Three Sermons 2, Sermon 3
The Worldlings Downefall.
Psal. 49.12.
But Man shall not continue in honour: he is like the Beasts that die.
The gentrall nature of th… place of Scripture.I Know not wherto better to compare this Text then to the Writing vponupon the Wall, in the midst of the king of Babel his roiall feast. When the king was in the height of his banquet, drinking wine (as the story speakes) before a thousand aDan. 5.1. &c., suddenly he saw the fingers of a mans hand ouer against the Candlesticke vponupon the playster of the Wall. It cooled him presently, his Countenance was changed, his thoughts troubled him, the ioynts of his loynes were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other. Of the same nature is this Text, It seemeth to me to be (as it were) a Counter-buffe or Crosseblow, to the plots, and endeuours of carnall and worldly-wise men, for the setling of their outward estate here in this life. In the sixt and eleuenth verses of this Psalme, we may see them in their prime, bestirring themselues exceedingly, trusting in their goods, boasting themselues in the multitude of their Riches, and (like the rich man in the Gospel) pulling downe their barnes, and building greater b1. …. 12.18., imagining that their habitation shall continue euer, and calling their lands by their names, that they may preserue their memorie from Obliuion. But now marke the Writing vponupon the Wall: Yet man shall not continue in honour, he is like the beasts that die. This is as a sodaine qualme ouer the stomake, as the sentence of death, as an vnexspected gust amidst a great calme, and it doth vtterly distast all the former supposed felicitie. Thus much (briefely) to giuegive a generall insight into this place of Scirpture.
For order in handling it, take it thus.The diuifies Here is a two fold thwarting or crossing of the purposes of the vngodly worldling. The first is this; He shall not be that which he euer wished to be: He shall not continue in honour: The other is this; He shall be that which he neuer desired to be: He shall be like the beasts that die. He shall misse of that which he sought for, and he shall hauehave that which he looked not for. Of these two seuerally.
The first part is, that Man shall not continue in honour. The … P….In which clause there is no word very an biguous. It may happely be demanded, whether the word (Man) is of so large an extent, as that there by is meant eueryevery particular Man: whereto is answered that the wore must be restrained only to such a Man, as is in this Psalm described, who trusts in his Gods, and boasts himselfe in the multitude of his Riches, and supposeth his Habitation shall continue euer, &c. The word in the Hebrewe Text is, Adam a name giuen to our first Father, but fit…ing to vsus all, in regard that our making is of Earth cGen. 3.…9.: yet best agreeing to him, who as he is Earth by creation, so is Earth also in affection, minding onelyonly earthly things, as speaketh PauldPh…. 3.1….: And such an one indeede, is here intended. Touching the word (Honour,) it is well knowne what it meaneth. And yet (in the ignorance of some) it may happen to be too much restrained. Therefore by it we must conceiue generally any eminent estate, or such condition which either for wealth, office, blood, or any outward part, is of regard and esteeme amongst men: It is well translated by some (shining:) so that it signifieth any such condition,Splend… …. which doth (as it were) glitter in mens eies, which the world approoueth of, for worldly respects. Now the world (Continue) implieth a possibilitie of bee…ng in Honour. because no man can be said not to continue in honour but onelyonly he which hath formerly beene in Honour. So that now this first clause occasioneth me to discourse vponupon two points: One, that a carnall man, a man that hath no taste of any goodnes, may possibly thriue and prosper and grow great here on Earth. The other; that the Prosperitie of such an one hath no perpetuitie.
