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-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.
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
12.48 The more men haue the more men haue to answere for and the more wealth the more billes of debt to further either their saluation or condemnation by Gods iust iudgement An admonition to all Vse 2 vpon the penaltie of damnation to giue to Gods poore as God hath giuen to them and blessed them God hath so coÌ„manded Deu. 15.11 He that giues all commands vs to giue to all that stand in need Esay so saith and sheweth why His reason is the poore are our flesh Esa 58.7 Brethren are neere but our selues are nearere One brother may doe for another but who is so vnkind that he will not doe for himselfe It is a fruite of the spirit to couer the naked with a garment Ezech. 18.7 but signe of an ill spirit to vncouer him or to keepe his couer from him And he is no good man who hauing two coates will not giue one rather then see his brother perish for want of one Luk. 3.11 Our Sauiour who being rich made himselfe poore to make vs rich will haue vs to giue almes of such things as we haue Luk. 11.41 That is he requireth vs to giue almes either in money or in that which is money worth And therefore in Luk. 12.33 he bids vs sell that we haue that we may haue to giue to such as neede For some might say I would willingly giue something to Christ in his poore but I haue nothing to giue Therefore saith Christ you say you haue nothing to giue but haue you nothing to sell no corne in your Barne no stuffe in your house If any rather then your brother should perish sell it and when it is sold giue it to him Neither doth Christ simply command this but with promise of a recompence who may command without it For he saith Giue out of these bagges and I will giue you other and better bagges And it is sure if we lay vp a penny in heauen we shall find a pound there he that scatters there shall find a large increase If we sowe anything vpon Christ Iesus the seede of reliefe that is cast vpon him is bestowed vpon a thankfull soile it will returne with vsury what we lay out vpon it Christ is no barren ground and a cup of cold water sowen vpon him will rise to the great haruest of a cup of glory Also and further for the temporall returne the Lord by Esay tels vs that If we refresh the hungry and troubled soule hee will satisfie our soule in drought and make our bones fat and we shal be like springs of water whose waters faile not Esa 58.10 Heere are very large promises and he that maketh them is faithfull for is it not a great blessing of God to be prouided of springs of water in a great drouth is not the fatting of the bones in some common leannesse sent vpon others for a punishment something worth Is it not good prouidence to lay vp that in our daies of plenty which will be sure not onely to come againe but to watch the time when for our neede it shall be most welcome to vs and who would not giue so to receiue againe But all this is promised here by the Lord vnder the broad seale of his word And why should wee then be so slacke in the liberall laying out of something for an euill day why should we feare to cast our bread vpon such waters where it will be found againe and to make God our pay-maister by giuing to his poore Prou. 19.17 seeing all that we so giue shall be repaid so surely and with such increase But further to prouoke vs to a worke of charitie so gainfull and so commanded let vs remember that it is not onely a deede of mercy but worke of iustice to giue to Gods poore so saith Dauid Psal 112.9 where he telles vs that a good man is alway doing good and that his righteousnes that is worke thereof abideth euer and not for a while or for a few good fits By righteousnes he meaneth the worke of mercy to the poore which hee calleth not changeable but constant mercy and he calleth it righteousnes because it is not an arbitratie but commanded duty nor at our owne choise which we may doe or leaue vndone but straightly enioined And therefore as the rich haue right to the maine estate by Gods bounty so the ouerplus and that which they may spare is the poores by vertue of that donation That therefore which they may spare is not their owne but the poores from whom if with this rich man and merciles they withhold the crummes of their superfluitie with him they may cry when there shall be no bearing Looke I am 5.1 I tell thee the poore haue as good right to the waste bread of thy estate as thou hast to the full table it selfe and it is ratified to them by the same authoritie that the larger portion is sealed vnto thee But heere standeth the difference as (d) M. Io. Down who hath written fully and excellently of this argument in his booke of beneficence one saith God hath giuen vnto thee thy riches immediately but to them he giueth theirs mediately by thee But to proceede a little farther Christ Iesus in his last day of iudgement wil pronounce that to be done to himselfe which is done to his poore Math. 25.40 and contrarily that to be taken from him which is denied to them v. 45. Now tell me if Christ himselfe should come to begge lodging of thee wouldst thou not giue him lodging and if need were the vse of thine owne bed When a poore Christian doth as much it is all one as if Christ did so by him and therefore what thou deniest to a Christian thy Sauiour will take as denied to himselfe in that