woman who when newes was brought her that her sonne was slaine in the warres answered I know saith she that I conceiued a mortall man I once saw this posie written on the Tombe of a dead man to be read of them that liue as I was so be yee and as I am yee shal be But though reason and experience doth teach vs that all must dye euery one can say when he heares a knel there is one dead when he sees a graue here lyes such a one wee see what we are we haue but a time here yet some do make no good vse of it When Alexander bad a Philosopher aske a reward of him for some seruice or pleasure he had done for him the Philosopher said giue me immortality Immortality said Alexander how should a maÌ„ that is mortall giue immortality Mortall said the Philosopher why then art thou so greedy of kingdomes and liuest as if thou shouldest neuer dye therefore God would haue it set downe in the Scripture that it might be a matter of faith aswell as of reason that all must dye both wise men as Salomon and foolish men as Nabal both â—tch men as Iob poore men as Lazarus Marshall men as Joab and peaceable men as the inhabitantes of Laish both ould men as Methuselah and young men as Iosias both tall men as Saul and little men as Zacheus both strong men as Sampson and beaufull men as Absalon and not men onelye but women also as Dorcas and not men and women onely but children also as the Shunamites sonne c. It is not wit wealth strength friendes authority nor any thing that can alwayes preserue a man froÌ„ death who knockes as indifferently at one mans gate as another He that had come to the tombe of Alexander might haue said this great Monarch of the worlde hath mette with his ouer-match Nowe as both reason and religion teacheth that death is certaine so that the time place and manner of dying is vncertaine there is no man knowes the time of his death for although for speciall purpose God dooth reueale it to some as the deuill beeing the executioner of some of Gods iudgements who the Witch raysed vp in the likenesse of Samuel toulde Saul that to morrowe hee should be with him And it is sayde Julius Caesar was warned of the first daye of Marche yet these were extraordinarie and diabolicall things notwithstanding this is ordinarily true in all men that Iacob Gen. 49. saith of himselfe I am olde and knowe not the day of my death Phisitions in the extremitie of some disease can giue a great gesse of others and some that haue beene at the departure of many when they see the countenance waxe pale the lippes waxe blacke the pulse waxe weake or gone the handes and feete waxe colde can giue a neere coniecture that death is not farre of Yet sometimes these gesses doe deceiue them for God brings downe to the graue and raises vp againe Therefore no man knowes the daye of his death till the day come nor the houre of his death till the houre come but when it doth come then it dooth as an enemie indeede assaile the castle of the body and ransack euery corner with terror and driue the vitall partes from one place to another til at the length it doth chase away the soule As the time of death is vncertaine so is the place some dye by sea and some by land Saul dyed in the field Eglon dyed in his Parlour Ishbosheth dyed on his bed Senacherib dyed in the Temple of his God Ioab at the very Aulter the Infants of Bethelem dyed in the cradle And as the time and place is vncertaine so is the manner some dye in peace and some dye in warre as Ionathan some dye by Beares as the children that mocked the Prophet Elisha some dye by Lyons as the young Prophet that disobeyed the worde of the Lorde some dye by the stinging of Serpentes as many of the Isralites some by Dogges as Iesabell some dye by Wormes as Herod some dye by surfetting as those that dyed with the Quailes betweene their teeth some die by famine as at the siege of Ierusalem some dye by violent winds as the children of Iob some by fire as the captaines their fifties some by the water as Pharaoh and his hoast some by swallowing of the earth as Corah Dathan and Abyram some dye by the Angel of God as the first borne in Egipt some die by the handes of euill men as Stephen who was persecuted for righteousnesse and some by the hands of good men as Shemai who hauing rayled vpon Dauid was executed by Salomon some dye by their owne handes as Ahitophel some die by the hand of God immediately and extraordinarily as Ananias and Saphira some dye by the hand of God mediately and by ordinary diseases some dye suddenly as Ezechiel saith When the people were gathered in a great assembly Pelatia the sonne of Benaza dyed and as those that dye of pestilent Feauours Quinsies Plurisies c. some dye of lingring sickenesses as Paulsies Dropsies Consumptions some dye of excessiue affections passions of the minde some of sorrow as the Apostle saith Worldly sorrow causeth death some dye of feare as Eli when tydings came that the Arke was taken hee fell downe and brake his necke some dye of greife as it is saide Hâ—meâ— did because hee could not answere a riddle that certaine fisher men propounded vnto him some dye with ioy as it is reported of Sophacles because in a prize of learning he got the victory of his enemies some dye by little things as it is saide that a little gnat choked a Pope of Roome Auacreon had his breath stopt with a Raysenstone Lucia dyed with a Needle which her sucking childe smote into her brest Although there bee but one way to bee borne yet there bee moe wayes to dye Now as God hath taught vs that mans dayes are numbred he must dye so he hath taught vs mans dayes are but a small number he must dye shortely Iob saith Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue Paul coÌ„pares mans life to a tabernade 2. Cor. 5. or shed of bowes that stands but a short time the Prophet Esay compares mans life Esa 1. 