beggar and Lazarus was vexed with sores and hunger desiring the coursest bread or crummes of bread that fel from the richmans table v. 20.21 After death the beggars soule was glorified in the bosom of Abraham being caried thither by the Angels but of his buriall there is no mention The richmans body was gloriously buried in the earth and his soule pittifully buried in hel v. 22.23 and this is common to both that they both died v. 22. Thus standeth the scope and summe of these fiue first verses Luc. 16.19 and the summe of all is to aduise men to spend their goods well and not vpon their lusts not to forget mercy and to be liberall to Christs poore that their fountaines that is their estate and possessions may be blessed vnto them Prou. 5.18 But let vs returne to the rich man and heare what is said of him There was a certaine Richman c. The text speaketh of a certaine rich man but without any name or of a rich man not named because as one saith God takes no care of the wicked neither remembreth their names Doctr. Where we learne that sinners are in no credit with God the wicked and him that loueth iniquitie doth his soule abhorre saith Dauid Psal 11.5 that is such are so farre from hauing credit with him that he hateth them and not superficially but from his very soule Yea they shall well know that hee hates them by raining vpon them the raine of snares of fire and brimstone and stormie tempest v. 6 he whose countenance beholdeth the iust v. 7. will not suffer sinners to stand before him Ps 1.4.5 Iob saith God will not take a wicked man by the hand Iob 8.20 Iobs meaning may well be that he will not giue him so much countenance as men giue to a man when they giue him their hand or he will not offer them his hand and if they offer theirs he will pull away his sure it is that as he will not cast away a perfit man so he will not helpe the euill doer Iob. ibid. He that made the remembrance of Iosiah as honie in all mouths Syr. 49.1 put out the memoriall of Amalek Exod. 17.14 and hee that said to Moses I know thee by name Exod. 33.12 saith to all wicked doers I know you not Matth. 7.22 25.12 God hath threatned to dishonour them 1. Samuel 2.30 And Dauid Gods king and folower Reasons will make no mention of them Psal 16.4 Secondly they be the enemies that he will roote out and who except he meane to dissemble which vile affection is farre from God will countenance those whom he meanes to destroy Thirdly other-wayes God shall should doe as much for the children of wrath as hee doth for his deare children and that which he hath forbidden as euill to speake good of euill Esa 5.20 himselfe should offend in which once to thinke were blasphemy Fourthly shame is an inseparable companion of sinne as glory is of goodnes which should not be so if sinners should haue credit with God who should receiue shame both from God and godly men Vses Vse 1 A terrour to wicked sinners for though they care not for the fauor of God yet by loosing it they shall loose that whicâ—â—â—â—y more esteeme the fauour of men They thinke bâ—â—â—â—e they set against God by fleshly courses they shall â—â—â—ast be set by by fleshly men but they cannot be hiâ—â—â—â—g 1. Tim. 5.25 and this hope will faile them as it haâ—â—â—â—ne many who for a while spread as the greene bay Psa 37.35 and after a little while were cut downe as the greene grasse Psal 90.5 6. Hest 7.1.8.9 to day in great grace at Court to morrow or before night in great disgrace in prison In the turne of the wheele turned from honor to basenesse and from open liking to open contempt A comfort to the righteous Vse 2 for they haue Gods countenance though they cannot haue bad mens good willes they are in with God who can and will maintaine their true credits whosoeuer speakes against them and if God be with them mens euill willes shall be reconciled or doe them no harme Nay when the name of the wicked shall rotte Prou. 10.7 that is rotte aboue ground as his carcasse doth vnder the memoriall of the iust shall be blessed and their glory (a) Mat. 26 13. without end He that hath the keeping of their names will preserue their good name as sure as he doth their saluation therefore is it written that they shall be had in euerlasting remembrance Psal 112.6 And is it not so Is not Naboths name now in all mouthes better then either the cursed name of Ahab that was sold to sinne or the carrion-name of Iezebel that was giuen to dogges and who doth not now more honour Mardochas that was so poore and dispised then hee doth insolent Haman whose name so shone for a time lightned with the glorious beames of his Princes countenance vpon him And what comparison now betweene Peter Paul Iames with other Apostles and Martyrs of Christ and their persecutors the one so simple in the world and the other so great Which was clothed in purple c. But now againe to this rich man who is described heer 's by his clothing and by his fare for his clothing it was too curious and with too much pride and affectation else both colour and finenesse might haue bene tollerated in so rich a man for it is not vnlawfull for great men to put on other that is more costly both apparell and colours then poore men may But this man put on pride with his apparell and wore his garments as the effects of a lofty minde with the contempt of the poore or he wore strange apparell and such as stood altogether in the putting on therefore is his apparell censured and he for wearing it Where learne that all intemperance in apparell Doctr. and abuse of apparell is vnlawfull to all as when it is other then belongeth to the sexe Deut. 22.5 which may cause and be leader to some horrible sinne when it is costly that is aboue our estate and meanes with excesse or with stretching of the cloth 1. Tim. 2.9 when it is light for the fashion or colour called Prou. 7.10 whorish apparell and Zephanâ— 1.8 strange raiment when it is not made according to temperance and shamefastnes which is the Apostles fashion 1. Pet. 3.3 but according to euery new fashion that comes when as heere it is put on and worne with the impeachment of hospitalitie and other charitable deeds to the poore for so attiring our selues we after a sort vnclothe them and wearing our apparell with such contempt weare out theirs And lastly when it is worne as the ensigne of an arrogant and hautie minde such was the flaring apparell of the daughters of Sion so much and sharply censured by Esa 3.16.17.18.19 c. And God will cloth such for their garments of glory which garments of shame
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
will that bee of two such friends and louers so long kept asunder How will the soule welcome her companion and yoke-fellow in the crosses and tempests of this life How louingly will they enter together into their Masters ioy Where before it was full of sores sicknesse and paine now it shall be a sound body for euer in which shall bee neither sickenesse nor paine hereafter It did hunger and thirst it shal neuer hunger and thirst any more It was a mortall body now it shall neuer dye againe 1. Cor. 15.44 It was dull and lumpish it shall bee as the glorious body of Iesus Christ Philip. 3.21 Light and actiue able as speedily and with as naturall a motion to ascend vpward as it is to goe downeward It was a sorrowfull and weeping body now All teares shall bee wiped away Apocal. 21.4 It shal sorrow and weepe no more Finally both body and soule in louing armes together shall reigne with Christ for euer They shal walke in the path of life their glory shal be greater in the pleasures of the Lord then we can coceiue or mans tong vtter And therfore as it was said at the crowning of Salomon that the people so reioyced that is with such an exceeding great ioy that the earth rang againe 1. King 1.40 So how can any pleasures be wanting where the true Salomon and his royall Spouse shall both be crowned together with glory in the Kingdome of Heauen Such honour haue the Saints and therefore great without question is their preferment euery way and so much greater because presently at their death they receyue in their blessed soules but the moyty of that happy estate which they are sure to haue whole and full at the resurrection This doctrine is wickedly crossed by the Papists in their Article of the soules passing to the paines of Purgatory presently after death Vse 2 specially where they make the paines there and burning therein as intollerable and great as those paines and that burning which is in the helles of the damned saue that there is a comming out of Purgatory but no redemption in hell But how are the godly comforted as Lazarus here at their death when after their death they are thus tormented and where they thus labour in Purgatory how can they bee sayde to rest from their labours Did the theefe that went to Paradise goe to Purgatory Luk. 23.43 or did Saint Paul who desired to bee with Christ desire to bee with him in Purgatory Philip. 