Christian and say Forasmuch as yee did it not to the least of these yee did not to me therefore shall yee goe into euerlasting paine as the righteous shall passe to life eternall Mat. 25.45.46 But lest any should thinke himselfe not to be charged with giuing because he is not rich the Apostle S. Paul sheweth that this duty belongeth both to rich and poore Eph. 4.28 Where the poore labouring man is commanded to practise loue and the duties of loue vpon his needy brother And if we would haue an example for it we haue a good one in the poore widow who cast her two mites into the coffer of the poore which was all the substancâ— that she had Mar. 12.43.44 God will haue the poore therefore to spare somewhat of their pouerty to the comfort of Christ in his needy members Now if these arguments and examples cannot moue vs let vs knowe that the iudgements are certaine and will come that are threatned against all mercilesse rich men such as Diâ—es heere The Lord so abhorreth this crueltie of turning away from the poore that he threatneth it as one of Sodoms sinnes with fire and brimstone from heauen Ezech. 16.49 And as he that
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
they no way slaked his sore hunger These bestowed what they had they would bestowe nothing These were pittifull to man they were cruell to poore man and inhumane to Lazarus a godly man Which could not but proceed from the Lord and be his owne deede both to testifie against and to conuince the vnmercifull and more then beastly incompassionatenes of such cruell wretches For here the kind nature of the dogges shamed the hard hearts of men and God opened their mouthes as he did of Baelaams asse Num. 22.28.19 to reproue their mâ—ister Or God taught these dogges kindnes to teach their maister mercy And here we are taught that God Doctr. for good purpose doth oftentimes make vnreasonable creatures his witnesses against reasonable men So fire and Lions the fierce fire and the hungry Lions shewed mercy when the King and Princes of Babel and Persia would shewe none to Daniel and Daniels fellowes Pan. 3.27 6 22. Thus also when Israel would not know God by his Prophets he taught them by the Oxe and Asse to know him Esay 1.3 So prouidence is taught by the Comes Prou. 30.26 order by the Grashopper v. 27 diligence by the Spider v. 78 and timely repentance by the Turtle Swallow and Crane that know and obserue their time Ier. 8.7 In the booke of Micah when Israel would not heare God turnes him to the Mountains and hills bidding them to heare Mich. 6.1.2 And Salomon makes the Ant the sluggards teacher and the Ant-heape his schoole to learne in Prou. 6.6 Thus reasonable men are schooled by vnreasonable creatures The reasons By this meanes God doth shewe them what they should doe and shame them not hauing done as they should Now shame often times moues vs when the words of the wise can doe nothing with vs. Secondly proud persons must be humbled before they will learne Esa 66.2 But what better way to humble them then to conuince and shame them by such simple Teachers as the Oxe and Asse and other both vnreasonable and sensles creatures are For may they not then say What fooles are we that must haue such to teach vs Thirdly man must haue one or other to teach him knowledge or to condemne him if he will not learne and God hath not left himselfe without witnesse Act. 14 17. Where therefore his Ministers cannot teach man by his word the other creatures by their order must that there be no excuse And now what can he say when the creatures without reason obserue their makers law and he that hath reason and the teaching which they want will not An admonition to reasonable man not to despise Vse â—â— nor yet to neglect the schoolings that God giues him by his other creatures Not to be vnmercifull when some dogges haue bin mercifull Also when beasts tender their owne kind not to forsake his And when God putteth the song of his praise into the mouth of all creatures euen of the hilles and mountains of the fowles of the aire of the trees of the forrest and of the dragons and wormes that creepe vpon the earth Psal 148 not to suffer his praise to goe out of his mouth For shall iâ— not be shame and sinne to him to be dumbe when these are so hie and loude And what witnesse can they giue but of his iust condemnation if where they declare his glory he bring by his wickednesse by his crueltie by his prophane life and most vâ—ine behauiour nothing but shame â—eproch and contempt to his name God as was said neuer left himselfe without witnesse no not in the blind world of the heathen how much lesse can hee want witnesse now in the new world of grace where the light is tenne times clearer then that of the Sunne and where besides the darke starres of the firmament we haue the cleare glorious Sun-light of the Gospell to walke by If then being taught as we are in the common and priuate schoole that is both by creatures and by the word we profit not more to obedience or a better life not onely the word that we haue so long heard will iudge vs but euen the creatures that doe so well in their kind will with open mouthes witnesse against vs. And let me tell you that if the (b) Esay 1.3 Oxe knowe his owner and the Asse his Maisters crib and we that haue reason to make vs men and the Gospel to make vs Christians neither will know nor regard to know our owners feare or Maisters glory it cannot be but