a torch of example to leade them And so we if we profit not to good order by the seemely order of the vnreasonable and insensible creatures that serue God in their kind shall haue witnesses inough against vs out of that simple hoast or muster The winds and Sea obeyed Christ for he rebuked the winds and said to the Sea be still and presently they obeyed the winds ceased and the Sea was calme Mar. 4.39 Now if angry persons heare this to whom it is said Be angry and sinne not Eph. 4.26 and yet will not be calmed by the word putting away wrath the winds and Sea shall condemne them The beast that will drinke no more then it needes may depose against those that sit at the wine and strong drinke all day long The Ant that prepareth her meate in Summer that is while it may be had condemneth those sluggards and idle destitute of vnderstanding who neither Summer nor Winter care for any thing Pro. 30 25. The locusts that goe forth by bands that is strongly tegether and not weakely by few in a companie are witnesses against the diuisions of Christendome that separately make themselues a prey when iointly they might make a beautifull army v. 27 And the Spider that laboureth so busily about her web and takes hold of her thread with such industry and constancie is a shame to the slothfull in their vocation who take no holde of Time for any good purpose vnder the Sun v. 28. Loe here who may be our teachers or will be our accusers though man should say nothing Let vs therefore among so many witnesses walke circumspectly not as fooles but as wise so I come to that which is common both to this rich man and Lazarus Verse 22 And it was so that the Begger died c. That which was common to the rich man and Lazarus is that they both died For in the beginning of the verse it is said the begger died and in the end of it that the rich man died also Now to die properly is to haue the soule seuered from the body and so all must haue poore and rich that die This poore man was bitten to death of the dog of hunger and the other rich man though he felt no hunger yet could not auoide the dart of death for both the poore and rich died Where we learne that the state or condition of the poore and rich is one concerning death Doctr. 1. and that the Law of it is vniuersall One dies as well as another the wise man as the foole Eccles 2.16 and all flesh is grasse Esa 40.6 The flesh of poore men and the flesh of Kings is grasse and both cut downe by death the coursest grasse and the finest flower of grasse Death is the worme in euery gourd mortall Ion. 4.7 and Princes die like other men Psal 82.7 The point is plaine by the experience of all the ages both of time and persons past and therfore the Prophet in the Psal 89. V. 48 maketh this question What man is he that liueth and shal not see death As much as if hee had sayd No man living but shall So Saint Paul It is appointed as by a Statute of euerlasting Parliament and appointed to men that is to euery man to one as well as to another That they shall once dye Heb. 9.27 And dust shall returne to dust as it was Ecclesiastes 12.7 Behold we the famous men before vs that gouerned the people by counsell and in whose doctrine were wise sentences or consider wee those great ones that wee reade of who commaunded the sea and drie land making the beasts of the earth the fishes of the sea and the fowles of the ayre to serue for their delight are they not all turned to their dust and is not all their glory fledde as a shadow Hat not iust and mighty death couered their large bodies ouer with those two very short words Hic â—acâ—t Here lyes to witte the body of such and such a Monarch Potentate and Emperour of the earth Was not the graue their house and did they not all make their bedde in the darke Iob. 17.13 Some of their iourneyes in this pilgrimage of life were shorter some longer but was not their graue the common Inne where they lodged at night and what difference in death betweene them â—ucar Dialog Among many dead Ghosts as it is in the fable one would needs know which was Philip King of Macedon Answer was made Hee that hath the balde heade is Philip All haue balde heads saith he he that hath the slatte nose is Philip sayth the other Al haue flat noses sayth hee He with the hollow eyes is hee sayth the other and that hath the bare ribbes and ratling bones but all are such and haue such sayth he Then sayde the other I perceyue then there is no difference in death betweene the begger and the King In a cast of Counters one hath the place of pounds another of shillings a third of pence and euery one as he that casts the account shall thinke good to lay them but put them all into a bagge and what difference is there So what difference betweene those that are worth thousands and those that are worth nothing being once put together in the common bagge of the earth Salomon in all his glory was not so glorious as the Lilly sayth the second Salomon Math. 6.29 And what is a Lilly or what eternity is there in that flower of grasse It is sayde that euery Lilly hath his worme in his roote and can wee thinke that the Lilly of flesh is without Surely the worme of death gnawes vpon vs so soone as we begin to liue in the womb be we borne poore or of Princes and when we come into the world innumerable petty deaths are sent vpon vs for transgression Wormes eate vs aliue and wee are but wormâ—s meate being in our house of corruption That which hath some shew to day is to morrow rolled vp and layde aside in the clodde of the earth Abraham was the friend of God in his generation Sampson was strong and Iob iust and none so wise as Salomon and yet death hath rolled vp all those Worthies and buried their bones in Golgotha Since the fall of Adam there is no entring into Paradise but by the burning Seraphims or blazing fittes of death Gen. 3.24 It was sayde to Adam and the same may bee sayde to all that come of Adam Thou art dust Gen. 3.19 That is thou art but matter for the earth and for death that reigneth ouer all flesh Finally as in the parable the Labourers came into the Vineyard Math. 20.1.3.5.6 so shall those Labourers go out some at one houre some at another some in their infancy or dazon of day Some in their third houre young some when they are men in their sixt and ninth houre and some when they be old men in their eleuenth and last houre But all must goe out of this
to me Gen. 25.32 Where contrarily promising to themselues long life and their lease may be out to morrow they lay vp all their treasure in their barnes and full bagges Luk. 12.19 not caring for their other house till this be taken from them A reproofe therefore to those Vse 3 who as if they forgate the common way of all the liuing make it a strange thing to die and who liue as if there were no house of darknes to passe vnto nor way in death to walke in but the ignorance of a way so beaten by so many how can it be excused And yet if we find any little alteration or change in our stomacke in our body or bones how doe we wonder at it how passionate be we and how pettish for it as if it were some great wonder that any of Adams children should sicken die How will such be able quietly and with any peace to beare the comming of death the Lord himselfe when they are so agast at the approch of these his purueiers or petti-petti-deaths whom he sends before to prepare for his comming How haue such remembred euery day to looke for death and euery houre to prepare to die or rather how haue such forgotten to esteeme of euery day as of their last day and to prepare for euery houre as for their dying houre But of this I haue spoken largely in my Sermons of life and death specially the first and second theâ—e Thus we haue heard that it is common both to rich and poore to die Yet in the order obserued in the text this poore godly man he that was in such misery pained with such hunger died first It was to hasten him to glory and from the euils he endured here And so we secondly learne Doctr. 