Of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Commentary on Luke · Chapter:verse 16:25
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 hauehave it vponupon 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 in… 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: which is not to iuſtifie, but more to condemn him: for, as he called him father in no obedience, ſo now he cals him ſonne with no comfort. Hee called him father, and would not doe as a ſonne: and now hee calleth him ſonne, and will not bee as a father to him. Beſides, he bids him remember, for a further ſcourge of his conſcience in the late loſſe of all his delights paſt, which hee could not but remember with horrible torment and griefe.
And here wee learne, that the pleaſures of ſinne leaue a bitter and wofull loſſe of remembrance in the conſcience for hereafter:Doct. therefore Zophar in Iob ſpeaking of the reioycing of the wicked, how ſhort it is, and of all the ioy of hypocrites which is but for a moment; ſayth, that ſin which once was ſweet in the mougth of the ſinner, and which hee hid vnderunder his tongue, to wit, as ſweete ſugar ſhall turne in his bowels, as meate doth in the ſtomacke; and hee ſhall hauehave a loathſome remembrance of it in the vomite of thoſe deadly morſels, which hee ſhall bring vp againe: for God ſhall draw it out of his belly, Iob 20.12.13.14.15. And here that which Abner ſayde to Ioab concerning the ſword which was drawne without mercy, may truly bee applyed to ſinne: Shall it not bee bitterneſſe in the later end? 2. Sam. 2.26. That is, though it pleaſe for a time, yet after a while, what pleaſure can it promiſe or giuegive, when the beſt end of it is bitterneſſe? The louely lookes of wine, when the pleaſant eye of it is in the cuppe, and when (as Salomon ſayth) it moueth therein aright, that is leapeth or ſpirteth in it; hath (in thoſe that take it immoderately) a very bitter after taſte: the end of it biteth as a Serpent, and ſtingeth as an Adder, Prou. 23.31.32: they feele pleaſure at the firſt, but they ſhall finde ſorrow and paine at the laſt, with Remember, drunken ſonne, thou haſt had thy pleaſures here.
Salomons young man is bidden to reioyce, that is, to take his fill of the delights of life, if no perſwaſion can tur…e him, but what is the reckoning, and what will all that dainty cheere coſt him? The wiſe King tels him, (as one that knew ſomething by his owne deare bought experience) That for al this God willbring him to iudgement, Eccleſ. 11.9, that is, the reckoning will come, and God williudge him to damnation for it. He alſo ſhall bee remembred, and therefore this, Remember Sonne; is an Item to him. Eſay ſpeaking of ſuch as placed all their delight in that, which we at this day call good fellowſhip, preparing for that troupe, and furniſhing the drinke offerings for that number, ſayth, ſpeaking in Gods perſon and name: I will number you to the ſword; there goes the reckning; that is, as yee prepared for ſinners, ſo yee ſhall ſpeede as thoſe ſinners, and as you gaue them drinke, ſo yee ſhall drinke of their cup, Eſa. 65.11.12, to deſtruction: for, ſaith the Lord, My ſeruants ſhall eate, and yee ſhall bee hungry; my ſeruants ſhall drinke, and yee ſhall be thirſty; my ſeruants ſhal reioyce, and yee ſhall be aſhamed; and my ſeruants ſhall ſing for ioy of heart, and yee ſhall criefor ſorrow of heart, and howle for vexation of mind, verſ. 13.14. The meaning is, Heere my ſeruants fare ill, and yee well: hereafter all ſhall be contrary; when that ſting of remembrance that hath daggers-prickes, beginning to pricke, and you to feele it. Ieremie alſo may come in as a witneſſe, who in this very caſe ſai…th, That the wayes and inuentions of the wicked in Iudah ſhall end in much bitterneſſe, and as it were, in the point of a weapon, that ſhall pierce to the heart, Ier. 4.18. Therefore ſay the deſpiſers of God, in the booke of Wiſedome, being pricked of their owne conſciences: Wee fooles thought his life, ſpeaking of the godly mans life, madneſſe, and his end without honour; but now he is counted among the children of God, and his portion is among the Saints. Wiſd. 5.4.5. When they heard this ſaying in the voice of their conſciences, Remember ſonnes, they changed their note, and beganne to ſay, What hath our pride profited vsus? and what good hath the pompe of riches brought vsus? All theſe things are paſt like a ſhadow, and as a Poſte that paſſeth by, verſe 8.9. Thus the pleaſures of ſinne end in a very bitter remembrance.