Touching the first of these,… 1. Doc…rine. we hauehave proose inough for Wicked man, yet saith of him, that his wayes alwaies prosper ePsal. 10 5., and that (as it is well translated out of the Hebrew) they are fenced in, as though he were ordinarily out of the reach of common miseries. And the same Dauid records in another PsaimefPsal 73., how much it troubled him and what a tēptation it was vntounto him to see the flourishing estate of the vngodly: I fretted (saith he) at the foolish, when I sawe the prosperitie of the wicked gVer. 3.. The very same thing also so perplexed the Prophet Ieremie, that he was bold euen to reason the case with God, how it could stand with his iustice so to suffer it. Wherefore doth the way of the Wicked prosper, and why are they all in wealth that rebelliously trangresse? hIer. 12.1.The point is excellētly described by Iob, The Wicked liue and waxe old, and growe in wealth: their seede is established in their sight with them, and their generation before their Eies, their houses are peaceable without Feare, and the rod of God is not vponupon them, their bullocke gendreth, and fayleth not, their cowe calueth and casteth not her calfe, &c. iI…. … 7 8.9.10.The Scripture also giueth more light to this doctrine by examples, proouing thus much vntounto vsus, that euen the children of God, such as feare him and make conscience of their waies, come often farre behind the wicked in outward prosperitie: Isaac the sonne of promise is caried to the slaughter, when Ismael the sonne of the Bond woman sitteth quietly at home. Iacob the loued, is put forth to keepe sheepe, and Esan the hated, goes on hunting. If you looke for Ioseph you shall finde him in prisonkGen. 39.20., for Daniel, you shall see him in the denlDan. 6.16., for Ieremie, he is making bookes of Lamentations and wishing his head were full of waters, and his Eies a fountaine of teares mIer. 9.1., to expresse his griefe, when the vngodly streich themselues vponupon their beds, and eate the Lambs of the flocke, and the calues out of the folde, and sing to the sounds of the viole, and drinke wine in boules, and put farre away the euill day nAm. 6.3.4.5 6.. Now the reason why the Lord taketh, this (as may seeme) a strange course, is this. First that his children, for their sinnes, in this life may not goe altogether vnchastised, and by chastisement may be brought to the greater measure of humilitie: and that the profane, hauing at lest some shew of some good things, may not go altogether vnrewarded, and so may the sooner fill vp the meansure of iniquitie. Secondly, that it may appeare to be but a slander, which the deuill imputed to Iob, and in him, to all that are the Lords, that they serue God for rewardsoIob. 1.9.. For when they euen in the midst of the crosse, shall continue …n their innocencie, it will then be manifest, that it is conscience and not reward which keeps them in obedience. Thirdly, the Lord taketh this course, as to take away all colour of excuse from the vngodly, so to assure vsus, that he doth not, (as it were) make his books of account cleere in this life, but reserueth the full and finall account, vntill the last day of reckning, in which eueryevery thing shall be recompensed to the full, whether it be good or euill. Thus we see the truth of this point and the reasons of it; namely that a carnall man may hauehave a full measure of outward prosperitie.
The vse of this doctrine is very excellent.The VsUs… It serueth to shew the vanitie of a conceipt, which is crept into the hearts of a great many, and which so strongly possesseth them, that it maketh them to contemne all religious instruction, and neglect all reformation whatsoeuer: And it is this. There is many an one (and let eueryevery man looke into his own heart to see whether he be not the mā) who beeing in his conscience guiltie of many sinnes which by the ministerie of the word are publikely reprooued, as, of ignorance, contempt of the Word, and Sacraments, scorning of Religion, neglect of the worship of God, Sabaoth-breaking, Swearing, Wantonnes, Oppression, and such like, yet blesseth himselfe pPsal. 10.3.in his heart, and sets light by the threatnings of Gods vengeance; because for all his hardned course of sinning against God, God seemeth to blesse him, and to prosper him in all things: And therefore he doth often thus commune with his owne soule: I doe indeede heare the Preacher speake much against me, and I confesse my selfe to be euen such an one as he nameth: he telleth often of the wrath and displeasure of God against such courses, and how the Lord is an auenger of all such things. But yet still (God I him thanke) here I liue and hauehave health and quietnes: my heart is at peace, my field beareth as good a Crop, my cattell bring as great merease, my busines hath as good successe my selfe cary as good credit and opinion with the