2. that the deaths of the righteous are their gaine or a speedy taking of them from euils present and to come So saith Esay the righteous that is they that loue righteousnes and haue it imputed are taken away or gathered from the euill to come Esa 57.1 That is both from the euill of sinne and from the euils that come by sinne and this taking away is in their bodies for the graue in their soules for glory Thus was d 2. King 22 20. Iosuah taken away a good King and a good King young Euils were neare therefore was he taken from those euils and plagues at hand Enoch also he that is reported of that he pleased God Heb. 11.5 was for his great gaine walking among sinners taken vp to God Gen. 5.24 And thus the Lord sheweth himselfe to be a rewarder of them that seeke him Hebr. 11.6 or that walke with him as Henoch did The blessed dead that die in the Lords as Christians or for the Lord as Christian martyrs are taken or haue rest from their labours that is euils present saith S. Iohn Apoc. 14.13 And when the cheekes of the godly are blubbered with weeping for the euils they see and euill things they suffer of the vnworthy world God doth not delay by taking them out of the world to himselfe to wipe all such teares of paine and crying from their eyes Apoc. 21.4 Esa 25.8 The reasons The Lord remembreth whereof they are made and knoweth that as dust they will quickly be moued with the wind of long troubles and therefore will not contend for euer with them that is ouerlong lâ—st the spirit should faint before him Esa 57.16 Also if the rod of the vngodly did rest alwaies vpon them they might put foorth their hand to wiâ—kednesse Psal 125.3 So should God lose his good subiects which he will not doe and therefore will not suffer them to be tempted aboue that they be able 1. Cor. 10.13 Secondly the world is not worthy of such Hebr. 11.38 or the righteous are a blessing that the world cares not for Now a blessing vnregarded or vsed vnworthily may worthily be taken away Where therefore the wicked set so little by the righteous God doth hasten to take them away for their plague and the euerlasting good of his children Thirdly in this life the godly haue nothing but losse vpon losse as the losse of their good labours the losse of their good name and the losse of their time here Besides for their afflictions their death onely makes an end of them life and misery being as two twins that are borne together and must die together And is it not then the great aduantage of the righteous and their great preferment by death that by it they are drawne out of so many and fatall euils into the blessed rest and glory of God in the which they shall continue euer So long as they abide here in their tents of warre they must not put off their harnesse at any time day and night they must lie in the field expecting a battell wherein is no time of truce For if Satan be ouercome at one time at another hee will set vpon them onely death ends the battell not to his auaile but to theirs They that die in those battells are ouercome in those other the Saints neuer ouercome till they die and is not their death then their vndoubted aduantage and gaine that so die But doth God take away the righteous speedily and soonest because the world is not worthy of them Vse 1 as the wicked are vnworthy to liue in the world Then they that suruiue the righteous haue iust cause to feare that for their vnworthinesse such are taken from them and because they no better regarded them nor Gods loue by them Some reioice when a good man dies not because he is taken from labour to rest from death to life but because they hated him for his goodnes and desired rather his roome then his company here but let such know that Lot being departed out of Sodome fire and brimstone will come quickly after Gen. 19.17.23.24 For the wheate being gathered into the barne what shall be done with the tares shall they not being bound vp for the fire be set on a burning Math. 13.30 When the godly Lazarus is dead not long after dieth the vngodly Dines but Lazarus is in Abrahams bosome and the rich man in hell in torments Assoone as Noah is in the Arke the world that mocked him is in their graue of waters and most of them in their center of fire Therefore when the righteous perish the wicked behind them haue great cause to howle and weepe but no cause to laugh or be merry except this may make them glad that making no good vse of their happy ends their owne vnhappy end is not farre off that waiteth for them to damnation Now consider this yee that forget God lest he teare you in peeces and there be none to deliuer you Psal 50.22 Let Lazarus let the godly be regarded while they liue with you lest for your contempt of such God take them to blisse and send you to hel Or if God remoue some yong and in their tender bud
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
fallen asleepe 1. Thess 4.14 And therefore Christians must lay it to bed by decent buriall It is the Sanctâ—fiâ—d Temple of the Holy Ghost â— Cor. 6.19 The members of Christ therefore must reuerently bury it It shall be partaker with the soule in glory and therfore as the companion of a glorified soule it cannot bee neglected without sinne Could Iehu say of wicked Iezabel Visite that cursed woman and bury her for shee is a Kinges daughter 2. King 9.34 And shall not wee visite our blessed brethren and sisters and bury them beeing all of them for any thing wee know to the contrary the children of the King of heauen Stephen was lamented and buried Act. 8 2. And the Church in her pittifull Song complaineth That the Heathen did not onely kill the bodies of Gods Saints but left them aboue ground vnburied Psal 79.2 Abraham bought a possession of the Hittites for the doing of this duty to his dead Gen. 23.4 Iacob gaue a charge for his buriall Gen. 47.29.30 And Ioseph by faith when he dyed gaue commandement for his bones Heb. 11.22 So certaine it is that the bodies of the dead must bee honoured with their graues The reasons Hereby wee build vp the beleefe of the resurrection for the graue is our bed in which wee are layde to sleepe till our awaking at the last trumpet Dan. 12.2.1 Thess 4.16.17 And the burying of our bodyes is like the sowing of seede which men commit to the earth with sure hope after it is corrupted that it shall rise againe Secondly Christ was buried Math. 27.60 And why then should any Christian which is a member of Christ want christian buriall Thirdly the Law that bids vs to couer the naked bids vs in so doing to couer the dead (b) Amb in Lib. â—ob cap. 1. And if when our friendes are taking their iourney into some strange countries wee in our loue doe bring them some part of their way shall not Christian loue moue vs when they are taking their long iourney into the farre countrey of the dead neuer to returne to bring them going by following them christianly to their graues Lastly the bodies of the righteous were the Organs or the instruments of the holy Ghost to all good duties and shall instruments so sanctified bee neglected as profane A reproofe of the Papists who professe to keepe the reliks of Saints that is some parts of their bodies vnburied which if they were Saints in deede they should bury with honor and not punish with the reward of condemned mens members or of Traitors iustly depriued of buriall Thus most diuinely our Soueraigne Lord King Iames in his Praemonition A like reproofe of some great ones among our selues who denie or doe not performe to their dead this duty so seemely needefull and charitable either out of some euil custome or for no warrantable abstinence Which what is it but to pierce though not Christ himselfe yet the faithfull in Christ with the speare of a second death after death Ioh. 19.34 That is after one death to put them to another Our following of them to their graues is the testimony of our loue by it we witnesse how we affected them aliue and loue if it be sound loue and without guile will goe as farre as it can It is also witnesse of the reuerence we bore theÌ„ for good things as our mourning doth shewe our losse by the losse of them to vs in their deaths If then we truly loued our