mans clothing his sumptuous fare followeth And fared sumptuously euery day What euery day and that sumptuously or choisely euery day this was a double sinne one that he was giuen so much to his belâ—y another that he was giuen so continually to it one that he fed so curiously and daintily another that he fed so not at certaine times but daily and by such filling of the belly with meates and stuffing of the head with drinkes made himselfe altogether vnfit for any good dutiâ—s in his calling I doe not say but the cup may sometimes ouerflow and that a Christian may be more cheerefull and feede more liberally at one time then at another For euen Christ at a marriage in Cana approued a more liberall and full diet then at another time hee would haue done Ioh. 2.9 But how doth this iustifie that fulnes of bread which was Sodoms and this rich mans sinne Ezech. 16.49 Or how doth it warrant at any time any eating out of Gods feare and if no such eating at any time how much lesse then any comonnes this way Two things therefore are reproueable in this voluptuous rich man The first that he was so curious for his belly the second that he was euery day so for which his soule is in hell Out of both which we learne Doctr. 1. that all abuse of meates and drinkes to excesse is a sinne to hell In the 13. Chapter to the Romanes the Apostle of the Gentiles Saint Paul hauing exhorted such beleeuers at Rome as had put on the armour of light to keepe the path of life saith Not in gluttony and drunkennes as if he had said these are out of your way to saluation walke therefore honestly that is in temperance and not in these if you meane to be saued Rom. 3.13 From whence it must needes follow that they offend to damnation who drinke as much as a Horse and not so soberly as hee and who make it their exercise to eate and drinke eating as beasts who eate all the day and part of the night But the same Apostle speaketh plainely as much Phil. 3.19 telling the Church to which he there wrot that their end is damnation whose belly is their God For these are the vncleane hogges that the Diuels of intemperance enter into and carie with violence into the great deepe Luc. 8.33 So Esau louing his belly so much and the blessing so little is sir-named prophane or one that could not be saued Hebr. 12.16 And what doth our Sauiour meane Luc. 2â— 34 so carefully to forewarne his disciples and followers with a take heede that your hearts be not ouercharged with surfetting and drunkennes if he had not held these to be strong lets to saluation They that are maried to these say not as the other ghests did who refused to come to the great supper of Christ I pray thee haue vs excused but without all blush of shame we haue married wiues and therefore we cannot come Luc. 14 20. That is we will neither be good nor seeme good And for this some haue not vnfitly compared our Tap houses and Tauernes as men vse them now to the lawe of the asse in Sampsons hand which laid the Philistimes heapes vpon heapes Iudg. 15.16 For the world hath slaine his thousands but these haue slaine their ten thousands 1. Sam. 18.7 and not with a mortall wound but with an immortal to eternall death But that all abuse of the creature to excesse is a sinne to hell may further bee proued The reasons For first it is a waste of the good creature abusing that to sinne which might haue comforted many perhaps haue saued the liues of some And what are such but theeues to their brethren Prou. 3.27 and murtherers of their brethren and themselues He that robbes a man of that which is his is a theefe And such theeues are they that eate the poore that is that which is theirs at their tables of excesse So hee that keepes away the oile from the lampe puts it out as well as he that quencheth it with water and such are they who deuoure that bread which is the poore mans life their hand is in his blood as well as theirs who oppresse him to death by taking away his bread Now doe theeues and murtherers offend to damnation and doe not voluptuous theeues and murtherers offend so too Secondly such an abuse of the creature oppresseth the heart with surfetting and drunkennes and how can the heart so oppressed and person liuing in such a trade of exceeding looke to be saued Thirdly it is flat idolatrie making the belly a God Old idolaters turned the image of a beast into God and these new turne the image of God into a beast But idolatrie is a sinne and are not idolaters sinners vnto hell Fourthly it is a chaine to adultery to drawe it in For such eaters in excesse and drinkers out of measure cannot be (b) Prou. 23.30.33 chaste persons or there is no sleeping in these and watching against adultery and who can lay on more fewell but hee shall haue a greater flame Ier. 5.8 Now cannot adulterers without repentance be saued and shall not that that maketh adulterers be a sinne to damnation Heere we see in