1.23 Indeede to be with Christ as the Apostle there speaketh is best of all And though it be not possible as one sayth eyther to finde Christ in hell or to misse him in heauen yet a Christian should bee of the mind to desire rather to bee in hell with Christ then in heauen without him But shall wee thinke that the Apostle was ignoraunt where Christ was when he so earnestly desired his dissolution to be with him And if hee knew as no doubt but hee did that hee was in heauen then there is as little doubt but his desire was at his death to bee in heauen with him If it be said that the case of these two was extraordinarie as being the case of two Martyres who therefore presently went to heauen It may be answered for the theefe that his death was not a Martyrs death though his saluation was extraordinary for the Papists owne doctrine is that they who suffer as Martyrs must suffer as voluntaries for Christ and with intent of making satisfaction to God by such martyrdome but the theeues punishment was for himselfe onely against his will and without that satisfying mind that is required in a Martyr Luk. 23.41 And if any had neede to goe to Purgatory for the end that the Papists send their dead thither why not this conuerted theefe seeing hee had so short a time to purge in after his conuersion But for Saint Paul though hee were a Martyr for Christ yet where doth it appeare when hee spake these words I desire to bee loosed to bee with Christ that he knew hee should so suffer for him Indeede it was prophesied that hee should bee bound aâ— Ierusalem for him Act. 21.11 It was also sayde in general terms That bands and afflictions did abide him in euery city Act. 20 2â— But it cannot bee shewed that he then knew certainely that by Death he should glorifie God as a Martyr True it is that hee was ready not to be bound onely but to dye at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Act. 21.13 Yet how doth it appeare that he was certaine he should die for it there or otherwhere But why should Martyrs bee exempt more then other Saints from Purgatory It seemes that this Apostle of the Gentiles though a Martyr did not exempt himselfe from the common estate of all the blessed after death for when hee had spoken of such afflictions as the Elect suffer here of the glory to come hee immediatly speaking in the plural of all Saints addeth Wee know that when our earthly house is destroyed wee haue a building giuen vs of God 2. Cor. 5.1 As if hee should haue sayde So soone as wee lay downe the one we receyue the other so soone as wee remoue from the body wee dwell with the Lord 2. Cor. 5.8 and so soone as we put off corruption wee put on glory This is the common fauour of the Elect and not the particular priuiledge of one more then of another So Purgatory prayers are put out of office and Purgatory fire is proued iniurious to the peaceable deaths of the godly departed in the faith of Christ Thur farre for the estate of Lazarus after his death the contrary estate of the Rich-man after his death followeth The Rich man also dyed and was buried Wee before noted that death is the common roade-way of rich and poore for Lazarus dyed and the rich man also dyed That that followeth after his death is the next thing to be considered And this concerneth him in his body or soule That which concerneth him in his body is That it was buried I doubt not but solemnely and in great pompe The old Translator sayth Hee was buried in Hell as it were in his owne Parish but we reade no such thing in the originall Greeke It sayth onely He was buried Lazarus belike was not or not with such a traine of followers because he was poore therefore his Buriall is not spoken of Which therefore doth not condemne the buriall of the dead but their sinfull partiality who follow the rich though wicked to their graues and neglect the poore though godly to honest their buriall The duety of reuerend buriall is a necessary Christian duty and it is not reproued here saue that it was a good duty ill done and to a person vnworthy and vainely done From hence learne that the body of a Christian the soule being departed from it Doct. is reuerently to be put into the earth It iâ—
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
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
ease in hell Doct. 1. The fiâ—st branch of it nor end of hell or no going out of hell nor end of torments in hell For where hell is there are torments and in hell there is no redemption that is comming out This is the doctrine and this doctrine is a roote of two branches The first that there is an extremitie of torments in hell The second that these torments in hell are endlesse For the extremitie of the torments it is expressed in the Scriptures by things most dreadfull and terrible out of measure as vnquenchable fire Math. 3.12 a lake of fire burning with brimstone Apoc. 19.20 and a lake of fire and brimstone Apoc. 20.10 Of all torments none is so extreame as by fire for fire and all destruction by fire is terrible But it is more and most terrible euer to flote vpon a riuer of fire nay euer to be ouer head and eares in a burning lake of fire and brimstone Terrible needes must this be iâ— any thing in the world be terrible Therefore Esay crieth out Who can dwell with the deuouring fire who can dwell with the euerlasting burning Esa 33.14 As if he had said no man can And yet the damned whom God will throwe into it shall by the power of his iustice be strengthened for their greater increase of torments vnspeakeable to be in it and to burne in it world without end Further and for further terrour it is called vtter darknesse Math. 22.13 where is fire yea a whole lake of it and no light or a darke land couered with deadly obscuritie where the light that â—s is darkenesse Iob. 10. â—1 22 It were terrible to be in a dungeon of darknes for a short time how terrible then to be in this hell of darknesse for euer They that loue darknes more then light shall haue inough of it here and passe from affected darknes to vtter darknes from one darknes to another We reade of torments inuented by men and of cruell ones indeede inflicted by heathen-men vpon Christians as fornaces of fire caldrons of boiling oile brasen Bulles and that Moloch in the valley of Hinnom where Idolators burnt their children to the dwell 1. King 11.7 But hell is larger then so and the thing exceedes all report 1. King 10.7 Nebuchadnezars fornace was heated seuen times Dan. 3.19 this more then seuenty times seuen To be shut vp in the belly of a brasen Bull ouer a small fire and there to be till the heate kill him must needes be a lingring and terrible death but hell is much worse and without end Therfore doth the Prophet Esay compare hell to Tophet Esa 30.33 and Mathew speaking of it calles it Gehenna Math. 5.22 That is Tophet because of the lamentable screakings of children sacrificed in that fire but the screakings of young and old in the Tophet of hell the fire and burning there is both intollerable and eternall Thus hell torments must needes be great in respect of the extremitie The reasons The greater sufferings the greater torment The sufferings spoken of are exceeding great and yet farre lesse then any of those that are prepared for the damned in the Tophet of hell For these earthly may be expressed and conceiued those in hell cannot Secondly the wrath of God shall then be executed to the full against sinners and vpon sinne which is executed more fauourably here and with some mixture of clemencie Also the diuels are in place and put in office to further the affliction in that lake of torments Thirdly if those torments that afflict the body onely be so great and intollerable how great and intollerable must they be that shall afflict both soule and body in hell The torments of hell are vniuersall in all the parts of the body and tender powers of the minde together all at once shall be tormented The paines of this life are for the most part particular in some part of the body or in some facultie of the soule and yet how extreame they sometimes proue to be and how insufferable they that feele them can tell The tooth-ache is but the griefe of one part perhaps but of one tooth and yet some hauing it in some extremitie haue wished themselues out of the world the like of the stone strangury and the like What then when euery part shall be racked and euery facultie tormented and when they shall crie out in hell with this rich man O I am tormented in this flame Luk. 16.24 One speaking at the crosse of those tortures to which that cursed