preuaile against vs and to this end let vs know as our Sauiour Christ saith to his Disciples Yee haue neede of patience so wee haue neede of knowledge of faith of hope of loue and other graces of the spirit of God for Sathan will not onely assault vs but perhaps continue his siege battery a day a weeke a moneth and giue vs no respight and though he will sound the retreate and depart sometime for a season as Saint Luke Luk. 4. saith yet he will returne againe perhapes another way and set vpon vs by some other meanes therefore arme your selues saith the Apostle and resist him and if this battell seeme hard and tedious vnto vs remember in what cause we fight and for what crowne our Sauiour Christ saith in the Reuelation He that ouercometh shall inherite great and glorious things and Paul saith The Saintes shall iudge the Angelles that is the deuilles Paul saieth to 1. Cor. 6. Timothy I haue fought a good fight and then he addeth I looke for the Crowne the Saints in heauen that are now crowned haue come vnto it thorow many temptations and tribulations therefore let vs harken to the Apostles exhortation be strong in the Lorde put on the whole armour of God and resist in the euil day and the God of peace shall treade Rom. 16. downe sathan vnder ouâ— feete shortly ⧠The Houre-glasse of Mans life PSALME 90. 12. Teach vs so to number our dayes that we may apply our hartes to wisedome THIS whole booke is called the booke of Psalmes because it contayneth in it for the most part matter of praise and thankesgiuing though there be many other doctrines mingled therewithall They are called the Psalmes of Dauid because he compiled most of them not because he made them all for this was made by Moses as yee may see by the title of it We call this the 90. Psalme because it is bound with the Psalmes and standes in the place of that number but it is intituled and that more fitly agreeing with the matter of it A prayer of Moses In which Moses setteth forth the estate of mans life generally and perticulerly of the people of Israell in the wildernesse where he saw many thousands of them that came out of Egypt dye some by one meanes and some by another as it is more largely recorded in the booke of Numbers Now Moses considered that many of their forefathers liued almost a thousand yeares whereto hee hath respect in the 4. verse where he saith One thousand yeâ—res in thy sight is but as yesterday and the life of man was growne shorter and shorter and in his time ordinarily it was not one hundred yeares as appeares in the 10. verse The dayes of a man are threescore yeares and tenne or perhaps fourescore which was nothing to their fathers how much lesse when they were cut off by strange punishmentes in the middest of their course and dyed thicke and three-fould without warning Now after the mention of those things he breakes out into this speech Teach vs to know our dayes that we may apply our harts to wisedome In which words are two things to be considered first a petition secondly a reason of the petition The petition is in these first wordes Teach vs to number our dayes The reason is in these other wordes in the end of the verse that we may apply our hartes to wisedome Wherby we are taught first of al that there is a number of euery mans dayes for this difference to be considered betweene this life and the next life this life hath an end therefore it is called temporall the next life endes not therefore it is called eternall the certaine number of our daies is knowne Iob. 14. 5 to God and not to vs. But he doth not desire to know the certaine number of his dayes but rather the vncertaine number of them that is that God would teach them to know the breuity and shortnes of mans life Therefore he sets it downe by dayes not by yeares and this he desires not for himselfe only but for the people and therefore he saith not teach me but teach vs to number our dayes Now according to Moses prayer God hath taught vs this point in the Scripture that all men are mortall and must dye as the Lord saide to Adam In the day that thou eatest of the tree in the middest of the garden thou shalt die although the diuell who for that cause our Sauiour Christ saith Iohn 8. Was a lyer from the beginning spake contrary and said to Eue Thou shalt not die at all yet indeed Adam died for although he dyed not by by yet he was a dead man because sentence was passed vpon him and all his life afterward was but a dying life euerything then sauoring of death and euery day beeing a step vnto death If any will inquire what death is to speake generally it is a seperation from the condition of this mortall and temporall life but to speake more properlye it is a seperation of the soule and body as the ioyning togeather of the soule and body at the first was the cause of life as it is said God breathed into Adam the breath of life and Gen. 1. man was made a liuing soule so the seperation of the soule from the bodye is the cause of death as Christ saieth to the ritch man This night they shall fetch away thy soule thou shalt dye This Adam by his sinne brought not onelye vpon himselfe but vpon all his posteritye as Paul saieth Rom. 5. By man sinne entred into the worlde and death by sinne and death went ouer all men forasmuch as all men haue sinned therefore it is saide not onely of Adam himselfe but of dyuers of the fathers that were his posterity to shew the trueth of Gods threatning to Adam In the daye Gen. 5. thou doest eate of such a tree thou shalt dye And to shewe the falcehoode of the diuelles promise to Eue that though sâ—e did eate it she should not dye at all such and such a one liued thus many hundred yeares but he dyed for though the day be neuer so long at length comes euensong Heb. 9. the Apostle saith It is appointed to al men once to dye after that comes the iudgement when all men are dead then comes the general iudgemeÌ„t but when euery one dyes then comes his perticuler iudgement as appeares in the example of the ritch man and Lazarus for as the day of death leaues vs so the day of doome shall finde vs therfore Dauid when he laye sicke said I goe the waye of all the worlde for death is as an vnpartiall iudge that is indifferent to all poore and rich Iob speakes of some men that would seeke death either for the auoyding of present sorrow or procuring of future ioy but whether a man seekes it or no he shall be sure it will seeke him We read of a HeatheÌ„