what a fearefull state they stand of wretchednes Vse 1 and perdition from God who follow that cursed fellowship which men call good fellowship For whither doth it leade the followers but to the house where the dead are Prou. 9.18 Death is in the pot 2. King 4.40 Hell and death in their drunken pots but if we will not be damned with such mates we must not follow their damnable wales that is their pottes of excesse and pipes of smoke and where such liue to eate we that would not be iudged such must eate to liue to God There are many Esaus now and their number is without number that hunt all for the belly in the wide field of an Epicurish-life but we must be of another number and follow another course that meane to follow the Lambe or to be the first fruitâ—s to God and to Christ Apoc. 14.4 And we that haue the hope of the Saints must separate from such alwaies in affection and as much as wee may in body selfe as we delight in their company on earth we must looke to beare them company in hell Let them consider this who can take no such delight in the fellowship of the Saints as they take pleasure in the large fellowship of those drunken companions who like a spreading canker infect Towne and Countrie It may be if we runne not with them vnto the same excesse of riot or be not combined in fellowship with them when they thus poure out their heart to wickednes they will speake euill of vs 1. Pet. 4.4 yet let vs turne from such if we would not be turned into hell with them and with this rich man one of the companie for better be euill spoken of for good deedes then well for
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
Reasons they that weare such apparell forget their Christian calling which is to walke soberly Tit. 2.11 Secondly such put their heauen in their apparell and make it their happines not to goe modestly in their clothes as Saints but curiously and finely in them as this rich man thirdly such make nets of their apparell to intrappe themselues and others in it and not onely nets of wantonnesse but sponges to drinke vp both their owne and the poores prouision A reproofe to the maner of attiring vsed in our dayes Vse 1 and to the proud and chargeable apparell that is so common now for doe not meane persons now offend heerein as well and ordinarily as sinfull Diues They that cannot spare a penny to a poore man can find inough to spare for their great ruffes and silke shooe-strings euen seruing-men and seruant maids that receiue but smal wages haue a common hand in this vanitie and by their apparell it is hard to know who is Diues and who Lazarus It is but a simple maide that weares not as fine linnen as her mistresse and that man is as no body and of no fashion that is not assoone in the fashion as his maister or if he be sober in his clothes before him How neare doth this come to the curious and vnmercifull apparell of this rich man therfore it is not curiositie in Ministers to deale in these matters but a necessarie and charitable labour in them to presse them to the full in their Sermons and exhortations for though fine garments be Gods gifts and the riches of the earth Gods goodnes yet the abuse of these to all proud and vnsober couerings is our shame Our apparell was giuen vs to hide our nakednes Gen. 3.21 which nakednes came from our fall and sinne and shall we glory in that which at first was and to this day is the couer of our shame Is it seemely that a theefe saued from the gallowes should be proud of the halter that should haue hanged him or if this be vnseemely as little and ill doth it become Christians to bee proud of that that should as much humble them as the halter the theefe What difference then I meane for any good or sound matter of reioycing betweene thy proud clothes and his poore halter Adam in his innocencie though naked needed no couer his nakednes being then so full of glorious brightnes or as the Sunne in his strength our apparell the brauest we put on would haue as much obscured it as a darke cloud now doth the comfortable Sunne but euer since sinne entred all is contrarie and what should haue beene our glory is now become our shame Therefore to make so much of our shame and with so great neglect of better duties to our neighbour and the poore so to trimme it what is it but an intollerable and cruell vanitie Againe who would glory of the ragges that are wrapped about his wounds Our attire what doth it but hide in our bodies the wound of our fâ—ll and what glorying then of our proudest couer there being no better matter in it The world while it was yong was simple and plaine now in the dotage of it it is clothed with double not garments only but hearts Prou. 31.21 Our father 's kept sheepe Gen. 43.2 we their children scorne to weare the wâ—oll the garments that God made to Adam and to his wife our first parents were coates of skinnes Gen. 3.21 Christs garment