or as this Publican c. Hee said true but not so well for himselfe as he thought he did For surely beloued hee was not like the Publican for the Publican was better then he as S. Augustine well noteth saying Ille superbus erat in bonis factis ille humilis in malis factis videte fratres magis placuit deo humilitas in malis factis quà m superbia in bonis factis (i) Aug. in Ps 93. The meaning is The Pharisie was proud in doing good deeds the Publican meeke and lowly because of his euill deeds Marke my brethren God was better pleased with the Publicans humilitie though he had liued wickedly then with the good deeds of the Pharisie because hee was proud and disdainfull Which Christ confirmeth saying I tell you and he knew the truth this man euen the humble Publican departed home to his house iustified more then the other Or as some note and not the other Againe you know the insolent boasting of the proud youth in the Gospell (k) Mat. 19.16 to 23. He said he had kept the commaundements but hee lyed with those that say so and so thought to haue eternall life But when Christ came to search him by his deeds hee found no such matter in him but that whē he thought best of himselfe and euen preferred himselfe before other then was hee worst in the sight of God And Pharao king of Egipt disdained that there shuld be any God to commaund him therefore when Moyses Aaron came with commission from the Lord for Israels deliuerance out of Egipt the King answered Quis est dominus vt audiam vocem eius Who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce (l) Exod. 5.2 and let Israel goe I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel goe Euen so in these dayes men make as little account of Gods word and his Embassadors and through Pride by which they are ouerwhelmed they disdaine that God should teach and commaund them to let their sinne go and this is the cause they regard him no better but euē say like Pharao who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce and let my Pride vsury extortion oppression or any my pleasure goe I know not the Lord neither will I let them goe Iesus Christ saith Learne of me take my yoake vpon you my yoake is easie and my burthen is light (m) Math. 11.30 But S. Augustine speaking of Pride sheweth the cause why men will not saying Propter hoc vitium dedignantur subdere colla iugo Christi obligati arctius iugo peccati (n) Aug. in Ps 18. Because of Pride men disdaine to yeeld their neckes to the yoake of Christ and will rather gall them in the yoake of sinne But know you this that whosoeuer by this disdainfull Pride will endeuour to mount himself the higher he riseth the greater shall bee his fall And if you meane to ascend indeed the humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God that he may exalt you in due time (o) 1. Pet. 5.6 And let euery man esteeme others better then himselfe (p) Phil. 2.3 For he that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted (r) Luk. 18.14 As the examples of Iob Daniel Sidrach Misach and Abednego Christ Stephen the thiefe vpon the Crosse and the Centurion with many other do plainly testifie The Centurion in the meekenesse of his humble mind said to Christ who promised wh◠he did come to his house to heale hi◠seruant Lord saith he I am not worth◠that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe◠but speake the word onely my seruan◠shall be healed (ſ) Math. 8.78 If hee were not worthy that Christ should come vnder his roofe because of his maiestie holines it is a shame for you to foster Pride in yours as the bawd doth the hatlot because of her filthinesse His humilitie Christ honored with a great commendation shall not your Pride be shamed in due condemnation but I returne The want of this humilitie such height of haughtie minde swelling with disdaine like bodies poisoned caused Kain that he could not abide to see Abels sacrifice accepted before his therefore Kaine slew Abell his brother (t) Gen. 4.8 It made Iosephs bretheren that they could not abide to thinke that their brother should come to greater honour then they therefore they made awaye with him and sold him into Egypt (v) Gen. 37 The Rebells Corath Dathan and Abiram hauing found this they disdained superiorie like our pretended Presbitery so they rebelled against Moyses their godly gouernour (w) Numb 16.12 It made Herod that blood-sucker to seeke to murther Christ (x) Math. 2 16. and the Nobles of Babilon greatly to thirst after Daniels death (y) Dan. 6.4 Where disdaine lookes out at Prides window as Iezabe◠did to see Iehu (z) 2. Reg. 9.30 there euery one despise other (a) Luk. 18.9 and iustifie