maruelous consideratition that subiects had sinned and the Lord must be beaten that seruantes had offended and the maister must die that the guilty should be spared the innocent punished and yet Gods iustice not impeached On the other side if he had not beene God almighty how could he haue encountred and conquered the deuill hell sinne death and all the great enemies of our saluation that were too strong for mā to battell with all if he had not beene euerlasting God how could he by temporall suffering haue discharged vs of eternall torment and how should the merite of his suffering haue reached to those that liued long before long after his death if he had not beene infinite God how should the father haue accepted so many sinners in him and him for so many sinners which he was angry withall and how should he be present with his people throughout the world therefore it was necessary he shuld be both God and man that being man he might be sufficient to suffer whatsoeuer was due from God do whatsoeuer was being God he might be all sufficient to make that acceptable and effectuall which was suffered and done for vs. Therfore this is a great mistery that God was manifested in the flesh 1 Hereof comes that neere coniunction that is betweene Christ and his Church set forth in the Scripture by many similitudes he is called the head and we the body not Col. 1. his naturall body but his misticall body as all true Christians are the body of Christ so euery one is a member of his body not hipocrites for they are no more true members 1. Cor. 12 of Christes body then a brasen noase or a woden leg is a member of a mans body but true christians that are by faith and the spirit of regeneration vnited to Christ for though Christ be in heauen and we in earth yet as the foote which is a great way distant from the head is by certaine sinues and vaines springing from the head ioyned to the head so Christians are by certaine spiritual vaines as faith hope loue c. ioyned vnto Christ he is also called the husband the Church is called his wife therfore as the wife looses her owne name and beares the name of her husband so we loose our owne name and beare the name of Christ and are called christians and as a Acts. 14. wife is indowed with the goods of her husband so are we with the riches of Christ He is called the vine we the branches Iohn 15. from whom we receiue spiritual iuce and vertue to bring forth fruite acceptable to God profitable to men for as Adam did not only make vs guilty but also corrupt vs so Christ doth not onely make vs innocent but also sanctifieth vs. 2 Hereof comes that misticall and spirituall aliance and kindred that is betweene Christ and his people therefore he calles those that doe his fathers will his mother Mat. 12. his brother and sister how poore or base soeuer they be in the world yet if they be of the right streine of christianity they be of the most royall blood and more honorable then they which come of the houses of Valoys of Austria or any earthly discent because they haue God for their father the Church for their mother Christ for their elder brother and are made kings and Queenes of heauen as one saith Those that be noble by their first birth in the worlde doe become vnnoble by vices so those that be vnnoble by their first birth may become noble by a new birth and by vertues therefore Peter calles the faithfull a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people 1. Pet. 2. 3 Hereof comes that mutuall exchange that is betweene Christ and vs hee was made with vs the sonne of man that wee might be made with him the sonnes of God he by imputation and communication tooke on him our sinnes and miseries that they might be imputed to vs his vertues and merites as the Apostle saith he 2. Cor. 5. was made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God by him This is a great mistery that his pouerty should be our fitches that his bondage 2. Cor. 8. 9. should be our liberty that his condemnation before Pilate should be our iustificatibefore God that his stripes should be the Rom. 8. 2. cure of our woundes that he should bee Esa 53. 5. ioyned with theeues and robbers that we might be ioyned with Saints and Angels Luk. 23 Gal. 3. 13 that his curse should be our blessing that he should ouercome death by dying and that his death should be our life that hee He. 2. 14. should discend into hell that is into hellish tormentes that he might lift vs vp to Mat. 26. heauen and happinesse Therefore we are saide to be crucified with him to be buried Gal. 2. 19 Rom. 6. 4 Col. 3. 1. Ephe. 2. 6 with him to be quickned with him Eph. 2. 5. to be raysed vp with him Col. 3. 1. to be ascended into heauen with him for at the first Adam was not a priuate but a publike person in whome all mankinde was included so Christ the second Adam was not a priuate but a publike person in whom the whole Church is to bee considered therefore in Christes death and satisfaction in Christes resurrection and iustification in Christes ascention and glorification we must see the death resurrection and ascention of the whole Church for as he hath done and suffered all these things for the Church so the Church hath done and suffered all those things in him and shal at the last receiue the fruite of those things by with him this is a great mistery that God is manyfested in the flesh therefore he is called our Sauiour which is set foorth in his Mat. 1. 21 1. Tim. 2. 5. name Iesus he is called our mediatour to make intercession for vs where by the way noate that the Popish booke called the Ladies Psalter made by Bonauenter is blasphemous because it appoints other mediators besides him he is called our Lord to 1. Cor. 8. 6. Ioh. 10. 9 defend gouerne vs he is called our dore and way to bring vs to the father he is called our Phisition to cure our spirituall diseases Mat. 9. 12 and to restore vs to health he is called Iohn 10. 11. Iohn 6. our shepheard to gather vs into the Church he is called the bread of life to norish vs to life euerlasting he is called our Ephe. 2. peace to pacific our conscience he is called Tim. our hope because he is all in all vnto vs. Therefore it is said we are complet in him Col. 2. 16 and therefore Paule saith I desire to know Cor. nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified Phil. 3. 8. I count all things dung that I may winne