parricide M. Henry Greenwood at 〈◊〉 crosse Rauilliack the murderer of the last french Henry was put vnto writeth thus His arme that did that cursed act was taken from his shoulder his nailes pulled from his hands and feete his flesh piece by piece fet from him with hote burning pincers and burnt before his face and he rent asunder in the end with foure horses This is much but the booke written of his terrible and deserued death speaketh of much more and yet all this and more might without any pulles or the least touch of the soule haue bin endured if the cause had bin good for which he so died But in this lake of brimstone and fire that is neuer quenched all parts as head armes legs hands feet what not all shal be tormented and euer tormented not in an artificiall fornace as that of France but in the great wine presse of the wrath of God Apoc. 14 â—9 and in that horrible burning which the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle continually Esa 30.33 Some pieces of flesh shall not onely be set from them as from that french parricide with burning pincers but if this be a torment as who can deny it all the flesh on their backes shall be so or rather much worse tormented by diuels in hell His nailes were pulled from his fingers and feete once they shall be tormented euer as if theirs were euer so One arme was taken from his shoulder c Books of the terrible and deserued death of 〈◊〉 Râ—uillâ—acke the booke saith by consuming it in terribl maner in fire and brimstone here all the members of their body shall euer burne in fire and brimstone and neuer be consumed Hee was rent by horses and diuels shall racke these in euery member If his breasts were pinched and seared the brawne of his armes and thighes the calfe of his legges and other fleshy parts of his body if into the holes of his flesh that the burning pincers made were powred scalding oyle rosin pitch and brimstone as the booke saith which made the tormented creature to yell out with horrible outcries like some tormented soule in hell surely the damned in hell shal haue inough of such things hippe and thigh And yet I haue said nothing of the soule nor her torments that exceede all this besides that it shall be so and much worse for euer Now who will deny these things well
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
to call to wit too late with this Rich man in hell and not bee heard Prou. 1.24.28 And if they bee not heard how can they bee deliuered and if they bee how can the Scripture be true A terror to those who vse so ill the short time of their repentance seeing when they be gone hence Vse they shall find no way to it though as Esau they seeke it with tears Heb. 12.17 Besides what fooles and how vnwise are they who will purchase eternall torments with so short pleasures May they not say as a King once sayde who being inforced in an extreame thirst of water to yeelde himselfe to the enemie after hee had drunke of the water so dearely bought brake out into these words For how short a pleasure what a Kingdome hauâ— I lost So what ioyes haue I lost and of what continuance and what miseries haue I gained and how endlesse for lesse then a dish of water What madnesse to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and after to lye in torments of fire for euer This Rich man would haue giuen the world if the world had beene his to giue to haue beene ridde of his torments but one poore houre or to haue had any little ease of them in hell but if all the Angels and Saints of Heauen would as wee may not thinke they would haue begged of Christ for him they could haue done him no good in that place of torments Therefore while there is hope and while the Lord may bee found let vs seeke him to witte in the way of obedience to the Gospell Esay 55.6 If yee will not come into this place of torments where there is no comming out heare Moses and the Prophets in the olde Testament and Christ in the New Luc. 16.28 Come to Church Heare reuerently at Church and practise carefully when yee are gone from Church Repent yee of your sinnes and that to day that is while yee may call and be heard conuert and bee healed It can be no good husbandrie in you or any to put off your sowing till the time of reaping come and to pay for a few simple trifles the losse of your precious soules for euer O thinke of these things now in these dayes of mercy and while the gate is open striue to enter The soule is more worth then all the world and all riches pleasures and profites are but losse and dung in comparison of it Further to be seuered from God Christ in the torments of hell is a plague aboue all plagues mortall and earthly Now is the time to redeeme thy poore soule I say now because thou knowest not what may happen in an houre and in a moment wee are taken away O therefore now and presently goe about it now and presently abandon thy short pleasures that thou mayest reigne with God for euer in the long life of his saluation And now and presently mortifie sinne in thy earthly members that thy soule may be saued in the day of the Lord and thy bodie and soule may ioyfully meete at the resurrection of all bodies in the kingdome prepared for them and there bee for euer Here wee reade of a great man in Hell or of a great rich man in torments in hell Doct. 3. which teacheth that no wicked ones how great soeuer are for that or because of such eminence exempt from the place and condemnation of hell Therefore Tophet to which hell is compared and the burning Tophet is sayd to be prepared for the King Esa 30.33 I may say for Kings and all in kingly places that doe wickedly And Samuel sayde to all Israel not only if yee doe wickedly yee shall perish but if your king doe wickedly yee and your King shall perish 1. Sam. 12.25 not subiects onely but King and Subiects The Lucifer of Babylon must to hell as well as the meanest in Babylon Esa 14.9.12 that commits iniquity The Reasons The soule that sinneth shall dye Ezech. 18 4. It is spoken of euery soule and person poore and rich Secondly the sinne that it committed is eyther punished in Christ or shall be in thâ—se that are committers of it whosoeuer they be for vnder other termes God neuer yet pardoned sinne and Christ who tooke vpon him the sinnes of his Elect descended to the hels in the sufferings of his life and death to answere his Fathers iustice and for his peoples faults But are al kings are all great ones in Christ Hath Christ suffered for all that are Noble and for all that are rich and mighty doth not the Scripture say Not many wise not many mighty nor many noble are called 1. Cor. 1.26 Now if many be not and but few are they that are not called must suffer for that and all that which Christ neuer suffered for them and where but in Hell and what torments but of Hell Thirdly he that iudgeth his people with equity and the world with true iudgement Psal 98.9 should goe against his owne rules of doing that which is equall and iust if hee should not reward euery one according to his worke and proceede to iudgement without respect of persons Act. 10.34 But it is blasphemy in an high degree once to thinke that howsoeuer wickednesse among men be in the place of iudgement Eccles 3.16 the Iudge of all the world will not deale iustly An admonition to great ones to serue the Lord in feare Vse Psal 2.11 and not to beare themselues vpon their great wealth aboue that which is meete for how soone fearfully may they bee brought downe in a moment and what will all their glory and riches helpe them when their pompe must descend with them to the pitte of corruption And how can they redeeme their poore soules and what ransome will they giue to God for them when a whole world will not bee taken for the redemption of one soule This Rich man in hell and infinite thousands in hell as rich as he while they liued can say as much now And what difference betweene the poore vngodly and the vngodly rich in hell though great on earth seeing their chambers of fire and burning pitch in the infernall Lake are like saue that their torments may bee and it is like are greater for looke how much they gloryed in themselues and liued in delights so much shall they haue torments and sorrow Apoc. 18.7 Now had it not beene better for such while they liued here to haue liued vnder the nurture of the word to haue come humbly and duly to it and with as great reuerence and loue as the poorest soule But They hated him that rebuked in the gate Amos 5.10 and therfore wish too late with this Rich man in Hell that they had not been such fooles and mad men to crosse their owne saluation So much for the place whither the soule of this Rich man went Now we come to shew what followed there He lift vp his eyes and sawe Abraham a farre off c.
