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
brothers by father and mother For by the mothers side they partake with him in flesh and in spirit by the fathers Now if such be full brothers to Christ then are they deare children to God in Christ and he that is so well pleased with him in him cannot be displeased with them Nay if Christs halfe brothers as I may say partakers of flesh as he and comming from his creation as men Apoc. 3.14 haue so many shun shines of his common fauour in outward things shall not the children that are begotten with the word of truth and haue a better nature poured into them then these sonnes by creation haue be farre more respected then they and shall they not haue the double blessing who haue issued from the wombe of God in the regeneration Fourthly God said to Abraham and what he said to him is spoken to all the faithfull in him Feare not Abraham neither be afraide yee seede of Abraham I am your buckler and your exceeding great reward Gen. 15.1 Now hee that is so to the righteous must needes be much vnto them and much tender them Fiftly the Lord hath made a couenant with such as are godly though they be poore so they be poore and godly of his saluation and blessing and sooner shall his couenant of the day and night be broken sooner shall it cease to be day and night in their seasons then he will violate the couenant he hath made with his people of their safetie and peace Ier. 33.16.20.21 But we see that God hath kept his word more then fiue thousand yeeres for day and night and will he for that which is more deare vnto him by his owne mercy and the merit of his Sonne goe from his promise to the righteous in their saluation For saluation belongeth to the Lord and this blessing is vpon his people Psal 3.8 An instruction if we would haue Gods fauour to loue and followe righteousnes Vse 1 for he must respect and practise pietie that would haue God to be fauourable So saith Dauid He hath chosen the man that is godly Psal 4.3 Not euery man but the righteous man and he knoweth that is defendeth the way of the righteous where the way of the wicked neither so knowne nor assisted by him must needs perish Psal 1.6 If then we would haue a sure naile in Gods safetie and not wauer or doubt when many are shaken we must thus be established And who would not be preserued when thousands perish Euen Balaam would die the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 He that loued not righteousnes desired to die as the righteous but because he desired his last end whose beginnings middle to it he neuer cared for he had his end not in peace as the righteous but in blood For he was slaine with the sword of the children of Israel among the cursed Midianites Num. 31.8 It is alwaies thought to be the best husbandry and for worldly husbandrie it is most to affect that that will be sure to doe vs the most earthly good and therefore if siluer be offered we preferre it before brasse as we doe gold before siluer if we may haue it And he were but a foole or mad man who running for a crowne of gold would be cast behind for the taking vp of euery pin or point that might be laid in his way This good husbandry would be seene in our care to be good the onely way to be happy and safe in dangers and that other folly and madnes would be auoided in out race of religion as the apparent losse of our crowne of glory 1. Cor. 9.24.25 c. And here let vs knowe and remember that gold compared with the way of righteousnes is infinitely worse then it yeaâ—viler then the basest copper compared with the finest gold and the vilest clay set in like comparison with the purest siluer And what comparison betweene a crowne of gold and the crowne of righteousnes Or were it folly yea madnes for pinnes and trifles to lose the prize of an earthly crowne and is it not greater both folly and madnes for the trifling pinnes of this life to lose the crowne of the next and for vncertaine rest or rather certaine vnrest to aduenture nay lose all surety of true peace and sound happines here and hence The Apostle S. Paul when he speaketh of the happinesse of our other life magnifieth the same farre aboue all temporall felicities both for worth and continaunce and therefore calleth it a farre most excellent and eternall weight of glory 2. Cor. 4.16.17 To be excellent is much to be most excellent is farre more and more yet to be farre most excellent but that which is added of being an eternall weight of glory surpasseth them all as it is said of the vertuous woman by Lemuel or Salomon in the Prouerbes of Salomon Prou 31.29 Saluation then which the Scripture calleth the saluation of God being so excellent or farre most excellent a commodity besides temporall safety other blessings temporall into the bargaine should incite vs to become holy and righteous as Lazarus that we may find the fruit which he did though we haue not his name that is may find Gods helpein deed as he had it in name and deede A comfort to those whose consciences are vpright and set in the care of religion Vse 2 For God much respecteth them though the wicked mocke them for it They that take Habakukes course and tremble at the word shall be in Habakukes case and haue rest that is securitie in the day of affliction Haba 3.16 Such are a house built vpon the seuen pillars of God Prou. 9.1 And that which is so built and by so wise a builder must needes stand in all weather and changes Math. 7.25 Wicked men are as chaffe and dust that are driuen away with a small winde of aduersitie Psal 1.4 but as possible it is for a man with his little finger to ouerturne a mountaine or high hill as to ouerthrowe the hopes and quiet estate of the righteous Psal 125.1 The gates of hell and all the diuels in hell cannot preuaile against a true Christian Math. 16.18 whose best welfare and safety is not as a cottage builded on rotten props but as a castle that standeth on mighty pillars Let the wicked then with their fellowes in euill Iob. 21.15 Mal. 3.14 blaspheme the good way of righteousnes saying that it is to no purpose to be so godly and precisely religious and that they are more wise that take more libertie here we see that the righteous haue a foundation and that he who hath builded them as mount Sion is that maisterbuilder whose worke abideth euer All the haires of their head are numbred Math 10.30 True it is that the raine and floods may beate vpon this house and it may leese as did Peter Math. 26.70.72.74 a few tiles in the wind yet can it not fall for it is grounded on a rock Math. 7.25 God hath not
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