world, as the holiest of them all. Now if God were so offended with my carriage as the Preacher would enforce, how could it be that he beeing the giuer of these things, would bestow them vponupon me? Is it likely that I should thus enioy them, if my conuersation were not pleasing in his sight? Would he thus fauour me, vnlesse he did louelove me? Surely no: And therefore here is my resolution, they shall all talke and preach, and reprooue while they will, I will continue one manner of man, seeing I see the blessing of God vponupon me so apparantly. These be the very thoughts of carnall men, who strengthen their hands to euill, because of outward prosperitie. Now the doctrine taught is very effectuall to shew the idlenes of this sancie. Dauid here speaking of a meere worldling, denieth not but he may be in Honour. So that a man may outwardly prosper, & yet still be hatefull & abominable before God. Esan was a man hatedqRom. 9.13. of God, yet the fatnes of the earth rGen. 27.39.was his portion as well as holy Iacobs. And when Abrahā intreated god on the behalf of Ismael, although the Lord wold not yeeld in regard of tying the promiseed seede to his generation; yet for outward things he promised to make him fruitfull and to multiply him exceedingly sGen. 17.16.The Scripture speaketh of some, which hauehave their portion in this life tPsal. 17.14., and yet hauehave no part in hauen: such an one was the rich glutton, of whom the Text saith, that in his life time he receiued pleasure uLuk. 16.25., and was therefore tormented afterwards. So that it is but a fonde course for any man to promise peace to his owne soule because of outward things. For, (as Salomon saith) the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked, to him that sweareth, and to him that feareth and oath xEccle. 9.2.. Let not then any man, beeing by the powerfull applying of the word conuicted of sinne, hearten himselfe to continue in it because of Gods forbearance, imagining, because God holdeth his peace, that he is such an one as himselfe is; but rather let him feare, least the Lord doe but fatte him vp against the day of slaughter, suffering him to run on, till he hauehave filled vp the full measure of Iniquitie, that he may then receiue the full measure of destruction. And so much for the first doctrine.
The second doctrine of the first clause is,The 2. Doctrine. that the prosperitie of the wicked is not perpetuall (But, he shall not continue in honour.) This (But) is that which crosseth the hopes of all Worldings, & nippeth their exspectations in the head. Many the like Buts we finde in holy Scripture. The bread of deceipt is sweete, (saith the wise man,) But the throate is filled with grauell yProu. 20.17.. Reioyce, O young man in thy youth, and let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth, and walke in the wayes of thy heart, and in the fight of thine Eyes: But knowe, that for all these things God will bring thee to iudgement zEccle. 11.9.. These things hast thou done and I held my Tongue, therefore thou thoughtest, that I was like thee: But I will reprooue thee, and set them in order before thee aPsal. 50.21.. It is the speach of God to wicked Hypocrites. So Paul speaking of those which are opposites to the the ministerie of the Word, giueth them their But also. As Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses, so doe these resist the truth, men of corrupt minds, reprobates concerning the faith: But they shall preuaile no longer b2. Tim. 3.8.9.. So the Rich man in the Gospel was met withall: He promised to his soule great matters, But God said unto him, O foole this night they shall fetch thy soule from thee cLuk 12 20.. So that this word (But) prooueth many times to be as gall and worme-wood: It doth so come athwart the purposes of the vngodly. He shall not continue in honour (saith the Text:) the word… are properly, He shall not tarie all night in Honour: and thereupon because it is Adam in the Hebrewe, some (& the same learned) hauehave vsed this place to prooue that Adam fell the same day in which he was created: How euer it be touching that, the holy Ghost his meaning is to note out a very short continuance. We are wont to describe a short aboad, by lodging in an Inne, where a man seldome stayeth in his trauaile aboue a night. Now the continuance of the carnall man in his honour and prospetitie, shall be farre lesse, the time shall be (as it were) a degree shorter. The truth hereof is fulfilled by two meanes. For first, either his prosperitie continueth not to him, or els (secondly) he continueth not to his prosperitie. Touching the first, Iob saith, that the wicked man albeit he hauehave gotten much and raked heaps together, yet many times, his eies see the destruction dIob. 21.20.. And to effect this, the Lord hath set euen an host of enemies against all worldly things. The rich in mony is in danger of Theeues, he which abounds in houshold stuffe is in hazard of fire: The rust layeth siege to thy gold, and the moth to thy garment. Thy great heards of cattell may be swept away with rottennes: At sea Pirates may spoile thee: In thy husbandrie, blasting may vndoe thee. All these and many moe meanes then these, the Lord hath to take prosperitie from the vngodly. Adde, that sometime the Plague lighteth on him, which Dauid prayed for vponupon his Enemies: the extortioner (or vsurer) catcheth al that be hath ePsal. 