ' Psa 90 10. and especially the 11th verse of this Psalm where the same prophet repeats the same thing for substance that he doth here saying again Surely every man is vanity Selah And if Kings and Princes and great gallants of the world should reply to the prophet some what like that of Festus to the Apostle Paul Acts. 26.24.25 David thou art beside thy self much affliction hath made thee mad the Prophet might return in the like manner as the Apostle there did I am not mad most noble Princes but speak forth the words of truth and sobernesse Surely man is vanity Adam is Enosh or Abel Abel Enosh Benoni are fit names for every son of Adam Every man is vanity high and low together Greek and Barbarian wise and unwise bond and free Further every man is altogether vanity Every man or all man is all vanity Man was a model and compendium of the worlds creation in its perfection and beauty so he is now too of it in its corruption and vanity Cum inanimis saith one subjacet mutationi corruptioni cum animatis alterationi morti cum sentientibus laetitiae moerori cum Angelis inconstantiae c. i. e. Man like the inanimate creatures or those creatures which are without life is subject to change and corruption like animate or living creatures he is subject to alteration and death like sensitive creatures he is subject to joy and sorrow and like the Angels namely those that left their first station he is subject to inconstancy and folly Lastly every man at his best estate at his most fixed most setled estate when living when most lively lusty healthy rich honourable when most happy parmanent for the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very diversly rendred by translators even then is he altogether vanity omni ex parte or quoad omnia or modis omnibus vanissimus est as some interpret Mens lives are uncertain their afflictions are unsatiable and disorderly their enjoyments transitory their beauty their greatness

places many have are not great enough for their spirits and this is vanity 3. And as for pleasures they are vain things which perish in the using short sweets and oft bitter sweets all pleasures are bu t vanity and sinful pleasures are or one day will prove vexation of spirit Momentaneum est quod delectat aeternum quod cruciat what a hell is it to think that a moment hath swallowed up that pleasure which can never return and if not prevented of in time will inevitably bring eternal damnation 4. All these outward good things are vain there is no satisfying good in them happinesse is not to be found in these enjoyments Can a man gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles no more can we gather happinesse from the creatures These whilst enjoyed are not the souls good things He was a fool that thought so and this saying was his folly and whereever the Gospel shall be preached this his vanity and folly shall be remembred Luke 12. the soul cannot thrive on these husks not on the winde like Ephraim or on the air like the Chamelion The heart of the wicked which feeds on winde or air is little worth It was well said by a Reverend Divine that these things Dr. Wh. they are but halfprovision provision namely for the body only and that but for this state for this life after wards the body will have no use of them 5. Again these things they are for use rather then enjoyment even whilst we have them and the time of our using them is but short the time is but short faith the Scriptures God that wheels about the heavens and spins out time for thee as is excellently expressed by a reverend Author ere long will out the thread of thy time the thred of thy life which is for the most part spun out in a thred of vanity and at last will set fire on and burn the wheel it self yea time shall be no more And therefore as our life in relation to its comforts is vanity so in respect of its continuance also 't is a vapour a bubble a shadow a tale a dream Childhood and youth are vanity and old-age often proves vexation of spirit And thus we have shewed you hitherto how vain a thing is man absolutely considered in what he is his nature the faculties of his soul and the perfections of his body in what he doth in what he hath or can have of this world so vain a thing is man taken absolutely 2. We are to consider him in the next place comparatively with respect to his maker and so the whole masse and lump of mankinde they are lighter then vanity and lesse then nothing Esai 40 17. 3. Nor can the sons of men combine together by their relations to secure themselves from vanity Let them joyn hand in hand to build a Tower to reach to the skys to keep themselves from being overflown with the deluge of vanity alas this their attempt and fancy would prove a vanity of vanities there 's a vanity in being alone and there 's a vanity in company since sin came there there 's division now in our greatest union The relation betwixt friends hath this vanity oft attending it men will love tanquam aliquando osuri and the hatred wherewith they will hate afterwards shall be greater then the love where with they loved us In relation 'twixt man and wife there 's vanity and oftentimes vexation of spirit Yea in the society and communion of Saints whilst they are in the body there are disgusts and differences in judgment first and then in affection the society of the Saints I acknowledge is New Jerusalem come down from heaven yet not alway a city Uanity within it self is the best of all societies yet vanity will attend Saints where-ever they go till they are uncloathed of these bodyes whilst they are in the body vanity as a shadow waits on them 4. As man is vanity both considered absolutely in himself and comparatively to his maker and also relatively considered in his several stations so is he all vanity causally that is he is the cause or ground of that vanity which is seen in the inferiour creatures According to that Gen. 3 17 18. Cursed is the earth for thy sake c. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee c. And the like is implyed Rom. 8.19 20 21 22. But of this I shall say no more in this place because I have further occasion to say more of it in the third General And thus having so far explained the main aim of the text for further proof and amplification of the vanity in man and the creatures vanity unto man take but these 3 following De monstrations 1. Take the Judgement of God himself Esai 40.17 Hear what he saith there of all nations all nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse then nothing and vanity yea the choicest pieces of the nations are no better v. 23. he bringeth the princes to nothing he maketh the Judges of the earth as vanity and ch 41 v. 29. Behold they are all vanity their works are nothing and so are their thoughts Psal 94.11 v. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanity 2. Take the Judgment of good men great men and Prophets and wife men of David and Solomon we have the prophet Davids estimate the man after Gods own heart in the text and again v. 11. of this Psalm and a third time Psalm 62.9 Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye they are lighter then vanity And as for Solomon he is a witnesse beyond all exception one that had power and wealth and wit and will to extract the best spirits and the quintessence of all the good things in this world and did actually make experiment of all witnesse his Ecclesiastes and lastly he weighed all in Gods ballance tried all by Gods standard hath Gods Probatum est to his tryal and the Holy Ghosts Imprimatur to his book the sum of all which is briefly comprehended in this saying vanity of vanities saith the Preacher all is vanity and vexation of spirit King Solomon was the great critick-Alchymist of the world who spent many years to distil the world but could not extract a drop of happinesse out of it but seas of vanity boundlesse and bottomlesse wherein he had been drowned had not Jesus Christ lent him his hand had not he walked on this sea and trod under foot all these vanities and come to Jesus his Saviour 3. Study your own experiences reade over the book of your lives that book of four leaves childhood youth manhood old age 〈◊〉 you have lived so long and you 'l finde it written 〈◊〉 and without vanity of vanities all is vanity You may 〈◊〉 and reade 〈◊〉 if God give you grace to open the book and look thereon But if ye should altogether refuse to reade now