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
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
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
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
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-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
we vnciuilly carry our selues and shall we forget our holy calling in the worthy presence of the Angels shall we make their waiting vpon vs tedious vnto them by behauing our selues otherwaies in their sight then beseemeth their high persons and the honorable birth of a Christian And now that we are all of vs before God in the Ministery and at prayer let vs specially take heede how we demeane our selues lest the Angels that grace our assemblies with their presence when they returne to heauen complaine of our vnchristian inciuilitie in this holy place As if they should say to God we were in such an assembly professing thy name and worship but whiles thou wast speaking to them by thy word and Minister some were talking some girding at the Preacher some laughing and fleering some making gaudes and mouthes some flat along not in prayer but in a slouenly rudenesse perhaps in their drousie drunkennesse and some were fast asleepe Is this a good report and should we not dread to be thus spoken of to God Further let them consider this who when they are priuate care not what they say or doe and what steames they send vp of a corrupt and vnsauory dunghill within in all their talke to their priuate acquaintance without any grace to the hearers Such forget that the Angels are neare who want not eares as they be full of eyes that is are not slowe to heare as they be quicke to see and how can they then be hidden This is to grieue the Angels and to make the God of Angels to grieue them So farre for the persons that caried the soule of Lazarus the place followeth to which they caried it Into Abrahams bosome The place of comfort to which the Angels brought the soule of Lazarus is here called Abrahams bosome by a trope or figure because as the fathers bosome is the place of the childes rest so heauen is that bosome of eternall rest into which Abraham the father-beleeuer with all the children of promise which are beleeuers are receiued in their soules till the day of the resurrection And it is no other but the bay or hauen of repose from all stormes mortall whereinto Abraham hath put long since and all shall who walke in the steppes of his faith Indeede some of the fathers haue spoken doubtfully of it and the Papists tell vs that it is the Limbus or brimme of hell where all our fathers were till Christ descended to bring them out But can that which is a place of ioyfull and happy rest be the brimme of hell can that which is and is called a glorious kingdome be hell Math. 8.11 Can it be a prison or place of custody that is called so often in the Scriptures the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Can that be so neare vnto and border vpon the place of torments into hell which by Abrahams speech of it in the 26. verse following is so farre remoued that there is a great gulfe or gaping pit betweene and can Abrahams bosome which is simply good be taken for that which as a father saith is neuer taken for good Chrysâ—stome saith It is the poore mans paradise In honoâ— de Diuite Is paradise hell and Austen in the place before denies it to be hell or any part of hell and how then can it be the skirt of hell And Tertullian in his fourth booke against Marcion saith that hell is one thing and Abrahams bosome another Then Abrahams bosome cannot be hell nor the canopie of hell What shall I further say this already spoken is sufficient to cleare this Scripture from sending the soule of Lazarus to hell or to any part of hell and therfore Abrahams bosome in this text is no other then heauen the seate of God and of the blessed Saints in light an harbour of rest from the waues and Sea of this troublesome world vnto it is the soule of Lazarus brought presently after his death from whence learne that after this life of paine and labour there is nothing but ioy and peace to the righteous so saith Esay He that is the righteous person of whom he spake in the former verse shall enter into peace that is presently after his death enter or make his entry vpon it Esa 57.2 God reckened with those in their death who had receiued their Lords money The account came not till they died and therefore saith the text When the Maister of those seruants returned who is said to returne when dust returneth to the earth as it was and the spirit to God that gaue it Eccles 7 he said to the good seruant and faithfull Enter into thy Maisters ioy Math. 25.21.23 That is into ioyes vnspeakeable and glorious 1. Pet. 1.8 or such as the Maister hath prepared for all his faithfull seruants after they haue serued their course and time here He saith not enter first into the fire of paine and when that hath well purged thee I will take thee to ioy But without any more adoe receiue that ioy whereof as the fountaine had no beginning so the riuers that come from it shall haue no end Receiue thy Maisters ioy in that and in these So that there is no pause or stay made by the Lord at the deaths of the godly but presently they passe from death to life not painfull but truly ioyous and full of pleasures for euer The voice from heauen said the same and the Spirit sealed to it for so saith the Spirit that is speaketh so and no otherwaies then the voice spake which is Blessed are the dead in the Lord that is the godly dead and the reason is they to wit immediately after such a death rest from their labours Apoc. 14.13 not in the purgatory of Papists where is no rest but in the paradise of God where is true ioy and the plentifull redemption of the Saints The Apostle Paul saith Those that sleepe in Iesus God will bring with him 1. Thes 4.14 His meaning can be no other but that assoone as they sleepe in Christ or die in him God hath them presently in his hand and keeping who will keepe them till the time come that he hath appointed to deliuer them vp to testifie whoÌ„ he hath receiued Thus it is plaine that the godly enter vpon happines presently so soone as they goe henceby death The reasons The voice from heauen saith so and so saith the Spirit Apoc. 14.13 Two witnesses without all exception which being so doth not the law say that in the mouth of two or three witnesses euery word shall be established Mat. 18.16 Ioh. 8.17 But these two from heauen are more and more sure then a thousand on earth and therefore what they say is sure and must stand Secondly how shall the day of death be better to the righteous then the day in which they are borne as the Scripture speaketh if they who goe hence come not out of paines but exchange them nor end their misery but continue