themselues (b) Luk. 16.15 onely because as Diotrephes loued the preheminence among men (c) Ioh. Epist 3.9 so they would haue the highest roomes (d) Luk. 14.7 and disdaine that any should get before the Thus much for disdaine a feather of Prides wing I will plucke at it no longer for it will not come out But now to your selues and yet I will spare you in hope you will amend The second feather of Prides wing may be presumption two waies to bee seen to moūt her vp aboue the clouds First when men dwell in wickednesse and therin delight as the Owle in darknesse and say Thou God carest not for it tush I shall neuer be cast downe there shall no harme happen vnto me (e) Ps 10.6.12.14 And therefore of Pride presumptuously they determine with Synacharib the subuersion of Kingdomes (f) 2 Reg. 18.19 and commit murther with Kaine (g) Gen. 4.8.19 whordome with Lamech the first founders thereof extortion and oppression with Rehoboam (h) 1. Reg. 12.14 against the law of God which saith Thou shalt not oppresse thy brother (i) Leu. 19.13 Nay Pride in mans hart maketh him entend to do euen what him list and thinks to go forward without any controlment neuer so much as once making the blessed God of their counsell which the Apostle S. Iames sharply reproueth (k) Iam. 4.13 These and such like I take to bee those of whom the Prophet of God speaketh where he saith The vngodly is so proud that hee careth not for God neither is God in all his thoughts (l) Ps 10.4 And therefore in distresse thinke not that God will care for them (m) Pro. 1.28 Will they yet runne on The other kinde of presumption is when men will dwell and continue in sinne and thinke to salue the matter with this plaister God is mercifull (n) 2. Cor. 1.3 forgetting that he is iust and true (o) Ps 7.9 10.14 11.7 and so repentance is deferred sinne is encreased God
But syr God is comming downe with the shout of an Archangell as hee did to view the Ci ie and the Tower which the sonnes of men builded (y) Gen. 11.5 and to see whether they haue done according to the cry which is come vp into his eares And therefore to conclude this part take the counsell of the Apostle those which thus in any point haue liued be ashamed of your former conuersation as Adam was of his nakednes (z) Ro. 6.21 and hide your selues vnder the tree of life Christ Iesus take of the water that he doth giue and liue for euer Learne of him for hee is meeke and lowly and you shall sinde rest vnto yoursoules And as S. Augustine saith Erubescat homo esse superbus propter quem factus est humilus deus Let man bee ashamed for to bee proud for whose sake God so humbled himselfe And decke your selues inwardly with lowlynesse of minde If you will not hearken what followeth 1. Pet. 5.5 Thou shalt be brought downe to the graue to the sides of the pit 1. To hell as after you shal heare And thus much for the first part or proposition You see how she will mount and be like God Now you shall heare how God doth allow it The second part of the text opened likewise in the Chapter following Thou shalt bee brought downe to the graue The text vers 15. to the sides of the pit And as Saint Ierom translateth it into the depth of the pit In profundum Loci 1. The bottome of hell Here I note two things First the fall of Pride Secondly the place whither shee shall fall In her fall I obserue first who threatneth her fall Secondly of what power or strength the threatning is Thirdly how God effecteth his threatnings or purpose vpon the proud The place heere appointed for the proud is first the graue and then the sides of the pitte CHAP. I. Who dareth to tame those proud before spoken off HEe that heere threatneth to bring downe the proud that rise vp against Gods Church Dent. 28.58 2. Esd 8.21 c. is the Lord God whose throne is glorious fearefull Whose name is inestimable and his glory is incoÌ„prehensible before whom the hoast of Angels stand with trembling And shall not his excellencie make you afraid Iob. 13.11 Who after in this Chapter as often in the scripture is called the Lord of Hoasts Isay 1.9.24 10.26 Ier. 11.28 29.8 because he hath all things in heauen and in earth and euery where else at his commaundement as souldiers vnder him And he saith to one goe and he goeth to an other come and he commeth and to his seruant doo this and he doth it as the Centurion told Christ hee did Mat. 8.9 Now consider if the commaundement of man were of such force the commaundement of God is greater If the Centurion were to be beleeued why should not God This God the Lord of Hoastes that planted thee ô man hath pronounced a plague against thee Thou shalt bee brought downe