MORIEMINI. A VERY PROFITABLE SERMON PREACHED before her Majesty at the Court, about xiii. years since: By H. B. LONDON, Printed by john Wolf. 1593. even great envy towards such as are godly and well affected; he will in that respect bear the more with me, neither take it indignantly at my hands, that his godly labours are rather thus preserved for the use of men, then reserved (as afore) to be consumed of moths. The argument of this sermon may appear unto thee by this one word in the forehead of it (Moriemini.) And thus not doubting, but that after thou shalt once advisedly have perused it, thou wilt allow both of him that first did pen it, and of my poor self also, who thus did print it for thy behoof and benefit. I bid thee farewell. A VERY PROFITABLE SERMON PREACHED BEFORE her Majesty at the Court, about xiii. years since, by H. B. Psal. 82. 6. 7. 6 I have said, ye are Gods, and ye are all the children of the highest: 7 But ye shall die like men, & fall like one of the princes. I have said, ye are Gods: But ye shall die like men. THe princely Prophet David, being himself advanced by the goodness of God, to be king over Israel, by daily experience plainly saw, how common a thing it is, that the great and mighty, the rich and wealthy men of this world, do many times forget both themselves, what they be, and their God, from whom they be. And glorying in nobility, and swelling in authority, and swimming in worldly wealth, do trust in their treasures, and seek their own pleasures, & think themselves Gods. Therefore, that the great personages of this world should not be deceived with their great estates in this world, and think themselves Gods to work their own wills, and neglect the will and ways of the everliving God. The Prophet here doth plainly tell them, that though they be Gods, that is, Gods in majesty, Gods in authority, Gods in wealth and glory, & in all the things of this world live like Gods among men: yet are they but Gods on earth, and Gods of earth, that is, earthy and mortal Gods, and must die like other men, and part from all their pomp, & render account to the God of heaven for their earthy Godhead. And this (me think) is the purpose of the Prophet in these words, I have said, ye are Gods: But ye shall die like men. Wherein the Prophet setteth down two special points of Princes and great personages 1. The Majesty and 2. The mortality 1. Their Majesty, in these words, I have said, ye are Gods, therein giving to note 1. The duty done unto them. and 2. The duty required of them, for that they be Gods. 2. Their mortality, in these words, But ye shall die like men: therein also noting death. For that they shall die, like men. 1. The certainty of their death and 2. Their rising again from I have said, ye are Gods. As the Prophet David by the spirit of God in this place, even so the same spirit in sundry places of the holy Scriptures doth call the Princes and great personages of this world, Gods. 1 So the Lord God himself said unto Moses, I will Exod. 12. 12. be avenged of all the Gods in Egypt: meaning Pharaoh, & all the men of might in Egypt. 2 And Moses the man of God amongst other, gave this law to the people of God; Thou shalt not speak Exod. 22. 28. evil of the Gods: meaning the heads and rulers of the people. 3 And our saviour Christ in the gospel saith; Is it joh. 10. 34. not written in the law, I have said, ye are gods? Ratifying and confirming, that the men of this world are well called Gods in the word of God. And the reason why they be called Gods, the queen of Saba rendereth, when she saith to king Solomon; Blessed 2. Para. 9 8. be the Lord thy God, which had a love to thee, to set thee king on his seat, that thou mayst be king, for the Lord thy God. Plainly testifying that the Princes and great personages in this world, do sit on God's seat, by God's appointment, in stead of God, therefore called gods. I have said, ye are Gods, that is, Ye sit on God's seat by God's appointment, in stead of God, ye represent God's majesty, and bear God's authority, therefore ye are Gods. And for that ye are gods, that is, set on God's seat, by God's appointment, in stead of God, therefore this duty is due unto you by all, that are under you, to honour and obey you even for the Lord. 1 For so the Lord God himself in the first commandment of the second table commandeth, To honour Father Exod. 20. 12. and mother, that is, to honour and obey all superiors, rulers, and governors, and promiseth long life for fulfilling the same. 2 And our saviour Christ coming not to break the law, but to fulfil the law, in token of his obedience, according to the law paid tribute to Caesar, commanding Peter to take a hook, and cast into the sea, and in the Mat. 17. 