care of burying the dead is not vtterly to be condemned: and albeit to be depriued of bu∣riall, be a matter of no great consequence, as one saith; yet it is ••n honest thing to be in∣terred, neither ought it to be despised. It was not the Prophets meaning then 〈◊〉〈◊〉 r••proue Shebna for his care to be honestly ••••••ed; but his ambition, in making himselfe so sump∣tuous a tombe: and h••rein he taxeth his de∣sire and affectation of vaine glory.
There is yet one thing more to bee obser∣ued in Shebna: for in as much as he was min∣ded to deliuer the Citie into the Assyrians hand by treason, hee thought to raigne for euer: hoping by that meanes to receiue the gou••rnement of the Kingdome of the ene∣mies, as a reward of his treacherie; if they be∣came the stronger; and if it happened they had the repul••e, he yet notwithstanding loo∣ked to continue in his dignitie and authority alwaies.
But this will be the better vnderstood by the words themselues; What hast thou to doe here? For he was a stranger borne. I deny not but he might well haue obtained fellowship with the people of God; yet in regard he was both a traitor and a stranger, he had no part nor portion in this region nor Citie, which God had spoecially assigned vnto his chosen. The Prophet askes him then; Whence art thou? Thou art linked with the people of God neither by blood nor affinitie; and yet thou wilt not onely raigne in this Country whilest thou liuest, but thou art also plotting how to stablish thy seat here, after thy death. Thou wilt deliuer vs into the hands of the Assyrians, and meanest to turne out the true Lords: so as thy selfe, which art but a stran∣ger, mindest to enioy this land, in which thou hast not right to one pike of dust. Hence we may gather, that this ambition is exceeding∣ly odious vnto God, when men are not con∣tent with the honours wherewith they were glutted whil••st they liued; but they must build them perpetuall monuments of their name in the world when they are gone. For they couer to bee exalted after their death, and to liue againe as it were in the mouthes of men: and albeit things by death are abo∣lished; y••t are they besotted notwithstanding with this foolish hope, that their memorie shall indure for euer. But the Lord auengeth himselfe of their pride and presumption, cau∣sing that which they erected for a witnesse and remembrance of their glorie, to turne to their dishonour and ignominie. For their very name is so accursed, that men can nei∣ther heare nor see any mention thereof, but it is with detestation. Nay, it sometimes falles out, that the Lord suffers them not to be bu∣ried in their tombes, but sends them to the gallowes, and to the rauens; of which wee haue many examples in the histories: neither want we some spectacles hereof euen in our owne times.
But as often as I reade this place, a like ex∣ample vnto this comes to my mind, and is the neerest in affin••tie to it of all others; to wit, of one Thomas Moore, who had such an office as this Shebna had. For (as it is well knowne) he was Chancellor to the King of England: he was a sworne enemie of the Gospell, and persecuted the faithfull with fire and faggot. This man also meant to get himselfe a name, and to set vp a monument of his crueltie and impietie. To which end he caused the praises of his vertues, to be ingrauen in a faire sepul∣chre which was built in most stately man∣ner. Then he sent his Epitaph, which himselfe had made, to Erasmus, to Basil, to get it prin∣ted; and withall, sent him a palfrey for a pre∣sent. So couetous was he of glory, that hee meant to taste the renowne and the praises in his life time, which hee thought should haue lasted when hee was dead. Amongst o∣ther praises, this was the chiefest; that he had been a great persecutor of the Lutherans: that is to say, of Gods children. But what be∣came of him? He is first of all accused of trea∣son, then condemned, and lastly beheaded: and thus in stead of a tombe, hee had a scaf∣fold. [ 1] Would we desire a more manifest iudge∣ment [ 2] of God then these, by which hee puni∣sheth [ 3] the pride of the wicked; their insatiable desire of vaine glory; their brags that are so full of blasphemies? Truely wee ought no lesse to acknowledge and reuerence the ad∣mirable prouidence of God, in this cruell e∣nemy of his people: then in Shebna, of whom the Prophet heere speaketh. This circum∣stance also that Shebna was a stranger, is to be obserued: for hence we may see, that all tyrants and enemies of Gods children, would with al their hearts roote out the right heires from off the earth, themselues being but strangers; that so they might raigne as Lords and Kings ouer the whole world. But the Lord in the end will chase them out, and de∣priue them of all possession: so as they shall not haue one foote of ground to be buried in. An infinite number of such examples are extant euerie where in histories. I grant it falles not out thus alwaies, but such exam∣ples as the Lord sets before vs, ought to draw our thoughts further off, to the end we may consider of his iudgements against tyrants and infidels; who when they thinke to exalt themselues to the highest estate of honour, are made famous by some notable kinde of death, that so their infamie may be admira∣ble to posteritie. He then opposeth as it were vnder hand, that shame which was to follow, to that glory of this sumptuous tombe which Shebna caused to be made.