Paul the Apostle saith It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne And now it is God that speaketh who dares to withstand In the batâ—â—â—â— betwixt Israel and Ame-Iech when Moyses held vp this haâ—d Israel had the better And when God taketh the matter into his hands he will preuaile For it is written Who shall bee able to stand before him when he is angry Euen none at all For at thy â—ebuke ô God of Iacob both the chariot and horse are falue This the proud Egyptians knew in spightfull enâ—ie pursuing Israel Therfore euery one said I wil flie from the face of Israel for the Lord fighteth for them And will not Priae and all sinne flie now God is bent against them When proud Haman had made ready his gallowes and was come to the Kings Court minding to get and take Mardoche the Lords seruant that he might hang him a contratie winde to Hamans expectation had hoyst vp Mardoche to fauour Hest 6.10 11. and Haman in stead of a hangman to shut his breath which hee intended became Mardoches footman and heraâ—ld to proclaime his honour which hee sore disdained and for which he was no lesse grieued then Ahab was when he could not get Naboth his vineyard Ahab came into his house heauie and in displeasure And euen so Haman hasted home mourning and his head couâ—red and tolde Zereth his wife and all his friends all that had befalne him Then said his wise men his wife vnto him If Mardâ—che be of the seed of the Iewes Hest â— 12 13. before whom thou hast begunne to fall thou shalt not preuaile against him but shalt surely fall before him And indeed no more he did For Hamans head was a button for his owne halâ—er and his body became the clapper of his own bell to ring his soule to hell To be plaine he was hanged vpon his owne gallowes Now beloued if Hamans wife and his wife men knew that he should not preuaile against Mardoche because he was of the seed of Israel Shall Pride thinke to rise and preuaile against the Lorde which is the God of Israel who casteth out the heathen before him and bringeth the counsell of Princes to nought and maketh the deuises of the people to be of none effect whose throne is the heauens and the earth his foot-stoole whose glorie is ouer all the earth who filleth all things with the power of his maiestie euen God in his holie habitation No no. It is in vaine for the pot to striâ—e against the Potter When the King of Iuda threatened warre to the King of Israel Rom. 9.20 the King of Israel returned this answere again That it was but the Thistle against the Cedar So he made account of the King of Iuda and of his strength 2. Reg. 14.9 but as of a thistle in regard of himselfe But God is of greater strength against the wicked to destroy them then the Cedar is in respect of the thistle to breake it There was a battle in heaueÌ„ Michael his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought his angels But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen And the great dragon that old serpent called the diuel Ephe. 5.5 Reu. 21.27 and sathan was cast out and so shall Pride and proud men The Psalmist saith All the beasts of the forrest are mecked and tamed by man but the beasts of Pride God wil came Sequitur superbos victor a tergo deus Sen. in Her furiente Zeph. 2.11 God will be vpoÌ„ the backs of them He will take their matter into his owne hands he wil deale with them himself whom none else can match or dares meddle with Therefore saith the holie Ghost God resisteth the proud And againe 1. Pet. 5.5 Iam. 4.16 The Lord will destroy she house of proud meÌ„ that is their posteritie Thogh Pride be so stout
most terrible to remember sometimes by the sword of one neighbour against another This was his promise against the Egiptians Isay 19.2 2. Chro. 20.22.23 This hee dealt in iudgement with the Ammonites Moabites and Idumeans They slew one an other and euery one helped to destroy an other Such was his vengeance vpon the Midonites Iudg. 7.22 Isay 9.4 2. Sam. 13 See Exod. 32.27.28 The Lorde set euery mans sword vppon his neighbor Absolon slew his brother Ammon and in the end of the world Amons enemies shal be those of his own household But good Lord defend vs from ciuill warre and domesticall blood-shead through one neighbour against an other by which thou hast promised to destroy them that tread thine inheritance vnder their feete Isai 49.29 saying I will feed them that spoile thee with their owne flesh and they shall be drunke with their owne blood as with sweete wine and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Sauiour and thy Redeemer the mightie one of Iacob If I should step to other histories I could shewe