The reaſons. The pleaſures of ſinne are a ſweet poyſon, that much vexeth thoſe that cate it: and for riches ill vſed, Chriſt compareth them to thornes, Math. 13.22. Now, athorne in the foot cauſeth great paine; but what prickings come from ſuch thornes in the conſcience? Alſo the luſts of ſinne are but baites that hauehave hookes in them; and when the baite of ſinne is gone, the hooke abideth ſtill in the ſinner. Secondly, it is a part of the ſinners puniſhment to feele continuall gnawings and pullings after ſinne committed, by that worme that dyeth not? And if ſo here, how much more in that lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone, where ſinners ſhall receyue all their penny worths together? Thirdly, the pleaſures of the wicked goe away in their death, if they continue till they dye, as they often doe not. But to hauehave beene happy, and to bee miſerable; what can it bring but horrible vexation and death before the time? and how can it but torment the ſinner to remember that he, who once, was full of pleaſures, is now filled with paine? and hee who had ſo much liuing, now, dead, hath nothing? that is, nothing but miſery, ſorrow, and his iuſt deſert in the paines of hell, and ſecond death.
And admonition, not to feede vponupon the ſweet meate of ſinne, Vſe. 1 though neuer ſo well ſawced by him that bids vsus to eate, but to our deſtruction; at leaſt, to a great diſtemper, and generall diſorder in our Chriſtian healths, or Chriſtian ſtate. If any would entiſe vsus by the colour of the wine, let vsus conſider that the colour of it is deceitfull, and, as we heard, hath a biting loſſe of remembrance in the end of it, Prou. 23.32. When the ſtrange woman, that is, the harlot flattereth with her words, Prou. 2.16, let vsus auoyde her, as wee would ſome deepe ditch, Prou. 22.14. a whore is a deepe ditch, full of great danger; hee that falleth into it, ſhall hardly riſe againe: not weake men only; but ſtrong men hauehave beene deceyued by her, as Sampſon; nor ſimple men onelyonly, but the wiſeſt, as Salomon, Prou. 7.26.27. Perhaps thou mayeſt bee called out of the good way by ſuch as ſay; Come, caſt in thy lot with vsus, wee ſhall finde precious riches, and fill our houſes with ſpoyle, Prou. 1.13.14; that is, doe as wee doe, and you ſhall bee rich as wee are: but conſent thou not: for there will be a bitter remembrance of all theſe things one day. What got Balaam by the ſweet wages of ſinne which hee loued? was hee not caſt away by them? Iude 11. Such wages of ſinne preuayle much at this day with too many: and with none more thē thoſe that ſhould be moſt free beſtowers of the ſacred inheritance of the Church: but for thoſe Patrones of Church lidings that ſhould bee faithfull doorekeepers in Gods houſe, and yet giuegive no free entrance into the doore of the ſheepe; but ſell that way for money to Simoniacall Hirelings, ſuch as will open the doore, ſooneſt and beſt, with a ſiluer key: let them not forget that theſe greedy morſels will come vp again in an vp braiding conſcience, at the day of their death, if they repent not now in their day; and ſtrike them with a remembrance that will ſticke as cloſe to them, as this of Abraham to Diues, Remember Sonne, or Church-robber, Remember that heere thou ſoldeſt heauen, and thy part in heauen for money. I might thus goe through the land, but it ſhall not neede, onelyonly this is needfull, that eueryevery priuate perſon remember that his ſinnes whatſoeuer they proue to bee, if hee repent not for them, and forſake them, will leaue a bitter after-ſent in his mind, for the time to come. And let all, young and olde, and all remember this.
A terror to greedy ſinners; Vſe. 2 for one day they ſhall heare the voyce of their conſcience in theſe two vpbraiding words, Remember ſonne. I may adde, remember daughter, or daughters of pride remember; Remember Cain, how thou ſleweſt thy brother, and remember Iudas how thou ſoldeſt thy maſter; and remember Saul, how thou perſecutedſt thy friend. Diues, thou that wouldeſt not giuegive thy crummes to Lazarus, remember, Sodome, thou that didſt ſo vexe thy good neighbour, remember: Sinners of the old world; ye, that did nothing but eate and drinke, and marry and giuegive in marriage, till yee were all buried in that vniuerſall graue of waters, remember: And yee that in this world, and now eate and drinke, and take your eaſe, neyther caring for heauen, nor fearing hell or iudgement; this that is ſpoken to the rich man in hell, may one day bee ſpoken to you there, Remember.
