it nor be in happines but be troubled still Eccles 7.3 Thirdly the speech of Abraham to the rich man must needes be true which is that Lazarus now dead is comforted Luk. 16.25 But how comforted after death and wherein if hee were not then in pleasures as the other was in paine Therefore the preferment of the godly is great by their happy death Vse 1 Psal 97.11 Here They sowed in teares there they shall reape in ioy Psal 126.5 Here vpon tempestuous seas there at anchor in their owne roade and porte of peace Here in their bondage there in their Iubilee of redemption Here in trauell there deliuered Here taken from the societie of men there admitted into the society of the Angels and of the perfect spirits of iust men Here in their strange Countrey there in their owne house Here liuing by faith there by sight and here absent from the Lord but there in his presence No eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor heart can conceiue what God hath prepared for those that loue him sayth Saint Paul 1. Cor. 2.9 We haue seene many strange things we haue heard of more and the heart that is so large how can it but conceiue more then eyther Eye can see or eare heare of that is not onely more strange but most wonderfull things And yet one speaking of this great glory of the Saints in Heauenly places sayth If thou seest any admirable thing say it is not it for then thou shouldest not see it And if thou hearest of any excellent thing yet say it is not it for then thou shouldst neuer haue it Or lastly if thou canst conceiue as thou mayest some strange thing indeed and passing wonderfull say also it is not it for then should it not enter into thy heart And then can any greater preferment befall the dead in Christ then to bee raysed to that which no eye can see nor eare heare of nor heart mortall conceyue Wee cannot conceyue Adams excellent estate in the earthly Paradise and how then shall wee bee able to conceyue the vnconceyueable happy life of the righteous in the heauenly Paradise of God or if our eyes dazle at the light of the Sunne how will they sinke into their holes to behold the light of the sonnes of God in glory When the Queene of the South beheld the glory and attendance that Salomon had the order of his Realme the array of his seruants the variety of his waiters and attendants their dyet their places their happy life to serue in the presence of so wise a King beeing rauished therewith shee brake forth and sayde Happy are thy men Happy are these thy seruants which stand continually before thee and heare thy wisedome 1. King 10.8 But when the godly shall see with open countenance in whose presence they stand and shall stand euer with what company namely of Cherubims and Seraphims Angels Thrones Dominions Patriarkes Priests Prophets Apostles Confessors Martyrs and all blessed soules in what place to wit the Court of Heauen not Salomons earthly Court how not as strangers like the Queene of the South but as the royall Queene of Salomon married to Christ the true Salomon with the crowne of righteousnesse for euer there to behold the blessed Trinity the Father Sonne and holy Ghost there to bee and liue continually in the presence of God and beautifull countenance of Iesus Christ How can they containe themselues What Halle-luijahs will they sing to God Almighty of his prayse and saluation What ioy will they not conceyue to see the thousands there that prayse the Lord day and night Will they not breake out and say Happy are wee and vnspeakeably happy that shall stand thus before God the Father and the true wisedome of God the true Salomon Iesus Christ his sonne for euer there to heare his wisdome and to behold his glory For the particularities of this place and for the sundry kindes and measures of glory therein I list not to bee curious and what I had to teach thereof by the Scriptures I haue written already in a Sermon (b) The third sermon of life and death on Esay 57.2 onely as one very well sayeth God send vs thither and we will be contented with the lowest roome Yet to say somewhat more and not much of our great preferment in heauen and as it were to set it in our eye for the better raysing of our mindes thither Let vs goe vp with Moses into mount Nebo and see at a blush Deut. 34.1 2.3 4. Apoc. 22.10 and farre off the heauenly Canaan or with Iohn the Diuine into Gods mountaine and with a like quicke but darke sight behold as in some short Carde or Mappe the Ierusalem aboue that wee may withdraw our sight from the Deuils mountaine of things below Math. 4.8 The place is Heauen called by the Apostle The third heauen 2. Cor. 12.2 and elsewhere the Bridegroomes Chamber Apoc. 19.5 Math. 25.10 A very large and princely roome Lightned with the glory of the Lambe Apoc. 21.23 The company good as wee heard and the time of our being there world without end though the company were good yet if the roome were straight and vnpleasant it were nothing and though the roome were large and pleasant the company beeing naught it would little delight a good man And though both were as heart could desire for themselues yet if our time in them were short our departing from them would bee as vncomfortable but here the roome company and time do all three conspire to make our ioy full Psal 16.11 Apoc. 21.25 Further for the happinesse of the soule after death before the body come vnto it at the resurrection the happinesse of it must needes bee great seeing it shall ceasse to sinne and shall bee wholly ioyned to the Lord in truth and neuer displease him any more The knowledge the wisedome the vnderstanding of it darkened here in this mid-vale shall in that cleare firmament receyue a glorious shining by the face of Christ that Sunne of righteousnes It shall bee no more knowledge and wisedome and vnderstanding in part but this in part shall bee done away and wee shall bee absolutely wise absolutely wee shall vnderstand know and loue God absolutely wee shall serue him and keepe an absolute Sabboth to him Heb. 4.9 Esa 66.23 There shall bee no more ignorance of God nor distrust in God no more contempt of Teachers nor neede of teaching no more Magistrate and Subiect Pastor and people for Christ shall bee our Temple Apoc. 21.22 Our foode that is our spirituall foode shall bee The tree of life Apoc. 22.1 Our Teacher and Gouernour shall bee God and Christ themselues for then God shall bee all in all vnto vs 1 Cor. 15.28 not mediately as heere by the Word and Sacraments but immediately without these and directly by himselfe without Magistrate or Minister And for the body when it is come to the soule at the Resurrection what a comfortable meeting
OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARVS Certaine Sermons By ROBERT HORNE LVKE 12.21 So is he that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich in God GALAT. 6.10 While we haue therefore time let vs doe good vnto all men but specially to them which are of the houshold of faith LONDON Printed by Ber Alsop for IOHN HODGETS 1619. TO THE VVORTHY IVSTICE OF CHESTER Sir Thomas Chamberlaine Chiefe Iustice of his Maiesties Councell in the Marches of WALES Right Worshipfull I Haue presumed vnder your worthy Name to send forth a few Obseruations such as they are on the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus A Scripture that may well beset by the Preacher to an age of such fulnesse of sinne as ours is An age and time wherein vngodlinesse Preface to the trunesse of Religion which as the a L. of Plessis once sayde was wont but to whisper men in the eare and lispingly to speake between the teeth doth now most boldly and without all blush of shame with open mouth call vpon both Bench and Pulpit for protection Diues hath many sonnes at this day sprung from his loines of cruelty and the contempt of the poore and for his brethren among vs they be not (b) Luc. 16 28. fiue onely but more then fiue hundred all which liuing in no feare of God or death and impudently in all the deedes of sinne require the sharpest edge of Discipline Gods and mans Therefore and toward the reformation of so many as God shall incline to reade with some conscience the ensuing Discourse I haue to my poore skill done somewhat in this fearefull Parable of Diues That little which is done is according to the Scriptures and humbly commended to your Worship by One that doth loue and reuerence You for the good parts of Iustice and Piety which are noted to be in you by those that know you and appeareth by this that you spare no trauell and accept no faces of men or letters in matters of publike hearing whether in Terme or out And who can but commend this mind of yours in so scarce a world of iust and painefull Magistrates Your piety in Gods matters is testified sufficiently and plainely by your exemplary obedience to Gods Sabbothes where your good affection to the Word in a louing affabilitie to the Preachers thereof is obserued and reuerenced by as many as truly know you And for the integrity of your mind in Court causes you haue as many witnesses as the Court hath eares And indeed how can Iustice badly follow that hath so good fore-leaders I write not this to giue titles onely in your person Sir I desire to stirre vp others of like place to beare you company in so good a way of piety integritie and in corrupt iustice if they be behind Also my desire is by so true a relation of so many good offices and effects of your chiefe Stewardship in the Marches performed among vs by you matters which haue a good report of al men of the truth it selfe humbly to prouoke you to goe forward in this narrow path wherein sofew now walke of sincere and conscionable Magistracy So shal you one day heare this comfortable saying Mat. 25.21 c It is well done good seruant faithfull But I may not say much in the Preface where so little is sayd in the Booke it selfe and therefore to conclude I say good Sir gâ—t ground of the common enemy dayly as I trust you doe and keepe what you get Let no man let nothing pull this hope from you â—nto which you are entred till you haue finished the dayes of your faith here and the Ancient of dayes take you to those dayes of endlesse life which He hath prepared in His Kingdome of glory for all that loue and waite for his comming as I doubt not you doe and pray you may doe so still and with increase that is more and more to the true good of your seuerall charges and the sure good of your own soule for which hee prayeth and will pray Who is Your Worships humbly to be commmaunded for his best in the Gospell ROBERT HORNE From Mrs. Danets house neere Ludlow the 19. of May. 1619. OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARVS Luc. 16.19.20 c. There was a certaine Rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linnen and fared well and delicately euery day c. 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
mans clothing his sumptuous fare followeth And fared sumptuously euery day What euery day and that sumptuously or choisely euery day this was a double sinne one that he was giuen so much to his belâ—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 dutiâ—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. 2â— 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) 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 fruitâ—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