you that it was saide to King Cyrus Herodotus Thou hast thirsted after blood and thou shalt drinke thy belly full of blood Calippus would haue stabbed his friend Dion but with the same dagger hee was stabbed in himselfe of his owne friends This alas is most lamentable when almightie GOD to bring downe our Pride doth stirre vp one friend to destroy an other to execute his fearce wrath vpon them that dwell on the face of the earth 6 Lastly when the Lord God hath gone thus farre with the children of men that are abhominable hee will not here rest so filthie vilde is Pride and sinne in his sight but their memoriall shall perish with them their posteritie shall be cut off and their name shall be cleane put out Therfore saith the Prophet Dauid Psal 34 16. The face of the Lorde is against them that do euil to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth And Eliphash saith in the booke of Iob of such men Their braunch shall not be green Iob. 15.32 c. but shall be cut off before his day God shall destroy him c. and the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate Againe Psal 37.28.35.36 The seed of the wicked shall be cut off saith Dauid Thus the Lord dealt with the house and posteritie of Ieroboā and Baasha and fulfilled the like iudgement vpon wicked king Ahab all his posteritie by the sword of Hasaell Iehu and Eliza. And what is become of all the Tribes of Israel Alas they haue drunke of the like cup of Gods heauie wrath displeasure though they were the chosen peculiar people of God And hath God dealt in truth of iudgement against them Then thou which art but a wilde Oliue braunch Be not high minded but feare But who euer thinketh that it is for their sin and wickednes that God giueth them no children and againe taketh away those that they haue because hee will roote out their remembrance from off the earth But nill they will they as men say in spight of their teeth thus God bringeth man downe and layeth their Pride in the dust like water that is powred vpon the earth which cannot be gathered vp againe 2. Sam. 14.14 Then vnderstand ye vnwise among the people Psal 94 8. What need I tell you further of Gods infinite armies which going foorth at his commaundement runne verie swiftly to execute his will When he commaunded the water obeyed and drowned the world When he commaunded the fire hasted consumed Sodome To destroy Synacharibs campe hee armed an Angel To some he sent Lyons to some fierie Serpents to some he sent Beares and to Herod Wormes and all these destroyed without any pittie for God had so commaunded Moreouer Some the earth swallowed some the Sea drowned Others laughter hath killed as Sophocles Dionisius the Tyrant of Sicilia Some died with gluttony or surferting as Valentinian and Iouinian the Emperours Some haue died with drinking and bousing as Anacreon and Archesilaus And many wofully pined away with famine in the siege of Ierusalem In the siege of Casilinum and in that great famin of Sagunthus in Spaine Infinite are the diseases and extraordinary meanes as Dauid in some sort sheweth whereby the Lord fighteth his battels destroyeth man Mille modis miseros mors rapit vna homines In so much then as all the hoasts of men neuer so proud and loftie are not able to withstand the least of Gods armies euen of silly wormes and such like vermine but they will preuaile against vs when God sends them forth O fooles that we are why will we not be wise O we of vncircumcised hearts eares let vs not forget how God hath cast some downe we know not what will become of our selues our sinnes call for vengeance and the Lord is not slacke in comming as some men count slacknesse But inough of this point Thou shalt be brought downe And how this promise is effected it doth plainely appeare CHAP. III. Whither proud men shall bee brought downe The Text saith First to the graue then to the side of the pit Of death I obserue 1. The diuision 2. The description 3. The necessitie 4. The certaintie 5. Why some men do tremble and quake Other do ioy at the comming of death 6. Whether we are to mourne for our friends that be dead VVHen Death hath seized vpon man Ier. 16.3.4 then the graue is a meet habitation for the carkasse Aug. de cura pro Mor. Her l. ca. 3. lib. 1. de de Ciuit. dei cap. 12. c. And when this may not be had it is a great plague of God as it is a blessing to attaine vnto Christian buriall which of dutie those that liue ought to performe to the dead corpes after the examples in these places of the word of God Gen. 23.19 and 25.8.9 50.13 with many other And when Moses was dead Deu. 34.6 Iud. 9. God sent an Angel and buried him