was plaine and simple without seame Ioh. 19 23. and many whom the world was not worthy of wandred about in sheepe-skinnes Hebr. 11.37 that is in leather coates being destitute afflicted and tormented which I speake not to bind all rich and poore to one kind of apparell without difference or as if I thought that rich men might not put on more rich attire then other men but iustly to reproue by the word and by such examples of holy men all fond affectation and lightnes this way Iacob knew his sonnes coate so soone as his other sonnes Iosephs brethren brought it to him Gen. 37.33 He knew that it was the same coate which he made to his sonne Ioseph The coates of fantasticall men and women of the fashion at this day cannot be knowne to be coates of Gods making for bring them to God and the Poppets in them and will be sâ—y These are my sonnes coates or may not the diuell rather say These are my sonnes for I made them these coates But my speech of these vanities rather craueth a reformation then any imbittering and therefore praying all humorists in apparell to consider betimes and before the decree which is gone forth be sealed with some notable iudgement what God by Zephans hath threatned against all that are clothed with strange that is monstrous garmets which is that he will visit for them by a cutting off of man and beast Zeph. 1.8 I leaue what might be further spoken to consideration and come to a second vse Vse 2 For if intemperance in apparell be censured by the word then it is not true that the Scripture medleth not with apparell neither hath any measure to make it by for the holy Ghost as hath beene shewed doth in it send vs a most fit measure for all the garments we put on And where some that say to their proud coates and vpstart fardingales as Saul to Samuel honour me before this people 1. Sam. 15.30 are of opinion that the apparell is not to be regarded but the heart heere we see that the apparell is the surest shewing signe and inscription of the foolish heart that weareth it Indeede the intemperance of all our strange apparell is from our heart but when our heart hath once laid it vpon our backe we may reade an intemperate heart there and so long as the leafe is greene on the top of the tree we know that all sappe is not gone downe to the roote Therefore when we see such streamers of pride in so many garish tires and attirings of men and women and of women specially we may say there dwelles a proud heart a vaine heart a wanton heart and a heart of no modestie or good stay Such was the clothing of this rich man which is therfore branded by the holy Ghost vnder the names of purple and fine linnen and vnder the daily and wanton vse of such pride swolne clothes Heerein there is no doubt but hee offended greatly but heerein expresly and principally that in all this waste and glory of apparell he was cruell to Lazarus and in this he hath but too many followers at this day who carry all good housekeeping with them in their trunkes to London or some other great Citie or Towne that they purpose to liue in and not at the Ephrathah of their owne home Ruth 4.11 And heere it is true which is spoken by one that there war neuer good house kept by Gentlemen since the Tailor measured their land by the yard So much for the Rich
they no way slaked his sore hunger These bestowed what they had they would bestowe nothing These were pittifull to man they were cruell to poore man and inhumane to Lazarus a godly man Which could not but proceed from the Lord and be his owne deede both to testifie against and to conuince the vnmercifull and more then beastly incompassionatenes of such cruell wretches For here the kind nature of the dogges shamed the hard hearts of men and God opened their mouthes as he did of Baelaams asse Num. 22.28.19 to reproue their mâ—ister Or God taught these dogges kindnes to teach their maister mercy And here we are taught that God Doctr. for good purpose doth oftentimes make vnreasonable creatures his witnesses against reasonable men So fire and Lions the fierce fire and the hungry Lions shewed mercy when the King and Princes of Babel and Persia would shewe none to Daniel and Daniels fellowes Pan. 3.27 6 22. Thus also when Israel would not know God by his Prophets he taught them by the Oxe and Asse to know him Esay 1.3 So prouidence is taught by the Comes Prou. 30.26 order by the Grashopper v. 27 diligence by the Spider v. 78 and timely repentance by the Turtle Swallow and Crane that know and obserue their time Ier. 8.7 In the booke of Micah when Israel would not heare God turnes him to the Mountains and hills bidding them to heare Mich. 6.1.2 And Salomon makes the Ant the sluggards teacher and the Ant-heape his schoole to learne in Prou. 6.6 Thus reasonable men are schooled by vnreasonable creatures The reasons By this meanes God doth shewe them what they should doe and shame them not