It followeth: But ye shall die as a man. Here he distinguisheth between mortal Gods and the immortal God. Ye have seen their glory, now behold their ends, They shall all die like others. Though they be never so rich, so goodly, so mighty, so honourable while their date lasteth, yet they may as truly as Job call Corruption their father, 1and the worm their mother: for the grave shall be the last bed of all flesh. As they were borne like men, so they shall die like men, the same coming in and going out is to all: nay, if ye respect but the body, he might say, ye shall die like beasts: for Man being in honour, (saith David) may well be compared unto beasts that perish: 2though he be in honour, yet he perisheth like the beasts which have no honour, and death will not take his kingdom for a ransom, when GOD doth but say, his time is come. When Isaiah had said, that All flesh was grass: 3as though he would correct his speech, he adds, and the glory of it is as the flower of the field. As if he should say, Some men have more glory than other, and they are like flowers, the other are like grass: no great difference, the flower shows fairer, but the grass stands longer, one sieth cuts both down, like the fat sheep and the lean that feed in two pastures, ⟨p. 714⟩but are killed in one slaughter. So though the great Man live in his palace, and the poor man dwells in his cottage, yet both shall meet at the grave, and vanish together. Even they which are Lords and Judges and Counsellors now, are but successors to them which are dead, and are nearer to death now than when I began to preach of this theme. It had been a great Sessions for all other to die: but for Magistrates, for Princes, for Kings, for Emperors to die as they die: What a battle is this, that leaves no man a live? Shall the Gods die too? He gives them their title, but he tells them their lot. Though their power, though their wealth, though their honour, though their titles, though their train, though their friends, though their case, though their pleasures, though their diet, though their clothing be not like other, yet their end shall be like other: nay, their ends are like to be more fearful than other: For GOD makes him examples of great men, as he did of Pharaoh, and therefore we see so many strange and sudden deaths of Princes,4 more than of other.
It followeth: But yee shall die as a man. Heere hee distinguisheth betweene mortall Gods and the immortall God. Yee haue seene their glorie, now behold their ends, They shall all die like others. Though they be neuer so rich, so goodly, so mightie, so honourable while their date lasteth, yet they may as trulie as Iob call Corruption their father, 1and the worme their mother: for the graue shall be the last bed of all flesh. As they were borne like men, so they shall die like men, the same comming in and going out is to all: nay, if ye respect but the bodie, hee might say, yee shall die like beastes: for Man being in honor, (saith Dauid) may well be compared vnto beasts that perish: 2though hee bee in honour, yet he perisheth like the beasts which haue no honour, and death will not take his kingdome for a raunsome, when GOD dooth but say, his time is come. When Esay had saide, that All flesh was grasse: 3as though hee would correct his speech, hee addes, and the glorie of it is as the flower of the field. As if he should say, Some men haue more glorie than other, and they are like flowers, the other are like grasse: no great difference, the flower shewes fairer, but the grasse stands longer, one sieth cuttes both downe, like the fatte sheepe and the leane that feede in two pastures, ⟨p. 714⟩but are killed in one slaughter. So though the great Man liue in his pallace, and the poore man dwelles in his cottage, yet both shall meete at the graue, and vanish together. Euen they which are Lordes and Iudges and Counsailers now, are but successors to them which are dead, and are neerer to death now than when I beganne to preach of this theame. It had been a great Sessions for all other to die: but for Magistrates, for Princes, for Kinges, for Emperors to die as they die: What a battell is this, that leaues no man a liue? Shall the Gods die too? Hee giues them their title, but he telles them their lot. Though their power, though their wealth, though their honour, though their titles, though their train, though their friends, though their case, though their pleasures, though their diet, though their cloathing be not like other, yet their ende shall be like other: nay, their endes are like to bee more fearefull than other: For GOD makes him examples of great men, as he did of Pharaoh, and therefore wee see so many strange and sodaine deathes of Princes,4 more than of other.
- 1Job. 17. 14.Iob. 17. 14.
- 2Psal. 49.
- 3Isaiah 40.Esay 40.
- 4Exod. 9. 16.