109.11. The Lord can make him when he sowe…h much, to bring in but little, and to put vp his wealth into a broken bagge fHag. 1.6.: So that he shall consume like that fat of Lambs gPsal 37 20., and growe poore and wast in his outward estate, to the vexing of his heart, he knoweth not how: yea and all this many times in lesse space then the wealth was gathered. The tree which was many yeares in growing, is burnt to ashes in a short space: And the famous temple of Ierusalem which was fourtie and sixe yeares a building hIoh 2.10., was soarse so many houres in burning. The wealth of many yeares getting is many times brought to nothing in an instant. It is like vntounto the chaffe, wh…ch though it be a while layd vp together vponupon an heape, yet on a sodaine commeth a blast of wind, and scattereth it to and fro, from the face of the earth, so that it is euen a thing vnpossible to bring it backe againe to the former condition: And by this meanes is that verified vponupon the Man of Earth, which the Scripture saith: He hath deuoured substance, and he shall vomit it; for God shall drawe it out of his bellie: The encrease of his house shall goe away, it shall flowe away in the day of Gods wrath, then shall none of his meate be left, therefore shall none hope for his goods iIob. 20.15.21.28.. As the Lord doth often thus deale with the wicked Worldling in his owne person, so though he suffer happely the owner himselfe to enioy that he hath during his time, yet he curseth it to his posteritie. God laieth vp the sorrowe of the Father for his children kIob 21.19.. And If his children be in great number, the sword shall destroy them, and his posteri…ie shall not be satisfied with bread lIob 27.14.: He begetteth a sonne (saith Salomon) and in his hand is nothing mEccl 5.13.: one that commeth to beggerie notwithstanding the great Wealth of his predecessor. This is an Euill which the preacher, duplicate page duplicate page sawe vnderunder the sunne, A man, to whom God hath giuen riches, and treasures, and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth, but God giueth him no power to eate thereof, …ccle. 6. 2.but a strange man shall eate it vp at It is that which in this Psalmeo… is called, leauing riches for others: and wherwith the Lord twitted the Rich man, whose shall these things be which thou hast prouided? p…. …2 …0.Thus the Lord when he is so pleased can and doth take away prosperitie from the Wicked. Now put case it continue in full measure with him so long as he continueth, yet at last the Lord taketh him from it. So he tooke the Rich man from his wealthq… 12 …0. Haman from his honourr… 7 10., Belibazzar from this Empires… 5 30 Nabal from his abundancet… 25 38., Herod from his stateuA… 12.23 the Glutton from his belly-cheerex… 1….…2.. Indeede (saith Dauid) I hauehave seene the wicked strong, and spreading himselfe like a greene Bay-tree, yet he passed away, and loe he was gone, I sought him but he could not be found y…: And Zophar in Iob; The reioycing of the Wicked is short, and the ioy of the Hypocrites is but a moment. Though his excellency mount vp to the heauens, and his head reach vntounto the clouds, yet he shall perish for euer like his dung, so that they which hauehave seene him shall say, Where is he? He shall flee away as a dreame, and they shall not finde him, and shall passe away as a vision of the night, so that the Eye which had seene him shall doe so no moreIob. 20.5.6.7.8 9.. This is the portion of the Wicked man, and the heritage that he shall hauehave from God for his workes aIob. 20.29. she 1. Vse..
The vse of this doctrine is twofold. The first is taught by Dauid, thus, Be not vaine, if riches encrease, set not your heart thereon bPsal 62.10.. It is further vrged by Salomon: Wilt thou cast thine eies vponupon that which is nothing? for riches taketh her to her wings as an Egle and flieth into the Heauen cPron. 23.5.. The Apostle Paul also, presseth the same point: Charge them that are rich in this world, that they trust not in vncertaine riches d1. Tim. 6.17.; It is but folly for a man to trust to that of which there is no assurance. All is but like to Ionas his Gourd, which came vp in a n…ght, and …ithered in a nighteIo… ….…. Rather we should labour for that one needfull thing fLuk. 10.42., whereof being once possessed, we can neuer after be depriued.