friends how can we tarry at home not accompanying them as farre as may be in their way to the earth the house of all the liuing Why doth not our loue goe with them as farre as it can if we loued them and if we reuerenced their good parts why doe we not shewe as much by expressing at their graues our griefe for so many good things buried with them But some goe too far as these come too short who drowne the credit of Christian funerals with immoderate howlings and taking on Against such the Apostle Sorrow not as they who haue no hope 1. Thes 4.13 Christ wept for Lazarus Ioh. 11.35 but not so And they that mourne so immoderately giue suspicious tokens that they weepe for their owne losse rather then for the losse of a friend and that they more esteeme their owne good then his gaine by death Some for their bellies or for a mourning gowne follow the wicked rich with praises to their graue who yet will not honest a godly poore mans buriall with their presence or with a good word These are such as buried this rich-man and despised Lazarus So farre for that that concerned this rich-man in his body that followeth which concerned him in his soule Verse 23. And being in hell in torments For this rich mans estate in his soule it was miserable and pittifull though his buriall were glorious Here was a change indeede not more sudden then fearefull to sinners A little before ruffling in wealth now his soule is in hell and his body among the wormes So many at this day flaunt it in great brauery and the next newes we heare is their bodies are in graue and their soules God knowes where Yea many die and because we heare no more of them but that they be dead we neither regard how they died nor what is like to come of them dying without repentance Therefore this terrible example is left as a warning to vs in time to consider what followeth after death and that is a life after this life either in ioy vnspeakable or in torments endlesse For with the last breathe in our bodies we goe presently in our soules to heauen or hell good men to heauen bad men to hell Hebr. 9.27 Though men liue as beasts yet they shall not die as beasts that is if they liue wickedly and die in sinne the beasts death shall be farre better then theirs For they in their death end their misery those in death doe but beginne theirs that shall haue no end But to come to the words themselues it is said that the rich mans soule was in hell in torments and here is shewed wither his soule went to wit to hell and what followed there For the first hell or the place of hell is here described by those paines of sense which are in it and they are called hell torments For hell is not onely a place of custody as prisons here but of custody and torment therefore is this rich man said to be in hell in torments He that dwelt in a stately pallace while he liued now dead dwelleth in an inglorious place of torments He that had braue fellowes for his companions hath for companions now the diuell and his Angels He that fed delicately is now fed with fire and brimstone He that had his pleasure here is now tormented and he is said to be tormented in hell both in regard of the extremitie of torment and eternitie of terme there Which teacheth that there is no
which is not to iustifie but more to condemn him for as he called him father in no obedience so now he cals him sonne with no comfort Hee called him father and would not doe as a sonne and now hee calleth him sonne and will not bee as a father to him Besides he bids him remember for a further scourge of his conscience in the late losse of all his delights past which hee could not but remember with horrible torment and griefe And here wee learne that the pleasures of sinne leaue a bitter and wofull losse of remembrance in the conscience for hereafter Doct. therefore Zophar in Iob speaking of the reioycing of the wicked how short it is and of all the ioy of hypocrites which is but for a moment sayth that sin which once was sweet in the mougth of the sinner and which hee hid vnder his tongue to wit as sweete sugar shall turne in his bowels as meate doth in the stomacke and hee shall haue a loathsome remembrance of it in the vomite of those deadly morsels which hee shall bring vp againe for God shall draw it out of his belly Iob 20.12.13.14.15 And here that which Abner sayde to Ioab concerning the sword which was drawne without mercy may truly bee applyed to sinne Shall it not bee bitternesse in the later end 2. Sam. 2.26 That is though it please for a time yet after a while what pleasure can it promise or giue when the best end of it is bitternesse The louely lookes of wine when the pleasant eye of it is in the cuppe and when as Salomon sayth it moueth therein aright that is leapeth or spirteth in it hath in those that take it immoderately a very bitter after taste the end of it biteth as a Serpent and stingeth as an Adder Prou. 23.31.32 they feele pleasure at the first but they shall finde sorrow and paine at the last with Remember drunken sonne thou hast had thy pleasures here Salomons young man is bidden to reioyce that is to take his fill of the delights of life if no perswasion can turâ—e him but what is the reckoning and what will all that dainty cheere cost him The wise King tels him as one that knew something by his owne deare bought experience That for al this God willbring him to iudgement Eccles 11.9 that is the reckoning will come and God williudge him to damnation for it He also shall bee remembred and therefore this Remember Sonne is an Item to him Esay speaking of such as placed all their delight in that which we at this day call good fellowship preparing for that troupe and furnishing the drinke offerings for that number sayth speaking in Gods person and name I will number you to the sword there goes the reckning that is as yee prepared for sinners so yee shall speede as those sinners and as you gaue them drinke so yee shall drinke of their cup Esa 65.11.12 to destruction for saith the Lord My seruants shall eate and yee shall bee hungry my seruants shall drinke and yee shall be thirsty my seruants shal reioyce and yee shall be ashamed and my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall criefor sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of mind vers 13.14 The meaning is Heere my seruants fare ill and yee well hereafter all shall be contrary when that sting of remembrance that hath daggers-prickes beginning to pricke and you to feele it Ieremie also may come in as a witnesse who in this very case saiâ—th That the wayes and inuentions of the wicked in Iudah shall end in much bitternesse and as it were in the point of a weapon that shall pierce to the heart Ier. 4.18 Therefore say the despisers of God in the booke of Wisedome being pricked of their owne consciences Wee fooles thought his life speaking of the godly mans life madnesse and his end without honour but now he is counted among the children of God and his portion is among the Saints Wisd 5.4.5 When they heard this saying in the voice of their consciences Remember sonnes they changed their note and beganne to say What hath our pride profited vs and what good hath the pompe of riches brought vs All these things are past like a shadow and as a Poste that passeth by verse 8.9 Thus the pleasures of sinne end in a very bitter remembrance The reasons The pleasures of sinne are a sweet poyson that much vexeth those that cate it and for riches ill vsed Christ compareth them to thornes Math. 13.22 Now athorne in the foot causeth great paine but what prickings come from such thornes in the conscience Also the lusts of sinne are but baites that haue hookes in them and when the baite of sinne is gone the hooke abideth still in the sinner Secondly it is a part of the sinners punishment to feele continuall gnawings and pullings after sinne committed by that worme that dyeth not And if so here how much more in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone where sinners shall receyue all their penny worths together Thirdly the pleasures of the wicked