hauing done as they should Now shame often times moues vs when the words of the wise can doe nothing with vs. Secondly proud persons must be humbled before they will learne Esa 66.2 But what better way to humble them then to conuince and shame them by such simple Teachers as the Oxe and Asse and other both vnreasonable and sensles creatures are For may they not then say What fooles are we that must haue such to teach vs Thirdly man must haue one or other to teach him knowledge or to condemne him if he will not learne and God hath not left himselfe without witnesse Act. 14 17. Where therefore his Ministers cannot teach man by his word the other creatures by their order must that there be no excuse And now what can he say when the creatures without reason obserue their makers law and he that hath reason and the teaching which they want will not An admonition to reasonable man not to despise Vse â—â— nor yet to neglect the schoolings that God giues him by his other creatures Not to be vnmercifull when some dogges haue bin mercifull Also when beasts tender their owne kind not to forsake his And when God putteth the song of his praise into the mouth of all creatures euen of the hilles and mountains of the fowles of the aire of the trees of the forrest and of the dragons and wormes that creepe vpon the earth Psal 148 not to suffer his praise to goe out of his mouth For shall iâ— not be shame and sinne to him to be dumbe when these are so hie and loude And what witnesse can they giue but of his iust condemnation if where they declare his glory he bring by his wickednesse by his crueltie by his prophane life and most vâ—ine behauiour nothing but shame â—eproch and contempt to his name God as was said neuer left himselfe without witnesse no not in the blind world of the heathen how much lesse can hee want witnesse now in the new world of grace where the light is tenne times clearer then that of the Sunne and where besides the darke starres of the firmament we haue the cleare glorious Sun-light of the Gospell to walke by If then being taught as we are in the common and priuate schoole that is both by creatures and by the word we profit not more to obedience or a better life not onely the word that we haue so long heard will iudge vs but euen the creatures that doe so well in their kind will with open mouthes witnesse against vs. And let me tell you that if the (b) Esay 1.3 Oxe knowe his owner and the Asse his Maisters crib and we that haue reason to make vs men and the Gospel to make vs Christians neither will know nor regard to know our owners feare or Maisters glory it cannot be but these simple drudges the Oxe and Asse will in their obedience giue in a fearefull euidence against vs one day Also we that haue our beasts obedient to vs in the sixe daies and yet as rebellious children worse then beasts are disobedient to the Lord on the seuenth what can we say For when we spake to them they heard vs when we whipped them they obeyed vs in all our businesse they attended on vs and yet we listen not to God calling vs by his word we neither profit by his chastisements nor attend on his commandements How can we answer this how can we denie so plaine a matter as this And when these shall speake against vs with the voice of their testimonie what will we alledge for our selues And what will be our defence A fearefull thing therefore not to heare such Schoole-maisters as these nor to be better by precepts of this nature in such Monitors as these are But doth God make vnreasonable creatures his witnesses against reasonable men Vse 2 TheÌ„ though men should hold their peace the stones would crie Luk. 19.40 That is if it could be supposed that man in bearing witnesse would be partiall to mankind yet God could haue witnesses many and sufficient against him in his other creatures without number Or if man should not accuse man nor a mans coÌ„science himselfe yet neither should God be without witnesse nor man without accusers or for failing innumerable accusers of another element and creation O then how carefull should we be now by keeping good conscience in all things Hebr. 13.18 to stop those mouthes that otherwaies we shal be sure by walking against God and not in his feare to open wiâ—e against vs in the day of vengeance and yeere of recompence from the Lord Esa 34.8 When the Israelits contended with God and murmured against him in the desert they might haue considered how he but spake to the Sea and the great Sea did presently heare him though it were to diuide it self as it were to receiue some deep wound orgash against course to giue them way Ex. 14.21 So when they rebelled for water they might haue learned obedience of the hard rocke for when Moses smote it (d) Num. 20 8.11 he should but haue spoken to it it was not rebellious but presently gaue them water in abundance These were Gods witnesses and shall be mens Iudges because by the light in them they could see no better to obey hauing so cleare