it nor be in happines but be troubled still Eccles 7.3 Thirdly the speech of Abraham to the rich man must needes be true which is that Lazarus now dead is comforted Luk. 16.25 But how comforted after death and wherein if hee were not then in pleasures as the other was in paine Therefore the preferment of the godly is great by their happy death Vse 1 Psal 97.11 Here They sowed in teares there they shall reape in ioy Psal 126.5 Here vpon tempestuous seas there at anchor in their owne roade and porte of peace Here in their bondage there in their Iubilee of redemption Here in trauell there deliuered Here taken from the societie of men there admitted into the society of the Angels and of the perfect spirits of iust men Here in their strange Countrey there in their owne house Here liuing by faith there by sight and here absent from the Lord but there in his presence No eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor heart can conceiue what God hath prepared for those that loue him sayth Saint Paul 1. Cor. 2.9 We haue seene many strange things we haue heard of more and the heart that is so large how can it but conceiue more then eyther Eye can see or eare heare of that is not onely more strange but most wonderfull things And yet one speaking of this great glory of the Saints in Heauenly places sayth If thou seest any admirable thing say it is not it for then thou shouldest not see it And if thou hearest of any excellent thing yet say it is not it for then thou shouldst neuer haue it Or lastly if thou canst conceiue as thou mayest some strange thing indeed and passing wonderfull say also it is not it for then should it not enter into thy heart And then can any greater preferment befall the dead in Christ then to bee raysed to that which no eye can see nor eare heare of nor heart mortall conceyue Wee cannot conceyue Adams excellent estate in the earthly Paradise and how then shall wee bee able to conceyue the vnconceyueable happy life of the righteous in the heauenly Paradise of God or if our eyes dazle at the light of the Sunne how will they sinke into their holes to behold the light of the sonnes of God in glory When the Queene of the South beheld the glory and attendance that Salomon had the order of his Realme the array of his seruants the variety of his waiters and attendants their dyet their places their happy life to serue in the presence of so wise a King beeing rauished therewith shee brake forth and sayde Happy are thy men Happy are these thy seruants which stand continually before thee and heare thy wisedome 1. King 10.8 But when the godly shall see with open countenance in whose presence they stand and shall stand euer with what company namely of Cherubims and Seraphims Angels Thrones Dominions Patriarkes Priests Prophets Apostles Confessors Martyrs and all blessed soules in what place to wit the Court of Heauen not Salomons earthly Court how not as strangers like the Queene of the South but as the royall Queene of Salomon married to Christ the true Salomon with the crowne of righteousnesse for euer there to behold the blessed Trinity the Father Sonne and holy Ghost there to bee and liue continually in the presence of God and beautifull countenance of Iesus Christ How can they containe themselues What Halle-luijahs will they sing to God Almighty of his prayse and saluation What ioy will they not conceyue to see the thousands there that prayse the Lord day and night Will they not breake out and say Happy are wee and vnspeakeably happy that shall stand thus before God the Father and the true wisedome of God the true Salomon Iesus Christ his sonne for euer there to heare his wisdome and to behold his glory For the particularities of this place and for the sundry kindes and measures of glory therein I list not to bee curious and what I had to teach thereof by the Scriptures I haue written already in a Sermon (b) The third sermon of life and death on Esay 57.2 onely as one very well sayeth God send vs thither and we will be contented with the lowest roome Yet to say somewhat more and not much of our great preferment in heauen and as it were to set it in our eye for the better raysing of our mindes thither Let vs goe vp with Moses into mount Nebo and see at a blush Deut. 34.1 2.3 4. Apoc. 22.10 and farre off the heauenly Canaan or with Iohn the Diuine into Gods mountaine and with a like quicke but darke sight behold as in some short Carde or Mappe the Ierusalem aboue that wee may withdraw our sight from the Deuils mountaine of things below Math. 4.8 The place is Heauen called by the Apostle The third heauen 2. Cor. 12.2 and elsewhere the Bridegroomes Chamber Apoc. 19.5 Math. 25.10 A very large and princely roome Lightned with the glory of the Lambe Apoc. 21.23 The company good as wee heard and the time of our being there world without end though the company were good yet if the roome were straight and vnpleasant it were nothing and though the roome were large and pleasant the company beeing naught it would little delight a good man And though both were as heart could desire for themselues yet if our time in them were short our departing from them would bee as vncomfortable but here the roome company and time do all three conspire to make our ioy full Psal 16.11 Apoc. 21.25 Further for the happinesse of the soule after death before the body come vnto it at the resurrection the happinesse of it must needes bee great seeing it shall ceasse to sinne and shall bee wholly ioyned to the Lord in truth and neuer displease him any more The knowledge the wisedome the vnderstanding of it darkened here in this mid-vale shall in that cleare firmament receyue a glorious shining by the face of Christ that Sunne of righteousnes It shall bee no more knowledge and wisedome and vnderstanding in part but this in part shall bee done away and wee shall bee absolutely wise absolutely wee shall vnderstand know and loue God absolutely wee shall serue him and keepe an absolute Sabboth to him Heb. 4.9 Esa 66.23 There shall bee no more ignorance of God nor distrust in God no more contempt of Teachers nor neede of teaching no more Magistrate and Subiect Pastor and people for Christ shall bee our Temple Apoc. 21.22 Our foode that is our spirituall foode shall bee The tree of life Apoc. 22.1 Our Teacher and Gouernour shall bee God and Christ themselues for then God shall bee all in all vnto vs 1 Cor. 15.28 not mediately as heere by the Word and Sacraments but immediately without these and directly by himselfe without Magistrate or Minister And for the body when it is come to the soule at the Resurrection what a comfortable meeting
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
Abraham to our Father Math. 3.9 For to receiue the seales of the couenant without the writing and when we haue no promise from God in our sinfull courses what is it but to take that which is none of ours and with great sinne steale Gods seales and prints which we must bring backe againe with shame when he that strictly obserueth all mens wayes shall say Depart from me yee workers of intquitie I know you not Luk. 13.27 Somuch for this rich mans request in the maner the matter of it followeth Haue mercy on me c. The matter of this rich mans request is generally for mercy and more specially wherein he desireth Abraham to shew him mercy As that he would be so good to him as to send Lazarus c. And the mercy which he craued is here limited to the sending downe of Lazarus to him with a very small quantitie of water to coole his tongue tormented in a flame of fire that neuer goeth out But yet by Abrahams answere in the next verse it appeareth that he failed euen of so small a drop of mercy because while he liued he would shewe no mercy to Lazarus at his gate And so we see that they shall receiue no mercy who will shewe none Doct. So Salomon He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore be himselfe shall cry and not be heard Prou. 21.13 His meaning is plaine as much as if he had said he that turneth himself away in his compassions from the needy crying to him for some reliefe shall cry that is fall into such miseries as shall make him cry and be neuer the better and S. Iames sayth that mercilesse men shall receiue no mercy Iames 2.13 His meaning is that they who pitie not their brethren in their afflictions turning away their eares that they may not heare them and also their eies that they may not looke vpon them shall themselues come into troubles remedilesse and not be pitied We haue the example in that mercilesse seruant who being born with in his debt of the ten thousand talents would not beare with his fâ—llow seruant in the hundred pence Mat. 18 24.28.30 The master without al mercy cast him into prison till he should pay all that was due vnto him ver 34. which he could neuer doe Thus the brethren of Ioseph supposing they had beene met with in their owne measure confessed that the trouble which they feared was iust Gen 42.21 and