goe away in their death if they continue till they dye as they often doe not But to haue beene happy and to bee miserable what can it bring but horrible vexation and death before the time and how can it but torment the sinner to remember that he who once was full of pleasures is now filled with paine and hee who had so much liuing now dead hath nothing that is nothing but misery sorrow and his iust desert in the paines of hell and second death And admonition not to feede vpon the sweet meate of sinne Vse 1 though neuer so well sawced by him that bids vs to eate but to our destruction at least to a great distemper and generall disorder in our Christian healths or Christian state If any would entise vs by the colour of the wine let vs consider that the colour of it is deceitfull and as we heard hath a biting losse of remembrance in the end of it Prou. 23.32 When the strange woman that is the harlot flattereth with her words Prou. 2.16 let vs auoyde her as wee would some deepe ditch Prou. 22.14 a whore is a deepe ditch full of great danger hee that falleth into it shall hardly rise againe not weake men only but strong men haue beene deceyued by her as Sampson nor simple men onely but the wisest as Salomon Prou. 7.26.27 Perhaps thou mayest bee called out of the good way by such as say Come cast in thy lot with vs wee shall finde precious riches and fill our houses with spoyle Prou. 1.13.14 that is doe as wee doe and you shall bee rich as wee are but consent thou not for there will be a bitter remembrance of all these things one day What got Balaam by the sweet wages of sinne which hee loued was hee not cast away by them Iude 11. Such wages of sinne preuayle much at this day with too many and
pleasures here that euery winde scattereth Psal 1.4 Who but fooles would so much disquiet themselues about vaine shadowes pursuing this pleasure that commodity and those preferments earthly and knowing how much they may cost vs who would couet them that loue their saluation and would not heare Sonne thou hast had thy pleasures here A reproofe of those who count them the onely happie men that alwayes b liue at rest Vse 2. and haue their fill of pleasures in this world for had not Diues Mal. 3.15 to whom Abraham yet saith therefore or because of that thou art tormented Now are they happy that are tormented or is there any happines in that and are they not rather as Oxen fatted to the day of slaughter And if so the state of the crosse in this life is much rather the plaine and direct way to true happines For through many afflictions we enter into the kingdome of GOD Acts 14.22 this is the way wherin CHRIST led and we must follow being conformeable to our head in sufferings By these God brings his children into a neerer acquaintance with him who but for them would be straungers to their owne Father and who by them or by means of them are made to seeke him diligently Hos 5.15 Worldly happines then being such an hinderance to true happines how can they be happy indeed that are most happie that way and how can it be to them a blessed thing to haue no affliction in their hearts or vpon their bodyes and estates when to be afflicted some such way is their best way to glorie euerlasting Of Lazarus it is said that he receiued paine Lazarus was deare to GOD and hee greatly loued him yet Lazarus whom God so loued liued in no ease the Text sayth in paize Doct. 2. From whence we may gather as was noted before that the godly are vsually most afflicted This was spoken of before vpon these words of the 20 verse Which was layd at his gate c And the Lord will haue it to be so for these reasons First that the Flesh might haue no cause to reioyce before him 1. Cor. 1.29 Secondly that men might desire godlinesse for it selfe who other wayes would bee godly or seeme to be that they might for it enioy some ease and prosperitie heere Also this would make them to seeke earthly things in matters that are pure and heauenly Thirdly that they might seeke him and depend vpon him onely which thâ—y will do in their troubles and hardly do when they are at more liberty And fourthly that the members might be like their head who was a man of sorrows No cause therfore to suspect the Gospell Vse to be the wrong way to paradise because it would bring vs thither by troubles rather by this that it is preached to the poore Luc 4.18 and that the poore receyue it Luk. 7.22 We may be sure that if there bee any more direct way to heauen then other this is it And we know who they were that sayde Doe any of the Rulers beleeue in him Iohn 7.48 If then thou bee poore and in distresse let not that condition of thy profession in so neare a similitude to Christ dismay thee but reioyce rather that thou art so like to thy Sauiour in that wherein was the least worldly shew and the greatest heauenly glory For now thou standest not vpon any weake prop of flesh but vpon the strong pillar of Israel in whose name thou trustest So much for the first impossibility in Abrahams reply the second followeth Verse 26 And besides all this between vs and you there is a great gulfe c. Heere wee haue the second parte of Abrahams reply wherein hee further sheweth how impossible it is that this Rich mans estate should bee bettered or bee other then it is for hee sayth betweene vs and you c. as if he had sayd God by an euerlasting ord nance and law hath barred the way from vs in heauen to you in hell betweene there is a gulfe or gaping pit and no bridge ouer And there is no hope of euer comming nearer then wee be Further if any would come from vs to you which is not to bee imagined they cannot and as they cannot so they neuer will This is Abrahams meaning Where we learne that the state of wicked men after this life is vnchangeable and euer the same Doct. They that are in hell can neuer come out as they that are in heauen can neuer come thence and so wee see the impossibilitie of getting out of hell being once in for which it is called the deepe Luk. 8.31 and of which Esay speaking sayth He hath made it deepe Esa 30.33 and therefore deepe because the damned there are so cast downe that they neuer rise Psal 140.10 Christ sayth of him whom he sent to the hels Binde him hand and foot Math. 22.13 as if he had sayde by stripping him of all meanes of defence and wayes of escaping let him goe and neuer returne For they who are cast with their hands and feet bound into such a deepe how can they come out This was spoken of before vpon the 23. verse the words And beeing in hell in torments c. Doct. 2. there But is there no comming out of hell Then take wee heede how wee come there that is Vse While wee are in the way of grace let the deepe of hell call to deepe repentance as if One deepe should call to another Psal 42.7 Here let vs come ouâ— of our sinnes by conuersion to God that hereafter we come not with our sinnes or in them to the place where is no comming out If now wee humble our selues wee shall bee exalted in due time 1. Pet. 5.6 not cast downe as they who goe to hell are but exalted for to bee exalted is to ascend vp not to bee sent into the deepe One speaking of the afflicted here for sinne sayth truly The deeper in hell the higher in Heauen His meaning is the more men feele it here for sinne the further they are from it and from sinne that casteth into Hell for euer A reproofe of Origens error Vse 2 which was that after a time the soules which are in hell shall come out and that at last or after a thousand yeares the Deuils themselues shall bee saued Also the speeches of harrowing hell and of bringing soules out of Purgatory that is soules out of the fire of Hell are lying speeches the faith and speeches of Papists and the current doctrine of the blind world of Christendome till within these hundred yeares for they that are in Hell neuer come out and the estate in which we dye is constant and the same for euer Cain and Saul and Iudas and al reprobates as they fell in their bodies so they shalâ— rise in them to iudgement no better in person nor in better manner A comfort to those whose hope is in death and whose death is peace at the last