these simple drudges the Oxe and Asse will in their obedience giue in a fearefull euidence against vs one day Also we that haue our beasts obedient to vs in the sixe daies and yet as rebellious children worse then beasts are disobedient to the Lord on the seuenth what can we say For when we spake to them they heard vs when we whipped them they obeyed vs in all our businesse they attended on vs and yet we listen not to God calling vs by his word we neither profit by his chastisements nor attend on his commandements How can we answer this how can we denie so plaine a matter as this And when these shall speake against vs with the voice of their testimonie what will we alledge for our selues And what will be our defence A fearefull thing therefore not to heare such Schoole-maisters as these nor to be better by precepts of this nature in such Monitors as these are But doth God make vnreasonable creatures his witnesses against reasonable men Vse 2 TheÌ„ though men should hold their peace the stones would crie Luk. 19.40 That is if it could be supposed that man in bearing witnesse would be partiall to mankind yet God could haue witnesses many and sufficient against him in his other creatures without number Or if man should not accuse man nor a mans coÌ„science himselfe yet neither should God be without witnesse nor man without accusers or for failing innumerable accusers of another element and creation O then how carefull should we be now by keeping good conscience in all things Hebr. 13.18 to stop those mouthes that otherwaies we shal be sure by walking against God and not in his feare to open wiâ—e against vs in the day of vengeance and yeere of recompence from the Lord Esa 34.8 When the Israelits contended with God and murmured against him in the desert they might haue considered how he but spake to the Sea and the great Sea did presently heare him though it were to diuide it self as it were to receiue some deep wound orgash against course to giue them way Ex. 14.21 So when they rebelled for water they might haue learned obedience of the hard rocke for when Moses smote it (d) Num. 20 8.11 he should but haue spoken to it it was not rebellious but presently gaue them water in abundance These were Gods witnesses and shall be mens Iudges because by the light in them they could see no better to obey hauing so cleare
to call to wit too late with this Rich man in hell and not bee heard Prou. 1.24.28 And if they bee not heard how can they bee deliuered and if they bee how can the Scripture be true A terror to those who vse so ill the short time of their repentance seeing when they be gone hence Vse they shall find no way to it though as Esau they seeke it with tears Heb. 12.17 Besides what fooles and how vnwise are they who will purchase eternall torments with so short pleasures May they not say as a King once sayde who being inforced in an extreame thirst of water to yeelde himselfe to the enemie after hee had drunke of the water so dearely bought brake out into these words For how short a pleasure what a Kingdome hauâ— I lost So what ioyes haue I lost and of what continuance and what miseries haue I gained and how endlesse for lesse then a dish of water What madnesse to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and after to lye in torments of fire for euer This Rich man would haue giuen the world if the world had beene his to giue to haue beene ridde of his torments but one poore houre or to haue had any little ease of them in hell but if all the Angels and Saints of Heauen would as wee may not thinke they would haue begged of Christ for him they could haue done him no good in that place of torments Therefore while there is hope and while the Lord may bee found let vs seeke him to witte in the way of obedience to the Gospell Esay 55.6 If yee will not come into this place of torments where there is no comming out heare Moses and the Prophets in the olde Testament and Christ in the New Luc. 16.28 Come to Church Heare reuerently at Church and practise carefully when yee are gone from Church Repent yee of your sinnes and that to day that is while yee may call and be heard conuert and bee healed It can be no good husbandrie in you or any to put off your sowing till the time of reaping come and to pay for a few simple trifles the losse of your precious soules for euer O thinke of these things now in these dayes of mercy and while the gate is open striue to enter The soule is more worth then all the world and all riches pleasures and profites are but losse and dung in comparison of it Further to be seuered from God Christ in the torments of hell is a plague aboue all plagues mortall and earthly Now is the time to redeeme thy poore soule I say now because thou knowest not what may happen in an houre and in a moment wee are taken away O therefore now and presently goe about it now and presently abandon thy short pleasures that thou mayest reigne with God for euer in the long life of his saluation And now and presently mortifie sinne in thy earthly members that thy soule may be saued in the day of the Lord and thy bodie and soule may ioyfully meete at the resurrection of all bodies in the kingdome prepared for them and there bee for euer Here wee reade of a great man in Hell or of a great rich man in torments in hell Doct. 3. which teacheth that no wicked ones how great soeuer are for that or because of such eminence exempt from the place and condemnation of hell Therefore Tophet to which hell is compared and the burning Tophet is sayd to be prepared for the King Esa 30.33 I may say for Kings and all in kingly places that doe wickedly And Samuel sayde to all Israel not only if yee doe wickedly yee shall perish but if your king doe wickedly yee and your King shall perish 1. Sam. 12.25 not subiects onely but King and Subiects The Lucifer of Babylon must to hell as well as the meanest in Babylon Esa 14.9.12 that commits iniquity The Reasons The soule that sinneth shall dye Ezech. 