Sinne is an hypocrite; honey in your mouth, and poyſon in your ſtomacke: if the honey which is in it deceyue you; the poyſon that is in it, will kill you. When the honey of ſinne hath ſpent his pleaſure, the poyſon that is in ſinne will worke by incurable vpbraidings; & then comes, Remember ſonne. Then wee muſt anſwer for all, that cannot anſwer for one: all the ſports of our youth, & all the ſinnes of our life, all the lyes wee hauehave tolde, all the oathes wee hauehave ſworne, all the pleaſures that wee hauehave beene louers of more then of God; our drunken cups and companies, our whoredoms, our oppreſſions, our pride, our thefts, our ſlanderings of the Goſpell, and of our neighbour: all theſe, and all ſuch as theſe, will one day remember vsus, or bee remembred to vsus, though we would forget them; there is a Table of remembrance kept, and a booke of Items, which will bee found in all conſciences that are not purged before they goe hence; for, conſcience followeth ſinne as hell doth death; and then they ſhall heare of all, that here would not endure to bee told of any: nothing ſhall then bee concealed, where here nothing muſt bee knowne. O therefore, let vsus now remember as wee ſhould, that hereafter we may not remēber, or be remembred as we would not too late: or as this Rich man in hell. So much for the manner; the matter of Abrahams reply followeth.
That thou in thy life time receyuedſt thy pleaſures, &c.
The matter of Abrahams reply by deniall ſtandeth in two things, which made the Rich mans requeſt impoſſible to be granted. The firſt, in this verſe; the ſecond in the next. The firſt is, becauſe hee had his heauen of pleaſures here, which ended with his end in death. The ſecond, becauſe God had inuiolably ſhut vp the way, as with an euerlaſting barre, between heauen and hell. The firſt is taken from the iuſtice of God, which requiteth thoſe with pains, who for their pleaſures here, put his poore (as Diues this poore man) to paine. The ſecond is taken from his ordinance eternall; which is, that there ſhall neuer bee any releaſe out of hell, or paſſage and path-way betweene heauen and bell; and this in the next verſe. The firſt thing in this firſt reaſon of denial, is taken from the contraries of pleaſures and paine here: where, by pleaſures we are to vnderſtand, not lawfull pleaſures, but the pleaſures of ſinne: and by paine, the paines of pouerty and hunger in godly Lazarus not relieued, nor any way pittied by mercileſſe Diues. For ſimply, this Rich man could not be condemned, becauſe he had pleaſures here, and Lazarus paine: but becauſe he altogether here followed his pleaſures, and would not with his crummes eaſe this poore mans paine: as if Abraham had ſayd, Thou haſt liued to thy ſe…fe, and … ther to God nor thy neighbour: Thy belly was th… … thy luſts and pleaſures thy gods. In theſe thou haſt …, and no way in Gods obedience; therefore art thou tormented now, and ſhalt bee euer.
This was Abrahams meaning, and therefore it condemned not the Rich man, that he was wealthy, and had ſome pleaſures here: but becauſe hee was rich and cruell, and becauſe drunken with the pleaſures of life, becauſe his minde was altogether ſet vponupon worldly vanities▪ and in euill workes; and neuer a whit vponupon heauenly things, and no time vponupon goodneſſe. We heard before that riches cō ſidered in themſelues and not abuſed by their owners, doe not bolt the doore of heauen againſt any, as neyther do the pleaſures of life, vſed lawfully and well: for then, no Rich-man could bee ſaued, nor any that liueth in any pleaſures here: butbAuguſtine poore Lazarus is in rich Abrahams boſome, and godlineſſe hath the promiſes of this life, and of that which is to come, 1. Tim. 4.8. And as riches, and pleaſures doe not in themſelues barre any out of heauen; ſo neyther doe pouerty and paine for themſelues, bring any thither: for Lazarus was not ſaued, becauſe hee was poore, and in paine: but becauſe in theſe, hee truſted in God, and waited for his ſaluation.