woman who when newes was brought her that her sonne was slaine in the warres answered I know saith she that I conceiued a mortall man I once saw this posie written on the Tombe of a dead man to be read of them that liue as I was so be yee and as I am yee shal be But though reason and experience doth teach vs that all must dye euery one can say when he heares a knel there is one dead when he sees a graue here lyes such a one wee see what we are we haue but a time here yet some do make no good vse of it When Alexander bad a Philosopher aske a reward of him for some seruice or pleasure he had done for him the Philosopher said giue me immortality Immortality said Alexander how should a maÌ„ that is mortall giue immortality Mortall said the Philosopher why then art thou so greedy of kingdomes and liuest as if thou shouldest neuer dye therefore God would haue it set downe in the Scripture that it might be a matter of faith aswell as of reason that all must dye both wise men as Salomon and foolish men as Nabal both â—tch men as Iob poore men as Lazarus Marshall men as Joab and peaceable men as the inhabitantes of Laish both ould men as Methuselah and young men as Iosias both tall men as Saul and little men as Zacheus both strong men as Sampson and beaufull men as Absalon and not men onelye but women also as Dorcas and not men and women onely but children also as the Shunamites sonne c. It is not wit wealth strength friendes authority nor any thing that can alwayes preserue a man froÌ„ death who knockes as indifferently at one mans gate as another He that had come to the tombe of Alexander might haue said this great Monarch of the worlde hath mette with his ouer-match Nowe as both reason and religion teacheth that death is certaine so that the time place and manner of dying is vncertaine there is no man knowes the time of his death for although for speciall purpose God dooth reueale it to some as the deuill beeing the executioner of some of Gods iudgements who the Witch raysed vp in the likenesse of Samuel toulde Saul that to morrowe hee should be with him And it is sayde Julius Caesar was warned of the first daye of Marche yet these were extraordinarie and diabolicall things notwithstanding this is ordinarily true in all men that Iacob Gen. 49. saith of himselfe I am olde and knowe not the day of my death Phisitions in the extremitie of some disease can giue a great gesse of others and some that haue beene at the departure of many when they see the countenance waxe pale the lippes waxe blacke the pulse waxe weake or gone the handes and feete waxe colde can giue a neere coniecture that death is not farre of Yet sometimes these gesses doe deceiue them for God brings downe to the graue and raises vp againe Therefore no man knowes the daye of his death till the day come nor the houre of his death till the houre come but when it doth come then it dooth as an enemie indeede assaile the castle of the body and ransack euery corner with terror and driue the vitall partes from one place to another til at the length it doth chase away the soule As the time of death is vncertaine so is the place some dye by sea and some by land Saul dyed in the field Eglon dyed in his Parlour Ishbosheth dyed on his bed Senacherib dyed in the Temple of his God Ioab at the very Aulter the Infants of Bethelem dyed in the cradle And as the time and place is vncertaine so is the manner some dye in peace and some dye in warre as Ionathan some dye by Beares as the children that mocked the Prophet Elisha some dye by Lyons as the young Prophet that disobeyed the worde of the Lorde some dye by the stinging of Serpentes as many of the Isralites some by Dogges as Iesabell some dye by Wormes as Herod some dye by surfetting as those that dyed with the Quailes betweene their teeth some die by famine as at the siege of Ierusalem some dye by violent winds as the children of Iob some by fire as the captaines their fifties some by the water as Pharaoh and his hoast some by swallowing of the earth as Corah Dathan and Abyram some dye by the Angel of God as the first borne in Egipt some die by the handes of euill men as Stephen who was persecuted for righteousnesse and some by the hands of good men as Shemai who hauing rayled vpon Dauid was executed by Salomon some dye by their owne handes as Ahitophel some die by the hand of God immediately and extraordinarily as Ananias and Saphira some dye by the hand of God mediately and by ordinary diseases some dye suddenly as Ezechiel saith When the people were gathered in a great assembly Pelatia the sonne of Benaza dyed and as those that dye of pestilent Feauours Quinsies Plurisies c. some dye of lingring sickenesses as Paulsies Dropsies Consumptions some dye of excessiue affections passions of the minde some of sorrow as the Apostle saith Worldly sorrow causeth death some dye of feare as Eli when tydings came that the Arke was taken hee fell downe and brake his necke some dye of greife as it is saide Hâ—meâ— did because hee could not answere a riddle that certaine fisher men propounded vnto him some dye with ioy as it is reported of Sophacles because in a prize of learning he got the victory of his enemies some dye by little things as it is saide that a little gnat choked a Pope of Roome Auacreon had his breath stopt with a Raysenstone Lucia dyed with a Needle which her sucking childe smote into her brest Although there bee but one way to bee borne yet there bee moe wayes to dye Now as God hath taught vs that mans dayes are numbred he must dye so he hath taught vs mans dayes are but a small number he must dye shortely Iob saith Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue Paul coÌ„pares mans life to a tabernade 2. Cor. 5. or shed of bowes that stands but a short time the Prophet Esay compares mans life Esa 1. 40 to grasse that standes but a Summer and in the same chapter he compares it to a flower that hath but his moneth In the fift verse of this Psalme it is compared to a sheepe that hath but his night Iob compares it to a shadow that hath but his houre in the 9. verse of this Psalme Moses compares it to a thought whereof there may bee no lesse then a hundred in an houre yea so fraile iâ— mans life that it may abide any extenuation in the worlde We may be compared to certaine small flyes which are bred by the Riuer Hispanis that in the morning are bred at noone are in their full