27. mouth of the first fish he got, he should find a piece of twenty pence, that take (saith he) and give them for tribute for thee and me. 3 And when the jews came unto him, and asked him, whether they should pay tribute to Caesar, or not, he Mat. 22. 21. said unto them, Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's: teaching all subjects obedience to their Caesars, that is, their Princes, heads, and governors. 4 S. Paul in the 13. to the Romans, setteth down Rom. 13. 1. sundry reasons to prove, that every soul ought to be subject to the higher powers, as to the ordinance of God. 5 And S. Peter is plain: Submit yourselves to every 1. Pet. 2. 13. ordinance of man, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is, even for the Lord: whether it be to the king, as having the pre-eminence: or to the rulers appointed by him, for the punishment of evil doers, but for the praise of them, that do well. Thus the Spirit of God doth teach the people of God in the word of God, that the Princes and great personages of this world are gods, that is, set on God's seat, by God's appointment, in stead of God: they represent God's majesty, and bear God's authority: and therefore this duty is due unto them by all, that are subject to them, to honour and obey them even for the Lord. Whence then is that spirit, and whence is that doctrine, that setteth on subjects to conspiracies, rebellions, and treasons? and teacheth them by gun-shot, by witchcraft, by conjuring, by sorcery, by dealings with the devil himself, to work mischief against their natural Prince, and their native country? and yet telleth them, that therein they do God service, and promise them pardons, and hight them heaven for their disobedience? Surely, surely, spiritus mendax in ore Prophetarum, that 3. Reg. 22. 2● is, a lying spirit, the spirit of the devil and Antichrist is in the mouths of such teachers, and the hearts of such dealers. For the Spirit of God by the wiseman saith: Wish no Eccles. 10. 20 evil to the king in thy thought, & speak no evil against great men in thy secret chamber: for the fowls of the air will bewray thee. The fowls of the air, that is, the devil (for so our Saviour Christ in the parable of the sower Matt. 13. 15. expoundeth the fowls of the air to signify the devil.) The devil, that setteth traitors on work, he will pay them their hire, that is, he will bewray their wicked practices against their Princes, to their shame and confusion. For ye are Gods, that is, set on God's seat, by God's appointment, in stead of God, ye represent God's majesty, and bear God's authority: therefore this duty is due unto you by all that are under you, to honour and obey you, even for the Lord. Yet some think themselves set free from this duty of obedience to their natural Prince, by betaking themselves to the protection of the holy father, and by reconciling themselves to his subjection. As for their natural Prince, the present state, and Religion, they are in doubt of the goodness of them, that they be not of God, nor agreeable to the word and will of God. Yet have they seen, and full well do know, how wonderfully God hath blessed, prospered, and preserved us by this Prince, in this state, and for this Religion by the space of these two and twenty years and upwards. And in all this time, neither Balac his treachery, nor Balam Num. 23. his curse for money hath prevailed against us. For how could they curse whom God doth bless? how could they hurt whom God doth defend? And yet too well they know, that Balac hath bragged, and Balam hath banned, that is, the Pope hath cursed, and the popish have conspired: Papists have devised, & Atheists have practised cunning conspiracies, treacherous treasons, pestilent practices, and devilish devices against the Prince, against the state, and against the religion; only God his holy hand hath still from time to time preserved and maintained the Prince, the state, and the Religion: whereby they might see (were they not too too blind, & will not see) that God doth love and like, prosper & bless, the Prince, the state, and the Religion. But these busy rebellious Frogs, that cannot yet like the blessed block of so peaceable a prince, must needs at length have a devouring Stork. God for his mercy's sake turn their hearts, or overturn all that take their parts. Amen. I have said, ye are Gods. And for that ye are Gods, set on God's seat by God's appointment, in stead of God, therefore this duty is also due unto you by them that are under you, to pray continually to the living God for you. So S. Paul teacheth saying; I exhort you, 1 That 1. Tim. 2. 1. prayers, supplications, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men, especially for kings, and all that are in authority. 2 And the reason why, the wise man rendereth, where he saith, The heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord: Pro. 21. 