The second vse is taught in this Psalme:Tho …. Vse: We not afraid, let it neuer disquiet thee, when one is made rich, and when the glorie of his house is encreased, for he shall take nothing away when he dieth gVer. 1… 1…: More at large in another Psalme. Fret not thy selfe because of the wicked man, neither be enuious for the euill doers, for they shall soone be cut downe as the grasse, and shall wither like the greene hearb. And afterwards; Yet a little while, and the wicked shall not appeare and thou shalt locke after his place, and be shall not be found, his day is comming, &chPsal. 37.1 10.11. So that the vse is, to teach vsus to possesse our so…les with patience notwithstanding the gallantnes and iollitie of the vngodly: for he hath but his time, like a great Thistle which starts vp in the Summer, and at the comming of Winter is hidden in the Earth; or, a counter, which now by the Marchant is put for an hundred pounds, and anon is throwne into the bag, and is no better then those which stoode but for an halfe-penie. Thus much for the first Crosse: The earthly man shall not bee that which he wished to be.
The 3. Doctrine and that a part of the Text.Now followeth the second: He shall be that he neuer looked to be. He is like the beasts that die. This cause is to be applied, chiefely to the end and …eath of the earthly man; in which, he shall be like the beasts that die: or, as it is more properly, He shall be like the beasts dying of the moraine iPecoribus morticinis. Tremel., and so become cation and are good for nothing. Now for the opening her of, weare to vnderstand that the earthly minded man is in h…s death like vntounto Beasts so dying, in foure things especially. The first is, that he dieth vnwillingly. So it is with the Beast. It is in the nature of eueryevery things to desire the preseruation of it selfe, and to abhorre the coutrarie. Hereupon in the vnreasonable creature there is a kind of strugling & reluctation, and wrastling with death, so that it doth not but by violence yeeld thereunto. Euen so is it with the vngodly which mindeth only earthly things. His death (I know) may be peaceable in shew (the naturall strength beeing wasted and abated by some long sicknes) and in speach, he may pretend a willingnes to depart: but it is vnpossible that it should be with fulnes of inward cōsent. For what hope hath the hypocrite, when he hath heaped vp riches, if God take away his soule, saith the ScripturekIob. …7.8.; And, when a wicked man dieth, his hope perisheth, saith SalomonlProu. 11.7.. So that because he cannot with any comfort, assure himselfe of entrance into rest, therefore he cannot but be most vnwilling to depart. For who will be willing to part from a present setlednes, for a matter of vncertentie? Who would not rather stay here to enioy that which he is well acquainted with, then to loose his life for the hazard of he knoweth not what? True it is, Gods children long to be dissolued mPhil. 1.23., and I am now readie to be offered, and the time of my departing is at hand, saith Paul, in a comfortable and reioycing mannero2. Tim. 4 6.. But with the wicked it is not so; death, to them is called The king of feare pIob. 18.14., and the slymie valley is a place of terrout to their conceit. Therefore, they will fetch thy soule from thee oforeign Luk. 12.20., saith God to the rich man. As who should say, Thou art I know loth to depart, but they shall fetch is away from thee, they shall take it by violence. The second particular wherein this earthly man, is like to the dying beasts, is this. The carke is of the Beast so dying, can not chuse but be noysome and vnsauoury: the smell is offensiue vntounto eueryevery one that passeth by, and the sight vnpleasing. So is the dying worldling in Gods sight. Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints, saith Dauid r…. 11….15.. And no meruaile. Their Bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost s1. Cor. ….19.their soules are holy and vnblameable and without fault, (by the blood of Christ) in Gods sight tCol. 1.1….Their death therefore must need be a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour vntounto God. As for the vngodly, it is not so with them. Their be dies are cages of vncleanes, their Throtes open sepulchresuPsal. 5.9. their members. weapons of vnrighteousnesse xRom. 6.13.: In their soules, dwelleth the Prince that ruleth in the ayre, euen the spirit who worketh in the children of disobedience. yEphe.2 2.. How can they be but noysome in the eies of God, yea most lothsome and abominable? Surely he will say vntounto them, Depart from me I know you not zMath. 7.23. Matth. 