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 The reasons are Euery breach of the commandement deserueth hell and second death Gal. 3.10 and this is one Secondly and more particularly to omit this duty when there is cause and we haue abilitie what is it but with sinne to keepe in our hands that which is Gods part and the poores portion and so to be guilty of both sacrilege against God and robbery against men Prou. 3.27 When God makes vs rich he makes vs but rich Stewards with a charge not to keepe the Maisters goods in our owne hands but to giue them to the proper owners the poore Neither is it robbery onely to neglect this seruice of God to Gods poore but a kind of murther Ecclus. 34.22 or a killing of those by cruelty whose liues we might saue by almes If then either theft or sacriledge or murther or all three deserue death eternall then that which is all the three not to minister to the necessities of Gods poore deserueth it Thirdly the vnfruitfull tree is cut downe for the fire Math. 3 10 and so must all vnfaithfull that is vnworking Christians be for hel-fire A reproofe of those who thinke and say Vse 1 they may doe what they will with their owne where first they are much deceiued by calling that theirs which is their Masters Luk. 16.1 2. For the earth is his Psalm 24.1 and these things that are in it he hath deliuered vnder account to rich men as to his Stewards to lay them out not as to Treasurers to lay them vp or if as to Treasurers to lay them vp yet so to keepe them that they be ready alwaies to bring them outfor the seruice of their Soueraigne and the good of their fellow seruants or if these earthly goods were theirs were it lawfull or reasonable to vse them against the glory of the bountifull Giuer If my Prince should rayse mee to honour were it tolerable were it not vilany to turne it against his Crowne and Honour or if a man should giue mee a dwelling house in the midst of a Towne might I set it on fire because it is mine and may I kill a man with a weapon because the weapon is mine owne wherewith I slew him Did Noah well to bee drunken with the fruite of his owne Vineyard Gen. 9.20 21. And who knoweth not that a man may abuse his owne and that he should doe not all he may but what he lawfully may But to put the matter out of question He that is Lord of all these things of whom wee hold in capite that is in chiefe hath but leased them out to the sonnes of men and hee that is Master of this great house wherein we are but Tennants for liues as hath pleased him to set our terme therein hath committed his goods to wealthy men but with a limitation to vses appointed by himselfe who is absolute may do with his owne what he will Math. 20.15 He is the owner and soueraigne owner of all and we haue but leases in these things from Him and that with certaine reseruations As first that we make no waste or spoile for we may not consume these good things on our lusts Secondly that we performe the Lords seruice keepe his Sabbaths as it were Court-daies and appeare in the assembly when the people come together to worship before the face of Iehoua Thirdly that we doe not denie him his rents the praise which is due vnto his name and when hee sends to vs by the poore his receiuers that we send to him by them the fruits of his owne ground by dealing mercifully with them and not euill entreating them as did those cruell husbandmen in the Gospel whom therefore the Lord of the Vineyard destroied Math. 21.34.35.36 c. For the godly poore are his Baliues and the gatherers of his rents whoÌ„ he sendeth to vs. Fourthly that we acknowledge our homage by submitting to his lawes and the orders of his Court. Fifâ—ly that we abuse not our Lords land and goods to the maintenance of his enimies as they who feede the bellies of the wicked and starue his poore Sixthly that we plucke not vp his quichesets and ioine land to land till there be no more roome Esa 5.8 or place to wit to be taken for our money And lastly that when any seruice is to be done for him in the Church by the Minister and in the common-wealth by the King and his Ministers we giue willingly vnto Caesar his tribute and to the Minister his tithes Failing in these the Lord of our wealth and liues may take these leases from vs and pronounce all the estates we hold of him forfaited and voide by misbehauiour So he dealt with his Steward from whom he tooke away the office and place which he abused Luk. 16.2.3 And it is his great mercy that he doth not in like sort presently enter vpon vs and our estates who haue so often and long by sundry misprisions deserued a casting off Now then let vs giue all these considerations their due respect and say if these things may be called our owne for the which we are to giue to the Maister so strict account when he shall say by death to euery one of vs thou canst no longer be Steward Luke 16.2 which being so men haue smal cause to be proud of this that God hath set them vp in worldly riches and greatnes For to whom much is committed of them much shall be required againe Luk.
giueth vnto the poore shall not lacke so hee that hideth himselfe from him shall haue many a curse that is many a plague from God Prou. 28.27 One is he shall beg a drop of cold water in hell and it shall not be giuen him Another and that which containeth all miseries plagues and curses is hee himselfe shall crie and not be heard Prou. 21.13 A pitilesse eye that will not visit his brother and a mercilesse eare that will not heare of his brother in his necessity God will not spare and good men will not pitie and so that shall be verified which Iames faith and threatneth to such or the holy Ghost by him There shall be iudgement mercilessâ— to him who hath shewed no mercy I am 2.13 The fruites that he reapeth are such as the seede which he hath sowen He hath sowen the seede of cruelty and he shall reape it he loued not mercy and his iudgement shall be without mercy he would not open his gates to the poore and God who openeth his gates to them will shut them against him hee would not giue them the bread of his dogges and God will not giue him the bread of heauen He hated the poore and he that loueth his poore will hate him he denied the crummes which Lazarus asked and could not haue in hell that drop of water which he asked So much for that which is spoken of the rich man while he was vpon the earth that which is spoken of Lazarus followeth Verse 20. And there was a certaine Begger named Lazarus This poore man may be the patterne or mould of that other state of men which we shall haue alwayes with vs but so as by neither states of rich or poore it can be knowne or iudged whether a man be loued or hated of God Eccles 9.1 For no man can say This is a rich man therefore God loueth him My reason is the one of these was rich and not loued not because he was rich but because he was naught The other was loued though poore not because he was poore but because he was good So that this diuersitie of states is indifferent and from God prouided that the rich man become lawfully rich and the poore man be made poore as Lazarus heere by sicknesse and sores not by any intemperate spendings And this teacheth that pouerty and riches are not simply euill Doctr. 1. but by abuse Abraham Isaac Ioseph Iob and others were rich men and yet good men And Ruth and Lazarus were poore and not euill Paul an excellent Apostle and yet a poore man 2. Cor. 4.8 Also Peter a worthy Apostle said to the poore creeple Siluer and gold I haue none and rich Salomon was a figure of the riches which we haue in Christ The reasons The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich 1. Sam. 2.7 or the poore and rich together as passingers who comming from coutrarie quarters meete in one mid way and so he that is rich to day may be poore to morrow but what followes The Lord is the maker of them both That is he that made them makes this change in them Prou. 22.2 Now what God hath made or doth make cannot be euill Gen. 1.31 Secondly it is good that some should be full to giue and some empty to receiue what is giuen Deut. 15.11 And if no man were in want who shall be serued and who would doe seruice as now necessitie compelling them or how could mercy be shewed if there were not any to exercise mercy on Thirdly God that by his lawe hath forbidden to steale doth by the same lawe allowe to a man his interest and peace in that which is his Exod. 20.15 And if he haue such title to it by Gods allowance his hauing of it cannot be simply euill An instruction contentedly to beare a poore estate Vse 1 seeing it is not euill and not couetously to affect a wealthy life seeing it is not good but by good vse If our purse be full of money and our soule be as full of wickednes what better are we or rather how much worse For we haue euill in our heart and more opportunities by a wealthy estate being euill to vtter it A rich euill man may farre goe beyond a poore euill man in deedes of wickednes And what dost thou knowe what bad wares are in thy heart which the venom of riches must needes make worse because more communicable by the infectious aire of thy example and authoritie being made rich and great Which being so what hast thou gotten by thy wealth so much desired but more weapons to wound thy soule deeper to death Besides can thy riches saue thee from death Heere we haue a man that was very rich and yet died or can they deliuer thee from hell Be as rich as thou maist as rich as thou haue gone to hell Nay they cannot cure thee of a poore ague or from the least of Gods stroakes saue thee how much lesse can they saue thy body from death or thy body and soule from eternall death This secondly should excite vs if we haue wealth Vse 3 to be thankfull to God for it for hee maketh rich or if we be poore to be contented for he maketh poore Not to helpe our selues by vnlawfull or cunning shifts when we are poore noâ— when God hath made vs rich to defie him as it were by vsing our wealth to his dishonour and by trusting to the broken staffe of riches Trust not in robbery saith Dauid and if riches increase trust not in them Psal 62.10 As if it were robbery and so it is and that against God so to doe Salomon likewise bids vs not to leane to our owne wisdome that is shifts or fetches as if he had said though you haue wealth in abundance and the world at will trust not to that for what trust is in that but make God your trust Some take their wealth of God and thanke the diuell for it by giuing praise with Belshazzar to their gods of gold and siluer Dan. 5.4 not to the true God who giues them their gold and siluer Some also in necessitie will bowe downe to sinne in one false tricke or other to helpe themselues Such care not to lye and to dissemble and to sweare falsely or to sweare anything for an aduantage and some hauing abundance trust their whole weight vnto it as to a staffe that will neuer faile But God breakes that staffe suddenly which they thinke will hold euer and in a moment they are turned out of all I need not to goe farre for examples we haue inowe dead and liuing and let the liuing lay it to heart whatsoeuer the dead did And now more particularly for Lazarus Lazarus is described heere by certaine attributes and effects The attributes are his miserable condition of life his name and his sores The effects are proper to himselfe or out of himselfe in other The proper effects are he lay at the rich mans gate house and desired a