40 to grasse that standes but a Summer and in the same chapter he compares it to a flower that hath but his moneth In the fift verse of this Psalme it is compared to a sheepe that hath but his night Iob compares it to a shadow that hath but his houre in the 9. verse of this Psalme Moses compares it to a thought whereof there may bee no lesse then a hundred in an houre yea so fraile iâ— mans life that it may abide any extenuation in the worlde We may be compared to certaine small flyes which are bred by the Riuer Hispanis that in the morning are bred at noone are in their full
that can recompence this paine looke of this ritche man who sometime sported himselfe in his sinnes and forgat himselfe of his duties now hee lyes crying out of his paine and desiring release of his miseries and cannot haue it hee may bee compared to a Kings sumpter Horse who all daye goeth loaden with gould and siluer but at night his treasure and trappings are taken from him and he is turned into a foule stable hauing nothing left him but his galled backe So such wicked men that are all their life braue and wealthie but when they dye those things are laide aside and they are turned into the prison of hell hauing nothing left them but their galled conscience It is said being in hell in torments Hee lift vp his eyes and sawe Abraham c. all that follow to the end of the chapter as I saide in the beginning are Parabolicall speeches seruing to amplifie the miserie of this man for it was a great increase of his torments to see Lazarus so exalted and himselfe so cast downe As it was a great vexation to Haman to see Mordecai sitte Hester on the Kings Horse in royall apparrell and himselfe to hould his Stirrop It did much increase this mans torment that hee must begge of Lazarus that had beene his begger and that a droppe of water which was a lesse almes then the other had begged of him and could not haue it it was a great increase of his torment to heare of his faults now when hee could not amend them and to heare of Moses and the Prophets that had shewed him the waye to preuent this miserie and he did not regard them It was a great increase of his miserie to heare that Lazarus was comforted when hee was tormented it was a great increase of his torment to heare that the barre of Gods eternall predestination had so bound him that hee could neuer bee remooued from his condemnation and that Gods election had setled Lazarus in a permanent and happy condition This did greatly increase his miserie that in his life time he had many seruants at commaundement and now no body would doe any thing for him no not the begger in this life he might haue riden or gone whether he would but now hee was bound hand and foote and could goe no whether in this life hee might haue taught his brethren and friends any thing but now hee could doe them no good In this life if hee would haue made an earnest prayer to God for a greater matter hee might haue had it but nowe it was too late the time of mercie was past the time of iustice was come therefore saith the Scripture To daye if yee will heare his voyce harden not your hearts it was to daye with Pharao when Moses and Aaron preached to him it was to morrowe when he was drowned in the Red sea It is to day with men while they liue here and may repent of their sinnes and amend their liues it will bee to morrowe when they are gone from hence for as the day of death leaues vs so the day of doome shall finde vs as we see in this mans example Which glasse let all ritch men looke on and see how it is runne out A Iem for Gentlemen DEVTRO 16. 18. Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Citties which the Lord thy God giueth thee thorow-out thy Tribes and they shall iudge the people with righteous iudgement 19. Wrest not the lawe nor respect any person neither take rewarde for the rewarde blindeth the eyes of the wise and peruerteth the words of the iust 20. That which is iust c. that thou mayest liue o. AFter the Lorde had brought the people of Israell out of Aegipt he prescribed thē laws for gouernement and here he willes them to apoint officers to execute them and not in some few places but thorowout all their Citties and Tribes and commaunds those who shall bee chosen for officers to rule and iudge according to trueth and iustice and because they should haue many temptations to doe otherwise he giues them warning of three vices that are most incident to their calling as wresting the lawe respecting of persons and taking rewardes Last of all hee makes a promise to those that gouerne according to this