vs that we may apply our harts to wisedome and not to folly Men are in extremities of euery side some all their desire is to dye and to be gone some all their desire is to liue and neuer to dye some againe know they must away and are content to tarrie their time but doe not seeke for wisdome and study to liue well while they bee heere There be some who although their liues be shorte and too shorte if they were best imployed to become so wise as they should yet by laying violent hands of themselues doe make them shorter but this is not wisedome but foolishnesse In the sixt commaundement it is said Thou shalt not kill one obserues vpon that because it is not added thy neighbour hee meanes also thy selfe If it be a great sinne for a man to kill another it is a greater sinne to kill himselfe againe life is a blessing of God and death is a part of the cursse Now a man may not thrust from him the blessing of God and pull vpon himselfe the cursse God and not we doth appoint the time of our birth so God and not wee must appoint the time of our death No good man that wee read of in the Scripture neither Iob Dauid Lazarus nor any other though they were in great extremitie did kill themselues but onely wicked men and reprobates as Saul Ahitophell and Iudas Cleombrotus a Heathen man hearing of the immortallity of the soule killed himselfe that hee might obtaine immortality beeing ignorant that there is immortalitie in hell aswell as in heauen and Lucretia and certaine Heathen women killed themselues that they might not be defiled with Souldiers not knowing that the bodye is not defiled if the minde bee chaste and yet if it were vncertaine adulterie should not haue been so much feared as certaine murder they should not so much haue feared a sinne that might bee repented as a sinne that could not bee repented because time was cut off homiside hath alwayes beene so detestable a thing in the Church that such haue beene denyed Christian buriall that where most men are with-houlden from sinne by the feare of death seeing they doe not feare death they might feare something after death that is the reproche of those that liue There was one sayde to his sonne who had often these wordes in his mouth I would I were dead I prethe saith hee learne first to knowe what it is to liue Some in crosses will say I would I were as deepe vnder the earth as I am high but waye first wherefore God hath placed you vppon the earth and caused you to growe so high as yee be and what hee dooth require of you and waye whether yee haue done it or no and what rewarde abideth for you if you haue not and then consider whether it be not fitter to learne to be wise and to liue better first Some againe as I sayde are in the other extremitie and would liue still and neuer dye many olde men that haue lyued long already would not dye as appeares by marrying young women and building new houses but such men haue neyther right reason to consider of the estate of this life nor true faith to consider of the estate of the life to come this is a life full of miserie the next to the children of God is a life full of felicitie It is said of Hereclitus that euery day hee wept and beeing asked the reason he answered Because the world was full of miserie The Thratians at the birthe of their children euer wepte their reason was because they were borne to miserie and at the death of their children euer reioysed because they were freed from misery as they thought Paul sayth of himselfe and the Church If our hope were onely in this life wee were of all other 1. Cor. 15 the most miserable All men are miserable in this life but those most miserable that haue most afflictions if there be not hope to sweeten them indeede no man liues one day wherein one griefe or danger or other dooth not waight vpon him in regarde of his soule or his bodye his goods or his name his wife his children his friends his Prince or countrie in regarde of the temptations of the deuill the worlde and the flesh wee see many dangers but wisemen doe foresee more From the Cradle to the graue wee are toste with troublesome things and if in our lyfe we meete with anye profitable or pleasante thinges they soone vanishe awaye at the least the pleasure of them As one saith When a Spider hath emptied euen her verie bowels to make one slender Webbe one puffe of winde blowes all awaye so when men with labour and trauell haue procured anye thing that they desire in the world they are soone blowne away But a good man that doth not only consider the misery of this life but the felicitie of the life to come dooth finde no such contentment in the best estate of his life that hee would desire alwayes to dwell in it and why should any man desire to continue in the world faithfulnes in the most is gone loue is gone so comfort in respect of men is gone seeing we must needs away why not now if we would not now when then will not the worlde bee vnto vs twenty yeares hence as it is now where is the longing of Paul to bee dissolued and to be with Christ where is the longing of Saint Augustine to see that head that was crowned with thornes and to see those handes that were pearsed with nailes As death takes vs from our friendes so it takes vs from our enemies as it takes vs from the delightes of the world so from the griefes and sorrowes of the world therefore why should men be vnwilling to die seeing Salomon Eccle. 7. saith which belongs to good men indeed The day of death is better then the day that a man is borne death indeed considered in it selfe is to be abhorted but considered as Christes death hath made it to vs hauing taken away the sting of it it is to be imbraced as the end of a miserable life and the beginning of a happy life As the Apostle saith of the seede It is not quickned except it â— Cor. 15 die So he saith of vs and as it is not the worse for the seede that it is plowed and harrowed into the ground so it is neuer the worse for vs that a little earth is throwne ouer vs when the Sunne of righteousnesse shall appeare wee shall spring more freshlve Therefore seeing Christ is to his both in life and in death aduantage let a good man or good woman say if I Phil. 4. liue I shall doe well and if I dye I shall do better How dooth a bride reioyce when her husband calles for her though her mother and friends doe weepe for her departure into another countrie yet if modestie would suffer it then shee could laugh