a torch of example to leade them And so we if we profit not to good order by the seemely order of the vnreasonable and insensible creatures that serue God in their kind shall haue witnesses inough against vs out of that simple hoast or muster The winds and Sea obeyed Christ for he rebuked the winds and said to the Sea be still and presently they obeyed the winds ceased and the Sea was calme Mar. 4.39 Now if angry persons heare this to whom it is said Be angry and sinne not Eph. 4.26 and yet will not be calmed by the word putting away wrath the winds and Sea shall condemne them The beast that will drinke no more then it needes may depose against those that sit at the wine and strong drinke all day long The Ant that prepareth her meate in Summer that is while it may be had condemneth those sluggards and idle destitute of vnderstanding who neither Summer nor Winter care for any thing Pro. 30 25. The locusts that goe forth by bands that is strongly tegether and not weakely by few in a companie are witnesses against the diuisions of Christendome that separately make themselues a prey when iointly they might make a beautifull army v. 27 And the Spider that laboureth so busily about her web and takes hold of her thread with such industry and constancie is a shame to the slothfull in their vocation who take no holde of Time for any good purpose vnder the Sun v. 28. Loe here who may be our teachers or will be our accusers though man should say nothing Let vs therefore among so many witnesses walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise so I come to that which is common both to this rich man and Lazarus Verse 22 And it was so that the Begger died c. That which was common to the rich man and Lazarus is that they both died For in the beginning of the verse it is said the begger died and in the end of it that the rich man died also Now to die properly is to haue the soule seuered from the body and so all must haue poore and rich that die This poore man was bitten to death of the dog of hunger and the other rich man though he felt no hunger yet could not auoide the dart of death for both the poore and rich died Where we learne that the state or condition of the poore and rich is one concerning death Doctr. 1. and that the Law of it is vniuersall One dies as well as another the wise man as the foole Eccles 2.16 and all flesh is grasse Esa 40.6 The flesh of poore men and the flesh of Kings is grasse and both cut downe by death the coursest grasse and the finest flower of grasse Death is the worme in euery gourd mortall Ion. 4.7 and Princes die like other men Psal 82.7 The point is plaine by the experience of all the ages both of time and persons past and therfore the Prophet in the Psal 89. V. 48 maketh this question What man is he that liueth and shal not see death As much as if hee had sayd No man living but shall So Saint Paul It is appointed as by a Statute of euerlasting Parliament and appointed to men that is to euery man to one as well as to another That they shall once dye Heb. 9.27 And dust shall returne to dust as it was Ecclesiastes 12.7 Behold we the famous men before vs that gouerned the people by counsell and in whose doctrine were wise sentences or consider wee those great ones that wee reade of who commaunded the sea and drie land making the beasts of the earth the fishes of the sea and the fowles of the ayre to serue for their delight are they not all turned to their dust and is not all their glory fledde as a shadow Hat not iust and mighty death couered their large bodies ouer with those two very short words Hic â—acâ—t Here lyes to witte the body of such and such a Monarch Potentate and Emperour of the earth Was not the graue their house and did they not all make their bedde in the darke Iob. 17.13 Some of their iourneyes in this pilgrimage of life were shorter some longer but was not their graue the common Inne where they lodged at night and what difference in death betweene them â—ucar Dialog Among many dead Ghosts as it is in the fable one would needs know which was Philip King of Macedon Answer was made Hee that hath the balde heade is Philip All haue balde heads saith he he that hath the slatte nose is Philip sayth the other Al haue flat noses sayth hee He with the hollow eyes is hee sayth the other and that hath the bare ribbes and ratling bones but all are such and haue such sayth he Then sayde the other I perceyue then there is no difference in death betweene the begger and the King In a cast of Counters one hath the place of pounds another of shillings a third of pence and euery one as he that casts the account shall thinke good to lay them but put them all into a bagge and what difference is there So what difference betweene those that are worth thousands and those that are worth nothing being once put together in the common bagge of the earth Salomon in all his glory was not so glorious as the Lilly sayth the second Salomon Math. 6.29 And what is a Lilly or what eternity is there in that flower of grasse It is sayde that euery Lilly hath his worme in his roote and can wee thinke that the Lilly of flesh is without Surely the worme of death gnawes vpon vs so soone as we begin to liue in the womb be we borne poore or of Princes and when we come into the world innumerable petty deaths are sent vpon vs for transgression Wormes eate vs aliue and wee are but wormâ—s meate being in our house of corruption That which hath some shew to day is to morrow rolled vp and layde aside in the clodde of the earth Abraham was the friend of God in his generation Sampson was strong and Iob iust and none so wise as Salomon and yet death hath rolled vp all those Worthies and buried their bones in Golgotha Since the fall of Adam there is no entring into Paradise but by the burning Seraphims or blazing fittes of death Gen. 3.24 It was sayde to Adam and the same may bee sayde to all that come of Adam Thou art dust Gen. 3.19 That is thou art but matter for the earth and for death that reigneth ouer all flesh Finally as in the parable the Labourers came into the Vineyard Math. 20.1.3.5.6 so shall those Labourers go out some at one houre some at another some in their infancy or dazon of day Some in their third houre young some when they are men in their sixt and ninth houre and some when they be old men in their eleuenth and last houre But all must goe out of this
vineyarde of life that liue and the longest day of the longest liuers life is but till night the night wherein no man can worke Iohn 9.4 I conclude therefore that all are mortall poore and rich The Reasons It is iust that God giue to euery one the wages of his workes but the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 and therefore iust it is that hee who sinneth and all are sinners should dye Secondly sinne â—â—â—nt euer all and death by it Rom. 5.12 and therefore all rich poore and all must die Thiâ—dly God say de to Adam In the day that thou eatest of the tree which I haue forbidden thee to eate or touch ther shalt dye the death Gen. 2.17 Now Adam did eate and what was sayd to him was spoken to all Man-kinde in him and therefore not he onely must dye but all must dye that were in his loynes Fourthly wee are all one mans sonnes Adams and haue one mother our common mother the earth Iob. 17.13.14 And whither must Adams sonnes goe but whither Adams sinne sends them and to whom is the childe to bee brought but to his owne mother Fiftly (b) Austen one calleth life a sicknesse and hee that hath the sicknesse of life how can hee chuse but dye Sixtly by death God declares his power seeing that by it he translates his Elect to life and that eternall therefore is death called by Dauid The way of all the liuing 1. King 2 2. and by Hâ—zechiah in his song The doore of the graue Esa 38.10 For as meÌ„ enter into their houses by the doore and goe to their places by the way so doe they passe to their graues by death and remoue to their Countrey by the same as by their common way One vseth this comparison As the herbe breedes the worme and the worme so bredde eates the herbe that is bredde in so sin brought in death and death brought in by sinne destroyeth sinne to the righteous the sinne that caused death If sinne had not beene death had neuer been and yet to the Elect deaths being only doth away sinne not because they die but because they receyue that grace in death and not before they dye Seuenthly there is a common subiection to death that the godly by such subiâ—ction may learne to make the more of Christ and of their saluation by him when they shall perceyue that that which they so much abhorre and feare I meane death in kinde is by his dying made no death to them but their doore to the kingdom of heauen Heb. 2.14 15. Lastly the law of death takes hold of all that the godly beeing vnder the arrest of it as well as others though not vnder the tyranny of it as the wicked might enter into life by that gate by which Christ their head passed to his glory the gate of putting off this mortal and earthlie house in death But doe the rich dye as well as the poore Vse 1 the King as the begger Then let the great ones learne not to despise meaner persons at their feet nor insolently to aduance themselues aboue them for they haue one Mother and goe to one house Corruption is Father to both both haue one Sister the Worme and both shall lye downe together in the dust Iob 17.13 14 16. Heere the poore man dyed and dyed not the rich man as well as hee Doth not this sword deuoure one as well as another 2. Sam. 11.24 Is not the mouth of it the graue that receyueth rich and poore and what is one heape of dust better then an other in the darke chambers of the dead Difference of persons serues but for this life after it all goe to one place and great men play better parts on the high stage of this world then meaner doe but when the play is done on goes their owne apparrell againe the common weare of mortality all are clad alike with corruption wormes Who considering this as hee should doth not see and confesse that there is neyther profit nor worth in these vain things And who seeing and confessing so much will be so proud of that which is nothing M. Carew on this text What saith one doe great possessions and this greatnesse to bee rich in grounds auayle men when a peece of ground of fiue foote must containe them What better for their stately houses when bound hand and foote they must bee put in the straite house of a simple coffin What better for their rich apparrell when a sheete of no great shew must shrowde them And what doeth their daintie fare and sweete meate profite them with the sowre sauce of repentance Wealth they may haue but no wealth can buye them of death for here it is sayde A rich man dyed All reioycing therefore and swelling aboue others by reason of this earthly glory is very vaine and vnworthy a Christian that is redeemed with a price for better things in an inheritance that fadeth not But further If the Law of death be vniuersall Vsâ— 2. then it is no inheritance to be here and here wee haue no continuing City that is wee haue no state of perpetuity in those earthly Cottages The terme wee haue in them is short and simple compared with our enduring house in heauen Our warning out of them beginnes with the first moment of our naturall life for so soone as wee beginne to liue we beginne to die and the place wee haue hath no foundation where the place wee shall haue is sure and eternall And should not all this moue vs to take present order for another and better life Hee that knowes hee shall remoue out of the Tenement hee hath within a quarter or halfe a yeare is very improuident and weake witted if within that short bound of time hee prepare not some other house to come vnto So for vs that inhabite these houses of clay seeing our warning is shorter and our change may bee sooner then halfe a yeare or quarter perhaps to morrow perhaps this present day or houre how improuident and simple are wee if wee care not to assure vnto vs another and farre better house then those we haue here that wee may say with the Apostle Wee know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle bee destroyed wee haue a building giuen vs of God an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens 2. Cor. 5.1 But some say with Peter It is good to be here Math. 17.4 as if they should say No where so well as in these corruptible possessions and therefore they build tabernacles in them not one for Christ one for Moses one for Elias but for this child and for that And so as there is no rememberance of death in their doing I say no remembrance of death for due thoughts of death will so distaste them of earthly things that they will finde small rellish in them and be ready to say with Esau Loe I am aâ—mosâ— dead and what is this birthright