Thus his maiestie regarded the buriall of the dead And when wicked Iezabel died a most cursed death 2. Reg. 9.34.35.36 yet Iohn said Visit now yonder cursed woman and bury her And some went but before they came the dogges had eate her Loe though she were the cursed of God it was thought meet that she should be buried Then I condemne the light opinions of those that say It is no matter what becomes of the bodie being dead and I wish them to correct their folly that denie to bury the dead and that they would not cease to doo good to them that are dead Well to the graue with Nabuchadnezzar those that be proud must come Which in my Text I take to be spoken Nomine to scorne Pride because shee would be aboue the cloudes shee shall be brought vnder the earth Insomuch that todes serpents and dogs and swine and wormes
Cor. 4.7 Thou 1. God hast made my dayes as an hand breadth and my age is nothing in respect of thee Surely euery man liuing is altogether vanitie yea lighter then vanitie it selfe Now if I did shewe you what great consideration the verie heathen haue had of the shortnesse of mans life and the condition thereof I should not speake it without as great shame to those that do so lightly regard it as I may shew it to the praise of them that so truly thought of it Shall not they condemne thee They made account assurance of it but like a buble of water which is suddenly vp and suddenly downe Pindarus called man the dreame of a shadow And what is that Sophocles a breath and a shadow onely Horace Puluis vmbra dust and a shadow That this is true thou canst not denie and yet thy wilfull infidelitie thy deeds doo descrie For men liue as though there were no death or as though they cared not for any reckning to be had after death as if there were neither God to consume them in his wrath nor diuell or hell to torment them in the flame with Diues But thou mayest see that our time is short which to the glory of God should bee spent And no further assurance to bee made of any time temporall but that which is present and therein to prepare for the houre of death Which some dooing do ioy at death comming others omitting doo tremble and quake Now heare who these bee and why this is so CHAP. X. To whom death is fearefull ALl those men which are the wicked and abhominable from euery good worke reprobate may think in soule conscience that death comes vpon them as the watchmen in the Tower of Iezarell did see Iehu hasting towards the Citie marching furiously then they imagine with themselues sure it brings no good vnto vs as Ahab said by the Prophet of God I hate him 1. Reg. 22 8. for he doth neuer prophesie good vnto me but euill And when they see that death is come indeed then they say as the wicked King did to Elias 1. Reg. 21.20 Math. 8.29 Exod 10. Art thou come to torment vs before the time As the diuels said to Christ What haue wee to doo with thee Get thee from vs as Pharao said to Moyses Moyses then departed but death will not saying to the soules of such 28. Luk. 4.35 Hold thy peace and come out of him As Christ said to the diuell in one that was possessed Then they hang downe their heads their countenance is changed their thoughts are troubled and happily their knees trembling knocke one against an other for feare like Balthazers when he saw the hand writing vpon the wall against him Therefore well saith the wise man Eccles 41 1. O death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his owne possessions CHAP. XI Why is death bitter FIrst because men doubt of their reconciliation to God who in their life-time haue contemned his cousell and set his correction at nought So that neither the word of God preached his mercie and long suffering offered nor his iudgements powred vpon them haue taken any effect in them But they haue followed their owne waies and one after their owne wicked imaginations willingly refusing to know stopping their eares like the deafe Adder at the voyce of the wise charmer spurning forward their soule to iniquitie as Balaam did his Asse against the Lord. Numb 22.25 Such men are condemned by the Oxe and the Asse The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his maisters cribbe but Israel what if I said England nay Leweis hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstood Isai 1.3 The reason is for they would not O Ierusalem Ierusalem saieth Christ which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent vnto thee how oft would I haue gathered thy children together as the henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and ye would not Luk. 13.34 Math. 23.34 That is euen when ye might therefore