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
will that bee of two such friends and louers so long kept asunder How will the soule welcome her companion and yoke-fellow in the crosses and tempests of this life How louingly will they enter together into their Masters ioy Where before it was full of sores sicknesse and paine now it shall be a sound body for euer in which shall bee neither sickenesse nor paine hereafter It did hunger and thirst it shal neuer hunger and thirst any more It was a mortall body now it shall neuer dye againe 1. Cor. 15.44 It was dull and lumpish it shall bee as the glorious body of Iesus Christ Philip. 3.21 Light and actiue able as speedily and with as naturall a motion to ascend vpward as it is to goe downeward It was a sorrowfull and weeping body now All teares shall bee wiped away Apocal. 21.4 It shal sorrow and weepe no more Finally both body and soule in louing armes together shall reigne with Christ for euer They shal walke in the path of life their glory shal be greater in the pleasures of the Lord then we can coceiue or mans tong vtter And therfore as it was said at the crowning of Salomon that the people so reioyced that is with such an exceeding great ioy that the earth rang againe 1. King 1.40 So how can any pleasures be wanting where the true Salomon and his royall Spouse shall both be crowned together with glory in the Kingdome of Heauen Such honour haue the Saints and therefore great without question is their preferment euery way and so much greater because presently at their death they receyue in their blessed soules but the moyty of that happy estate which they are sure to haue whole and full at the resurrection This doctrine is wickedly crossed by the Papists in their Article of the soules passing to the paines of Purgatory presently after death Vse 2 specially where they make the paines there and burning therein as intollerable and great as those paines and that burning which is in the helles of the damned saue that there is a comming out of Purgatory but no redemption in hell But how are the godly comforted as Lazarus here at their death when after their death they are thus tormented and where they thus labour in Purgatory how can they bee sayde to rest from their labours Did the theefe that went to Paradise goe to Purgatory Luk. 23.43 or did Saint Paul who desired to bee with Christ desire to bee with him in Purgatory Philip. 1.23 Indeede to be with Christ as the Apostle there speaketh is best of all And though it be not possible as one sayth eyther to finde Christ in hell or to misse him in heauen yet a Christian should bee of the mind to desire rather to bee in hell with Christ then in heauen without him But shall wee thinke that the Apostle was ignoraunt where Christ was when he so earnestly desired his dissolution to be with him And if hee knew as no doubt but hee did that hee was in heauen then there is as little doubt but his desire was at his death to bee in heauen with him If it be said that the case of these two was extraordinarie as being the case of two Martyres who therefore presently went to heauen It may be answered for the theefe that his death was not a Martyrs death though his saluation was extraordinary for the Papists owne doctrine is that they who suffer as Martyrs must suffer as voluntaries for Christ and with intent of making satisfaction to God by such martyrdome but the theeues punishment was for himselfe onely against his will and without that satisfying mind that is required in a Martyr Luk. 23.41 And if any had neede to goe to Purgatory for the end that the Papists send their dead thither why not this conuerted theefe seeing hee had so short a time to purge in after his conuersion But for Saint Paul though hee were a Martyr for Christ yet where doth it appeare when hee spake these words I desire to bee loosed to bee with Christ that he knew hee should so suffer for him Indeede it was prophesied that hee should bee bound aâ— Ierusalem for him Act. 21.11 It was also sayde in general terms That bands and afflictions did abide him in euery city Act. 20 2â— But it cannot bee shewed that he then knew certainely that by Death he should glorifie God as a Martyr True it is that hee was ready not to be bound onely but to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Act. 21.13 Yet how doth it appeare that he was certaine he should die for it there or otherwhere But why should Martyrs bee exempt more then other Saints from Purgatory It seemes that this Apostle of the Gentiles though a Martyr did not exempt himselfe from the common estate of all the blessed after death for when hee had spoken of such afflictions as the Elect suffer here of the glory to come hee immediatly speaking in the plural of all Saints addeth Wee know that when our earthly house is destroyed wee haue a building giuen vs of God 2. Cor. 5.1 As if hee should haue sayde So soone as wee lay downe the one we receyue the other so soone as wee remoue from the body wee dwell with the Lord 2. Cor. 5.8 and so soone as we put off corruption wee put on glory This is the common fauour of the Elect and not the particular priuiledge of one more then of another So Purgatory prayers are put out of office and Purgatory fire is proued iniurious to the peaceable deaths of the godly departed in the faith of Christ Thur farre for the estate of Lazarus after his death the contrary estate of the Rich-man after his death followeth The Rich man also dyed and was buried Wee before noted that death is the common roade-way of rich and poore for Lazarus dyed and the rich man also dyed That that followeth after his death is the next thing to be considered And this concerneth him in his body or soule That which concerneth him in his body is That it was buried I doubt not but solemnely and in great pompe The old Translator sayth Hee was buried in Hell as it were in his owne Parish but we reade no such thing in the originall Greeke It sayth onely He was buried Lazarus belike was not or not with such a traine of followers because he was poore therefore his Buriall is not spoken of Which therefore doth not condemne the buriall of the dead but their sinfull partiality who follow the rich though wicked to their graues and neglect the poore though godly to honest their buriall The duety of reuerend buriall is a necessary Christian duty and it is not reproued here saue that it was a good duty ill done and to a person vnworthy and vainely done From hence learne that the body of a Christian the soule being departed from it Doct. is reuerently to be put into the earth It iâ—
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