to me Gen. 25.32 Where contrarily promising to themselues long life and their lease may be out to morrow they lay vp all their treasure in their barnes and full bagges Luk. 12.19 not caring for their other house till this be taken from them A reproofe therefore to those Vse 3 who as if they forgate the common way of all the liuing make it a strange thing to die and who liue as if there were no house of darknes to passe vnto nor way in death to walke in but the ignorance of a way so beaten by so many how can it be excused And yet if we find any little alteration or change in our stomacke in our body or bones how doe we wonder at it how passionate be we and how pettish for it as if it were some great wonder that any of Adams children should sicken die How will such be able quietly and with any peace to beare the comming of death the Lord himselfe when they are so agast at the approch of these his purueiers or petti-deaths whom he sends before to prepare for his comming How haue such remembred euery day to looke for death and euery houre to prepare to die or rather how haue such forgotten to esteeme of euery day as of their last day and to prepare for euery houre as for their dying houre But of this I haue spoken largely in my Sermons of life and death specially the first and second theâ—e Thus we haue heard that it is common both to rich and poore to die Yet in the order obserued in the text this poore godly man he that was in such misery pained with such hunger died first It was to hasten him to glory and from the euils he endured here And so we secondly learne Doctr. 2. that the deaths of the righteous are their gaine or a speedy taking of them from euils present and to come So saith Esay the righteous that is they that loue righteousnes and haue it imputed are taken away or gathered from the euill to come Esa 57.1 That is both from the euill of sinne and from the euils that come by sinne and this taking away is in their bodies for the graue in their soules for glory Thus was d 2. King 22 20. Iosuah taken away a good King and a good King young Euils were neare therefore was he taken from those euils and plagues at hand Enoch also he that is reported of that he pleased God Heb. 11.5 was for his great gaine walking among sinners taken vp to God Gen. 5.24 And thus the Lord sheweth himselfe to be a rewarder of them that seeke him Hebr. 11.6 or that walke with him as Henoch did The blessed dead that die in the Lords as Christians or for the Lord as Christian martyrs are taken or haue rest from their labours that is euils present saith S. Iohn Apoc. 14.13 And when the cheekes of the godly are blubbered with weeping for the euils they see and euill things they suffer of the vnworthy world God doth not delay by taking them out of the world to himselfe to wipe all such teares of paine and crying from their eyes Apoc. 21.4 Esa 25.8 The reasons The Lord remembreth whereof they are made and knoweth that as dust they will quickly be moued with the wind of long troubles and therefore will not contend for euer with them that is ouerlong lâ—st the spirit should faint before him Esa 57.16 Also if the rod of the vngodly did rest alwaies vpon them they might put foorth their hand to wiâ—kednesse Psal 125.3 So should God lose his good subiects which he will not doe and therefore will not suffer them to be tempted aboue that they be able 1. Cor. 10.13 Secondly the world is not worthy of such Hebr. 11.38 or the righteous are a blessing that the world cares not for Now a blessing vnregarded or vsed vnworthily may worthily be taken away Where therefore the wicked set so little by the righteous God doth hasten to take them away for their plague and the euerlasting good of his children Thirdly in this life the godly haue nothing but losse vpon losse as the losse of their good labours the losse of their good name and the losse of their time here Besides for their afflictions their death onely makes an end of them life and misery being as two twins that are borne together and must die together And is it not then the great aduantage of the righteous and their great preferment by death that by it they are drawne out of so many and fatall euils into the blessed rest and glory of God in the which they shall continue euer So long as they abide here in their tents of warre they must not put off their harnesse at any time day and night they must lie in the field expecting a battell wherein is no time of truce For if Satan be ouercome at one time at another hee will set vpon them onely death ends the battell not to his auaile but to theirs They that die in those battells are ouercome in those other the Saints neuer ouercome till they die and is not their death then their vndoubted aduantage and gaine that so die But doth God take away the righteous speedily and soonest because the world is not worthy of them Vse 1 as the wicked are vnworthy to liue in the world Then they that suruiue the righteous haue iust cause to feare that for their vnworthinesse such are taken from them and because they no better regarded them nor Gods loue by them Some reioice when a good man dies not because he is taken from labour to rest from death to life but because they hated him for his goodnes and desired rather his roome then his company here but let such know that Lot being departed out of Sodome fire and brimstone will come quickly after Gen. 19.17.23.24 For the wheate being gathered into the barne what shall be done with the tares shall they not being bound vp for the fire be set on a burning Math. 13.30 When the godly Lazarus is dead not long after dieth the vngodly Dines but Lazarus is in Abrahams bosome and the rich man in hell in torments Assoone as Noah is in the Arke the world that mocked him is in their graue of waters and most of them in their center of fire Therefore when the righteous perish the wicked behind them haue great cause to howle and weepe but no cause to laugh or be merry except this may make them glad that making no good vse of their happy ends their owne vnhappy end is not farre off that waiteth for them to damnation Now consider this yee that forget God lest he teare you in peeces and there be none to deliuer you Psal 50.22 Let Lazarus let the godly be regarded while they liue with you lest for your contempt of such God take them to blisse and send you to hel Or if God remoue some yong and in their tender bud
sparing you in your threescore and stubberne roote know that it is done of the Lord either to bring you to repentance or if you will not repent to harden you further to destruction Further is the death of the righteous the righteous mans gaine Then let not the godly man feare to die Vse whose preferment is such by death that Christ in life and death is his aduantage Philip. 1.21 That which is bitter to worldly men is pleasure to him that which is wofull to them is ioy to him that which bringeth them into misery draweth him out and what takes him out of the prison of life casts them into the prison of hell No maruell then if the wicked be loth to die but great maruell that the godly should feare to die For for the wicked specially the rich such as this rich man here they are well and cannot hope that their remoue shall be to better or so good and therefore their change to a place they know not whither and to a life they know not what must needes much trouble them and no maruell if they who know no better life leaue this against their willes But for the righteous that are called in hope and to better things in Christ it were strange seeing their dimittis is in peace with Simeon that with Simeon they should not desire the day of libertie 2. Tim. 4.8 which is the day of their death and that they might be loosed to wit from their fetters here to be with Christ Philip. 1.23 This life to them is but a very vale of teares and they be in the world as Iacob in Labans house Gen. 30.31 How then can they so much loue this vale and Labans house of so many and continuall vexations as not to desire with the change of the place a change in these matters miseries and conditions of mortall life Who would not depart with Iacob and desire to depart with Simeon in such a case Luk. 2.29 Gen. 31.17.18 Death in it selfe is full of bitternes and by nature to the nature of man The very king of feare Iob. 18.14 and who looking vpon death with the visour vpon his face and armed with sinne will not giue backe at his approach and say O stay me a little Psal 39.13 But when death shall bee considerd with the aduantage that is as it is to the righteous and as Christ hath taken from it the visour of feare to them and to all that loue his comming the day of death as the day of the Iewes deliuerance from Haman cannot but be a feast day and a good day Est 8.17 a day of deliuerance from the Haman of hell from the power of sinne and powers of darknesse The Apostle considering this desired to bee gone shall wee thinke in a desperate moode as they that care not which end goes forward No but he did it vpon good and iust grounds knowing the happinesse that wayted for him and which waiteth for all that haue his thirst to bee with Christ The feare of death is naturall so children feare to goe in the darke but the feare of it for it selfe is weake For many times death passeth with lesse paine then the torture of a limme But the death to be feared is the death that hath sinne in it and the reason of the feare because sinne that brought it is fearefull Now the godly mans death is no such death hauing the teeth of sinne pulled out of it that it cannot bite his death is but his sleepe in his bed and rest from his labours and therefore to him to dye is no more then to goe to his rest at night or hauing escaped the sea to come to the hauen where he would bee Psal 107.30 And who would feare so to doe But their best preferment is where here they are absent from Christ there they shall euer be with him where here they please God weakely and offend him daily there they shall both please him and enioy pleasures with him for euer and where here they are strangers there they shall be at home in their owne Countrey and proper ayre with the whole blessed Trinitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost So much for that which is common to the rich man Lazarus and for their different estates on earth their different estates after they left the earth follow And was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome The difference that was betweene the rich man and Lazarus after their death was greater then before in their life here for Lazarus went to heauen It is sayde that the Angels carried him as in their hands thither The other went to hell It is sayde hee was in torments in hell Here hee that could not bee brought by the meanest in the rich mans house into the wicked rich mans kitchen is carried by the angels which for that purpose attend the godly at their death into the bosome of Abraham that is into the glorious heauen of Gods presence where Abraham is and whither all Abrahams children come Hee that could haue but the dogges here to beare him company hath now the welcom company of the Angels to attēd him Hee whom no man regarded the Angels now honour And he now feedeth on the tree of life that could not haue the offals of the Rich mans table to feede on Is not this a great change But such honour had he and such honour haue all Gods Saints Further in these words and in Lazarus two things may bee considered as by whom he was carried and whither He was carried by the Angels sayth the Text that is by those spirituall heauenly and most excellent substances that minister before the glory of God continually for these glorious spirits Gods good Angels and those flames of fire his Ministers doe by diuine commandement minister to the heyres of saluation diuersly whiles they liue and sweetely at their death Heb. 1.14 The place whither Lazarus was carried is Heauen called by a kind of Periphrasis or kind of speech Abrahams bosome or the bay of rest from all stormes below And so wee see that the glory of the godly beginneth in their death as the glory of the wicked endes in theirs But to returne to the Angels and in briefe to tell you what they are as the word telles mee they are substances created without bodies the time when was within the 6. dayes the place where was in heauen Of these an innumerable company fell quickly and together for as they were made within the 6. dayes so within that time they fell and these we call now Diuels that is Angels by their creation but diuels by their fal for which they are Chained vp in vtter darknes Iude. 6. The other Angels which also are innumerable stood and euer shall stand by grace in the puritie and righteousnesse wherein their Makers hand at first set them And these are the Angels that this Scripture speaketh of which are called Angels for their seruice and ministery for