Vse 3 for as they dye with much comfort so they change not after death but are much and eternally comforted their soules presently and soule and body after a while In this hope they lay vp their flesh and in this sure hope of a better vnchangeable eternal life they lay vp as in sweet sugar the hardest parts both of their life and death here They know that they so rest in the hands of God whose wayes as his gifts and calling are all without repentance Rom. 1â— 29 that they shall not bee remoued for euer And this hath made many to passe through the very flames of fire to God with a ioyful calmnesse It made our godly fathers as may be seene at large in the eleuenth to the Hebrewes quietly and gladly to suffer much and great aduersity for they saw him that chaÌ„geth not and looked for their abiding City Heb. 13.15 And should not may not this in as good assurance and with like hope encourage vs as for a price to set forth as they did to death So to runne that wee may obtaine 1. Cor. 9.24 So to fight that wee may ouercome 2. Tim. 4.8 And so to seeke Gods face of fauour here that wee may continually see his face of glory in heauen and euer bee with the Lord Psal 17.15 So much for Abrahams reply This rich man is supposed to reioyne as followeth Ver. 27.28 Then hee sayde I pray thee c. Here wee haue a further proceeding made in this Parable and vnder the person of a rich man in hell by the figure Prosopopoea And in this the Rich man is brought in againe making another request which is also denyed From which supposed request the Papists would gather that the blessed Saints in heauen haue care of their friends on earth that is in speciall and carnall manner of those friends whom they knew familiarly and loued dearely in the world But they gather that which the Text neuer scattered and it would bee remembred that these words are the words of a Parable and not of a thing done the drift whereof is as may appeare by the answer made or supposed to bee made plainely to proue that they who in this life refuse to giue credite to the Scriptures and word of God may hope in vaine to bee called by men from the dead I will not deny but Christian charity abides in the Saints in glory not by speciall remembrance of one more then of another for such charitie in them extendeth it selfe indifferently and generally to all here liuing or yet vnborne whom they loue as themselues yet it is ill proued from the example of a damned spirit in hell for what charity where is nothing but all hellish hate and bitternesse And to say that the godly in peace should be troubled particularly or in speciall manner about their friends affayres below what were it but much to derogate from their true rest in the place where they haue fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for euer Psal 16.11 And now where request is made by a spirit damned in hell that Lazarus who was dead might bee sent to the brethren of his fathers house to teach them Wee learne that the doctrine of teaching men Doct. by men from the dead is a doctrine from hell Esay calles it a going or doctrine of going from the liuing to the dead Esa 8.19 and Abazia is sayd to haue departed from God for his health when he sent to the god of Ekron or in that Idoll to the Deuill for it 2. King 1.3.16 The like of Saul who also was taught from hell as Abazia was 1. Sam. 28.8 Therfore God by Moses calles it a turning after those that worke with spirites that is with Dâ—uils or a whoring after them Leuit. 20.6 for how can it bee a doctrine from any place but hell that teacheth men thus The reasons First the Text is plaine for it for this was the request of one damned in hel Secondly such doctrine is not from Heauen and that which came from Heauen speaketh otherwaies and contrarily Verse 29.31 Now that which is not from heauen or according to heauenly truth is from hell for there is no third way Math. 21.25 Thirdly also such doctrine is a meane by wandring from God to make men to beleeue lyes 2. Thess 2.11.12 and is there any thing in this kind of teaching but what is hellish and diuelish Here we may see what to iudge of those who forsake the word which is written Vse for dead mens newes it is sure they are followers of hellish doctrines for such doctrines are the teachings of Sathan the Doctor a person damned in hell the chaire contrary to Him who sitteth in his chaire in Heauen And what is in all this but what is hellish and from Sathan in all points and whose followers are they and of what that follow thus Are they not Sathans followers and followers of Sathans lyes against the word of God So much for the Rich mans second request Abrahams second supposed replie followeth Ver. 29. Abraham sayd vnto him They haue c. In this second replie Abraham tells the rich man plainly that they get nothing by all their labâ—ur who forsaking the Word looke for Reuelations and who will be taught after their owne fancies not by Gods teaching nor by the ordinarie way and meanes appoynted by him Against such God himselfe complaines by his Prophet saying Should not a people enquire at their God Esa 8.19 and therefore the meaning of these words is that the Word deliuered by Moses and the Prophets and accordingly since by Christ and his Apostles is the only ordinary meane to conuert sinners to God and therfore they that refuse grace by it shall no way receiue it from the Graues of the dead This I conceyne to be the meaning of Abrahams second answere to this rich man and to be the onely reason why this second petition was made and this peremptorie replie secondly made vnto it wherein for orders sake wee may note his answer in substance and the vse that Abraham maketh of it The answer in substance is that God hauing ordained the Word written to be the onely ordinary meane for the calling of his fiue Brethren and all Christians yet liuing to repentance it onely is sufficient and all meanes diuided from it vaine and vneffectuall Which first teacheth that the only sealed rule of faith to saluation Doct. 1. is the Scripture and word of God written This is that path that leades to the Way the Truth and Life Christ Iesus For so saith He who is all these vnto vs Ioh. 14.6 and therefore he biddeth the Iewes to search that is exactly to search or as Hunters who strike euery bush seeking the game they hunt for and to search the scriptures that is what is written not vn written vanities For saith he in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they testifie of me That is in them yee may finde Christ and in him
sparing you in your threescore and stubberne roote know that it is done of the Lord either to bring you to repentance or if you will not repent to harden you further to destruction Further is the death of the righteous the righteous mans gaine Then let not the godly man feare to die Vse whose preferment is such by death that Christ in life and death is his aduantage Philip. 1.21 That which is bitter to worldly men is pleasure to him that which is wofull to them is ioy to him that which bringeth them into misery draweth him out and what takes him out of the prison of life casts them into the prison of hell No maruell then if the wicked be loth to die but great maruell that the godly should feare to die For for the wicked specially the rich such as this rich man here they are well and cannot hope that their remoue shall be to better or so good and therefore their change to a place they know not whither and to a life they know not what must needes much trouble them and no maruell if they who know no better life leaue this against their willes But for the righteous that are called in hope and to better things in Christ it were strange seeing their dimittis is in peace with Simeon that with Simeon they should not desire the day of libertie 2. Tim. 4.8 which is the day of their death and that they might be loosed to wit from their fetters here to be with Christ Philip. 