not be but all this auayled him nothing since they onely are Abrahams children who doe the workes of Abraham Where wee learne Doct. 2. that it displeaseth God and will not profite vs to glory in the bare name of a Christian except we be Christians indeed They that came to Ichus Baptisme sayde as much but because they sayde and did not Math. 23.3 he called them a generation of vipers Math. 3.7 Hee might haue called them a generation of toades more truly then true Abrahamites And what sayd Christ to those who prophesied to others but not to themselues and did great workes in his name but would do nothing for his name Depart sayth hee or hence farre from mee yee that worke iniquity Math. 7.22.23 That is ye that call your selues Christians and doe not like Christians to hell with yee So he that would be a Christian and had not on the wedding garment of a true Christian receyued this sentence Binde him hand and foote and cast him into vtter darkenesse Math. 22.13 As if Christ had sayde Deale with him as with a prisoner whose hands must bee bound that hee may not resist and feet shackled that hee may not runne away And because he loued darkenesse the darkenesse of a subtle heart let him passe from that darkenesse of his to the darkenesse of hell from one darknesse to another The like we reade of those who pretending to bee of the houshold of faith with right beleeuers knocked at the doore to wit by glorying vainely in that which they had not after the good man of the house had shut the doore of hope against all such vaine and vaine glorious talkers but what was the answere I know not whence yee are Luk. 13.25 That is yee are meere strangers to my Fathers house and to me or yee came to mee for a night but yee continued not with mee as mine doe but they replyed Wee haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streetes v. 26. their meaning is we haue beene at thy table there wee â—ate and drâ—nke in the Sacrament with thy houshold people and wee haue heard in many Sermons of thee by thy teachers in Church and Chappâ—ll To this Christ reioines in the next verse I tell you I know you not whence ye are v. 27. As if he had said I said it be ore and I say it againe that ye are none of mine Ye did indeed dip with me in the Sacrament there yee did eate and drinke the blessed bread and wine but doing so with no good affection nor simple heart yee are and dranke your greater condemnation Yee were baptised with the baptisme of water but not of the spirit and yee wore my linery but in it yee did seruice to my enimie Also yee heard or seemed to heare many Sermons but yee alwaies left them where yee found them and therefore the more yee heard because yee so heard them that is formally and not in obedience the more yee haue to answere for I tell you therefore I know yee not whence yee are That is yee are as strange to me as they that neuer heard of me in the Gospel nor sawe my face in the Sacrament The reasons They who be Christians in face and not in heart and deede Christians are but hypocrites and being hypocrites they are hated of God his soule abhorreth such Esa 1.14.15 Secondly they are but bastards in Israel or sonnes of the bond-woman that may not be heires with the sonne of the free-woman Gal. 4.30 Some priuiledges belong vnto them and for the true Churches sake they receiue man 〈◊〉 â—utward good things here but being bastards they cannot inherit by lawe And what shall it profit a man If he winne the whole world and destroy himselfe or â—ose himselfe Luk. 9.25 Thirdly they haue to doe with that God that will not be mocked Gal. 6.7 And then what good will it doe them to say they are children when they are not if they could deceiue God that looketh into the heart as they can man that seeth not as God doth they might haue some hope but seeing God himselfe is iudge how can they be hid A terrour to those who putting trust in lying vanities haue nothing of the Church or of true baptisme in them Vse 1 but the name in their mouths Ier. 7.4 Such though they say father Abraham with this damned person yet because they walke not by holinesse in the steppes of the faith of Abraham Rom. 4.12 they are the children of their father Ioh. 8.44 There is an Israel in the couenant and an Israel out or an Israel in Christ and an Israel that is none of Christs as there is a circumcision in the spirit and a circumcision in the letter or a circumcision of the heart and circumcision of flesh Rom. 2.29 Now they that haue no more in them then the Israel of an outward profession or the baptisme of water howsoeuer iudging as men we cannot denie them the name and account of Christians yet when hee commeth to see his ghests who is of pure eyes and iudgeth otherwaies then man doth hee will turne them out as intruders command them to be taken