that they were paid iustly and truly in their owne coine The Reasons It is but right that they should bee done by as they haue done to others Iudg. 1.7 and good reason that they who neither regarded the commandement of God nor the crie of his people nor the members of his Sonne nor their owne flesh should bee as little regarded when they are in necessity as they regarded God and their needy brother in their good dayes Secondly it is but after their owne measure and the mouth of truth hath spoken it that with what measure we mete it shall be measured to vs againe Math. 7.2 and so because their hearts were shut vp to others Gods eares are shut vp to them Thirdly such shall haue iudgement mercilesse Iames 2.13 and after iudgement there is no hearing An Item therefore to mercilesse men with admonition to al now and here to shew such mercy Vse as they mean to receyue hence and hereafter an other day to doe to others as they would haue God to â—oe to them and if they would be refreshed in another world to refresh Gods poore in this if they would haue him to receyue them to receyue his poore and to shew mercy as they would haue mercy But this was spoken of very largely before on verse 19. Doct. 2. and Vse 2. onely thus much further Thou that art vnmercifull to thy poore brother and so swellest against him here in this thy day Remember that his day may come and thy pride come downe when thou maist haue as great need of mercy as he and in thy need be denied as thou deniedst him If men would consider this I meane cruell men and hard harted or if they would beleeue what is written and thinke what may come they would bee much more both tender-hearted and open-handed then now they bee laying vp mercy in the sure custody of a mercifull heart That wherein this Rich man craued mercy followeth And send Lazarus that hee may dip the tippe of his finger in water c. As this rich man was greatly tormented at the sight of Lazarus thus exalted in glory so hee is made here to bow downe low at the gate of a righteous person Pro. 14.19 by crauing such a smalâ—hing in such humble maner of Lazarus whom he had so much despised for to beg of Lazarus who begged of him and to begge a smaller matter then some crummes from his table euen one droppe of water and yet to bee denied by him who then drunke of the riuer of the water of life could not but be a great fall heart breaking Hee that liuing on the earth had so many seruants to ride or goe at his commaund had not nor could haue one in hel to fetch him in a dish one poor drop of colde water to coole the burning of his tongue in that burning lake This could not but adde to his torments if any thing could bee added Lazarus contrarily who had none to helpe him while he liued being now dead in body and in soule glorified is not onely honoured with long life but hath this honour added also that the rich man who refused to helpe him seeketh helpe of him by Abraham And so we learne that there is no wicked man or other here so great Doct. 1. but may haue need of the poorest and meanest godly man whom he here despiseth This Rich man would haue Abraham to doe him so much pleasure as to send Lazarus to him to hell that is from the bosome of blisse to the bottomlesse lake to ease him though neuer so little there It is a true prouerbe that the euill shall bow before the good Prou. 14.19 that is the godly shall haue obeysance done vnto them and the wicked shall doe it so proude Haman sought his life of her whose life he sought Hest 7.7 and Iacobs sonnes were brought vpon their knees and greatly humbled before Ioseph whom they hated and sold Gen. 42.9.10.11 c. Saul was twice at the courtesie and in the mercy of Dauid whom hee persecuted to the day of his death 2. Sam. 24. and 16. Chapters Also Shimes that rayled at him 2. Sam. 16.5.6 was made to bow vnto him 2. Sam. 19.16.19 And what honour was Haman enioyned to doe to Mardochas a poore Iew whom before hee could not looke vpon with any patience Hest. 6.10.11 He must gloriously set him on horsebacke and leade his horse and what greater a fall could hee haue saue his last fro the halter then to see his
make account to lose them or to lose that which is farre better for them The same may be sayd of all other commodities and blessings earthly whether children or honour or pleasures or friends Ezech. 24.25 So much for this Rich mans request the reason of it followeth For I am tormented in this flame Because this Rich man was tormented in the flames of hell he disired some refreshing but what euen a drop of water But what good could a droppe or whole sea of water haue done him being things finite for the easing of a paine infinite And yet as one who for the torment hee endured knew not what he did or spake hee craueth onely a droppe not a sea of water in that extremity Where wee learne Doct. 1. that the torments of hell doe not onely vexe the mindes of the tormented in hell but so vexe them that the tongue is supposed and may bee sayd to talke idlely and foolishly it cannot tell what Thus the damned of the earth the great men and the rich men being far from the saluation of God and the life of the Lamb are brought in by Iohn saying to the mountains Fall on vs and to the rocks and hils couer vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Apoc. 6.15.16 which what is it but an idle speech and impossible desire For what mountain can hide from God who seeth through the darke cloud and what rocke and hill can couer from him who can enter when the doores are shut Ioh. 20.26 To him the night shineth as the day the darkenesse and light to him are both alike Psal 139.12 It was say de of them who in the transfiguration saw the glory of Christ that they wist not what they sayde Luk. 9.33 The meaning is they were so beside themselues with sudden ioy vpon that accident that they spake they knew not what themselues and yet they saw but a little of his great glory How then shall they know what they say or what to say who shall bee farre more carried out of themselues with sudden extasies in hell then they were rauished with gladnesse heere who saw but a darke light a little of their masters glory The Reasons If a little sicknesse here or some want of sleepe make the head idle and the tongue foolish What shall a sickenesse ouer all parts doe and want of rest for euer Secondly the damned in hell feele that that must needes ouercome the senses and take away reason And what can they say or doe that is reasonable and hath sense who neyther haue their senses about them nor their reason in any good order or meanes to direct them An instruction to take heede what wee say here that wee talke not idlely and foolishly as this foole in hell Vse 1 He that would talke wisely hereafter must both talke doe wisely that is Christianly now But to speake wisely is to speake as the word of God 1. Pet. 4.11 that is as Gods word teacheth to speake Some haue no care to deliuer their words by this measure who therefore talke both idlely and ill but if wee must giue account for euery idle word Math. 12.36 then for our euill wordes much more And how great an account then must be giuen for lying words and wanton talke for words of slaunder and words of reproch to our neighbour specially for words of blasphemy to God and of lewde defiance to God and his truth A terrour therefore to all vaine and foolish tongues Here men and women make no conscience of their talke Vse 2 so they may bee saying somewhat Their tongues speake proud things not the words of the Lord that are pure words Psal 12.3.6 and their dayes talke all of it is to no good or wise end if not to their owne prayse and their neighbours slaunder or to magnifieâ—â—â—â—â—selues and cast down the Lord with Pharisaicall lippes If they were in Hel they could not talke more foolishly then some doe or to lesse purpose nothing in their mouthes all the day but what they might be ashamed of