ye shall not when ye would For it is written I will laugh at your destruction saieth God by Salomon and mock you when your feare commeth when your feare commeth like sudden desolation and your destruction shall come like a whirlewinde when affliction and anguish shall come vpon you Then shall they caâ— vpon me but I will not answere they shall seeke mee early but they shall not finde me because they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord They would none of my counsell but despised all my correction Pro. 1.26 Therfore I will surely coÌ„sume theÌ„ saith the Lord. Ier. 8.13 The consideration of this is a wounding woe which if thy conscience tell thee cannot be helped it forceth thee to this out-cry with Caine Gen. 4.13 My sinne is greater then can be forgiueÌ„ Then the diuell will be ready to perswade thy conscience that thou art partaker of that great offence which is if we sinne willingly that is Gloss ordin Ibid. Nobis in voluntate peccandi manentibus Wee continuing in desire to sinne and forsake Iesus Christ as Iudas Saul Arrius Iulian the Apostate did Geneua note Ibid. After we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuour the aduersary And this also know that as the candle stinketh more beeing blowne out then if it had neuer bene a light so they that once haue had the truth and wilfully reiect and turne away from the truth shal haue greater iudgement and are more odious in the sight of God then if they had neuer knowne the truth For it is written It had bene better for them not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse then after they haue known it to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto theÌ„ 2. Pet. 2.21 This doubtlesse doth make men tremble quake to remember death when they consider how farre they haue gone into sin and can finde no way out Then perhaps they begin to flee and to runne like the Egiptians pursuing the Israeâ—es through the redde sea but the waters ouerwelmed them before they could get out Exod. 14.35.28 And so may death thee for it is written Thou hole this night will I fetch away thy soule from thee Luk. 12.20 Then remember this my deare brethren and forget not how plentifull Gods word hath bene among you and praise his name for it with prayer to coÌ„tinue it and know how greatly it hath bene contemned Whoredome is haunted and be not some of those curres heere that do vse to this carrion the Saboath is polluted the name of God is blasphemed vsurie and enuy with such like abhomination is vsed and yet will you say Gods word is regarded Bee not blinde but see how God hath warned our Towne by fire fearefull to behold with the plague of pestilence beating at
our doores and the sharpe sword of samine and hunger with many other diseases one presently after an other What haue these wrought in our hearts where is any reformation of manners Pride encreaseth c. Christ told the Iewes when an vncleane spirit is gone out of a man he walketh through drie places seeking rest and finding none Then he saith 〈◊〉 wil return into mine house frō whence I came and when he is come he findeth it emptie swept and garnished The◠hee goeth and taketh vnto him seuen other spirits worse then himself they enter in and dwell there and the end of that man is worse thē the beginning Euen so shall it be with this wicked generation Pharao his heart was hardned to his owne destruction Is yours think you to saluation You should not forget that Esau Heb. 12.17 when hee would haue inherited the blessing hee was reiected for hee found no place to repentance though he sought the same with teares But what may wee looke for among whom I feare for our sinnes teares are as plentifull as snow in sommer There are none Corazin Bethsaida Sodome Math. 11.20 Gomor with Tyre Sydon Capernaum c. are in the lake of torments that burneth with fire and brimstone for contemning the word of God Diues would haue had Abrahā when he could get no helpe for himselfe to send Lazarus to warne his brethren Least saith he they come into this place of tormēts But Abraham answered againe saying Luk. 16.23 They haue Moses and the Prophets with whom we haue Christ his Apostles also let thē heare them As if he should say if they will not heare thē for such is that place of torments and woe prepared Peraduenture thou dost thinke to haue repentance at thy call as the Centurion had his seruants Thou seest by Esau thou mayest be deceiued Can an Ethiopian or Blackmoore change his blacke skin or the Leopard his spots and can you do well hauing learned all the dayes of your life to doo euill Who can bow a full growne Oake And who can