away to wit from all communion with him his blessed Angels and glorified Saints and send them to their owne place where is weeping with gnashing of teeth that is sorrow and griefe mingled with desperation Math. 22.13 This is the portion of their cup. This should stirre vs vp to walke with more conscience in our professions Vse 2 For we may as with some veile couer our sinnes in them from men but no profession nor figge-leafe of profession can hide vs from him whose eye is vpon all his ghests Math. 22.13 He that searcheth Ierusalem with lights Zeph. 1.12 but neither with torch-lights nor candle and can see without them can find vs out in our darkest hypocrisie to whose eyes of knowledge and prouidence all things are naked or as it were vnquartered Hebr. 4.13 His eyes are a flame of fire and with these lights he pierceth and looketh through euery mans heart conscience and conuersation nothing is hid or can be from them And therefore though we be admitted by the Minister and allowed by men to goe for Christians yet if we be not Christians in life and in the testimonie of our owne consciences so their testimonie will little uaile vs against Gods examination and the witnesse of our owne hearts If we condemne our selues and if God condemne vs what matter for the praise of men or their good word whose eyes we haue bleared with our seemings Let vs therefore approue our selues to God and our owne consciences by true repentance truly and indeede to be Christians If we haue not repented thus let vs now beginne and if we haue let vs doe it more Let vs breake off our sinnes euen in the purpose of our hearts and not thinke to say or thinke we haue done inough because we can say We haue
with mee to wit as my wife helper Gen. 3.12 Thus also most vile reprobates impute their damnation to Gods will that cannot be resisted Rom. 9.19 And that reprobate that hid his talent sayde I knew that thou wast an hard man Math. 25.14 speaking against Gods seuerity but nothing of his own sinne So they sayd that Gods wayes were not equall who themselues were equall no way Ezech. 18.29 The like we reade of Cain for he when God reproued him for the bloud of his brother speakes not of his great murther but of his ouer hard punishment Gen. 4.13 He thought that God was too sharpe and spake too seuerely to him for it It is plaine therfore that it is the nature of the wicked to blame God and not blame worthy man The Reasons Wicked men are proud by nature and proud men will bee in no fault Secondly the Deuils children such as the wicked bee are contrary to Gods children and therefore where they iustifie the Lord these iustifie themselues Thirdly the wicked beeing his children who abode not in the truth and whose name is slaunderer must needes do his works and say as hee will haue them Iohn 8.44 Fourthly such men are the vowed enemies of God and what care such what they say of him and how they charge him Here then we see whose children Vse and children of what stocke and parentage they are who complaine of God when they should giue him glory in his iudgements They are not of the house of Dauid neyther haue they Dauids spirit in them for he confessed his fault that God might be iustified in his sayings and pure when he iudgeth Psal 51.4 He blamed not God when he had told him by Nathan That euill should be raysed against him out of his own house that the sword of death should strike it that his wiues should be defiled that the child should die 2 Sam. 12.11 but cōfesseth as it was that he had deserued no lesse that God in so doing was holy righteous and iust v. 13. Nor did Eli charge God when he threatned the destruction of his house by young Samuel but subscribed that he might iustly do what Samuel had sayd 1. Sam. 3.18 for sayth he It is the Lord who can do nothing but wel And with him subscribed Hezechiah in a like message sent him from God 2 Kin. 20.19 But what did Herod when Iohn reproued him He could not beare the rebuke of his mouth but sent him to Warde for beeing so bolde with the King Mar. 6.17 So the Iewes when Steuen iustly charged them in stead of iustifying the Lord in that iust reproofe they rather iustified themselues in their wickednesse and in madnesse ran vpon him and with stones murthered him Act. 7.51.57 And what shall we say of our owne times when Gods hand lyes vpon vs in some generall or priuate strokes for sin doe we confesse our sins and that God in visiting for them is righteous or do we not rather murmur and take on in the affliction as if he dealt hardly or too cruelly with vs in smiting so for so small matters Doe we say as Daniel O Lord righteousnes belongeth vnto thee and to vs open shame or the confusion of our faces Dan. 9.7 or doe we not rather breake out by impatience and bitter cursing at the least by fretting against God and his righteous iudgments as too galling and rigorous The condemnation that is