in the life to come must labour to be partly and truely wise in this worlde therefore Moses saith heare Teach vs so to number our dayes that wee may aâ—ply our heartes to wisedome And marke that hee saith Apply our harts to wisedome Not our eares to heare of it onely nor our tongues to speake of it onelye but our heartes to thinke of it and he meanes not a few wandering thoughtes of wisedome but a serious and conscionable bending of our iudgement and affection to those things that wisedome requires that we may looke both neere enough what we are now and farre enough what we shall bee afterwarde and thinke of it soone enough and thinke of it long enough It is not enough to heare a funerall sermon to speake of death but to thinke of it nor to heare of heauen speake of better life but thinke of it what it is to haue it and what it is to want it Marke he makes to consideratioÌ„ of death a reason to apply our heartes to wisedome we are so vnapt to goodnesse that wee had neede of reasons to perswade vs to euery good thing and wee are so apt to foolish things that we had neede haue some reasons to perswade vs to wisedome now there is no reason of more force then this that our life is shorte and vncertaine and wee cannot tell whether wee haue a weeke a daye or an houre to learne this long lesson There is nothing can teach a man better how to liue then to thinke euery daye to dye the wise man saith If thou wouldest remembeâ— thy end thou shouldest not sin Ezechias when the message of death came to him how profitable were his meditations Iacob Iosua and Dauid how carefull Esai 38. were they to instruct their families and to doe such things as were to be done when they did see and say we goe the way of all the world therefore saith Salomon It is better to go into the house of mourning then into Eccle. 7. the house of banqueting For he that is wise will lay it to his hart Philip king of Macedon appointed his chamberlaine euerye morning to cry vnto him Phillip remember thou art mortall and must dye and it is saide to this day Presbiter Iohn hath serued to his table a deathes head in a platter to put him in minde of his mortallity and many men it seemes to the same end doth weare a deathes head in a ring on their finger nay euery one dooth weare death it selfe in his finger for euery ache and euery paine doth put a man in minde though he be now well he shall be sick though he now walke strongly he shall lye weake though he now liue he shall die Therefore saith Moses Teach vs so to number our dayes that we may apply our harts to wisedome for forgetfulnesse of death is the cause that we apply our hearts to follye as the fiue foolish Virgins who thought not of preparing themselues till the Bridegrome Mat. 25. came As many put of repentance till the last and are busiâ—d about any thing saue that is most necessarie Moses knew that both wise and foolish dye but diuerslie Wise men dye and doe after death receiue the rewarde of their wisedome fooles dye and receiue the fruite of their follie Therefore let vs apply our hearts to wisedome that whether Christ send for vs by his Angels wee may bee receiued into Abrahams bosome or if we tarry till he come himselfe we may be receiued into the wedding chamber The reward of Religion and Godlinesse and punishment of irreligious wickednesse LVKE 16. 19. There was a certaine ritche man which was clothed in Purple and sine linnen and fared well and delicately euery day 20. Also there was a certaine begger named Lazarus which was laide at his gate full of sores 21. And desired to be refreshed with the crummes that sell from the ritche mans table and the dogges came and licked his sores 22. And it was so that the begger dyed and was carryed by the Angels into Abrahams bosome the ritch man also dyed and was buried 23. And being in hell in torments c. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30 THis text stands of two parts the first is a Historie the second is a Parable the Historie continues vnto the 23 verse Wherein our Sauiour Christ setteth forth an example of a ritch man whom he describes by his apparell by his diet by his death buriall of a poore man whom he describes by his name by his infirmities other circumstances The Parable continues from the 23. verse to the end of the Chapter wherein our Sauiour Christ by parabolicall speeches for our capacitie sets forth such things as else we could not conceiue For where it is said the ritch man being in hell should lift vp his eyes and see Abraham and Lazarus and should speake to him with his tongue and Abraham should heare him and answere him againe These things must be vnderstood after the maner of Parables for the ritch mans body was not in hell but in the graue it is said hee was buryed onely his soule was in hell therefore hee had not the vse or gouernement of his eyes to see of his eares to heare nor of his tongue to speake neither were the bodyes of Abraham and Lazarus in heauen that they should heare the ritch man or speake vnto him therefore the rehearsall of corporall sight hearing and saying is after the manner of Parables for our capacitie and instruction that we might know how the estate of the good and bad shall differ in the next life from that it is in this life how they that haue heere serued God reuerenced his worde loued their brethren fathfully done their duties and paciently borne their crosses shall in the next life be comforted and rewarded and those that haue here dishonoured God contemned his word neglected their brethren and not done nor suffred such things as God would haue them shall in the next life bee perpetually punished and in vaine shall desire the least mitigation of their miserie The drift of our Sauiour Christ in this example is to discourage the Pharises from their wickednesse or else in this ritch man to behold their doome to incourage his disciples in vertue and goodnesse and so in this poore man to beholde their reward The ritch man is set in the first place because in this life he had the preferment and he is purposely described to haue the world at will for the backe and the belly he had asmuch as hart could wish for the backe hee was cloathed with Purple a colour both costly and goodly for the sight and fine linnen softe and easie next the skinne for feeling for the belly hee fared deliciouslie that is hee had many pleasant and daintie dishes of meate and that not once or twice a weeke but euery day hee had also diuers other things answerable and suteable to these as a