1. Therefore the people are to pray to the Lord to dispose the heart of the king and all that are in authority, to his good will and pleasure. 3 So David prayed for the king & said; Give the king Psal. 72. 1. thy judgements, O Lord, and thy righteousness to the king's son: then shall he judge the people according unto right, and defend the poor. 4 And when our saviour Christ came to Jerusalem riding like a king, the people that went before him, Matt. 21. 9 and they that came after him, cried unto him Hosanna, i. Hoschianna, i Lord save the king, Lord save the king. Which action allowed by our saviour Christ, teacheth the Christians to cry Hosanna, that is, to pray continually for the peace, wealth and safety of the Prince, and all that are in authority. Ye are Gods to be prayed for to the superior God, yet not to be prated of by inferior men: by the wise to be advised, yet not to be chatted of by every unadvised. The law of God by Moses, Thou shalt not speak evil Exod. 22. 28. of the Gods, was given to bridle the licentious liberty of men's tongues, in prattling of Princes and other great personages. For, that every prentice should prate of Princes, and every Cobbler seem a Counsellor, and every jack Straw devise a new law, and every meddling mate mislike the whole state, is neither commendable by the word of God, not tolerable in a Christian commonwealth: ye are Gods to be prayed for, not to be prated of. And thus much briefly of the duty due unto you, for that ye are Gods. The God of heaven grant, that all duty due unto you, may of all parts be faithfully performed unto you, to honour and obey you, and pray to God for you. Amen. I have said, ye are Gods. And for that ye are Gods, that is, set on God's seat, by God's appointment, in stead of God: therefore there is a duty also required of you towards that God, that hath made you gods. For you are gods, not the gods of the heathen, silver & gold, the works of men's hands, which have eyes and Psal. 115. 3. see not, ears and hear not, mouths and speak not, hands and handle not, feet and walk not, neither is there any breath in their nostrils: but ye are gods, lively gods, and have eyes to see, and ears to hear, mouths to speak, and hands to work the things, that are good and pleasing to the everliving God. Therefore the Prophet David saith unto you: Bring Psal. 29. 1. unto the Lord, o ye mighty, bring young rams unto the Lord, ascribe unto the Lord your worship, and your strength: give the Lord the honour due unto his name, & worship the Lord with an holy worship. By which words the prophet teacheth plainly, that there is a duty required of you that are mighty, towards that God, that hath made you gods. But it becomes not me, perhaps, to tell you gods your duty, yet thus much without offence, I hope, I may say, saying it truly: that the God of heaven is angry with the gods on earth for want of duty. Revelatur enim ira Dei, etc. Rom. 1. 28. For the wrath of God in heaven is revealed, & made manifest against the gods on earth by sundry signs and tokens of God's wrath, both in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath. For even of late days amongst us the often eclipses of the Sun and the Moon, the diverse Comets and blazing stars, the sundry sights and lights in the air, the rise resemblances of fire and blood in the clouds, the main monstrous & strange births (though some seem to render some natural reasons for them) yet are they unnatural, and the wrath of God is revealed by them. As for the late earthquake amongst us, that was soon forgotten of us, because it passed away so soon, and did so little hurt amongst us. Yet the prophet David saith, Psal. 18. 7. The earth trembled and quaked, the very foundations of the hills shook, and were moved, because God is wroth. The prophet telleth plainly, that the trembling and quaking of the earth, is a sure sign and token of the wrath of God in heaven. And that the late earthquake amongst us, did pass so soon away from us, and with so little hurt among us, is an argument, that the wrath of God against us, is yet mixed with much mercy towards us, threatening us so terribly, and yet sparing us so mercifully. Thus then by sundry signs & tokens it is evident and plain, that the God of heaven is angry with the gods on earth for want of duty. For some being advanced by God to be gods, do live without God, that is, without the knowledge and fear of God, and become David's fools, and say in their Psal. 14. 1. hearts, There is no God. But set up their horns on high, Psalm. 75. 