To winde vp, and to come to the point: That which condemned this Rich man, was the abuſe, as hath beene ſayde, of his wealth and pleaſures heere, and becauſe the ſoule of his delight was in them, not delighting in God, & hating his poore.
From whence we learne,Doct. 1 that they who heere are drowned in pleaſures, and in the louelove of their belly, muſt heereafter looke to liue in paine and miſery, as this Rich man in the torments of hell for ever. So it is threatned to the young man, who cheared himſelfe with the joy and delights of youth, following eueryevery pleaſure, and pleaſant obiect, that his heart could imagine, or eye ſee, that for all theſe things, he ſhould bee brought to iudgemen, to witte, to the iudgement of condemnation, Eccleſ. 11.9. Alſo when ſpirituall Babylon was fallea, the doome ſhee receyued for her life of pleaſures was, So much as ſhee liued in pleaſures, ſo much giuegive yee to her of torment and ſorrow, Apoc. 18.7, that is, weight for weight: or as ſhee could make no end of her pleaſures, ſo let her hauehave no end of her ſorrowes, and put her deepe in hell, as her ſoule was deepe ſunke in helliſh luſts. And therefore Paul ſpeaking of the luſts of youth, bids men to flye from them, 2. Tim. 2.22. not to goe foot-pace from them, as it that would ſerue; but to flye, as much as if he had ſaid, they will ſpeedily ouertake you to perdition, if you turne not ſpeedily as vnderunder wing, from them to the life of righteouſneſſe, with them that call on the Lord with a pure heart. Iob ſayeth as much in effect, where hee confeſſeth that God might iuſtly hauehave rooted out his plants, if his heart had walked after his eye, Iob 31.7.8. I will not ſay how fitly, or vnfitly rather, this was ſpoken vntounto, or of God by him concerning the counſels of the Almighty, which are alwayes iuſt: yet ſure it is, that that holy man was perſwaded that they iuſtly deſerue a cutting off, who walke after their eyes heere, that is, after them in vanities: and that there is no hope for ſuch but in their ſound repentance. Looke not then if thou belong to Chriſt, for ioy and proſperity continually on earth; or to hauehave thy heauen here, and in another world: For it is a foule errour vnderunder the Sunne, and the dotage of thoſe fooles, who make this world their heauen, & make heauen nothing. And if it bee true (as it is moſt ſure) that they who will follow Chriſt, muſt ſwimme after him in a ſea of burning glaſſe, Apoc. 15.2, that is, bee caſt as into a ſea, or follow him in a whole ſea of miſeries here: then to enio… and feele in this life (in ſoule and body) perpetual eaſe, pleaſure, and content, cannot but be an vnfit thing for a true Chriſtian, and heyre of a better life. The point therefore is plaine, that there is no hope of a better life, if wee hauehave our hope onelyonly in this.
The reaſons. How can we come through aduerſity to happineſſe, if wee ſuffer no troubles here? How can our teares be wiped away, when we hauehave ſhed none? how can we be like our head, if wee will bee crowned with roſe-buds, where he was crowned with thornes? and if wee doe not ſuffer with him, how can wee reigne with him? The Cattell that goes in the beſt paſture is for ſlaughter, where that that feedes on the bare Common is for ſtore: ſo they are for the Axe rather then for any continuance, who liue altogether at eaſe in the beſt paſtures of Sion; where they that are kept on the bares Commons of troubles for well doing, are the Lords owne ſtore.
Secondly, a man drowned is paſt helpe: and what helpe for thoſe that are drowned in the pleaſures as it were a whole ſea of ſinne? Thirdly, here they ſayd to God, Depart from vsus, Iob. 21.14: hereafter God will ſay to thē, Depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie. Here they ſerued their pleaſures, and had no pleaſure to ſerue God: heereafter their pleaſures ſhall leaue them which they ſerued, & God whom they would not ſerue, ſhall condemne them. Here they would not bee ſaued, and hereafter they ſhall not: for Chriſt will ſay to ſuch, as to Ieruſalem, I would, but yee would not, Math. 23.37. Fourthly, the tenour and order of Gods iuſtice is inuiolable. Now it is a ſpecial part of the glory of his iuſtice, as to ſhew forth his mercy on the righteous, ſo to execute his fierce wrath vponupon vnrighteous perſons and ſinners, Rom. 2.6: therefore the widdow that liueth in pleaſures is ſay de to be dead while ſhe liueth, 1. Tim. 5.6. I conclude then, that the life of pleaſures is a dead life, or life of death: I meane, of ſecond death.