fallen asleepe 1. Thess 4.14 And therefore Christians must lay it to bed by decent buriall It is the Sanctâ—fiâ—d Temple of the Holy Ghost â— Cor. 6.19 The members of Christ therefore must reuerently bury it It shall be partaker with the soule in glory and therfore as the companion of a glorified soule it cannot bee neglected without sinne Could Iehu say of wicked Iezabel Visite that cursed woman and bury her for shee is a Kinges daughter 2. King 9.34 And shall not wee visite our blessed brethren and sisters and bury them beeing all of them for any thing wee know to the contrary the children of the King of heauen Stephen was lamented and buried Act. 8 2. And the Church in her pittifull Song complaineth That the Heathen did not onely kill the bodies of Gods Saints but left them aboue ground vnburied Psal 79.2 Abraham bought a possession of the Hittites for the doing of this duty to his dead Gen. 23.4 Iacob gaue a charge for his buriall Gen. 47.29.30 And Ioseph by faith when he dyed gaue commandement for his bones Heb. 11.22 So certaine it is that the bodies of the dead must bee honoured with their graues The reasons Hereby wee build vp the beleefe of the resurrection for the graue is our bed in which wee are layde to sleepe till our awaking at the last trumpet Dan. 12.2.1 Thess 4.16.17 And the burying of our bodyes is like the sowing of seede which men commit to the earth with sure hope after it is corrupted that it shall rise againe Secondly Christ was buried Math. 27.60 And why then should any Christian which is a member of Christ want christian buriall Thirdly the Law that bids vs to couer the naked bids vs in so doing to couer the dead (b) Amb in Lib. â—ob cap. 1. And if when our friendes are taking their iourney into some strange countries wee in our loue doe bring them some part of their way shall not Christian loue moue vs when they are taking their long iourney into the farre countrey of the dead neuer to returne to bring them going by following them christianly to their graues Lastly the bodies of the righteous were the Organs or the instruments of the holy Ghost to all good duties and shall instruments so sanctified bee neglected as profane A reproofe of the Papists who professe to keepe the reliks of Saints that is some parts of their bodies vnburied which if they were Saints in deede they should bury with honor and not punish with the reward of condemned mens members or of Traitors iustly depriued of buriall Thus most diuinely our Soueraigne Lord King Iames in his Praemonition A like reproofe of some great ones among our selues who denie or doe not performe to their dead this duty so seemely needefull and charitable either out of some euil custome or for no warrantable abstinence Which what is it but to pierce though not Christ himselfe yet the faithfull in Christ with the speare of a second death after death Ioh. 19.34 That is after one death to put them to another Our following of them to their graues is the testimony of our loue by it we witnesse how we affected them aliue and loue if it be sound loue and without guile will goe as farre as it can It is also witnesse of the reuerence we bore theÌ„ for good things as our mourning doth shewe our losse by the losse of them to vs in their deaths If then we truly loued our friends how can we tarry at home not accompanying them as farre as may be in their way to the earth the house of all the liuing Why doth not our loue goe with them as farre as it can if we loued them and if we reuerenced their good parts why doe we not shewe as much by expressing at their graues our griefe for so many good things buried with them But some goe too far as these come too short who drowne the credit of Christian funerals with immoderate howlings and taking on Against such the Apostle Sorrow not as they who haue no hope 1. Thes 4.13 Christ wept for Lazarus Ioh. 11.35 but not so And they that mourne so immoderately giue suspicious tokens that they weepe for their owne losse rather then for the losse of a friend and that they more esteeme their owne good then his gaine by death Some for their bellies or for a mourning gowne follow the wicked rich with praises to their graue who yet will not honest a godly poore mans buriall with their presence or with a good word These are such as buried this rich-man and despised Lazarus So farre for that that concerned this rich-man in his body that followeth which concerned him in his soule Verse 23. And being in hell in torments For this rich mans estate in his soule it was miserable and pittifull though his buriall were glorious Here was a change indeede not more sudden then fearefull to sinners A little before ruffling in wealth now his soule is in hell and his body among the wormes So many at this day flaunt it in great brauery and the next newes we heare is their bodies are in graue and their soules God knowes where Yea many die and because we heare no more of them but that they be dead we neither regard how they died nor what is like to come of them dying without repentance Therefore this terrible example is left as a warning to vs in time to consider what followeth after death and that is a life after this life either in ioy vnspeakable or in torments endlesse For with the last breathe in our bodies we goe presently in our soules to heauen or hell good men to heauen bad men to hell Hebr. 9.27 Though men liue as beasts yet they shall not die as beasts that is if they liue wickedly and die in sinne the beasts death shall be farre better then theirs For they in their death end their misery those in death doe but beginne theirs that shall haue no end But to come to the words themselues it is said that the rich mans soule was in hell in torments and here is shewed wither his soule went to wit to hell and what followed there For the first hell or the place of hell is here described by those paines of sense which are in it and they are called hell torments For hell is not onely a place of custody as prisons here but of custody and torment therefore is this rich man said to be in hell in torments He that dwelt in a stately pallace while he liued now dead dwelleth in an inglorious place of torments He that had braue fellowes for his companions hath for companions now the diuell and his Angels He that fed delicately is now fed with fire and brimstone He that had his pleasure here is now tormented and he is said to be tormented in hell both in regard of the extremitie of torment and eternitie of terme there Which teacheth that there is no
considered the first branch of the Doctrine to be true that there is an extreamitie of torments in hell If then we auoide the breach of mens lawes because of those chastisements and paines of death Vse which are threatned to those that breake them how much more should we beware of the breach of Gods law which is so threatned with punishments intollerable and death eternall in hell If a law were made that whosoeuer drinkes wine shall vpon conuiction for sometime hold his whole arme in the fire or in boiling lead for a punishment how many should we see drunken with wine though they loued it but God he that can cast into hell hath made a law that whosoeuer eateth and drinketh with sinners or as sinners doe shall be cut off or all in pieces to destruction Math. 24.50.51 and be thrust into hell both arme body and soule where they shall be tormented day and night in the fire that neuer goeth out and should not this be inough to cut the cup from our mouth Ioel 1.5 I meane of excesse and drunkennes So much and intollerably doe they suffer who come into this place of torment that Christ bids vs rather to cut off and â—ast away our right hand or foote that is the dearest things â—e haue then with them to be cast into this euerlasting â—â—re Math. 18.8 And if this firy argument cannot moue vs what will If wee should heare a sudden crie of fire fire how would it trouble vs but Gods word and Gods Ministers that preach his word speake of an eternall fire that still burneth and hath euer burnt from the beginning of time ordained before time was euen fire and much wood a lake of fire and pit of burning fire and should not this trouble euery bone in our body Or if fire come will we be as sâ—ubble for it I know that my speech of this is not pleasing alas then what pleasure can it be to feele it I speake not to please your eares I speake to saue your soules And whether I speake or hold my peace the fire burnes still As fathers threaten their yong children with the fire so we doe you with hell fire not to cast you in but to make you to runne further from it and the meditation cannot but be profitable and euen breake the stone in your hearts When Baltazar sawe the hand that wrote it troubled him out of measure Dan. 5.5.6 And if we would often common with our hearts by the word of these things it could no lesse trouble vs to heare of them then it troubled that great Monarch to see the writing on the wall Besides the feare of these would make vs feare to sinne according to that tremble and sinne not Psal 4.4 And he that so feareth hell shall escape it as he that neither feares so nor at all shall be sure to fall into it For as one saith truly none is so deepe in these torments as he who least thought of them But we put this euill day farre from vs and that makes vs to sit on our seats of sinne as we doe Am. 6.3 We reade not the word or what we reade there we beleeue not and therefore we runne into excesse as if there were no hell All the account that some make of hell is that they shall cast fire brands there but such are fire-brands thereof and to such it may be said as men vse to say when they haue well supped in an Inne that the worst dish is behind that is the reckening and that that must pay for all Then will follow Sonne remember thou hast had thy pleasures Luk. 16.25 or good things here The summe is he that wil follow his lusts shall without his repentance follow them to his cost He that burnes in adultery shall burne in hell He that killes here shall hang there and hee shall thirst there Luc. 16.24 that is drunken heere And what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule Math. 16.26 This made Paul to keepe a cleare conscience Act. 24.16 and the consideration of this