25.12.. The third degree of likenes betwixt the dying Beast and the dying Worldling is this. The bodie of a beast whom such a disease hath quelled, becommeth a pray to the foules of the aire, and is torne in pieces by other beasts. Where the dead Carkeis is, thither the Egles resort, saith our SauiouraMatth. 24 23. It fareth so with the worldling. For as his goods ill gotten come many times, through the iust iudgement of God, to be a pray to others, and to be the spoile of strangers, so his soule is seased vponupon by the damned spirits, and is presently arraigned before the iudgement feate of GodbHeb. 9.27., and is dismissed thence into it Owne place cAct. 1.25., where it is kept in chains vnderunder darknes, vntounto the iudgemē of the great day dI de. 6.. The fourth and last point of likenesse is this. There is no regard had of the death of a bruit beast, the remembrance is soone gone. The owner happily may …ewaile that losse, it beeing some diminution of his substance: but otherwise, it is a matter which the world pas…eth by and taketh no notice of. So is the death of the carnall Worldling. There may bee (perhaps) some sorrow among his owne people, who receiued some out: and benefit by his meanes, and with them his memor e may continue. But els there is no misse. The Church of God hath no occasion to lament his losse, in regard that it is depriued of a comfortable member. No man wi…l open his mouth to say of him, Alas he is now gone, who if he had still liued, such was his zeale, has godly wisedome, and good cariage, that he might much hauehave furthered Gods glorie. But men let him goe with some such phrase, What is such as one gone? and there is an end, some other worldling (perhaps) of the same humour, and of the like fleshly disposition, who hath beene fellowe with him in the same carnall courses, may chance to say as the old Prophet did, ouer the Prophet of God when he buried him, Alas my brother e1. King 13.3…., my old friend, such an one is gone, with whom I hauehave ioyfully conuersed many a time, whom I hauehave beene acquainted with so many yeares, &c. Here is all. But Gods Church finds not it selfe maimed in regard of the holy communion of Saints. And thus by degrees his memorie soone dyeth, according to the saying of Salomon. The memoriall of the iust shall be blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot fPro…. 10.7.. His remembrance shall perish from the earth, and he shall hauehave no name in the streets. gIob 18.17.And so much for the opening of this doctrine.
Now for the preuenting of all suspitious misconstruing…,The Vse., I must (before I mention the vse) say thus muchhThe reason why this preuention was vsed, was, beca…se this sermon wa… prea…hed at a funerall.. If any man shall spider-like turne the sweet tast of a well-meant speach into poison, & imagine it to be an inuectiue against some particular, he shall therein wrong both me and himselfe. Me, in vncharitable mistaking me: Himselfe, because he shall by that meanes be hindred from making that good vse of the doctrine taught, which is required. If your demaund of me therefore, whom I meane by this Man of whom I hauehave discoursed hitherto: I say vntounto thee (whosoeuer thou art which makest the questiō) Thou art the man, if so be thou be such an one as is in this Psalme described, which trustest in thy good, and boastest in the multitude of thy Riches iVer. 6.. My sermon hitherto hath beene as a parable: in which though one singular man hath beene named, yet one in speciall hath not beene meant, I will make the moral and meaning to be the same that our Sauiour Christ made to that speach of his, touching the Rich man. In the ende to shewe his true intent, he added this saying,kL… …. So is he that gatheroth ri… to himselfe and is not rich in God. The same is the Man intended in this doctrine. But as for aiming at any one in particular, my conscience is free in the sight of God. And therefore let vsus all apprehend and entertaine it as a matter which concerties our seluēs, and make this vse of it, to beware how in our liues and conuersations, we be like bruit beasts lead with sensualitie l2. Pet. ….12., or like horse and mule which vnderstandeth not mPsal. 32.9., or as the sow, whose greatest felicitie is to wallow in mire n2. Pet. 2.22., or in vnbridled lusts like fed horses oIes. 5.8., or otherwise like the baser creatures groueling, still on the earth and alwaies looking downeward: For this is certaine, if we liue like beasts, we shall perish like the beasts, and our last end shall be like theirs, yea and worse then theirs; because, death which is to them an end of woe, shall be to vsus the beginning of sorowes, and as it were a prologue to the most wofull Tragedie, of a neuer ending miserie.
Let God alone hauehave the glorie.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Hieron, Three Sermons 2 (1609)