6. and say with a stiff neck, That promotion cometh from the East and from the West, that is, They say, their honour and authority, their lands and great livings, their credit and their countenance comes to them by heritage, by birth and parentage, or by the worthiness of their wit and policy, or by the deserts of their labours and industry. Therefore they offer sacrifice to their nets (saith the Habac. 1. 16. Lord by the Prophet) and burn incense to their yarn, because by them their portion is made fat, that is, they boast of their birth, they vaunt of their value, their wisdom, and their worth, because by them they think they have whatsoever they have. And so set their whole delight Luc. 16. 19 with the rich glutton to be finely fed and trimly clad, and having wealth enough in store for many years, they say Luc. 12. 19 to their souls, Soul take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry; and grow to be like to that wicked judge, Nec Luc. 18. 4. Deum timere, nec hominem revereri, that is, neither to fear God nor care for man. For these godless Gods have commonly, if not continually about them, bewitching Elimasses, that is, besotting Act. 13. 8. epicures, Machivilists, and Atheists, which feed them with the follies of their own fancies, and pervert them from all care and fear of God, from reading, hearing, or believing the word of God. But when God had given his people rest in the days of Asa king of juda, the king and all the people made a 2. Pat. 15. 12. covenant with the Lord to seek and serve the Lord their God with all their hearts, and with all their souls: And they made a law, that whosoever would not serve the Lord God, should die for it, were he small or great. Oh if we would well consider the peace and rest, the prosperity and plenty, where with the Lord hath blessed us in the days of our Asa, that is, our gracious queen Elizabeth, we have great cause to make a covenant with the Lord, to seek and serve the Lord our God with all our hearts, and with all our souls. But if Asa his law were in England, That whosoever would not serve the Lord God should die for it, were he small or great, then surely God should be a great deal better served both of small and great. For our peace and rest, our prosperity and plenty, hath bred a godless security both in small and great: and the God of heaven is angry with the gods on earth for want of duty. For some being advanced by God to be gods, do yet with Achab mislike good Elias, and maintain Baal's 3. Reg. 16. 32. priests, that is, they cannot like of the preaching & preachers of the word of God, but maintain bald priests to nursle them in Idolatry and superstition still: such must be their chaplains, their schoolmasters, stewards of their houses, clerks of their kitchens, and bear all the sway. By sufferance whereof it is come to pass, that not only themselves are hardened in their superstition, past hope to be won, but also their children, a great number that have been borne since your majesties reign, are so taught in their trade, that they are become more obstinate enemies to the state and religion, than their fathers are. And this is one great cause, why after so long preaching of God's truth, the enemies of truth are so smally decreased, nay so mightily increased amongst us. O what a happy thing had it been for this land, if the children of such as are known to be superstitious, had been taken from their parents at the years of discretion, and committed to the education of such, as are known to love the state and religion. But better late than never, they say, Nunquam sera est ad bonos mores via. Christ and his Gospel hath a long time, two & twenty years been on foot in England, and feign would ride, as he did sometime in Jerusalem, with some glory. And ●. 1. 2. for this purpose he hath sent forth his two Disciples to bring both the old Ass and the young Colt unto him. The two disciples are Doctrine and Discipline, the word and the sword, ministers and magistrates: both which are sent out, that is, appointed and commanded by Christ, to bring both the old stubborn asses, and the young wild colts to Christ, that is, to the preaching & teaching of the gospel of Christ. These two disciples have a long time been in bringing, and have not yet brought neither the old asles nor the young colts to Christ, because they do not go together to bring them; disciple Doctrine feign would bring them, but disciple Discipline is very slack to go with him: the one seeks means by counsel to bring them to Christ, the other makes means many times by countenance to stay them from Christ. And the one without the other cannot bring them to Christ. Surely, Dominus his opus habet, that is, The Lord hath Matt. 21. 