makes the godly feare to offend Therefore Ierom Whatsoeuer I doe me thinkes I heare this sound still in my eares Arise ye dead and come to iudgement And thus in regard of the extreamitie of torments hell is intollerable so is it also in respect of the continuance and teaâ—me there For they that are in hell are there in paines without ease and time without end And now where the damned shall be in hell time without end Doct. 2. The second branch of it we secondly which is the second branch of the doctrine learne that the torments in hell are endlesse So Daniel speaking of the resurrection of sinners describeth the condition to which they shall bee raysed in their bodies by the names of shame and contempt and cals it Perpetuall shame and contempt Dan. 12. â— And Apoc. 20.10 Hell is called the pit bottomlesse because in it there is no redemption and from it no returning the Apostle Iude alluding to the fire that they of Sodome and the Cities about were destroyed with sayth in effect that they passed from the vehemencie of that fire to the vengeance of eternall fire Iude 7. Where hee likewise calleth Hell-fire eternall fire The smoake of this furnace is alwayes mounting it ascendeth vp for euer sayth Saint Iohn Apoc. 14.11 This tormenting worme of hell is immortall The worm dyeth not sayth Saint Marke Mark 9.46 Hitherto belongs that answer of Abraham to this Rich-man They that would goe from hence to you cannot neyther can they come from thence that is from hell to vs Luk. 16.26 His meaning is Once in hell euer in it One vseth this comparison As a man that is to be pressed to death calleth for more and more weight but cannot haue it so all the condemned to second death through an extremity of torments in that lake of death call for death that there might bee an end but death flyes from them that is end there is none nor any to bee hoped for For when so many thousands of yeares are past as haue beene moments of time since time began the torments of the damned cannot end that are endlesse The Reasons Where there is no repentance of sinne there is no end of torments for sinne After death and in hell there can be no repentance for Repentance is by the Ministery of the word and the vse of it is in this life onely 2. Tim. 2.25 Apoc. 2.21 Secondly so long as the damned continue sinfull so long they shal be tormented but they must needs euer be sinfull in hell and therefore in hell euer bee tormented This oyle can neuer be spent the oyle of sinne and therfore the wrath of God which is as fire to the same must euer burne and who shall quench it Thirdly they that despise the counsell of God against themselues and therefore will not heare when God calleth must make account
We haue heard whither the soule of this rich man went to wit to hell here is further shewed what followed there And first what this rich man sawe and secondly what he said He sawe Lazarus and spake to Abraham He sawe Lazarus to wit with the eyes of his minde the eyes of his body being fast closed vp in the graue and he spake to Abraham but with an intellectuall tongue Which sheweth that all that followeth is a parable-part of Scripture For soules in proper speech haue neither eyes to see nor tongues to speake with It is said hee lift vp his eyes the more to increase his desire of that he could not haue and sorrow for being denied it And that his eyes being lift vp he sawe Abraham a farre off or saluation farre from the wicked Psal 119.155 and which more augmented his paine Lazarus in his bosome As farre as heauen and hell are asunder so farre off saw he Abraham and with the Mole-warp he onely opened his eyes at his death and saw him and Lazarus with him in blisse But as in his life time he turned his eyes from Lazarus so now at his death God turned his face from him and so he sawe what he was not better but worse for seeing And how could it be otherwaies hauing such a feeling of the torments he was in and liuely sense of the fâ—uours he lost by seeing Lazarus so happy and himselfe so miserable For might he not now say What hath pride profited me or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought me Wisd 5.8 Thus he sawe too late and with late repentance at his death what before he would not see Which teacheth that death which is preuented of the righteous preuenteth sinners The rich man in the Gospel who promised to himselfe a life of many yeeres had not the poore life of one night to prepare for death which tooke him away in his couetousnesse Luk. 12.19.20 And Agag said merrily the bitternesse of death is past when the same houre bitter death which he thought to be past pierced him to the heart being hewen in peeces before the Lord in Gilgal 1. Sam. 15.32.33 And what warning had Herod when vpon his roiall throne in the sight of all his flatterers hee was suddenly stricken with death by an Angel Act. 12.23 When the old world thought least of a change the flood of death came Luk. 17.27 And Sodome with her Cities thought least of death when her end came suddenly by fire from heauen v. 29. As therefore the diuels said to Christ so are the wicked driuen to say to death Art thou come to torment vs before our time Math. 8.29 At 50 at 60 at more yeeres it is euer out of time and they say with Iehoram Is it peace 2. King 9.23 They know not if it be The reasons They haue no hope in death and in this life onely they haue their pleasure and heauen Secondly they cannot cease to sinne and therefore cannot be in the minde to looke for death that casteth into hell for sinne Thirdly they are the inhabitants of the earth vpon whom death commeth suddenly as the snare vpon the bird Luk 21.35 An instruction to thinke of euery present day as of the day of our death Vse and to doe that euery day that we would gladly be found doing at our dying day For death giueth no warning more then the theefe of his comming Math. 24.43 And how soone are we gone or how suddenly may our death come perhaps before we goe out at these doores perhaps at home perhaps in our way as we are going home some adulterers haue bene taken in their filthy sinne by death as Zimri and Cozbi were Num. 25.7.8.14.15 Some haue withered in death as Ieroboamâ— hand breathing cruelty 1 King 13.4 Some drinking themselues drunken haue so died Math. 24.50 And some dancing on the Sabbath haue fallen downe dead in the dance Should not these examples be warnings to vs should they not leade vs to Christian watchfulnesse or are we surer of our life then these were But who considereth that prophaning the Sabbath swearing whoring drinking and being drunken the same day or houre may take him that tooke them suddenly or doe we thinke to goe to heauen with a paire of dice in our hands and a helâ— of oathes in our mouths But though this rich man sawe Abraham yet the text saith that He sawe Abraham a farre off Not to his comfort but further tormenting As he beheld Lazarus so God now beholds him a farre off And as farre was the rich man from Abraham as hell is farre from heauen and as miseries without ease or end are from ioy and pleasures endlesse This reacheth that as the wicked are farre from Gods law Psal 119.150 so Gods saluation is farre from the wicked Psal 119.155 Sinne and saluation are two ends that can neuer meete The Prophet saith as he loued not blessing so shall it be farre from him Psal 109.17 And this made Paul to wish that King Agrippa in his great pompe had bin such as he was Act. 26.29 not to wish himselfe such as Agrippa was in all his roialty For he would not change coats with him nor exchange estates though it were to haue a Princes life for a prisoners The reasons The wicked are not so neere to saluation as hypocrites who though they seeme to liue in the suburbs of it as he who was among the other ghests not hauing his wedding garment yet shall neuer be saued Math. 22.11.13 being not painted tombes but sinkes foule without and foule within Secondly they must neede be farre from God that is from his saluation to whom he will say as he doth to all wicked sinners depart Math 7.23 25 41. Psal 6.8 Thirdly they are the haters of God and such shall not come in his presence nor neere him Psal 1.5 68.1 Fourthly Moses might not stand vpon holy ground till hee had put off his shooes Exod. 3.5 how much lesse may the wicked stand vpon heauens ground hauing not put off the foule shooes of their filthy sinnes An instruction to goe farre from wickednes Vse if we will come nere to God to turne to the Lord by repentance if we would not haue the Lord by our impenitencie to turne from vs. And whither shall we goe if we goe from him He hath the words and with him is the well of eternall life Ioh. 6.68 In his presence is the fulnes of ioy Psal 16.11 and fulnesse of all miseries in our absence from him With him is light without him we abide in darknes for euer And now should not this enforce vs to loue his presence in the assembly and his familiar presence in heauen now to seeke him in his word that heereafter wee may find him in his Kingdome nowe to haue him that we may haue him euer and now to liue to his glory that after death he may drawe vs to himselfe and shewe vs his glory But farre from
enemie so horsed and in such honour and himselfe made the man that must honor him Let no man therefore though neuer so great thinke but hee may haue neede of a meaner then himselfe before hee dye The Reasons All Christians are fellow members in the Christian body Now in the naturall body the head cannot say to the foot the highest to the lowest member I haue no need of thee 1. Cor. 12.21 Besides all members haue not one office and no member but hath some vse Rom. 12.4 Secondly the receits of the best are with imperfection and therefore the best may neede Thirdly all Christians are brethren and what brother may not sometimes need the helpe of his brother Therfore the Apostles question mixed with reproofe is Why doest thou despise thy brother Rom. 14.10 An admonition to great ones Vse not to exalt themselues too insolently and proudly aboue their meaner brethren for the wheele of things may turne their Sunne may bee remoued and the first may be last Math. 20.16 or theyr next course may bee to bee inferiours where now they are superiours for Whosoeuer exalteth himselfe shall be brought low Luk. 13.11 Then their own measure may bee returned and as they despised others so themselues may bee despised they may stand vnder their sentence fall vnder their hands and lye down at their feet which would bee considered of by those who looke so high aboue persons better then themselues because God hath made them rather richer and greater And thou that feest a poore man though a good man and despisest him remember that God can and perhaps will make thee as he is in respect of pouerty and so thy contempt of thy brother may come home to thy selfe Adonibezck the tyrant could say As I haue done so it is done to me Iudg. 1.7 And Iosephs enuious brethreÌ„ did say As we thought to our brother so it is come vnto vs Gen. 42.21 And so it is a true word Selfe doe selfe haue But in the flames of hell what would this Rich man chiefly haue to bee eased as being greatly though not onely tormented He sayth his tongue belike because hauing abused that member as most doe eyther to blasphemie to a rayling against Gods word Ministers and children or some other wayes hee was grieuously tormented in it True it is that soules haue no tongues but he felt in his soule what his tongue had done And this teacheth that men shall be punished as in that measure Dâ—ct 2. Eco â—1 22.23.24 25. so in that member and thing wherin they offend Ieroboams hand was put forth against the Prophet 1. Kâ—â— 13 4 and that hand which he put forth against him dryed vp The lost sons curious taste of meats and