18 4. It is spoken of euery soule and person poore and rich Secondly the sinne that it committed is eyther punished in Christ or shall be in thâ—se that are committers of it whosoeuer they be for vnder other termes God neuer yet pardoned sinne and Christ who tooke vpon him the sinnes of his Elect descended to the hels in the sufferings of his life and death to answere his Fathers iustice and for his peoples faults But are al kings are all great ones in Christ Hath Christ suffered for all that are Noble and for all that are rich and mighty doth not the Scripture say Not many wise not many mighty nor many noble are called 1. Cor. 1.26 Now if many be not and but few are they that are not called must suffer for that and all that which Christ neuer suffered for them and where but in Hell and what torments but of Hell Thirdly he that iudgeth his people with equity and the world with true iudgement Psal 98.9 should goe against his owne rules of doing that which is equall and iust if hee should not reward euery one according to his worke and proceede to iudgement without respect of persons Act. 10.34 But it is blasphemy in an high degree once to thinke that howsoeuer wickednesse among men be in the place of iudgement Eccles 3.16 the Iudge of all the world will not deale iustly An admonition to great ones to serue the Lord in feare Vse Psal 2.11 and not to beare themselues vpon their great wealth aboue that which is meete for how soone fearfully may they bee brought downe in a moment and what will all their glory and riches helpe them when their pompe must descend with them to the pitte of corruption And how can they redeeme their poore soules and what ransome will they giue to God for them when a whole world will not bee taken for the redemption of one soule This Rich man in hell and infinite thousands in hell as rich as he while they liued can say as much now And what difference betweene the poore vngodly and the vngodly rich in hell though great on earth seeing their chambers of fire and burning pitch in the infernall Lake are like saue that their torments may bee and it is like are greater for looke how much they gloryed in themselues and liued in delights so much shall they haue torments and sorrow Apoc. 18.7 Now had it not beene better for such while they liued here to haue liued vnder the nurture of the word to haue come humbly and duly to it and with as great reuerence and loue as the poorest soule But They hated him that rebuked in the gate Amos 5.10 and therfore wish too late with this Rich man in Hell that they had not been such fooles and mad men to crosse their owne saluation So much for the place whither the soule of this Rich man went Now we come to shew what followed there He lift vp his eyes and sawe Abraham a farre off c.
make account to lose them or to lose that which is farre better for them The same may be sayd of all other commodities and blessings earthly whether children or honour or pleasures or friends Ezech. 24.25 So much for this Rich mans request the reason of it followeth For I am tormented in this flame Because this Rich man was tormented in the flames of hell he disired some refreshing but what euen a drop of water But what good could a droppe or whole sea of water haue done him being things finite for the easing of a paine infinite And yet as one who for the torment hee endured knew not what he did or spake hee craueth onely a droppe not a sea of water in that extremity Where wee learne Doct. 1. that the torments of hell doe not onely vexe the mindes of the tormented in hell but so vexe them that the tongue is supposed and may bee sayd to talke idlely and foolishly it cannot tell what Thus the damned of the earth the great men and the rich men being far from the saluation of God and the life of the Lamb are brought in by Iohn saying to the mountains Fall on vs and to the rocks and hils couer vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Apoc. 6.15.16 which what is it but an idle speech and impossible desire For what mountain can hide from God who seeth through the darke cloud and what rocke and hill can couer from him who can enter when the doores are shut Ioh. 20.26 To him the night shineth as the day the darkenesse and light to him are both alike Psal 139.12 It was say de of them who in the transfiguration saw the glory of Christ that they wist not what they sayde Luk. 9.33 The meaning is they were so beside themselues with sudden ioy vpon that accident that they spake they knew not what themselues and yet they saw but a little of his great glory How then shall they know what they say or what to say who shall bee farre more carried out of themselues with sudden extasies in hell then they were rauished with gladnesse heere who saw but a darke light a little of their masters glory The Reasons If a little sicknesse here or some want