of themselues some haue learned here of a damned soule in hell to transferre not iustly vpon themselues but vniustly vpon God that they haue wrong to be damned for say they how can we chuse when God will haue it so Rom. 9.19 But this Rich man knew by himselfe that the loue of the word could finde no entrance where the loue of worldly pleasures had filled the heart so it had in his fiue brethren and therfore he was perswaded that all labor of teaching by the word should be in vaine and lost vpon them And here we secondly learne Doct. 2. that worldly couetousnesse and voluptuous life quench in natural men all desire of saluation by the Word for such will not come to the Assemblies with the bidden guests who absented themselues by their Farmes and yokes of oxen from it Luk. 14.18.19 or if they come they are sure to come without all affection of hearing thither their mind goeth after their couetousnesse Ezech. 33.31 Their wits are so exercised taken vp with thoughts about worldly things that they haue neyther leasure nor mind to attend to the word deliuered or hauing spēt all edge this way before they come being come they fall asleepe when they should heare or if they be awake and listen a little they haue neither loue nor liking to that which is taught The Reasons Worldly riches and voluptuous life are thornes Luk. 8.14 as therefore thorns make the sowne fields vnfruitfull so the thorns ofriches and voluptuous life make the word where it is taught vnprofitable Secondly these are enmity to God Iam. 4 4 and what enemy will not in corruption doe all he can to destroy his enemie Thirdly they that follow these lusts are called if they bee men adulterers and if women adulteresses I am 4.4 not corporall but spirituall which is farre worse for corporall adultery is against the second Table but this is against God in the first and a man may be a corporall Adulterer as Dauid and yet not hate God but hee that goes a whoring from him by a worldly and couetous heart cannot but stand vp against him as the hater of him and enemy of his couenant An instruction to emptie our mindes and hands of all thorns of earthly cares and pleasures Vse 1 before we come to the meanes of saluation in the assemblie lest as thornes in our sowen fields they make the word barren and without fruit in our hearing They that plough and sowe their fieldes will rid vp by the rootes all Bryers thorns and bushes So should they vse no lesse dilgence to free their hearts frō the thornes and bushes of bad affections that come to heare and this fore-skin of a couetous and wanton heart should likewise be circumcised by the spirit of God in a new creature if they will heare with pleasure and commoditie Ier 4.4 But they who come stuff with worldly lusts shall goe away emptie of heauenly fillings So saith blessed Marie in her thankfull song He hath filled the hungry with good things but the rich he sendeth away emptie to wit of things that are truely good Luc. 1.53 and so their hearing is made damnable and with sinne vnto them A like instruction to be contented with a meane Estate Vse 2 and to refrain from all desire of hauing much in the worldlie part For the world is a dangerous morsell 1. Tim. 6.9 Most men go a whering after it and the best men cast but too wanton an Eye vpon it Which maketh the Lord in these outward things rather
bad A terrour to all that make it their trade to eate and drinke in excesse Vse 2 for such offend to eternall death In the dayes of Nee they ate they dranke that is they did both excessiuely Luk 17.27 and as they were drowned in such excesse so they were in the waters that tooke them away So Sedom burning with such lusts was burnt with fire and burneth now in hell fire Iude. 7. Christians are called to serue in the hall not in the kichen to serue God and not that which carnall men make their god the belly We must put on the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13.14 and shall we thinke to put on him and to keepe on flesh The body is but the garment of the soule and is the garment better then the body the body then the soule Or is not the body more worth then raiment and so the body lesse worth then the soule being but the raiment of it Why then is there so much care for the belly to feede it when the soule is so little cared for to saue it specially seeing that in such care of our bellies and little care of our soules we can haue no hope to be saued Let them consider who giue their time and soules to this vngodly loue of meates and drinkes in excesse There are that gather by the Omer and eate by the Ephah Exod. 16.36 that is where one dish were inough they must haue tenne and plaine Maister Nabal must feast like a King 1. Sam. 25.36 Though there was oddes betweene Beniamins messe and his brethrens fiue for one Gen 43.34 yer now men fare but coursely except they fare better or as well as farre their betters