3. need of them. Now therefore I most humbly beseech your Majesty even for Christ his sake, and on Christ's behalf, to give a new and a strait charge to these two disciples, to go together speedily, and to join together effectually, to bring both the old stubborn asses, and the young wild colts to Christ, that is, to the preaching and teaching of the gospel of Christ, to the salvation of their souls through faith in Christ. Let Christ now no longer stay on foot amongst us, lest at last he be trodden under foot of us: for whilst we be still careless of their conversion, they seek and work our utter subversion. And the God of heaven is already angry with the gods on earth, for want of this duty. For some being advanced of God to be gods, do countenance such as seek to discountenaunce the preaching and preachers of the word of God: both the carpers at their lives, and the catchers at their livings. Every accuser hath too too many hearers, and too many bearers against God's ministers, to abate their credit & their countenance: and every shifter now becomes a suitor, to pill and pull away their livings and their maintenance. But when these dallying dalila's, have curtold Sampsons' judic. 16. 21. locks, and rob him of his strength, that is, when they have curtold the clergies countenance, and rob them of their maintenance, Samson shall become a blind Samson, that is, the Clergy shall become a blind Clergy, and pull down the house of God's wrath and vengeance both upon themselves, and upon those pilling Philistines that sought their decay. To be short and plain, God's word and religion is contemned by Atheists, condemned by Papists, slandered by schismatics, hindered by too many, not faithfully furthered by any. And because the love of God's word and religion thus in England is decreased, therefore the wrath of God against England is increased. For as the Oracle told the men of Athens, that the strongest state and best defence of their city, was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. Their rotten wood; meaning their good laws that were graved in wood, and by antiquity were waxen rotten. Even so the heavenly oracles of the living God tell us, that the strongest stay, and best defence of a christian common wealth, is the preaching and teaching of the word of God, the true religion and service of God. So saith the Prophet David; There is no king that Psal. 33. 16. can be saved by the multitude of an host, neither is any mighty man delivered by his much strength: a horse is Psal. 118. 16. accounted but a vain thing to save a man, but the hand of the Lord hath the pre-eminence: the hand of the Lord is mighty in operation, the hand of the Lord bringeth mighty things to pass. 1 Nymrod and his confederates thought themselves Gen. 11. 1. safe, when they builded their Babel up to the heavens: but all their high Babel was but a babble, that is, a very vain devise, and came soon to confusion. 2 Arphaxad trusted in his strong and well fenced city judith 1. 1. Ecbatanis, but Ecbatanis could not hold him when the hand of the Lord was against him. Pharaoh trusted in the multitude of his chariots and Exod. 14. 28. horsemen, and how soon were they all overwhelmed in the red sea. So, not Nymrod's high Babel's, that is, not high castles and towers: not Arphaxads Ecbatanis, that is, not strong towns and well fenced cities: not Pharaos' chariots and horsemen, that is, not the multitude of men and munition, but the holy hand of the Lord, for his word, and by his word is the strength and stay of the people of God. Not the walls of Bethulia, but the hand of the Lord judith 13. 4. held out Holophernes, and strengthened weak judith to hack off his head. Therefore that we in England have been so long, so mightily, and so miraculously saved and delivered from the hands of them that hate us, (which are so many, so mighty, and so maliciously bend against us) that their treacheries and conspiracies, their counsels & confederacies, have been so many times revealed, and so many ways prevented, that they have not taken from us our most gracious Queen Elizabeth by their gun-shot, their witchcraft, their conjuring, their sorcery, and their dealings with the Devil himself, to the utter overthrow of the present state and Religion. All this, and all else hath not been so much by the wisdom of man, by the counsel or careful circumspection of man, but by the merciful goodness of the Lord our God towards us, and by the holy hand of the Lord our God over us, only for his word and religion amongst us. For so the prophet Elyzeus, when he saw Elias taken 4. Reg. 2. 12. up from him, he cried after him: O my father, o my father, the chariots and the horsemen, the chariots and the horsemen of Israel. Plainly testifying, that Elias the Prophet of the Lord, who had plentifully preached the word of the Lord in Israel, he was the chariots and the horsemen, that is, the strength and stay of Israel. And even so doubtless Elias, that is, the preaching and teaching of the word of God, the true religion and service of God in England, is the chariots and horsemen, that is, the strength and the stay of England. Make much then of Elias, O make much of Elias. 