this vnmercifull couetous man bee in hell as Iames saith there shall bee iudgement Iam. 2. mercilesse to them that shewe no mercie where are vniust vncleane proud persons idolaters blasphemers c In this mans portion they may see their owne punishment for there bee many in hell that in their life were not so euill as many that liue nowe who imagine neuer to come there and if Lazarus be in heauen where are good Maiestrates good Ministers and all holy and vertuous people But in this mans saluation all godly men may see their owne good condition the difference that Iohn 5. was betweene these two in the next life shal be betweene all the good and bad as our Sauiour saith Those that sleepe in the graue shall arise some to the resurrection of life and some to the resurrection of condemnation This is the reckoning that followed his feasting as men vse to say when they haue well supped at an Inne the worste dishe is behinde so it was with this man as it is with all wicked men by that time they haue made out their reckoning their lusts cost them deere euen in this worlde for he that will needes be reuenged vpon his enemy must bee hanged when hee hath done hee that will commit fornication must keepe the childe with shame he that deceiues other in bargaining shall loose his customerâ— but specially the worste dish is behinde in the worlde to come for what shall a man gaine to winne the world and loose his owne soule Had it not beene better for this man to haue had one guarde or lase the lesse on his coate one dish the lesse on his table and one Seruingman the lesse in his house and â—aue giuen somewhat to Lazarus we our selues must sue to God in forma papris therfore let vs receiue the suites of the poore for the Scripture saith Hee that stoppes his eares at the crie of the poore shall crie himselfe and not be heard As the poore now stand in neede of our mercy so wee shall stand in neede of Gods mercie therefore as our Sauiour Christ said to mooue men to take heede of backe sliding Remember Lottes wife so it may bee said to mooue men to take heed of couetousnesse and vnmercifulnesse remember this ritch glutton If I should againe compare this mans present miserie with his former brauerie I should but as in the former example cause you to wonder at the strange difference that a little time brought foorth But that men might be mooued to come out of the broad waye that leades to destruction and to take heede of such wickednesse let vs consider that before hee dwelt in a stately and goodly Pallace now hee is cast into a deepe and darke pit or dungeon before hee was accompanied with diuers braue persons and gallants now his companions are the deuill and his angels before he fed of dainty dishes and now his meate is fire and Brimstone before hee liued in pleasure and delight as Abraham saith to him afterward but now thou art tormented If hee had beene remoued but from his former estate to Lazarus his condition when he laye at his gate it had beene a great alteration but his estate now is more miserable then can bee expressed and beyond the which there is no degree of comparison for it is sayde he was in hell which is a place not of custodie onely as are the prisons of this life but of custody and torment also hee was in hell in torment for hell is the place of torment as he saith after to Abraham Send Lazarus to warne my bretheren that they come not to this place of toâ—ment It is not as Bridewell and the Hospitall where men are whipt at their comming in and at their going out onely but those that go to hell are tormented at their comming in and all the time of their being there which is for euer for there is no going out but onely at the day of iudgement to receiue their bodyes and to receiue their sentence and to be bound with more bondes of perpetuall perdition and malediction the greeuousnesse of the torment of hell caÌ„not be expressed for though the Holy-ghost in the Scripture hath called it the blacknesse of darkenesse the second death fire and Brimstone and euerlasting burning yet there are no words significant enough to shewe the greeuousnesse of it and as it cannor bee expressed so it cannot be conceiued for we can no otherwise conceiue that which is incomprehensible then to know it is incomprehensible Certainly all the punishments of this life â—â—cknesse imprisonment whipping racking burning c. are but shadowes of that punishment yet if these be so terrible that are mingled with mercy what thinke yee are those that are without mercie If these be so fearefull wherein the iustice of God is shewed but partly what are those where the iustice of God is shewed perfectlie Therefore is the day of iudgement to the wicked called the day of wrath and declaration of the iust iudgement of God but the greeuousnesse of it is not all the perpetuity of it is more then all therefore it is called the euerlasting burning The name of perpetuall imprisonment is a terrible thing in this world which yet endes at the death of the Prince or of the partie but this worde neuer breakes a mans heart If all the Arithmetricians in the worlde were set a worke all their life to doe nothing else but number and in the ende all their numbers should bee set together yet they could come nothing neere the length of time that the wicked shall be tormented in hell One vses this similye If a man should euery thousand yeare shed but one teare vntill it did arise to as much water as is in the whole sea yet it would haue an end but this then the which what is more fearefull or terrible to speake or thinke vpon shall neuer haue end When a man is to carie a burden he will first peize and weye it with his hand to see if hee can carry it wey this in thy cogitation and see if thou canst beare it Caine when he felt but a litle part of this torment or rather did but feare it he said My punishment is greater then Gen. 4. I can beare yet hee must beare it If men doe not feare this what will they feare if men doe not flye this what will they flie what is more strange from reason then for a man to flye euery little danger in this world and not to flye this great danger of condemnation in the world to come Yet if these things were doubtfull and questionable it were the lesse maruell though men did liue in sinne but when men know them beleeue them and professe the trueth of them what madnesse what wonder is it that they doe not studie to auoide them Tell mee O witlesse man saith one what gaine is so great that can counteruaile this losse what pleasure is so sweete