at night if it were written in a booke and read vnto them Is this to redeeme the time and to walke wisely Is our day-booke well filled that is made vp with such vanities as foolish talking and foolish iesting and things that are not comely Eph. 5.4 If such speake foolishly in hell they spake foolishly here and not to any vse of godly edifying and so neither there nor here were their words good And so we see that one effect of hell-torments is to take away all sence and vnderstanding from those that are so tormented Now where this Rich man calleth the flame of hell a tormenting flame Doct. 2 hee she weth as hath beene noted already that hell fire is a fire of torment But this was spoken of before vpon the 23. verse and so I passe to Abrahams replye in the verse that followeth Verse 25 But Abraham sayde Sonne remember c. Abraham now replyeth The summe of which is that that small comfort which was none indeed or else as good as none could not be granted him And heere hee putteth him in remembrance though in so actiue a conscience hee could not but remember that he had his heanen here and so could not haue it vpon the earth and in hell too but Lazarus contrarily and that therefore Lazarus hath now changed turnes with him Lazarus being in the bosome offelicitie where hee shall euer bee comforted and he in the bottome of hell where he shall neuer see comfortable day but be euer tormented Also that there is such a gulfe of distance set betweene the places of their opposite abidings that there is no passing from one to another or possibility of going betweene This is the summe and meaning of Abrahams replie to the Rich man in these twoverses the 25. and 26 where it may bee considered in what maner or by what force of words he replyed and what was the matter of his replie for the manner it is in these words Sonne remember and it is in fitte words though in words of no comfort to a tormented soule and soule in hell Sonne sayth Abraham as if hee had sayde Thou Israel in the flesh and not in Christ remember which thou canst not forget if thou wouldest thou hast had thy pleasures and all thy good here that is here thou hast had no other god but them or it In them was thy life buried and soule hid despising God Gods poore members in all thy worldly prosperity but Lazarus dyed in his patience and with paine at thy gate Hee was a true Israelue and inâ— poore life serued no other but the true God and therefore hee now reapeth for this seede of teares the haruest of ioy and thou for thy life and pleasures abused receiuest and shalt possesse paines and woe endlesse In this sort replyed Abraham in this verse where first hee cals him sonne
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
to keepe his children short for their good then to surfet them with fulnes And here he dealeth with them as wise Parents with their children whom they truely loue For when they perceiue them to abuse vnto wantoÌ„nes a full allowance they will draw back their hand in a sparer portion So God perceiuing his children because they be full-fed wantonly to take pleasure in the gauds fashions of this world doeth therefore many times keepe them low denie them that pleÌ„ty of these worldly things that the wicked haue He knoweth how weake our braines are to beare the strong Wine of prosperity and therefore Hee sometimes makes vs to drinke bitter aduersities out of a weaker cup. And who can deny that it is farre better to creepe with safety then to clime to destruction so better to keepe on the low ground then to rise and fall And now thirdly this damned soule though he could not be ignorant how litle nay how nothing the necromancy that he spake of could profit any to true conuersion seeing the word is sufficient yet because hee loued to be contentious and to take side against godly truth hee holdeth himselfe fast to his former false ground which was that good might be receyued by the preaching of men from the dead But this is after as truely denyed by Abraham as it was falsly auouched by him Doct. 3. vers 31. where we learn that none from the dead did euer yet conuert soule Therefore it was forbidden to the Israell of God to aske counsell at the dead Deut. 18.11 And among other sinnes wherewith the Lord professed himselfe to haue been angred by rebellious Israell one was that they remained among the graues Esa 65.4 that is as it is expounded Esa 8.19 were Necromancers and sought vnto them that had familiar spirits and that could diuine But Lazarus the brother of Martha was raised by Christ after he had bin foure daies in his graue Io. 11.39 Did the Iews for that beleene nay but rather they consulted to put him to death Ioh. 12.10 Also Christ raysed himselse from the dead Why did not the Iewes care to heare him rather they bribed the souldyers to belye his Resurrection Math 28 12 13 14. Further when Christ rose many dead Saints his bed fellowes rose with him and were seene in the holie cittie Math 27.52.53 were the Iewes euer a whit the better for it to their conuersion nay but they were more hardned rather in their vnbeleâ—fe The reasons That this cannot open the heart in the point of Faith must needes shut it And nothing can turne the heart to God but that which hath power from him so to doe which power the Word onely hath not the lying Diumations of the dead Secondly there is no conuersion without Faith But what faith is to be giuen to deuils in dead mens skinnes Thirdly that which is able to conuert the heart hath a promise from God and blessing thereunto But is any such promise made to that which prouoketh him so much as Necromancie is sayd to doe and doth he blesse that which himselfe hath forbidden The vse is against the kingdom of darknes in Popery Vse set on foot and kept going by Necromancies and sundry apparitions of the dead all damnable and fabulous but those are sooner and more beleeued then the Word and Scripturein all that darke and superstitious climate of Papisticâ—l Paganisme To such the Apostle sayth If the Gospell bee hid it is to them that are lost 2. Cor. 4.3 but this was spoken of in the vse of the first doctrine of the former verse Lastly this contrarying mind in Diues doth as it were hold vs the light to see what frowardnes naturally is shut vp in all stubborne Christians And it teacheth Doct 4. that it is the property of a very froward person to reiect the Word They that were very froward in Iob say de to the Almighty Depart from vs to wit in the gouernment of thy word We desire not the knowledge of thy wayes that is wee desire not thy acquaintance in the truth as neyther thy presence among vs by it in the mouths of thy seruants Iob 21.14 or what care wee whether thou bee among vs in thy comman dements which we loue not rather we desire thy roome then thy company in such matters So of Israel that would not heare the Lord himselfe sayth Israel would none of me Psal 81.11 the meaning is They who reiect my Word reiect Me are they not persons very froward that so doe They that would not haue Christ to reigne ouer them with his word are called by himselfe enemyes Luc. 19.27 by Esay rebellious or froward enemies Esa 30.9 and are they not wicked and sinners indeede such as will helpe the dâ—â— who rebell against God in his owne soueraigntie and the parts of his Dominion The reasons The patterne of such frowardnes wee haue here in a very rebellious soule damned in hell Secondly the Word is the Lords scepter and they that reiect it put downe their Soueraigns scepter This were treason against an earthly Maiestie can that other bee lesse or better then rebellious frowardnes or treason in the highest point of treason against the Lord Thirdly such mean to liue quietly in all sinne seeing they reiect the word that reproueth sinne and the scornfull sinner And are they not most wickedly froward who say of sinne This is my rest here will dwell to wit in the chayre of sinne with the