And it is ſo that men cannot in the manner that this Rich man did liue here in pleaſures, Vſe. 1 and hereafter in heauen? then in what caſe and taking are the pampered & full fed Mates of our dayes, with other tipling companions, who ſerue their belly, and not the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, Rom. 16.18. where is their hope? and what cōfort hauehave they, or can they hauehave, that euer they ſhal be ſaued in this courſe? or if God in the mean while ſhould call them away by death; what good end can they make out of ſo bad beginnings? Let them conſider this, who take no pleaſure in the ſeruice of God, and take ſo much pleaſure in vanity; who vponupon the Sabboth leaue the Communion of the Saints at Gods houſe, to hauehave communion with ſinners at Tauernes or in ſome Alehouſe: and who day after day, fill themſelues with wine and ſtrong drinke, and ſeeke not the Lord; as they hauehave done, ſo they meane to doe ſtill; to morrow, as to day, Eſa. 56.12.
Let them alſo conſider who are ſo tender, and keepe themſelues ſo tenderly, that no winde may blow vponupon them; the webbe of their life runs all in an euen thread, & there is no knot in it concerning theſe outward things, or as it is in the Pſalme, They proſper alwayes, and increaſe in riches, Pſal. 73.12. Their ſeede it eſtabliſhed in their ſight, and their generation before their eyes, Iob 21.8: But will it be euer ſo? Iob ſayeth, The candle of the wicked ſhall bee put out, their eyes ſhall ſee their destruction, and they ſhall drinke of the wrath of the Almighty, ver. 17.20, though there bee no changes in their life, nor bands in their death, Pſal 73.4, and though their branch bee greene, yet ſhall they bee cut off before their day, Iob 15.32, that is, ſooner then they thinke, the flame ſhall drye vp their branch, v. 30 & when their night is once come, where are they? They hauehave had their pleaſures here; their good dayes are all paſt & gone: that which is behind when they go down to their graue, is ſorrow and darkeneſſe, and the euill day that ſhall neuer leaue them. Iob the righteous, and Iude the Apoſtle ſay, They are appointed to it, Iob 21.30. Iude 4, or kept and reſerued for it. So 2. Pet. 2.9. And what comfort can there be in ſuch pleaſures, or ſhort dayes of pleaſure, whoſe end is with ſuch bitternes, and the recompence eternal death? What hope of ſuch ſottiſh men, turned into beaſts, and maſtered with ſenſuality? what fooles that for pleaſures ſo vaine and dearely prized, will giuegive heauen in exchange, … their part in heauen? Honours, wealth and pleaſures are caſuall, vn…table, deare, and deceitfull penny worthes; Let vsus therefore learne to vſe them without truſt, and to want them without griefe: ſo may wee hauehave them heere with comfort, and not be worſe for them, when wee goe hence: but take wee heede of all that fellowſhip, which for the wayes it taketh, may well bee called the damned fellowſhip, or damned crew of ſuch as hauehave their pleaſures here. Theſe things are but chaffe; and who would with ſuch earneſtneſſe follow that chaffe of we…lt… & pleaſures here, that eueryevery 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 vsus, who would couet them that louelove their ſaluation, and would not heare; Sonne, thou haſt had thy pleaſures here?
A reproofe of thoſe who count them the onelyonly happie men that alwayes (b) liue at reſt,Vſe. 2. and hauehave their fill of pleaſures in this world; for, had not Diues, Mal. 3.15to 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 hauehave no affliction in their hearts or vponupon 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, vponupon theſe words of the 20▪ verſe, Which was layd at his gate, &c: And the Lord will hauehave it to be ſo, for theſe reaſons. Firſt, that the Fleſh might hauehave 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 vponupon him onelyonly: which th…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 vsus 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 vponupon any weake prop of fleſh, but vponupon the ſtrong pillar of Iſrael, in whoſe name thou truſteſt. So much for the firſt impoſſibility in Abrahams reply, the ſecond followeth.