that can recompence this paine looke of this ritche man who sometime sported himselfe in his sinnes and forgat himselfe of his duties now hee lyes crying out of his paine and desiring release of his miseries and cannot haue it hee may bee compared to a Kings sumpter Horse who all daye goeth loaden with gould and siluer but at night his treasure and trappings are taken from him and he is turned into a foule stable hauing nothing left him but his galled backe So such wicked men that are all their life braue and wealthie but when they dye those things are laide aside and they are turned into the prison of hell hauing nothing left them but their galled conscience It is said being in hell in torments Hee lift vp his eyes and sawe Abraham c. all that follow to the end of the chapter as I saide in the beginning are Parabolicall speeches seruing to amplifie the miserie of this man for it was a great increase of his torments to see Lazarus so exalted and himselfe so cast downe As it was a great vexation to Haman to see Mordecai sitte Hester on the Kings Horse in royall apparrell and himselfe to hould his Stirrop It did much increase this mans torment that hee must begge of Lazarus that had beene his begger and that a droppe of water which was a lesse almes then the other had begged of him and could not haue it it was a great increase of his torment to heare of his faults now when hee could not amend them and to heare of Moses and the Prophets that had shewed him the waye to preuent this miserie and he did not regard them It was a great increase of his miserie to heare that Lazarus was comforted when hee was tormented it was a great increase of his torment to heare that the barre of Gods eternall predestination had so bound him that hee could neuer bee remooued from his condemnation and that Gods election had setled Lazarus in a permanent and happy condition This did greatly increase his miserie that in his life time he had many seruants at commaundement and now no body would doe any thing for him no not the begger in this life he might haue riden or gone whether he would but now hee was bound hand and foote and could goe no whether in this life hee might haue taught his brethren and friends any thing but now hee could doe them no good In this life if hee would haue made an earnest prayer to God for a greater matter hee might haue had it but nowe it was too late the time of mercie was past the time of iustice was come therefore saith the Scripture To daye if yee will heare his voyce harden not your hearts it was to daye with Pharao when Moses and Aaron preached to him it was to morrowe when he was drowned in the Red sea It is to day with men while they liue here and may repent of their sinnes and amend their liues it will bee to morrowe when they are gone from hence for as the day of death leaues vs so the day of doome shall finde vs as we see in this mans example Which glasse let all ritch men looke on and see how it is runne out A Iem for Gentlemen DEVTRO 16. 18. Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy Citties which the Lord thy God giueth thee thorow-out thy Tribes and they shall iudge the people with righteous iudgement 19. Wrest not the lawe nor respect any person neither take rewarde for the rewarde blindeth the eyes of the wise and peruerteth the words of the iust 20. That which is iust c. that thou mayest liue o. AFter the Lorde had brought the people of Israell out of Aegipt he prescribed thē laws for gouernement and here he willes them to apoint officers to execute them and not in some few places but thorowout all their Citties and Tribes and commaunds those who shall bee chosen for officers to rule and iudge according to trueth and iustice and because they should haue many temptations to doe otherwise he giues them warning of three vices that are most incident to their calling as wresting the lawe respecting of persons and taking rewardes Last of all hee makes a promise to those that gouerne according to this direction they shall liue which hath included in it a secret and contrary threatning to those that doe not they shall dye Whereas God commaundes them to appoint Iudges wee may see that maiestracie is not an ordinance taken vp by the will of man but by the will and commaundemente of God The chiefe maiestracie belongs to God himselfe who is called the King of Kings Lorde Gen. 18. of Lordes and Iudge of all the worlde as appeares by punishing the Angels before Iude. there were any gouernours vppon earth and as appeares by punishing some gouernours for fayling in gouernment as Saul Ieroboham Ahab c. Paul sayth There is no power but of God and Rom. 13. the powers that bee are ordayned of God Therefore hee willeth Christians to bee subiect to them for conscience to paye tribute to them and to praye for them and the Apostle Iude reprooues those that 2. Tim. 2. dispise them and speake euill of them Againe in that God commaunds them to choose Iudges it shewes the necessitie of Maiestrates and not onely among Heathens as the Anabaptistes would haue it but also among Christians in the church as this precept was giuen to Israell and therefore Esay the Propher calles Kings Esa 49. 23. Foster-fathers and Queenes Nursing-mothers of the Church for although there bee some godlye men and women in the Church whose consciences are a lawe to themselues yet there bee also many hipocrites that haue no conscience and although Maiestrates are not so necessarie to restraine the godlye from hurting other yet they are necessarie and needefull to restraine other from hurting them There bee many faultes that God doth not punish himselfe immediately in this worlde especially with apparant punishments but dooth turne them ouer to his Liefetenants and Maiestrates Indeede if sinne had not come into the worlde there should not haue beene so much neede of Maiestrates to bridle men from iniquitie and spurre them to dutie but since pride enuie hatred couetousnesse and such corruptions came into mans nature it was necessarie there should bee authoritie in some to suppresse disorders In the booke of Iudges it is said When there Iudg. 20. was no Maiestrate euery one did that was good in his owne eyes then Micha had a Teraphin then the Beniamites defiled the Leuites wife to death and so it would be now if the feare of the Maiestrate did not restraine the most for the feare of God doth restraine but a fewe it were better to liue vnder the cruellest tyrant in the worlde then in an anarchie where there is no gouernement for then euery one would bee a tyrant It is better saith one to