direction they shall liue which hath included in it a secret and contrary threatning to those that doe not they shall dye Whereas God commaundes them to appoint Iudges wee may see that maiestracie is not an ordinance taken vp by the will of man but by the will and commaundemente of God The chiefe maiestracie belongs to God himselfe who is called the King of Kings Lorde Gen. 18. of Lordes and Iudge of all the worlde as appeares by punishing the Angels before Iude. there were any gouernours vppon earth and as appeares by punishing some gouernours for fayling in gouernment as Saul Ieroboham Ahab c. Paul sayth There is no power but of God and Rom. 13. the powers that bee are ordayned of God Therefore hee willeth Christians to bee subiect to them for conscience to paye tribute to them and to praye for them and the Apostle Iude reprooues those that 2. Tim. 2. dispise them and speake euill of them Againe in that God commaunds them to choose Iudges it shewes the necessitie of Maiestrates and not onely among Heathens as the Anabaptistes would haue it but also among Christians in the church as this precept was giuen to Israell and therefore Esay the Propher calles Kings Esa 49. 23. Foster-fathers and Queenes Nursing-mothers of the Church for although there bee some godlye men and women in the Church whose consciences are a lawe to themselues yet there bee also many hipocrites that haue no conscience and although Maiestrates are not so necessarie to restraine the godlye from hurting other yet they are necessarie and needefull to restraine other from hurting them There bee many faultes that God doth not punish himselfe immediately in this worlde especially with apparant punishments but dooth turne them ouer to his Liefetenants and Maiestrates Indeede if sinne had not come into the worlde there should not haue beene so much neede of Maiestrates to bridle men from iniquitie and spurre them to dutie but since pride enuie hatred couetousnesse and such corruptions came into mans nature it was necessarie there should bee authoritie in some to suppresse disorders In the booke of Iudges it is said When there Iudg. 20. was no Maiestrate euery one did that was good in his owne eyes then Micha had a Teraphin then the Beniamites defiled the Leuites wife to death and so it would be now if the feare of the Maiestrate did not restraine the most for the feare of God doth restraine but a fewe it were better to liue vnder the cruellest tyrant in the worlde then in an anarchie where there is no gouernement for then euery one would bee a tyrant It is better saith one to
opened the dore of the prison and the gate of the Citty therefore it is Acts. 12. saide they pitch their tentes round about those that feare God also as they minister Psalm 34 to the Saints dyuersely while they liue so when they dye to carry their soules into the place of ioye therefore Doctor Fulke when hee dyed made this peticion Lorde send thine Angell to fetch awaye my soule But whether did the Angelles carry Lazarus it is saide into Abrahams bosome he that in his life could not be admitted into ritch Diues his house but was faine to lie at the gate with the dogges at his death is taken into ritch Abrahams bosome where Diues might not come the Papistes say by Abrahams bosome is ment Limbus patrum or place of custody where the fathers were kept from the beginning till Christ came and fetched them out but by Abrahams bosome is not ment their fayned Limbus Patrum but the kingdome of heauen as our Sauiour Christ saith in another place Many shall come from the East and from the West and sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdomâ— of heauen when the childreÌ„ of the kingdome shal be cast out Lazarus was not in a place of custody but of felicity he was comforted if any shal aske why it is called Abrahams bosome he must know the Scripture giues it dyuers names sometime it is called the presence of God Salomon Eccle. 2. saith The soules of the righteous goe tâ— God that gaue them Sometime it is called Paradice as our Sauiour saith to the theefe on the crosse This day thou shalt be with Luk. 23. me in Paradice A place of honour and pleasure after thy sorrow and shame here he calles it Abrahams bosome because it is the rewarde not onelye of Abraham himselfe the father of the faithfull but of all his true seede and the rather because hee speakes to the Iewes who all bosted they were the children of Abraham but Christ by this example teaches them that those who are the children of Abraham according to the flesh maye perish for all that as Diues did but those onelye who are the children of Abraham according to the faith shall bee saued If I should remember you againe of Lazarus his former misery when he laye full of sores at the ritch mans gate and should compare it with his present felicity I should but lead your mindes into admiration with the strange difference If we see a great man in his working day cloathes we thinke him no body and little regard him but if wee obserue him in his holy daye robes we do make more reckoning of him So consider Lazarus as hee was cloathed with corruption and yee will thinke him worse then the Wormes but consider him as hee