worst of sinners Psal 1.1 Fourthly they that meditate in the law and they that delight in it are and are said to be very obedient children therefore they are froward children and vngodly by the true rule of contraries who cannot abide the Word much lesse abide to meditate in or reade it A reproofe of Popish both Masters and Schollers Vse 1 who as we heard preach and beleeue that it is dangerous to haue the Word of God among them that is among the common sort of them in a tongue they vnderstand or in their mother tongue for such cannot but carry the brand of persons frowardly wicked But there are in our owne profession who heare it and reade in it and yet reiect the nurture of it in their liues and reason against it in their talke as this Rich man here Surely if there be not much rebellious wickednesse in this then was this damned soule in hel in some thing tollerable or not very ill An admonition therefore to all that would auoide the blot note of very froward persons se 2 or persons frowardly wicked and rebellious to God not to crosse his Word eyther with their conuersation or tongues and where the wicked as Antipodes goe against the footings of it to walke with it in a right path and to adorne it with their obedience in a holy life where froward persons and very wicked speake against the Word our reasoning must bee for it where they shut their eares we
OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARVS Certaine Sermons By ROBERT HORNE LVKE 12.21 So is he that gathereth riches to himselfe and is not rich in God GALAT. 6.10 While we haue therefore time let vs doe good vnto all men but specially to them which are of the houshold of faith LONDON Printed by Ber Alsop for IOHN HODGETS 1619. TO THE VVORTHY IVSTICE OF CHESTER Sir Thomas Chamberlaine Chiefe Iustice of his Maiesties Councell in the Marches of WALES Right Worshipfull I Haue presumed vnder your worthy Name to send forth a few Obseruations such as they are on the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus A Scripture that may well beset by the Preacher to an age of such fulnesse of sinne as ours is An age and time wherein vngodlinesse Preface to the trunesse of Religion which as the a L. of Plessis once sayde was wont but to whisper men in the eare and lispingly to speake between the teeth doth now most boldly and without all blush of shame with open mouth call vpon both Bench and Pulpit for protection Diues hath many sonnes at this day sprung from his loines of cruelty and the contempt of the poore and for his brethren among vs they be not (b) Luc. 16 28. fiue onely but more then fiue hundred all which liuing in no feare of God or death and impudently in all the deedes of sinne require the sharpest edge of Discipline Gods and mans Therefore and toward the reformation of so many as God shall incline to reade with some conscience the ensuing Discourse I haue to my poore skill done somewhat in this fearefull Parable of Diues That little which is done is according to the Scriptures and humbly commended to your Worship by One that doth loue and reuerence You for the good parts of Iustice and Piety which are noted to be in you by those that know you and appeareth by this that you spare no trauell and accept no faces of men or letters in matters of publike hearing whether in Terme or out And who can but commend this mind of yours in so scarce a world of iust and painefull Magistrates Your piety in Gods matters is testified sufficiently and plainely by your exemplary obedience to Gods Sabbothes where your good affection to the Word in a louing affabilitie to the Preachers thereof is obserued and reuerenced by as many as truly know you And for the integrity of your mind in Court causes you haue as many witnesses as the Court hath eares And indeed how can Iustice badly follow that hath so good fore-leaders I write not this to giue titles onely in your person Sir I desire to stirre vp others of like place to beare you company in so good a way of piety integritie and in corrupt iustice if they be behind Also my desire is by so true a relation of so many good offices and effects of your chiefe Stewardship in the Marches performed among vs by you matters which haue a good report of al men of the truth it selfe humbly to prouoke you to goe forward in this narrow path wherein sofew now walke of sincere and conscionable Magistracy So shal you one day heare this comfortable saying Mat. 25.21 c It is well done good seruant faithfull But I may not say much in the Preface where so little is sayd in the Booke it selfe and therefore to conclude I say good Sir gâ—t ground of the common enemy dayly as I trust you doe and keepe what you get Let no man let nothing pull this hope from you â—nto which you are entred till you haue finished the dayes of your faith here and the Ancient of dayes take you to those dayes of endlesse life which He hath prepared in His Kingdome of glory for all that loue and waite for his comming as I doubt not you doe and pray you may doe so still and with increase that is more and more to the true good of your seuerall charges and the sure good of your own soule for which hee prayeth and will pray Who is Your Worships humbly to be commmaunded for his best in the Gospell ROBERT HORNE From Mrs. Danets house neere Ludlow the 19. of May. 1619. OF THE RICH MAN AND LAZARVS Luc. 16.19.20 c. There was a certaine Rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linnen and fared well and delicately euery day c. THis chapter is chiefely directed written against Pharisaical couetousnes and delicacie exhorting to liberalitie and a care of the poore and this vnder two parables the first of the Steward who did wisely though not iustly Luc. 16.1.2 c. the other of the rich man and Lazarus v. 19.20 c. The parable of the vniust Steward doth not warrant any pickery or vnfaithfulnes in stewards but only doth implie that as hee made him friends vniustly so wee should both iustly and wisely make vs friends of this Mammon of wealth v. 9. by dispersing abroad Ver. 9. that the fountaines of our liberalitie may runne ouer to all that neede Prou. 5.16 The Pharises that were couetous hearing this Ver. 14. v. 14. thought that Christ spake foolishly and dangerously in so saying they could not endure that their sore of couetousnes should be touched and when his hand came neere it they put it from them with a scoffe and mocked him they would neuer beleeue but any man might serue God and gather riches or how should the Common-wealth stand and how should one man bee aboue another or would hee haue all men alike as if they had thus reasoned against him as against one that spake both absurdly and impiously Ver. 15. But vers 15. hee tels them that desire of riches and loue of themselues had so blinded them that they sawe not where they were nor in what dangerous wayes and that because they held themselues wise therefore they iudged him foolish and his doctrine that was wise ridiculous but that that pleased them God abhorred and so he commeth to the Scripture now read v. 19. which I take to be not any story or thing done but as was said a parable where his chiefe purpose is to disswade these Pharises from cruell hardnes and a carnall life by the example of this rich man hung vp as it were in chaines in hell for a terrour to others because he fed himselfe curiously and fed not poore Lazarus And heere vnder the persons of the rich man and Lazarus we haue two sorts or states of men such as were then in the world are now and shall be to the end of time In both which we may note their different states and that which is common to them their different states are heere on the earth or after they left It in their liues they differed very much and after their deaths much more for the rich man was finely clothed or clothed with soft and gorgeous rayment and for his fare it was delicate and of the best euery day v. 19. the