3. Reg. 17. 3. Let not Achab his accusations make you believe, that Elias troubleth all England: not Elias, but Achab, that is, not the religion, but the enemies of the religion, their treacheries and conspiracies, their counsels and confederacies, their crackings, and their privy pack, trouble all England. Make much of Elias, O make much of Elias. Let not 3. Reg. 18. 10 the godless jezabels drive Elias out of house and home, and make him to live in the wilderness and be fed of the ravens, or else to live upon the poor pittance of the widow at Sareptha, that is, Let not the godless greedy sort take away the preachers lands and livings, and put them to live upon small pensions, or little devotions. Make much of Elias, O make much of Elias, yet make not a cloak of Elias to cast about you in foul weather, and cast from you in fair weather. Think it not enough 3. Reg. 18. 10. to seek for Elias in the time of drought and dearth, and care not for him in the time of plenty and rest, that is, Think it not enough when any trouble or adversity comes, then to cry Religion, Religion, the Gospel, the Gospel, and when all is quiet and well, then to have no care of Religion and the Gospel. O make much of religion both in weal and woe, Religion is your strength and stay both in weal and woe. And the more the love of God's word and religion in you decreaseth, the more the wrath of God against you increaseth. For the Lord is 2. Par. 15. 2. with you whilst you are with the Lord, and when you seek him, he will be found of you, and when you forsake him, he will also forsake you. The God of all mercies grant, that you gods on earth may carefully perform your duty to the God of heaven, that all want of duty being speedily amended, God's wrath for the same may in time be prevented, that God may continue a good God towards England still, Amen. But ye shall die. 1 When God made man first, he made him after the Gen. 1. 27. image and likeness of God, but his bodily substance he Gen. 2. 7. made of the dust and slime of the earth, that man should not boast himself of the image of God, whereunto he was made, considering the earthly substance whereof he was made. 2 And when God had given him the Lordship over Gen. 3. 19 all the things of the earth, that man should not swell with his great authority, God put man in mind of his mortality, saying; Thou shalt turn again to the earth, from whence thou camest. 3 And when good father Abraham found favour with Gen. 18. 27. God to talk with God, least in talking with God he should forget himself towards his God, he still abated himself with the consideration of his mortality, saying; pulvis & cinis, quid loquar ad Dominum? that is, O dust and ashes that I am, why should I presume to speak unto the Lord? Even so the spirit of God in this place to abate the glory, to bridle the vanity, and daunt the delights of men that are mighty, doth put them in mind of their mortality: telling princes and all great personages, that though they be gods, that is, gods in majesty, gods in authority, gods in wealth and glory, and in all things of this world live like gods among men: yet all your godhead, that is, all your honour and authority, all your pleasures & your treasures, all your beauty and your bravery, all is but earthy, fickle, and transitory, and all shall leave you, or you shall leave all, for you shall die. 1 For so the voice of the Lord commanded the Prophet to cry, That all flesh is grass, and all the godliness Esa. 40. 6. thereof is but a flower of the field: man is but grass, to day fresh and green, to morrow cut down and withered away: man is but a flower of the field, to day sweet and goodly, to morrow faded and fallen away. 2 And S. james saith, What is our life but a vapour jac. 4. 14. or a smoke, which for a while appeareth, and suddenly vanisheth away? 3 And the Poet saith; pulvis & umbra sumus, i. We be but dust, we be but a shadow. The wind bloweth, the dust is soon puffed away: the sun shineth, and the shadow is suddenly carried away: Man is but dust soon puffed away, man is but a shadow suddenly carried away. And it is a common proverb: Homo bulla, i. Man is but a bubble of the water, soon up, soon down. Man is but grass, soon withered away: but a flower soon faded away: but a smoke soon vanishing away: but dust soon puffed away: but a shadow suddenly carried away: but a bubble of the water soon sunk away: And though ye be gods then, yet must ye die. And as the Prophet saith; Your pomp and your Esa. 14. 