of sleepe make the head idle and the tongue foolish What shall a sickenesse ouer all parts doe and want of rest for euer Secondly the damned in hell feele that that must needes ouercome the senses and take away reason And what can they say or doe that is reasonable and hath sense who neyther haue their senses about them nor their reason in any good order or meanes to direct them An instruction to take heede what wee say here that wee talke not idlely and foolishly as this foole in hell Vse 1 He that would talke wisely hereafter must both talke doe wisely that is Christianly now But to speake wisely is to speake as the word of God 1. Pet. 4.11 that is as Gods word teacheth to speake Some haue no care to deliuer their words by this measure who therefore talke both idlely and ill but if wee must giue account for euery idle word Math. 12.36 then for our euill wordes much more And how great an account then must be giuen for lying words and wanton talke for words of slaunder and words of reproch to our neighbour specially for words of blasphemy to God and of lewde defiance to God and his truth A terrour therefore to all vaine and foolish tongues Here men and women make no conscience of their talke Vse 2 so they may bee saying somewhat Their tongues speake proud things not the words of the Lord that are pure words Psal 12.3.6 and their dayes talke all of it is to no good or wise end if not to their owne prayse and their neighbours slaunder or to magnifieâ—â—â—â—â—selues and cast down the Lord with Pharisaicall lippes If they were in Hel they could not talke more foolishly then some doe or to lesse purpose nothing in their mouthes all the day but what they might be ashamed of at night if it were written in a booke and read vnto them Is this to redeeme the time and to walke wisely Is our day-booke well filled that is made vp with such vanities as foolish talking and foolish iesting and things that are not comely Eph. 5.4 If such speake foolishly in hell they spake foolishly here and not to any vse of godly edifying and so neither there nor here were their words good And so we see that one effect of hell-torments is to take away all sence and vnderstanding from those that are so tormented Now where this Rich man calleth the flame of hell a tormenting flame Doct. 2 hee she weth as hath beene noted already that hell fire is a fire of torment But this was spoken of before vpon the 23. verse and so I passe to Abrahams replye in the verse that followeth Verse 25 But Abraham sayde Sonne remember c. Abraham now replyeth The summe of which is that that small comfort which was none indeed or else as good as none could not be granted him And heere hee putteth him in remembrance though in so actiue a conscience hee could not but remember that he had his heanen here and so could not haue it vpon the earth and in hell too but Lazarus contrarily and that therefore Lazarus hath now changed turnes with him Lazarus being in the bosome offelicitie where hee shall euer bee comforted and he in the bottome of hell where he shall neuer see comfortable day but be euer tormented Also that there is such a gulfe of distance set betweene the places of their opposite abidings that there is no passing from one to another or possibility of going betweene This is the summe and meaning of Abrahams replie to the Rich man in these twoverses the 25. and 26 where it may bee considered in what maner or by what force of words he replyed and what was the matter of his replie for the manner it is in these words Sonne remember and it is in fitte words though in words of no comfort to a tormented soule and soule in hell Sonne sayth Abraham as if hee had sayde Thou Israel in the flesh and not in Christ remember which thou canst not forget if thou wouldest thou hast had thy pleasures and all thy good here that is here thou hast had no other god but them or it In them was thy life buried and soule hid despising God Gods poore members in all thy worldly prosperity but Lazarus dyed in his patience and with paine at thy gate Hee was a true Israelue and inâ— poore life serued no other but the true God and therefore hee now reapeth for this seede of teares the haruest of ioy and thou for thy life and pleasures abused receiuest and shalt possesse paines and woe endlesse In this sort replyed Abraham in this verse where first hee cals him sonne
liued in pleasures so much giue yee to her of torment and sorrow Apoc. 18.7 that is weight for weight or as shee could make no end of her pleasures so let her haue no end of her sorrowes and put her deepe in hell as her soule was deepe sunke in hellish lusts And therefore Paul speaking of the lusts of youth bids men to flye from them 2. Tim. 2.22 not to goe foot-pace from them as it that would serue but to flye as much as if he had said they will speedily ouertake you to perdition if you turne not speedily as vnder wing from them to the life of righteousnesse with them that call on the Lord with a pure heart Iob sayeth as much in effect where hee confesseth that God might iustly haue rooted out his plants if his heart had walked after his eye Iob 31.7.8 I will not say how fitly or vnfitly rather this was spoken vnto or of God by him concerning the counsels of the Almighty which are alwayes iust yet sure it is that that holy man was perswaded that they iustly deserue a cutting off who walke after their eyes heere that is after them in