doe The sinne of Eli his sonnes hath taken hold vpon these dayes wherein the custome of our temperate Ancestors is not kept For meane persons are not contented with sod flesh they must haue Manna and Quailes sod and rosted too or they fare not well 1. Sam. 2.15 In our quaffing cuppes we sacrifice to health and speake of healths when we prepare for nothing lesse and the contrarie followeth wherein we doe as some of the heathen did in the daies of sacrifice to their idols for health for sacrificing for health they banqueted drunkenly to the preiudice of their health But take we heede of the pottage so red Gen. 25.30 that is of the wine when it sheweth red in the cup Prou. 23.31 and of our morsells when they baite vs with their pleasantnes in the dish least with Esau that was prophane and a cunning hunter of these things we thinke the time long till we haue eaten and drunke away the blessing One telles a tale of a certaine Bird which hath the face of a man and yet is so fierce of nature that sometime in her hunger she will prey vpon Man This Bird saith my Author comming to the water to drinke and seeing a face in it which is her owne like the face of that Man which before she deuoured in great sorrow for one slain by her so like her selfe she neuer after either eats or drinkes but beates herselfe to death I will not iustifie the tale but me thinkes all drunkards and great deuourers not for any want as that Bird but for wanton and damnable pleasures should conceiue great sorrow greater then that Bird did for killing of one not like themselues but their very selues Me thinkes if they would see that face in their cuppes of wine and glasses of strong drinke the face of that Christian man whose graces and vertues so many in one man they haue beene the death of they could not hauing reason which the Bird we spake of hath not and being greater murtherers by farre but pierce themselues through with many sorrowes not to death but to true life by sound repentance Or how can they heare either of a strong man or a sober man or a wise man and not be wounded with stings of horrible feare in the loude crie of their consciences telling them that they haue slaine so many men in themselues And may they not say of wise we haue made our selues fooles of strong weake of sober by calling drunken and more then brutish by the custome of sinne But when they shall enter into meditation of a farre worse estate by such lusts in the body cruelly pulled vpon them to damnation if God be not mercifull to them nay if they be not mercifull to themselues to weepe presently and bitterly for all their vnsober conuersation and turne to God in a iust hatred of a course of life so murderous and vngodly I say when they shal thinke rightly of their estate so pittifull and terrible caused by themselues how can they but be amazed with a horrible dread and so passe the rest of their dayes in feare that they come not into condemnation But specially this cruell rich man was condemned in that which he did because he did it with the contempt of the poore Then though a man goe not apparelled as this man did nor fare as he fared that is sumptuously or choisely euery day yet if with him he forget to stretch out his hand to the needy he may be damned as he was though he haue not that which he had yet if he lacke that which he had not namely the care of the poore he may goe to hell For there are more waies to hell then one and the vnmercifull as well as the theefe and murtherer shall goe thither Not only hee that getteth his goods ill but he that spends them ill and wantonly or holds them in couetously and cruelly when there is neede of his mercy shall beare his condemnation whosoeuer he be We may see it heere in this rich man for we doe not reade either that he gate his riches and wealth ill or tooke any thing by oppression from the poore and Lazarus it was sufficient matter to his condemnation in hell that he did not vse his riches well and to the reliefe of the poore in miserie Where learne againe Doctr. 2. that Christians if they would not be damned must not onely not oppresse the poore members of Christ but relieue and doe for them in their necessitie as God hath dealt the measure vnto them of his power and gift to doe it with For the sentence of the great day proceedeth against the damned on Christs left hand in this forme of words Depart from me yee accursed into euer lasting fire The reason is giuen For I was an hungred and yee gaue me no meate I thirsted and yee gaue me no drinke I was a stranger and yee lodged me not naked and yee clothed me not sicke and in prison and yee visited me not The Iudge doth not say I was hungry and yee tooke away my bread and thirsty and yee deceiued me of my drinke or I was harbourles because yee made me so and naked for you kept away my clothes Nor doth he say I was sicke and yee afflicted me nor yee cast