11. pride shall be laid into the grave: worms shall lie under you, and worms shall be your covering. For all your goodly estate in this world, is but like the great glorious image that Nabuchodonosor saw in a Dan. 2. 3●. dream, whose head was of gold, the shoulders of silver, the belly of brass, the legs of iron, but the feet of clay: & a little stone was cast against the great glorious image, and hit him upon the earthy feet, and down it fell, and broke all in pieces. Euch so all your golden heads, that is, all your honours and great glory: all your silver shoulders, that is, all your beauty and your bravery: all your brassy bellies, that is, all your pleasures and worldly treasures: all your iron legs, that is, all your strength, youth, and health, all stands upon earthy, clayey fickle feet, and a little stroke of death shall hit upon their earth and clay, and footing fails, and down falls all. For all is but like unto jonas his guord, which for a day, jon. 4. 7. for a time, for a while, makes a goodly shadow (and yet but a shadow) over jonas his head, and suddenly, even in one night, the worm of God's wrath pierceth the root, and all your goodly guords whither clean away. And then your pomp and your pride is laid into the grave: worms lie under you, and worms be your covering. Though Ezechias for a while boast of his treasures, Esa. 39 2. his gold, his silver, and all his goodly jewels, yet he heareth this message from the Lord: Man set thine house in Esa. 38. 1. an order for thou shalt die. Though Balthasar for a while seems to bathe in bliss, Dan. 5. 25. feasting and banqueting with his nobles and his concubines, yet suddenly he seethe the fingers writ upon his wall; Mene, mene, Thecell, Vpharsin, that is, Thy days are numbered and come to an end. Though man for a while seem never so honourable and mighty, never so rich and wealthy, never so young, and lusty, never so beautiful and comely, never so fortunate and happy, yet must he in time set his things in an order, for he shall die, and the finger of God shall suddenly write upon his painted wall, Mene, mene, that is, Thy days are numbered and come to an end: and thy pomp and thy pride shall be laid into the grave, worms shall lie under thee, and worms shall be thy covering. 1 Abraham was rich, 2 Solomon was wise, 3 Samson was strong: Yet are they all dead. 1 josua was fortunate, 2 jonathas was amiable, 3 Absalon was beautiful: Yet are they all dead. 1 Moses God's servant, 2 Aaron God's Priest, 3 David God's darling: Are all dead. 1 The proud Herode, 2 The rich Glutton, 3 And the poor Lazar: Are all dead. And you that be gods, must also die. Veniet enim hora, etc. (saith S. Chrysostom) Doubtless the hour will come, when thou must needs part from all thy worldly wealth, and shalt carry nought away thereof: (for nought thou broughtest into this world, nought shalt thou carry out.) Then what shall become of thy beautiful face, thy glistering eyes, thy pampered body, so finely fed, so trimly clad? Nónne omnia pulvis? omnia cinis? omnia putredo & foetor? that is, Shall not then all be dust? all ashes? all rottenness and filthiness? Haec est via universa carnis, that is, This is the way that all flesh must go. I have said: Ye are gods, But ye shall die. Like men. And as it is certain that ye shall die, so is it, that ye shall die like men: and if you shall die like men, then shall you rise again from death. So saith S. Paul, As by a man death came to men: even 1. Cor. 15. 21. so by a man came the rising again from death to men. For as by Adam all men shall die, even so by Christ, all men shall rise again from death. Christ is the resurrection and the life, whosoever believeth joh. 11. 26. in him shall never die. Therefore the Prophet David said of himself: I shall Psal. 117. 17. Psal. 26. 13. not die but live: and shall see the goodness of God in the land of the living. And good job said of himself: I know that my Redeemer job. 19 25. liveth, and that I shall rise again in the last day, and shall be covered again with my skin, and shall see God in my flesh, and I myself shall behold him, not with other, but with these same eyes. And our saviour Christ saith of the dead damosel: Matt. 9 24. She is not dead, but sleepeth. And the scriptures of God do often testify of the dead, that they sleep: for that even as they that sleep, do wake john 11. 11. 1. Cor. 15. 18. 1. Thes. 4. 3. and rise again, even so the dead shall rise again. As many as die in Christ, shall be partakers of the resurrection unto salvation: and as many as die without Christ, shall rise again to condemnation. But what need I stand to prove the resurrection of the dead? The sect of the Sadduces, that believe no resurrection Act. 23. 23. of the dead, neither angel, nor spirit, is sufficiently confuted by our saviour Christ in the gospel. And that godless sort that say: Our life is but a breath Sap. 2. 