but the daughters of Sara must looke to the fashion of holy women The want of religion in many women is seene in their apparrell their harts being as hollow as their verdugales their mindes being as light as their feathers and their thoughtes as changeable as their fashions Peter hauing praised and pressed this garment of meekenes he saith Holy women and Sara did weare it and it made all the rest the more comely for it made them subiect to their husbandes as Sara obayed her husband and called him sir the wante of meekenesse hinders subiection for the wordes of the mouth and workes of the handes followe the motions of the minde if the affections bee disordred thereof growes disordred wordes and â—ctious Sara beeing sâ—nctyfied and â—neekened by the grace of God vsed reueâ—end wordes to her husband and called â—im Lord or sir shewing herselfe to be his â—feriour and not Will Dicke the like as many doe speaking to their husbande 's as to their kitchinboyes and as she vsed reueâ—end speeches so actions she obeyed him â—s we may see in Genesis when her husband Gen. 18. commaunded her to prouide meate for the Angels We vse to say when any doe a thing that belonges to their calling their coate sits neuer the worse to their backe so when a woman shall doe a necessary or indifferent thing at the commaundement of her husband though she be in her Sunday robes it is nothing vncomely but makes it seeme the more holyday like but I meane not to stand vpon the duties of wiues to their husbandes seeing my purpose was chiefly to teach Gentlewâ—men perticulerly in the matter of attire and not all women generally in other behauiour Now as these that heare sermons vse to say that was a good lesson for such a one so men like well to haue women taught their duties but not to heare of their owne therefore though I omit it the Scripture doth speake of it and others haue written it and the Apostle Peter also after in this Chapter doth shew what bee the duties of men aswell as of women Husbands saith he dwel with your wiues as men of knowledge that is know what you must yeeld to them aswell as what yee may require of them therefore if your wife bee ignorant you must teach her as Paul saith Women must 2. Cor. 14 learne of their husbands if she offend admonish her as Iacob did Rachell if she be heauie Gen. 30. you must comfort her as Elâ—anah did Hanna if shee bee weake you must beare 2. Sam. 1. with her and Peter saith after If shee giue good counsell you must hearken to her As God said to Abraham Hearken to thy wife who said cast out the bond-woman and her sonne God giue both husbands and wiues wisedome loue meekenesse and all inward graces that they may shew forth outward goodnesse ¶ A caueat for craftesmen and Clothiers IAMES 5. 1. Goe to now yee ritch men howle and weepe for the miseries that shall come vpon you 2. Your riches are corrupt and your garments are moth-eaten 3. Your goulde and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall be a witnesse against you and shall eate your flesh as it were fire yee haue heaped vp treasures for the last dayes 4. Behold the hire of the labourers which haue reaped your fieldes which is of you kept back by fraude cryeth and the cryes of them which haue reaped are entred into the eares of the Lorde of hoastes THis Epistle was written to all the Iewes that professed Christ and the Gospell among whom as it is in all Churches their were some that rested in an outward profession and neglected a good conscience and conuersation as yee may see in the former chapters Those which were such hipocrites among them that the Apostle dealeth against were specially rich meÌ„ for although it may be there were some poore amoÌ„g theÌ„ that were bad enough as it is euery where yet the Apostle saw speciall cause to inuay against the ritch for in the second chapter he speakes for the poore Hath not God saith he chosen the poore of this worlde that they should be ritch in faith And speaketh against the rich Doe not the ritch oppresse you by tirannie saith he and in this chapter he saith The ritch men howle and weepe for the misery that shall come vpon you the labourers wages that you keepe backe by fraude cryeth against you and in the 7. verse he speakes to the poore and â—aith Be patient therfore brethren till the comming of the Lord which dealing of the Apostle I would haue an answere â—o their accusation who chalenge the Minister for speaking so much against the â—â—ch and so little against the poore reade â—he Scripture and yee shall finde the ritch â—eprooued tenne times to the other once â—he reason is because they are most faulty and the reason of that is as I take it because most corporall discipline is vsed against the poore and therefore most spirituall discipline had neede to be vsed against the other Hee hath in the former Chapters exhorted these ritch men to repentance Nowe hee commeth to threaten them with Gods iudgementes saying Goe to you ritch mâ—n weepe and howle for the misery that shall come vpon you c. Some may aske if the Apostle doth condemne ritches or if he doth meane all ritch men I answere no for ritches beeing gotten by good meanes are the blessing of God and there haue bin diuers good ritch men as Abraham Iob and others and no doubt there were some good among these people but the Text shewes that hee speakes of such ritch men as got their ritches euill and vsed them not well and yet they did laugh as appeares in the fourth Chapter but he telles them heere there is Iam. 4. 9 cause of weeping There was cause they should weepe for their sinnes because they abused their riches letting them rust and Motheate when the poore had neede of them and because they defrauded and oppressed the poore yea because they killed the iust letting them starue for hunger and colde but because they were hardned in their sinnes he willes them to weepe for their miseries not for the miseries they were presently in for they now wallowed in wealth But for the miserie that should come on them when they should giue account how they had vsed their talent as yee may see in the example Mat. 25. of the vnprofitable seruant and in the Luk. 16. example of the ritch glutton It were a merry worlde if it might goe alwayes with such men as it dooth now but they shall change a coppy as wee saye Now because these men were secure and thought of no afterclappes he calles them to consider their misery in time to come for where sinne goes before if repentance comes not in the middest distruction shal be the end Where hee biddes them howle the worde importes such a lamentation as arises from the certaine