drinkes was payd backe vnto him in that courser taste of the huskes which the Swine cate Luk. 15.16 So our first Parents abused their eyes Gen. 3.6 and God opened both their eyes v. 7. that is punished them that way and in that wherein they finned for they sought his dishonour and saw their own shame and Zacharias the father of Iohn the Baptist because he doubted with his tongue Luk. 1.18 was by the Angel stricken dumbe in his tongue vers 10. Further also Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron offered strange fire and God coâ—sumed them strangely with fire from heauen Lenit 10.1.2 So Dauid himselfe sinning in another mans wife 2 Sam. 11.4.5 was requited by his sonne in his owne wiues Chap. 16.22 And the Israelites lusting for flesh had it and their punishment in it for it came out at their nostrils Num. 11.20 And thus it is plaine that men haue beene punished in that member and thing wherein they haue offended The reasons God would haue vs to take knowledge of his iudgement and how can we better then when hee so directeth them against our faults and members faulting that wee may see him pointing as with the finger to vs nay standing ouer vs in so particular a seueritie For so he sheweth vs the nature and quality of the offence by proceeding in such maner and with such speciall choyce against it Secondly this course and manner of punishing the member offending is vsed by Princes often in their proceedings against malefactors in their Kingdoms where for the breeding of more terrour in others the member first suffereth that hath first or chiefly offended So Rauilliacke he that murdered the last Henry of France lost first the hand wherewith he did it and when a Noble man plots any treason against his King his King will haue the head that deuised it (b) So 2. Macab 15.32 33. Now if Kings to good purpose and iustly doe thus when God doth so wee must not doubt but hee that is King of Kings doth it both iustly and necessarily to admonish others An admonition to vse well all those members and parts Vse that wee would not haue to bee punished â—eere or tormented in hell Some that haue abused their tongues to cursing and swearing while they liued at their death had neuer a tongueeyther to confesse their sinnes or to craue pardon So when the fift Angell had powred out his Viall vpon the throne of the beast the beasts creatures that blasphemed God with their tongues were tormented in their tongues and gnew them for sorrow Apoc. 16.10 I reade of a Seruingman in Lincolneshire who had still in his mouth Gods precious bloud and at his his death M. Perk. of the gouernment of the tongue pa. 72 out of Phil. Stâ—bâ— bloud issued out most fearefully as in great streames from all parts of him from his mouth nose eares wrists knees heeles toes and all other parts not one free and so dyed Thus bloud was paide with bloud the bloud of Christ prophaned with a fountaine of bloud from all his body Some for abusing others eares by words of slaunder haue lost their owne and many whose feet in youth were nimble to dance the morrice at more yeares had neuer a foote nor legge to carry them voide of aches issues and other slubbers they that did spoyle were spoyled and shee that fed vpon bloud fed the dogs Drunkards seeke red wine and haue red eyes Ezech. 39 10 1. King 21 2â— Prou 23.29.30 And is not drunkennesse it selfe often punished with dropsies and filthy whoredom also with filthy diseases Hath not that member in some been pittifully taken that became the instrument of their wanton sinne What are these but warnings to vs and happy are wee if other mens harmes can make to beware but if wee will not learne by others wee may bee taught by our own feeling Of this bee sure without repentance whatsoeuer member or thing thou abusest here to bee punished with the losse or in the anguish of that thing or member heere or hence If thou abusest all thou shalt be punished in all And for riches that many regarde more then they doe the Kingdome of Heauen if thou dote vpon them and make gods of them
which is not to iustifie but more to condemn him for as he called him father in no obedience so now he cals him sonne with no comfort Hee called him father and would not doe as a sonne and now hee calleth him sonne and will not bee as a father to him Besides he bids him remember for a further scourge of his conscience in the late losse of all his delights past which hee could not but remember with horrible torment and griefe And here wee learne that the pleasures of sinne leaue a bitter and wofull losse of remembrance in the conscience for hereafter Doct. therefore Zophar in Iob speaking of the reioycing of the wicked how short it is and of all the ioy of hypocrites which is but for a moment sayth that sin which once was sweet in the mougth of the sinner and which hee hid vnder his tongue to wit as sweete sugar shall turne in his bowels as meate doth in the stomacke and hee shall haue a loathsome remembrance of it in the vomite of those deadly morsels which hee shall bring vp againe for God shall draw it out of his belly Iob 20.12.13.14.15 And here that which Abner sayde to Ioab concerning the sword which was drawne without mercy may truly bee applyed to sinne Shall it not bee bitternesse in the later end 2. Sam. 2.26 That is though it please for a time yet after a while what pleasure can it promise or giue when the best end of it is bitternesse The louely lookes of wine when the pleasant eye of it is in the cuppe and when as Salomon sayth it moueth therein aright that is leapeth or spirteth in it hath in those that take it immoderately a very bitter after taste the end of it biteth as a Serpent and stingeth as an Adder Prou. 23.31.32 they feele pleasure at the first but they shall finde sorrow and paine at the last with Remember drunken sonne thou hast had thy pleasures here Salomons young man is bidden to reioyce that is to take his fill of the delights of life if no perswasion can turâ—e him but what is the reckoning and what will all that dainty cheere cost him The wise King tels him as one that knew something by his owne deare bought experience That for al this God willbring him to iudgement Eccles 11.9 that is the reckoning will come and God williudge him to damnation for it He also shall bee remembred and therefore this Remember Sonne is an Item to him Esay speaking of such as placed all their delight in that which we at this day call good fellowship preparing for that troupe and furnishing the drinke offerings for that number sayth speaking in Gods person and name I will number you to the sword there goes the reckning that is as yee prepared for sinners so yee shall speede as those sinners and as you gaue them drinke so yee shall drinke of their cup Esa 65.11.12 to destruction for saith the Lord My seruants shall eate and yee shall bee hungry my seruants shall drinke and yee shall be thirsty my seruants shal reioyce and yee shall be ashamed and my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall criefor sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of mind vers 13.14 The meaning is Heere my seruants fare ill and yee well hereafter all shall be contrary when that sting of remembrance that hath daggers-prickes beginning to pricke and you to feele it Ieremie also may come in as a witnesse who in this very case saiâ—th That the wayes and inuentions of the wicked in Iudah shall end in much bitternesse and as it were in the point of a weapon that shall pierce to the heart Ier. 4.18 Therefore say the despisers of God in the booke of Wisedome being pricked of their owne consciences Wee fooles thought his life speaking of the godly mans life madnesse and his end without honour but now he is counted among the children of God and his portion is among the Saints Wisd 5.4.5 When they heard this saying in the voice of their consciences Remember sonnes they changed their note and beganne to say What hath our pride profited vs and what good hath the pompe of riches brought vs All these things are past like a shadow and as a Poste that passeth by verse 8.9 Thus the pleasures of sinne end in a very bitter remembrance The reasons The pleasures of sinne are a sweet poyson that much vexeth those that cate it and for riches ill vsed Christ compareth them to thornes Math. 13.22 Now athorne in the foot causeth great paine but what prickings come from such thornes in the conscience Also the lusts of sinne are but baites that haue hookes in them and when the baite of sinne is gone the hooke abideth still in the sinner Secondly it is a part of the sinners punishment to feele continuall gnawings and pullings after sinne committed by that worme that dyeth not And if so here how much more in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone where sinners shall receyue all their penny worths together Thirdly the pleasures of the wicked goe away in their death if they continue till they dye as they often doe not But to haue beene happy and to bee miserable what can it bring but horrible vexation and death before the time and how can it but torment the sinner to remember that he who once was full of pleasures is now filled with paine and hee who had so much liuing now dead hath nothing that is nothing but misery sorrow and his iust desert in the paines of hell and second death And admonition not to feede vpon the sweet meate of sinne Vse 1 though neuer so well sawced by him that bids vs to eate but to our destruction at least to a great distemper and generall disorder in our Christian healths or Christian state If any would entise vs by the colour of the wine let vs consider that the colour of it is deceitfull and as we heard hath a biting losse of remembrance in the end of it Prou. 23.32 When the strange woman that is the harlot flattereth with her words Prou. 2.16 let vs auoyde her as wee would some deepe ditch Prou. 22.14 a whore is a deepe ditch full of great danger hee that falleth into it shall hardly rise againe not weake men only but strong men haue beene deceyued by her as Sampson nor simple men onely but the wisest as Salomon Prou. 7.26.27 Perhaps thou mayest bee called out of the good way by such as say Come cast in thy lot with vs wee shall finde precious riches and fill our houses with spoyle Prou. 1.13.14 that is doe as wee doe and you shall bee rich as wee are but consent thou not for there will be a bitter remembrance of all these things one day What got Balaam by the sweet wages of sinne which hee loued was hee not cast away by them Iude 11. Such wages of sinne preuayle much at this day with too many and