1.23 This life to them is but a very vale of teares and they be in the world as Iacob in Labans house Gen. 30.31 How then can they so much loue this vale and Labans house of so many and continuall vexations as not to desire with the change of the place a change in these matters miseries and conditions of mortall life Who would not depart with Iacob and desire to depart with Simeon in such a case Luk. 2.29 Gen. 31.17.18 Death in it selfe is full of bitternes and by nature to the nature of man The very king of feare Iob. 18.14 and who looking vpon death with the visour vpon his face and armed with sinne will not giue backe at his approach and say O stay me a little Psal 39.13 But when death shall bee considerd with the aduantage that is as it is to the righteous and as Christ hath taken from it the visour of feare to them and to all that loue his comming the day of death as the day of the Iewes deliuerance from Haman cannot but be a feast day and a good day Est 8.17 a day of deliuerance from the Haman of hell from the power of sinne and powers of darknesse The Apostle considering this desired to bee gone shall wee thinke in a desperate moode as they that care not which end goes forward No but he did it vpon good and iust grounds knowing the happinesse that wayted for him and which waiteth for all that haue his thirst to bee with Christ The feare of death is naturall so children feare to goe in the darke but the feare of it for it selfe is weake For many times death passeth with lesse paine then the torture of a limme But the death to be feared is the death that hath sinne in it and the reason of the feare because sinne that brought it is fearefull Now the godly mans death is no such death hauing the teeth of sinne pulled out of it that it cannot bite his death is but his sleepe in his bed and rest from his labours and therefore to him to dye is no more then to goe to his rest at night or hauing escaped the sea to come to the hauen where he would bee Psal 107.30 And who would feare so to doe But their best preferment is where here they are absent from Christ there they shall euer be with him where here they please God weakely and offend him daily there they shall both please him and enioy pleasures with him for euer and where here they are strangers there they shall be at home in their owne Countrey and proper ayre with the whole blessed Trinitie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost So much for that which is common to the rich man Lazarus and for their different estates on earth their different estates after they left the earth follow And was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome The difference that was betweene the rich man and Lazarus after their death was greater then before in their life here for Lazarus went to heauen It is sayde that the Angels carried him as in their hands thither The other went to hell It is sayde hee was in torments in hell Here hee that could not bee brought by the meanest in the rich mans house into the wicked rich mans kitchen is carried by the angels which for that purpose attend the godly at their death into the bosome of Abraham that is into the glorious heauen of Gods presence where Abraham is and whither all Abrahams children come Hee that could haue but the dogges here to beare him company hath now the welcom company of the Angels to attēd him Hee whom no man regarded the Angels now honour And he now feedeth on the tree of life that could not haue the offals of the Rich mans table to feede on Is not this a great change But such honour had he and such honour haue all Gods Saints Further in these words and in Lazarus two things may bee considered as by whom he was carried and whither He was carried by the Angels sayth the Text that is by those spirituall heauenly and most excellent substances that minister before the glory of God continually for these glorious spirits Gods good Angels and those flames of fire his Ministers doe by diuine commandement minister to the heyres of saluation diuersly whiles they liue and sweetely at their death Heb. 1.14 The place whither Lazarus was carried is Heauen called by a kind of Periphrasis or kind of speech Abrahams bosome or the bay of rest from all stormes below And so wee see that the glory of the godly beginneth in their death as the glory of the wicked endes in theirs But to returne to the Angels and in briefe to tell you what they are as the word telles mee they are substances created without bodies the time when was within the 6. dayes the place where was in heauen Of these an innumerable company fell quickly and together for as they were made within the 6. dayes so within that time they fell and these we call now Diuels that is Angels by their creation but diuels by their fal for which they are Chained vp in vtter darknes Iude. 6. The other Angels which also are innumerable stood and euer shall stand by grace in the puritie and righteousnesse wherein their Makers hand at first set them And these are the Angels that this Scripture speaketh of which are called Angels for their seruice and ministery for
considered the first branch of the Doctrine to be true that there is an extreamitie of torments in hell If then we auoide the breach of mens lawes because of those chastisements and paines of death Vse which are threatned to those that breake them how much more should we beware of the breach of Gods law which is so threatned with punishments intollerable and death eternall in hell If a law were made that whosoeuer drinkes wine shall vpon conuiction for sometime hold his whole arme in the fire or in boiling lead for a punishment how many should we see drunken with wine though they loued it but God he that can cast into hell hath made a law that whosoeuer eateth and drinketh with sinners or as sinners doe shall be cut off or all in pieces to destruction Math. 24.50.51 and be thrust into hell both arme body and soule where they shall be tormented day and night in the fire that neuer goeth out and should not this be inough to cut the cup from our mouth Ioel 1.5 I meane of excesse and drunkennes So much and intollerably doe they suffer who come into this place of torment that Christ bids vs rather to cut off and â—ast away our right hand or foote that is the dearest things â—e haue then with them to be cast into this euerlasting â—â—re Math. 18.8 And if this firy argument cannot moue vs what will If wee should heare a sudden crie of fire fire how would it trouble vs but Gods word and Gods Ministers that preach his word speake of an eternall fire that still burneth and hath euer burnt from the beginning of time ordained before time was euen fire and much wood a lake of fire and pit of burning fire and should not this trouble euery bone in our body Or if fire come will we be as sâ—ubble for it I know that my speech of this is not pleasing alas then what pleasure can it be to feele it I speake not to please your eares I speake to saue your soules And whether I speake or hold my peace the fire burnes still As fathers threaten their yong children with the fire so we doe you with hell fire not to cast you in but to make you to runne further from it and the meditation cannot but be profitable and euen breake the stone in your hearts When Baltazar sawe the hand that wrote it troubled him out of measure Dan. 5.5.6 And if we would often common with our hearts by the word of these things it could no lesse trouble vs to heare of them then it troubled that great Monarch to see the writing on the wall Besides the feare of these would make vs feare to sinne according to that tremble and sinne not Psal 4.4 And he that so feareth hell shall escape it as he that neither feares so nor at all shall be sure to fall into it For as one saith truly none is so deepe in these torments as he who least thought of them But we put this euill day farre from vs and that makes vs to sit on our seats of sinne as we doe Am. 6.3 We reade not the word or what we reade there we beleeue not and therefore we runne into excesse as if there were no hell All the account that some make of hell is that they shall cast fire brands there but such are fire-brands thereof