vanities and that there is no hope for such but in their sound repentance Looke not then if thou belong to Christ for ioy and prosperity continually on earth or to haue thy heauen here and in another world For it is a foule errour vnder the Sunne and the dotage of those fooles who make this world their heauen make heauen nothing And if it bee true as it is most sure that they who will follow Christ must swimme after him in a sea of burning glasse Apoc. 15.2 that is bee cast as into a sea or follow him in a whole sea of miseries here then to enioâ— and feele in this life in soule and body perpetual ease pleasure and content cannot but be an vnfit thing for a true Christian and heyre of a better life The point therefore is plaine that there is no hope of a better life if wee haue our hope onely in this The reasons How can we come through aduersity to happinesse if wee suffer no troubles here How can our teares be wiped away when we haue shed none how can we be like our head if wee will bee crowned with rose-buds where he was crowned with thornes and if wee doe not suffer with him how can wee reigne with him The Cattell that goes in the best pasture is for slaughter where that that feedes on the bare Common is for store so they are for the Axe rather then for any continuance who liue altogether at ease in the best pastures of Sion where they that are kept on the bares Commons of troubles for well doing are the Lords owne store Secondly a man drowned is past helpe and what helpe for those that are drowned in the pleasures as it were a whole sea of sinne Thirdly here they sayd to God Depart from vs Iob. 21.14 hereafter God will say to theÌ„ Depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie Here they serued their pleasures and had no pleasure to serue God heereafter their pleasures shall leaue them which they serued God whom they would not serue shall condemne them Here they would not bee saued and hereafter they shall not for Christ will say to such as to Ierusalem I would but yee would not Math. 23.37 Fourthly the tenour and order of Gods iustice is inuiolable Now it is a special part of the glory of his iustice as to shew forth his mercy on the righteous so to execute his fierce wrath vpon vnrighteous persons and sinners Rom. 2.6 therefore the widdow that liueth in pleasures is say de to be dead while she liueth 1. Tim. 5.6 I conclude then that the life of pleasures is a dead life or life of death I meane of second death And it is so that men cannot in the manner that this Rich man did liue here in pleasures Vse 1 and hereafter in heauen then in what case and taking are the pampered full fed Mates of our dayes with other tipling companions who serue their belly and not the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 16.18 where is their hope and what coÌ„fort haue they or can they haue that euer they shal be saued in this course or if God in the mean while should call them away by death what good end can they make out of so bad beginnings Let them consider this who take no pleasure in the seruice of God and take so much pleasure in vanity who vpon the Sabboth leaue the Communion of the Saints at Gods house to haue communion with sinners at Tauernes or in some Alehouse and who day after day fill themselues with wine and strong drinke and seeke not the Lord as they haue done so they meane to doe still to morrow as to day Esa 56.12 Let them also consider who are so tender and keepe themselues so tenderly that no winde may blow vpon them the webbe of their life runs all in an euen thread there is no knot in it concerning these outward things or as it is in the Psalme They prosper alwayes and increase in riches Psal 73.12 Their seede it established in their sight and their generation before their eyes Iob 21.8 But will it be euer so Iob sayeth The candle of the wicked shall bee put out their eyes shall see their destruction and they shall drinke of the wrath of the Almighty ver 17.20 though there bee no changes in their life nor bands in their death Psal 73.4 and though their branch bee greene yet shall they bee cut off before their day Iob 15.32 that is sooner then they thinke the flame shall drye vp their branch v. 30 when their night is once come where are they They haue had their pleasures here their good dayes are all past gone that which is behind when they go down to their graue is sorrow and darkenesse and the euill day that shall neuer leaue them Iob the righteous and Iude the Apostle say They are appointed to it Iob 21.30 Iude 4 or kept and reserued for it So 2. Pet. 2.9 And what comfort can there be in such pleasures or short dayes of pleasure whose end is with such bitternes and the recompence eternal death What hope of such sottish men turned into beasts and mastered with sensuality what fooles that for pleasures so vaine and dearely prized will giue heauen in exchange 〈◊〉 their part in heauen Honours wealth and pleasures are casuall vnâ—table deare and deceitfull penny worthes Let vs therefore learne to vse them without trust and to want them without griefe so may wee haue them heere with comfort and not be worse for them when wee goe hence but take wee heede of all that fellowship which for the wayes it taketh may well bee called the damned fellowship or damned crew of such as haue their pleasures here These things are but chaffe and who would with such earnestnesse follow that chaffe of weâ—ltâ—