pleasures here that euery winde scattereth Psal 1.4 Who but fooles would so much disquiet themselues about vaine shadowes pursuing this pleasure that commodity and those preferments earthly and knowing how much they may cost vs who would couet them that loue their saluation and would not heare Sonne thou hast had thy pleasures here A reproofe of those who count them the onely happie men that alwayes b liue at rest Vse 2. and haue their fill of pleasures in this world for had not Diues Mal. 3.15 to whom Abraham yet saith therefore or because of that thou art tormented Now are they happy that are tormented or is there any happines in that and are they not rather as Oxen fatted to the day of slaughter And if so the state of the crosse in this life is much rather the plaine and direct way to true happines For through many afflictions we enter into the kingdome of GOD Acts 14.22 this is the way wherin CHRIST led and we must follow being conformeable to our head in sufferings By these God brings his children into a neerer acquaintance with him who but for them would be straungers to their owne Father and who by them or by means of them are made to seeke him diligently Hos 5.15 Worldly happines then being such an hinderance to true happines how can they be happy indeed that are most happie that way and how can it be to them a blessed thing to haue no affliction in their hearts or vpon their bodyes and estates when to be afflicted some such way is their best way to glorie euerlasting Of Lazarus it is said that he receiued paine Lazarus was deare to GOD and hee greatly loued him yet Lazarus whom God so loued liued in no ease the Text sayth in paize Doct. 2. From whence we may gather as was noted before that the godly are vsually most afflicted This was spoken of before vpon these words of the 20 verse Which was layd at his gate c And the Lord will haue it to be so for these reasons First that the Flesh might haue no cause to reioyce before him 1. Cor. 1.29 Secondly that men might desire godlinesse for it selfe who other wayes would bee godly or seeme to be that they might for it enioy some ease and prosperitie heere Also this would make them to seeke earthly things in matters that are pure and heauenly Thirdly that they might seeke him and depend vpon him onely which thâ—y will do in their troubles and hardly do when they are at more liberty And fourthly that the members might be like their head who was a man of sorrows No cause therfore to suspect the Gospell Vse to be the wrong way to paradise because it would bring vs thither by troubles rather by this that it is preached to the poore Luc 4.18 and that the poore receyue it Luk. 7.22 We may be sure that if there bee any more direct way to heauen then other this is it And we know who they were that sayde Doe any of the Rulers beleeue in him Iohn 7.48 If then thou bee poore and in distresse let not that condition of thy profession in so neare a similitude to Christ dismay thee but reioyce rather that thou art so like to thy Sauiour in that wherein was the least worldly shew and the greatest heauenly glory For now thou standest not vpon any weake prop of flesh but vpon the strong pillar of Israel in whose name thou trustest So much for the first impossibility in Abrahams reply the second followeth Verse 26 And besides all this between vs and you there is a great gulfe c. Heere wee haue the second parte of Abrahams reply wherein hee further sheweth how impossible it is that this Rich mans estate should bee bettered or bee other then it is for hee sayth betweene vs and you c. as if he had sayd God by an euerlasting ord nance and law hath barred the way from vs in heauen to you in hell betweene there is a gulfe or gaping pit and no bridge ouer And there is no hope of euer comming nearer then wee be Further if any would come from vs to you which is not to bee imagined they cannot and as they cannot so they neuer will This is Abrahams meaning Where we learne that the state of wicked men after this life is vnchangeable and euer the same Doct. They that are in hell can neuer come out as they that are in heauen can neuer come thence and so wee see the impossibilitie of getting out of hell being once in for which it is called the deepe Luk. 8.31 and of which Esay speaking sayth He hath made it deepe Esa 30.33 and therefore deepe because the damned there are so cast downe that they neuer rise Psal 140.10 Christ sayth of him whom he sent to the hels Binde him hand and foot Math. 22.13 as if he had sayde by stripping him of all meanes of defence and wayes of escaping let him goe and neuer returne For they who are cast with their hands and feet bound into such a deepe how can they come out This was spoken of before vpon the 23. verse the words And beeing in hell in torments c. Doct. 2. there But is there no comming out of hell Then take wee heede how wee come there that is Vse While wee are in the way of grace let the deepe of hell call to deepe repentance as if One deepe should call to another Psal 42.7 Here let vs come ouâ— of our sinnes by conuersion to God that hereafter we come not with our sinnes or in them to the place where is no comming out If now wee humble our selues wee shall bee exalted in due time 1. Pet. 5.6 not cast downe as they who goe to hell are but exalted for to bee exalted is to ascend vp not to bee sent into the deepe One speaking of the afflicted here for sinne sayth truly The deeper in hell the higher in Heauen His meaning is the more men feele it here for sinne the further they are from it and from sinne that casteth into Hell for euer A reproofe of Origens error Vse 2 which was that after a time the soules which are in hell shall come out and that at last or after a thousand yeares the Deuils themselues shall bee saued Also the speeches of harrowing hell and of bringing soules out of Purgatory that is soules out of the fire of Hell are lying speeches the faith and speeches of Papists and the current doctrine of the blind world of Christendome till within these hundred yeares for they that are in Hell neuer come out and the estate in which we dye is constant and the same for euer Cain and Saul and Iudas and al reprobates as they fell in their bodies so they shalâ— rise in them to iudgement no better in person nor in better manner A comfort to those whose hope is in death and whose death is peace at the last
Vse 3 for as they dye with much comfort so they change not after death but are much and eternally comforted their soules presently and soule and body after a while In this hope they lay vp their flesh and in this sure hope of a better vnchangeable eternal life they lay vp as in sweet sugar the hardest parts both of their life and death here They know that they so rest in the hands of God whose wayes as his gifts and calling are all without repentance Rom. 1â— 29 that they shall not bee remoued for euer And this hath made many to passe through the very flames of fire to God with a ioyful calmnesse It made our godly fathers as may be seene at large in the eleuenth to the Hebrewes quietly and gladly to suffer much and great aduersity for they saw him that chaÌ„geth not and looked for their abiding City Heb. 13.15 And should not may not this in as good assurance and with like hope encourage vs as for a price to set forth as they did to death So to runne that wee may obtaine 1. Cor. 9.24 So to fight that wee may ouercome 2. Tim. 4.8 And so to seeke Gods face of fauour here that wee may continually see his face of glory in heauen and euer bee with the Lord Psal 17.15 So much for Abrahams reply This rich man is supposed to reioyne as followeth Ver. 27.28 Then hee sayde I pray thee c. Here wee haue a further proceeding made in this Parable and vnder the person of a rich man in hell by the figure Prosopopoea And in this the Rich man is brought in againe making another request which is also denyed From which supposed request the Papists would gather that the blessed Saints in heauen haue care of their friends on earth that is in speciall and carnall manner of those friends whom they knew familiarly and loued dearely in the world But they gather that which the Text neuer scattered and it would bee remembred that these words are the words of a Parable and not of a thing done the drift whereof is as may appeare by the answer made or supposed to bee made plainely to proue that they who in this life refuse to giue credite to the Scriptures and word of God may hope in vaine to bee called by men from the dead I will not deny but Christian charity abides in the Saints in glory not by speciall remembrance of one more then of another for such charitie in them extendeth it selfe indifferently and generally to all here liuing or yet vnborne whom they loue as themselues yet it is ill proued from the example of a damned spirit in hell for what charity where is nothing but all hellish hate and bitternesse And to say that the godly in peace should be troubled particularly or in speciall manner about their friends affayres below what were it but much to derogate from their true rest in the place where they haue fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for euer Psal 16.11 And now where request is made by a spirit damned in hell that Lazarus who was dead might bee sent to the brethren of his fathers house to teach them Wee learne that the doctrine of teaching men Doct. by men from the dead is a doctrine from hell Esay calles it a going or doctrine of going from the liuing to the dead Esa 8.19 and Abazia is sayd to haue departed from God for his health when he sent to the god of Ekron or in that Idoll to the Deuill for it 2. King 1.3.16 The like of Saul who also was taught from hell as Abazia was 1. Sam. 28.8 Therfore God by Moses calles it a turning after those that worke with spirites that is with Dâ—uils or a whoring after them Leuit. 20.6 for how can it bee a doctrine from any place but hell that teacheth men thus The reasons First the Text is plaine for it for this was the request of one damned in hel Secondly such doctrine is not from Heauen and that which came from Heauen speaketh otherwaies and contrarily Verse 29.31 Now that which is not from heauen or according to heauenly truth is from hell for there is no third way Math. 21.25 Thirdly also such doctrine is a meane by wandring from God to make men to beleeue lyes 2. Thess 2.11.12 and is there any thing in this kind of teaching but what is hellish and diuelish Here we may see what to iudge of those who forsake the word which is written Vse for dead mens newes it is sure they are followers of hellish doctrines for such doctrines are the teachings of Sathan the Doctor a person damned in hell the chaire contrary to Him who sitteth in his chaire in Heauen And what is in all this but what is hellish and from Sathan in all points and whose followers are they and of what that follow thus Are they not Sathans followers and followers of Sathans lyes against the word of God So much for the Rich mans second request Abrahams second supposed replie followeth Ver. 29. Abraham sayd vnto him They haue c. In this second replie Abraham tells the rich man plainly that they get nothing by all their labâ—ur who forsaking the Word looke for Reuelations and who will be taught after their owne fancies not by Gods teaching nor by the ordinarie way and meanes appoynted by him Against such God himselfe complaines by his Prophet saying Should not a people enquire at their God Esa 8.19 and therefore the meaning of these words is that the Word deliuered by Moses and the Prophets and accordingly since by Christ and his Apostles is the only ordinary meane to conuert sinners to God and therfore they that refuse grace by it shall no way receiue it from the Graues of the dead This I conceyne to be the meaning of Abrahams second answere to this rich man and to be the onely reason why this second petition was made and this peremptorie replie secondly made vnto it wherein for orders sake wee may note his answer in substance and the vse that Abraham maketh of it The answer in substance is that God hauing ordained the Word written to be the onely ordinary meane for the calling of his fiue Brethren and all Christians yet liuing to repentance it onely is sufficient and all meanes diuided from it vaine and vneffectuall Which first teacheth that the only sealed rule of faith to saluation Doct. 1. is the Scripture and word of God written This is that path that leades to the Way the Truth and Life Christ Iesus For so saith He who is all these vnto vs Ioh. 14.6 and therefore he biddeth the Iewes to search that is exactly to search or as Hunters who strike euery bush seeking the game they hunt for and to search the scriptures that is what is written not vn written vanities For saith he in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they testifie of me That is in them yee may finde Christ and in him