repent when himselfe list What might bee said here of this matter without wearinesse But I will onely send you to one place more Then consider with your selues what cause wicked men haue to tremble at the sight or remembrance of death when they shall bee plagued for abusing the time of saluation and repentance offered and the counsell of the Lord with his louing correctiō 1. Pet. 5 7 God at at all times carefully as before calamitie specially called Israel from their sinnes by his holy Prophets And whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning Zach. 7.11 But they refused to hearken and obey therfore God denied to heare help them though they cryed when destruction fell vpon them When thou thinkest that God will do so by thee O how fearefull will the rememembrance of death bee Secondly as the remembrance of death is terrible vnto vs when we think that God will not heare vs 2. Chro. 24.20 lying on our beds crying and howling because we haue despised to heare him when his holie maiestie cried called for vs so also to consider that God is true in his promises that to them that cannot repent he fulfilleth his threatnings that he therefore is iust that hee is the God of vengeance 1. vnto whom vengeance belongeth that as hee is crowned with mercie so he is armed with iustice and in truth he will shew himselfe to plead against vs and to plague vs. And when thou O man doest call to minde vpon thy bed of death that thy life hath bene spent in vsurie extortion oppression Pride couetousnesse whoredome drunkennesse malice enuie and such like sinnes for which the curse of God is due this will make thee say of death as Israel did to Moses of God saying Let not God talke with vs least we die Exo. 20.19 So thou Let not death apprehend vs least we goe to hell Here now we may see euen what the feare of death is Ludelp Sax. in Mat. 10. Idem Ex Chris ibid. Non dolor exeundi de corpore sed disperatio vitae post mortem timet Idest mortem qui non putat se viuere post mortem The feare of death is not sorrow to die but the dispairing of life after death That is He feareth death that cannot tell what will become of his soule after death And so Aug. de vera innocen Qui malae conscientiae est semper pucillanimis timidus est hee that is of an euil conscience is alwayes faint-harted and fearfull of death because they tremble to thinke Moriendo quo ire rogantur whither God in vengeance will sende them when they bee dead And beleeue me thereof is great cause For we reade that Esdras prayed Mat. 44. as we are taught saying Let it not be thy will to destroy them that haue liued like beasts and worse then beasts Esdr 8.28 Answer is made I will not verily consider the workes of them before the death before the iudgement before destruction As if it were saide But then God will Math. 13.29.41.42 These are they that haue their portion in this life these are such like as of whom Christ saide Verily I say vnto you they haue their reward Math. 6.5 euen pleasure in this life for paine in the life to come Luk. 16. with Diues Then woe be vnto you O ye vngodly which haue forsaken the lawe of the most high God For though you increase yet shall ye perish If ye be borne ye shall be borne to cursing If ye die the curse shall be your portion Ecclesiast 41.8.9 Knowe yee not that the vnrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome GOD Be not deceiued for neither fornicators adulterers vncleane wantons Idolators Witches they that liue in hatred debate wrath and enuie they that are proud emulators contentious seditious heretickes murtherers drunkards gluttons Infidels lyars buggerers Theeues couetous raylers extortioners backbyters haters of GOD dooers of wrong proud boasters couenaunt breakers disobedient to parents and such like These Gods word saith shall not inherite the kingdome of GOD. Rom. 1.29.30 1. Cor. 6.9.10 Gal. 5.19.20 Reu. 21.8.27 For they goe the way that leadeth to destruction Math. 7.13 Thus we see the workes of the flesh are manifest And if yee liue after the flesh ye shall die Ro. 8.13 Then feare for if the righteous scarcely shall be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare 1. Pet. 4.18 Whose iudgement long agoe is not far off and their damnation sleepeth not 2. Pet. 2.3 But euerie one shall receiue according to his workes Psal 62 12. When it shall be said Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Luk. 13.27 Ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the diuel and his angels Math. 25.41 Where indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish shall bee vpon the soule of euery man that dooth euill of the Iew