2. in our nostrils, and our bodies shall return to dust and ashes, and our souls shall vanish into the softaire, are already condemned by the wise man. To spend speech then in that point, it needs not, or it boots not. Therefore to conclude, I have said, Ye are gods, but ye shall die like men, and your bodies shall return to the earth from whence they came, and your souls shall return to God that gave them, there to render an account to the God of heaven for your earthy godhead, and to receive the judgement, either to the joy that never shall have end, or else to the pain that never shall have end. So saith S. Paul, All must appear before the judgement Rom. 14. 10. seat of Christ, that every one may yield unto God an account of himself. For all in this life are but the Lord his stewards, and Luc. 16. 1. when Death the Lord his bailiff, shall arrest you with his writ, Non amplius villicabere, then must you appear before the great judge, and render an account every one of his stewardship. Then, then (O man, whatsoever thou art) then shalt thou see upon thy right hand, thine own sins accusing thee: upon thy left hand infinite leagions of devils pleading against thee: above thee, the terrible countenance of the just judge against thee: underneath thee, the gaping gulf of hell fire to devour thee: within thee, thine own conscience condemning thee. Miser homo, quid tum facies? i. O miserable man, what wilt thou then do? Latere impossibile, apparere intollerabile, i. To hide thee then it is not possible, to show thyself then is a thing intolerable. For then the Lord shall try out thy works, & search Sap. 6. 3. out thine imaginations, and all thy secret thoughts, shall be laid open before thee, And the heavens shall bewray job. 20. 27. thine iniquities, and the earth shall rise up against thee, and all thy sins shall lie at thy door, and all thy misdeeds Gen. 4. 3. shall be rife in thy remembrance. Then they, that now account it but a sport to sin, and take great pleasure in the works of wickedness, shall then howl and cry in the anguish of their own souls, and say: O we have sinned, we have dealt wickedly, we have forsaken the ways of the Lord, and have followed the paths of perdition in sin. Woe therefore unto us: for the Lord shall heap sorrow upon sorrow unto our souls, and we shall never find rest. Then shall they cry to the hills, fall upon us, and to Apoc. 6. 16. the mountains, Cover us from the face of the Lamb. Nay, they shall creep into the holes and caves of the Esa. 2. 19 earth, to hide themselves from the fear of the Lord, and from the glory of his Majesty: yet shall they not escape the judgements of the Lord, and they that bear rule, shall Sap. 6. 6, 7. have the sorer trial: and the mighty shall be mightily tormented. Hear therefore, hear every one the good counsel of that good father to every one: Cogita, undè sis, & erubesce: ●ern. in serm. quodam. ubisis, & ingemisce: quò sis iturus, & contremisce, that is, Think still, O man, whence thou art, uz. of the dust and slime of the earth, be not high minded, but humble thyself. Think still, O man, where thou art: uz. In a world of woe and wickedness: delight not in it, but mourn and lament it. Think still, O man, whither thou shalt, uz. to the judgement seat of God: forget it not, but tremble at it. So that whither thou catest or drinkest, or whatsoever Hierom. super Matth. thou dost, thou still think, thou hearest the trumpet sound, Arise ye dead, and come to judgement. And this continual cogitation of death, will be a great Aug. lib. exhortat. moderation to the actions of this life, to make preparation in time for death. Knowing, that though ye be gods, that is, set on God's seat, by God's appointment, in stead of God: though ye represent God's majesty, and bear God's authority, and in all the things of this world, live like gods among men, yet are you but gods on earth, and gods of earth, that is, earthy and mortal gods, and must die like other men, and part from all your pomp, and render account to the God of heaven for your earthy godhead. And thus I have said, Ye are gods, but ye shall die like men. God be merciful therefore unto us, and bless us, and grant us his heavenly spirit and grace, that we that be under you; may honour and obey you, and pray to God for you, as our duty is to you, for that ye are gods: and that you gods on earth may carefully perform your duty to the God of heaven, that when you shall die like men, and part from your earthy godhead, you may return to the God of heaven, and have the fruition of the eternal godhead, by the death and merits of Christ jesus the son of God, To whom, with the Father, and the Holy-ghost, be all honour, praise, and glory▪ for ever and ever, Amen. FINIS.