and to such it may be said as men vse to say when they haue well supped in an Inne that the worst dish is behind that is the reckening and that that must pay for all Then will follow Sonne remember thou hast had thy pleasures Luk. 16.25 or good things here The summe is he that wil follow his lusts shall without his repentance follow them to his cost He that burnes in adultery shall burne in hell He that killes here shall hang there and hee shall thirst there Luc. 16.24 that is drunken heere And what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule Math. 16.26 This made Paul to keepe a cleare conscience Act. 24.16 and the consideration of this makes the godly feare to offend Therefore Ierom Whatsoeuer I doe me thinkes I heare this sound still in my eares Arise ye dead and come to iudgement And thus in regard of the extreamitie of torments hell is intollerable so is it also in respect of the continuance and teaâ—me there For they that are in hell are there in paines without ease and time without end And now where the damned shall be in hell time without end Doct. 2. The second branch of it we secondly which is the second branch of the doctrine learne that the torments in hell are endlesse So Daniel speaking of the resurrection of sinners describeth the condition to which they shall bee raysed in their bodies by the names of shame and contempt and cals it Perpetuall shame and contempt Dan. 12. â— And Apoc. 20.10 Hell is called the pit bottomlesse because in it there is no redemption and from it no returning the Apostle Iude alluding to the fire that they of Sodome and the Cities about were destroyed with sayth in effect that they passed from the vehemencie of that fire to the vengeance of eternall fire Iude 7. Where hee likewise calleth Hell-fire eternall fire The smoake of this furnace is alwayes mounting it ascendeth vp for euer sayth Saint Iohn Apoc. 14.11 This tormenting worme of hell is immortall The worm dyeth not sayth Saint Marke Mark 9.46 Hitherto belongs that answer of Abraham to this Rich-man They that would goe from hence to you cannot neyther can they come from thence that is from hell to vs Luk. 16.26 His meaning is Once in hell euer in it One vseth this comparison As a man that is to be pressed to death calleth for more and more weight but cannot haue it so all the condemned to second death through an extremity of torments in that lake of death call for death that there might bee an end but death flyes from them that is end there is none nor any to bee hoped for For when so many thousands of yeares are past as haue beene moments of time since time began the torments of the damned cannot end that are endlesse The Reasons Where there is no repentance of sinne there is no end of torments for sinne After death and in hell there can be no repentance for Repentance is by the Ministery of the word and the vse of it is in this life onely 2. Tim. 2.25 Apoc. 2.21 Secondly so long as the damned continue sinfull so long they shal be tormented but they must needs euer be sinfull in hell and therefore in hell euer bee tormented This oyle can neuer be spent the oyle of sinne and therfore the wrath of God which is as fire to the same must euer burne and who shall quench it Thirdly they that despise the counsell of God against themselues and therefore will not heare when God calleth must make account
We haue heard whither the soule of this rich man went to wit to hell here is further shewed what followed there And first what this rich man sawe and secondly what he said He sawe Lazarus and spake to Abraham He sawe Lazarus to wit with the eyes of his minde the eyes of his body being fast closed vp in the graue and he spake to Abraham but with an intellectuall tongue Which sheweth that all that followeth is a parable-part of Scripture For soules in proper speech haue neither eyes to see nor tongues to speake with It is said hee lift vp his eyes the more to increase his desire of that he could not haue and sorrow for being denied it And that his eyes being lift vp he sawe Abraham a farre off or saluation farre from the wicked Psal 119.155 and which more augmented his paine Lazarus in his bosome As farre as heauen and hell are asunder so farre off saw he Abraham and with the Mole-warp he onely opened his eyes at his death and saw him and Lazarus with him in blisse But as in his life time he turned his eyes from Lazarus so now at his death God turned his face from him and so he sawe what he was not better but worse for seeing And how could it be otherwaies hauing such a feeling of the torments he was in and liuely sense of the fâ—uours he lost by seeing Lazarus so happy and himselfe so miserable For might he not now say What hath pride profited me or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought me Wisd 5.8 Thus he sawe too late and with late repentance at his death what before he would not see Which teacheth that death which is preuented of the righteous preuenteth sinners The rich man in the Gospel who promised to himselfe a life of many yeeres had not the poore life of one night to prepare for death which tooke him away in his couetousnesse Luk. 12.19.20 And Agag said merrily the bitternesse of death is past when the same houre bitter death which he thought to be past pierced him to the heart being hewen in peeces before the Lord in Gilgal 1. Sam. 15.32.33 And what warning had Herod when vpon his roiall throne in the sight of all his flatterers hee was suddenly stricken with death by an Angel Act. 12.23 When the old world thought least of a change the flood of death came Luk. 17.27 And Sodome with her Cities thought least of death when her end came suddenly by fire from heauen v. 29. As therefore the diuels said to Christ so are the wicked driuen to say to death Art thou come to torment vs before our time Math. 8.29 At 50 at 60 at more yeeres it is euer out of time and they say with Iehoram Is it peace 2. King 9.23 They know not if it be The reasons They haue no hope in death and in this life onely they haue their pleasure and heauen Secondly they cannot cease to sinne and therefore cannot be in the minde to looke for death that casteth into hell for sinne Thirdly they are the inhabitants of the earth vpon whom death commeth suddenly as the snare vpon the bird Luk 21.35 An instruction to thinke of euery present day as of the day of our death Vse and to doe that euery day that we would gladly be found doing at our dying day For death giueth no warning more then the theefe of his comming Math. 24.43 And how soone are we gone or how suddenly may our death come perhaps before we goe out at these doores perhaps at home perhaps in our way as we are going home some adulterers haue bene taken in their filthy sinne by death as Zimri and Cozbi were Num. 25.7.8.14.15 Some haue withered in death as Ieroboamâ— hand breathing cruelty 1 King 13.4 Some drinking themselues drunken haue so died Math. 24.50 And some dancing on the Sabbath haue fallen downe dead in the dance Should not these examples be warnings to vs should they not leade vs to Christian watchfulnesse or are we surer of our life then these were But who considereth that prophaning the Sabbath swearing whoring drinking and being drunken the same day or houre may take him that tooke them suddenly or doe we thinke to goe to heauen with a paire of dice in our hands and a helâ— of oathes in our mouths But though this rich man sawe Abraham yet the text saith that He sawe Abraham a farre off Not to his comfort but further tormenting As he beheld Lazarus so God now beholds him a farre off And as farre was the rich man from Abraham as hell is farre from heauen and as miseries without ease or end are from ioy and pleasures endlesse This reacheth that as the wicked are farre from Gods law Psal 119.150 so Gods saluation is farre from the wicked Psal 119.155 Sinne and saluation are two ends that can neuer meete The Prophet saith as he loued not blessing so shall it be farre from him Psal 109.17 And this made Paul to wish that King Agrippa in his great pompe had