is cloathed with incorruption yee will thinke him better then Kinges of Lazarus his former wretchednesse yee may sufficiently conceiue but his present blessednesse yee cannot fully reach for saith Saint Iohn We know what we are but 1. Ioh. 3. it dooth not appeare what we shall be And Saint Paul saith No eye hath seene nor no 1. Cor. â— â—â—re hath heard nor no heart can conceiue the thing that God hath prepared for those that lâ—ue him Wee haue seene manye wonderfull things wee haue heard more wonderfull things and wee may conceaue most wonderfull things but wee neuer sawe heard nor fullye thought of this therefore one sayeth If thou seest any goodlye thing yet saye that is not it for if it were it coulde not enter into thine eye if thou hearest of any excellent thing saye that is not it for if it were it coulde not enter into thine eare if thou doest conceaue and comprehend any excellent thing saye that is not it for if it were it coulde not enter into thy hearte wee cannot conceaue the excellencye of Adams estate in Paradice before his fall which yet was but an earthly happinesse how much lesse can wee conceiue this which is heauenly therefore the Apostle saith We liue by faith and not by sight Yet that we might bee incouraged to walke in the narrow way that leades vnto it and be contented thorow many tribulations to enter into the kingdome of heauen as Lazarus was let vs consider of the excellency of his estate now by comparing it with his former First for the place before hee lay at the ritch mans gate or gate house without a base place for beggers now hee is aduanced not into the ritch mans parlor or into the presence chamber of a Prince no not of the king of China which as it is saide is so set with precious stones that it shines bright in the darke night but into heaueÌ„ it selfe which is called the throne of the king of kings There are three places appointed vnto a man the first is his mothers wombe before this birth the second is this worlde in the time of his life the third is heauen after this death now how much the second doth excel the first so much and much more dooth the third excell the second And as there is a great change vnto Lazarus of the place so of the presence before his companye was beggers yea dogges for it is sayde the dogges licked his sores but now hee was aduanced into Abrahams bosome that is the communion of the Saints and not onely of Saints but also of Angelles and not onelye of Mat. 22. Saints and Angelles but of God himselfe and Christ Iesus the head of the Church as hee saith to his Disciples I goe to prepare Iohn 14. a place for you that where I am there you may be also and as Lazarus and those that bee in heauen doe inioy this company so no other company they haue no more to doe with bad Angelles and bad men and women but with good Angels and good men and women Thirdly marke Lazarus before when hee laye at the ritch mans gate was a base and forlorne person clad with ragges and full of sores But now hee is in an estate of glorye as it is sayde The righteous shall shine as the Sunne which is so gloryous a creature that in some countries they worship it yea the Sunne is inferiour in glory to those that are and shall be glorifyed in heauen Further marke before when hee laye at the ritch mans gate hee was hungrye colde sicke sore and full of payne but now as Iohn sayeth in the Reuelation of all those that are translated into a better life Hee dooth hunger no more thirst no more there is no more sickenesse nor death for the first things are past And it is saide here hee was comforted and not with a small comfort but with vnmeasurable comfort such as Peter saith the Christians that were in fierye tryalles and afflictions did reioyce with ioye vnspeakeable 1. Per. 1. and gloryous in hope of it Dauid in his meditations of it and prayer to God sayeth In they presence is the Psalm
16 fullnesse of ioye for there is nothing to abate our ioye as it is heere seeing the first things are past neyther shall there want any thing that may further our ioye there wee shall beholde more goodlye things then euer wee sawe not onelye the perfect beautye and excellencye of the Saints but the shyning glory and maiesty of God Wee shall heare more pleasant things then euer wee heard As the singing of prayse honour and glorye to God for his wisedome power trueth mercye and goodnesse shewed to the elect and for his wisedome power and iustice to the reprobate with such matter in such order and with such varyetie of voyces great and small of Angelles men women and children flowing from the perfection of that estate as to the which no harmonye in the worlde can bee compared and there are not onelye such comfortable things as the bodye is capable of but also those that shall fullye satisfie and delight the soule largenesse of vnderstanding plentifull remembrance notable and perfect holynesse and righteousnesse Neyther shall there bee any abatement of our comforte by feare of change for these shall bee euerlasting and vnchangeable One saith If a man did know him that should enioye this kingdome hee would kisse the grounde whereon hee treades and salute him with Happye man that thou arte who shalt