bin such as he was Act. 26.29 not to wish himselfe such as Agrippa was in all his roialty For he would not change coats with him nor exchange estates though it were to haue a Princes life for a prisoners The reasons The wicked are not so neere to saluation as hypocrites who though they seeme to liue in the suburbs of it as he who was among the other ghests not hauing his wedding garment yet shall neuer be saued Math. 22.11.13 being not painted tombes but sinkes foule without and foule within Secondly they must neede be farre from God that is from his saluation to whom he will say as he doth to all wicked sinners depart Math 7.23 25 41. Psal 6.8 Thirdly they are the haters of God and such shall not come in his presence nor neere him Psal 1.5 68.1 Fourthly Moses might not stand vpon holy ground till hee had put off his shooes Exod. 3.5 how much lesse may the wicked stand vpon heauens ground hauing not put off the foule shooes of their filthy sinnes An instruction to goe farre from wickednes Vse if we will come nere to God to turne to the Lord by repentance if we would not haue the Lord by our impenitencie to turne from vs. And whither shall we goe if we goe from him He hath the words and with him is the well of eternall life Ioh. 6.68 In his presence is the fulnes of ioy Psal 16.11 and fulnesse of all miseries in our absence from him With him is light without him we abide in darknes for euer And now should not this enforce vs to loue his presence in the assembly and his familiar presence in heauen now to seeke him in his word that heereafter wee may find him in his Kingdome nowe to haue him that we may haue him euer and now to liue to his glory that after death he may drawe vs to himselfe and shewe vs his glory But farre from
him here farther from him in hell They that will not know him here shall not know him nor be knowen of him there And they that will not see him neere in Christ shall out of Christ see as this rich man sawe a farre off So much for that which this rich man saw what hee said followeth Verse 24 And he cried and said father Abraham What this rich man spake and to whom is next to be considered Wherein we haue his speech in this verse and the replye vnto it in the two next In his speech I note the request hee made and the reason For I am tormented c. His request is in the maner or matter thereof The manner is sayde to bee with a crying speech with the calling Abraham father Abraham Because he would not be warned in time hee cryed or was made to crye when time was past and hee that would not be Abrahams sonne in obedience desireth to bee with Lazarus in Abrahams bosome He should haue thus cryed while hee was in the way and before the eternall barres had closed him in Where wee learne that this life is a life for mercie and that there is no crying for mercy after it Doct. 1. So saith Christ The night commeth to wit of death when no man can worke Iohn 9.4 And Saint Paul exhorteth the Galathians and in them all Christians To doe good while they haue time Gal 6.10 As if hee had sayde Yee shall not alwayes haue it nor after death To this effect the Prophet Esay Seeke the Lord while hee may bee found Esa 55.6 That is in this life and not in hell where there is no finding of him Abraham left sacrificing when the Sunne went downe Gen. 15.17 And when the Sunne of life setteth ouer vs there is no more sacrifice for sinnes Heb. 10.26 Therefore sayth Salomon All that thine hand shall finde to doe doe it with all thy power Eccles 9 10. That is presently and here The reason is There is neyther worke nor inuention nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest His meaning is when thou art dead thou canst neyther doe nor deuise any thing for thy saluation or peace in the pit of darknesse and of death The Reasons After death there is no reward Eccles 9.5 And then is a time of iudgement not of mercy Secondly mercy is from repentance and repentance from the Ministery of the Word which onely hath power in this life 2. Tim. 2.25 Apoc. 2.21 Thirdly when the tree is cut downe what hope of fruits So after the axe of death hath beene vpon vs what hope to bee fruitfull Lastly there is no mercy of God without saith in God but eyther here faithfull or neuer 1. Cor. 13.10.13 2. Cor. 5 7. An instruction Vse 1 if wee will haue mercy to turne to the God of mercy whiles it is called to day Heb. 3.13 2. Cor. 6.2 not to cry for it with this Rich man in Hell nor with the foolish Virgines when the gate is shut Math. 24.10 11. the gate of all compassion and mercy But we say to God as the vnmercifull man to his neighbour Come againe to morrow Prou. 3.28 That is wee still put off though we know not what may be to morrow or what the day may bring with it To morrow sayth Pharaoh Exod. 8.10 To morrow Pharaoh And why not to day Walke whiles yee haue light sayeth Christ Iohn 12.35 that is whiles you may bee saued striue to saluation by the light of the Gospell lest when it is remoued the darknesse of despayre come and Whither will ye walke not knowing whither in the darke A terrour to all that despise repentance when they bee called to it in this life Vse 2 Such are like to a condemned malefactor that putteth off the getting of his pardon till the Assises are come and till it bee too late to seeke it then he would be saued and cannot Here men make a mocke of sinne the reason is they feele not the weight of it here in Hell they shall and when there is no hope of deliuerance from it for as a peece of timber seemeth light vpon the water but drawne to land will seeme as it is so sinne borne vp with the patience and mercy of God here which is as a great Sea seemeth light to offendors but poore soule when thou shalt beare it without these vndersets of patience or mercy in the darke land of the damned in hell then thou wilt crye out with as little hope as this rich man did though not Father Abraham yet God the Father of Abraham Haue mercy vpon mee And what hope of a tree when it is cut downe and burneth in the fire so what hope of sinners cut downe by death for the fire of hell If this bee terrible better now preached then felte in hell where is no redemption Knowing therefore these terrors of putting off the day of visitation 2. Cor. 5.11 why should wee not be resolued to seeke and find mercy with true and present repentance for all our sinnes O therefore take no more dayes to that that must bee done to day so shall wee finde mercy that is in due time if wee so seeke it Further for this damned Rich man as hee cryed too late so hee begged as wee say at a wrong doore For hee sayd Father Abraham going to him for mercy where the righteous goe directly and onely to God and to none of the Saints And here it may bee noted by the way that the doctrine of the Inuocating dead Saints must needes want a good President comming from a damned person in hel and a person that fared neuer a whit better by speaking to Abraham The voyce from heauen is Call vpon mee in the day of thy trouble Psal 50.15 Vpon mee sayth God as if hee had sayde Vpon mee onely and it is so resolued by Christ in the same argument of his fathers seruice Mat. 4.10 They that say and doe otherwise let them shew vs where it is so written and wee will doe after them but when God hath charged vs with an absolute seruice for himselfe how can wee and why should wee without a dispensation from him by his word share it betweene him and his creatures God as we heard hath commaunded vs to call vpon him by Iesus Christ in our wants with promise to heare vs and how then can wee call vpon him with others in our trouble without offending him in his word and distrusting him in his promise but this onely by the way and yet worthy the taking vp It is sayde in the Text that this Rich man called Abraham Father where he boasted of that to which he had no right nor good title onely some colour of title he had to it by the carnall birth being a Iew. He would not follow Abraham in giuing hospitality as did Abraham and yet in Hell who must be his father but father Abraham whose sonne in obedience hee would