enioye the presence of God the company of Angelles the fellowshippe of Saints and possesse infinite and euerlasting honour treasure and pleasure happye was the daye wherein thou wert borne and more happye shall bee the daye wherein thou shalt dye for then thou shalt be happy infinitely this is the estate that Lazarus was lifted vp vnto If hee had changed his former poore and base estate to bee like to the ritch man in his pompe and brauerie it had beene a great thing but when he is preferred imcomporably to this high estate of excellencie it passes all speech This is the glory that Paul saith Rom. 8. all the afflictions of this life are not worthy of Therefore our Sauiour Christ saith Blessed are yee when men reuile you persecute Mat. 5. you and falsely say all manner of euill against you for my sake reioyce and be glad for great is your rewarde in heauen which Moses saw by faith and therefore as the Apostle saith Heb. 11. refused to be called the sonne of Pharoes daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioye the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the rebukes of Christ greater ritches then the treasures of Aegipt for hee had respect to the recompence of rewarde The ritch man also dyed Where we see the saying of the Prophet verified All flesh is grasse and the glorie thereof as the floure Esai 40. of the fielde Not some but all flesh not the flesh of the poore onelye but of the such also Dauid in the person of the Lorde speakes of great men saying I haue saide Psalm 82 yee are Gods but yee shall dye like men and fall like one of the Princes meaning that are gone the difference betweene men serues but for this life as in a cast of counters one hath the place of one thousand pound another of a halfe penny but shuffle them togeather and there is no difference and all of them are not worth a groate Nabuchadonazer Iulius Caesar Phillip of Spaine and all the great men that haue liued formerly in the worlde are dead And the Scripture saith There is not a man liuing that shall not see death this man in his life was like to a man that playes on a stage for an houre in kingly robes but when his part is played hee is turned into his Canuas dublet Now what did all his possessions auaile him when a little peece of ground of fiue foote must containe him what did his stately house profit him when a smale and base coffin of boordes must hould him what did his braue apparrell helpe him when a Linnen sheete must windo him what did the pampering of his bodye pleasure him when the Wormes must eate him and what did his delicate fare and sweete meate bring him but sharpe and sowre sawce weâ—l all his wealth could not buie of death for it is said he dyed Hee was buryed There is no mention made of the buriall of Lazarus it may be he was not buryed at all because hee was poore and loathsome but it is no matter to him for wheresoeuer the bodies of godly men are bestowed they shall bee found out at the resurrection and glorified in heauen But this man because he was ritch was buried and it is like in stately maner as the fashion is now with a Harrald of Armes mourning gownes and a painted Tombe but it is no matter for wheresoeuer the bodies of wicked men are bestowed they shall be called for againe at the last iudgement and be burned in hell But here is no mencion made of any thing hee gaue to the poore at his death neither some ritche men who will giue nothing while they liue yet when they dye will giue some small matter although the poore are beholding to death for that and not to them therefore it might bee wished that such ritche men would dye quickly that there might bee some good done at their death for they do hurt while they liue Yee see the last of him he is buried so many men flante it out in their brauerie and in their iniquitie but the next newes wee here of them they are in their graue But what became of his soule as Lazarus was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome so he was carryed by the deuils into hell for it is sayd he was in hell in torments Wee see many dye and because wee here no more tidings of them wee doe not regarde it but the Scripture and this example telles vs what becomes of them namely that good men are in heauen and bad men are in hell Many men at their death do bequeath their land to such a one their goods to such a one and know not what shall become of themselues but afterwarde they knowe what is become of themselues but know not what is become of any thing else There bee manie like this man that neuer thinke seriouslie of hell till they come there some will say scoffinglie and desperately they will caste fire-brandes there but they shall bee tormented as this man was and crye out for paine and griefe with weeping and gnashing of teeth As his ritches could not buye of death so it could not buie of hell For riâ—ches auailes not in the day of vengeance saith Dauid for though the Prophet saith there bee some wicked men haue made a couenant with death a league with damnation yet he meanes not as if they could doe so indeed but in their owne imagination for it is saide this man was in hell in torments which is the place of all wicked men for saith one If