Of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Commentary on Luke · Chapter:verse 16:29
Ver. 29.
Abraham ſayd vntounto him; They hauehave &c.
In this ſecond replie, Abraham tells the rich man plainly, that they get nothing by all their lab…ur, who forſaking the Word, looke for Reuelations; and who will be taught after their owne fancies, not by Gods teaching, nor by the ordinarie way, and meanes appoynted by him. Againſt ſuch, God himſelfe complaines by his Prophet, ſaying: Should not a people enquire at their God? Eſa. 8.19. and therefore the meaning of theſe words is, that the Word deliuered by Moſes and the Prophets, and, accordingly ſince, by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, is the only ordinary meane to conuert ſinners to God: and therfore they that refuſe grace by it, ſhall no way receiue it from the Graues of the dead.
This I conceyne to be the meaning of Abrahams ſecond anſwere to this rich man: and to be the onelyonly reaſon why this ſecond petition was made, and this peremptorie replie (ſecondly) made vntounto it: wherein for orders ſake, wee may note his anſwer in ſubſtance: and the vſe that Abraham maketh of it. The anſwer in ſubſtance is, that God hauing ordained the Word written to be the onelyonly ordinary meane for the calling of his fiue Brethren, and all Chriſtians (yet liuing) to repentance; it onelyonly is ſufficient, and all meanes diuided from it, vaine and vneffectuall.
Which firſt teacheth, that the only ſealed rule of faith to ſaluation,Doct. 1. is the Scripture and word of God written. This is that path, that leades to the Way, the Truth, and Life, Chriſt Ieſus: For, ſo ſaith He, who is all theſe vntounto vsus, Ioh. 14.6. and therefore he biddeth the Iewes to ſearch: that is, exactly to ſearch: or, as Hunters, who ſtrike eueryevery buſh, ſeeking the game they hunt for: and to ſearch the ſcriptures, that is, what is written, not vn written vanities. For, (ſaith he) in them yee thinke to hauehave eternall life, and they teſtifie of me. That is, in them yee may finde Chriſt, and in him Eternall life. Ich. 5.39. this is the moſt ſure Word, 2. Pet. 1.19. or that which can neuer faile vsus: all words of men may. This onelyonly pricketh the heart with Repentance, which (without it) no miracles from Heauen, nor wonders on Earth can doe. Act: 2.37. So Heb. 4.12. it is a diſcerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And therefore the heart being deeper then any Eye created can looke into, it muſt needs be wonderfull to the ſauing of a ſinner, aboue all words of men or Angells.
A great Prop…ete had no other light of direction to his ſteppes in true godlineſſe, then that which was placed in the lanterne of the law. Pſal. 119.105. and this he followed in all his way to heauen. Herein the man of God himſelfe, the Miniſter, may hauehave an abſolute furniture of inſtruction for his owne wayes, and the Peoples committed to him. 2. Tim. 3.17. And ſo it is plain, that no line can be iudged ſtraight to the kingdome of God, but this of the Word, and they that are drawne by it.
The Reaſons. This word is called the word of Faith, Rom: 10.8. and none but this. Now, what wee may beleeue, or put faith in, is ſure. Secondly, it is as a ſecond Tree of life. Prou 3.18. If Adam had eaten of the firſt, hee could not hauehave dyed: no more can they periſh, that feede vponupon the Word, the ſecond tree of Eternall life. Thirdly, it is the ſanctifying truth. Iob. 17.17. Pſ. 1 19.9. That is, that which (& which onelyonly) prepareth, and begetteth vsus for the holy Cittie, into which nothing may come that is vncleane. Apoc: 21.27. Heb. 12.14. and (therfore) as fire it conſumeth the ſtubble of our corrupt affections, Matth. 3.11. as a ſword it cutteth from vsus our putrified parts, and members of ſinne. Heb. 4.12. and as Salt (that is ſauory) it maketh our words, and whole conuerſation in the Goſpell ſweetly torelliſh, and well to ſauour, vntounto edification, among all that heare, or liue with vsus.
Ʋſe is againſt all itching after noueltyes,Vſe. 2. not reſting in that which is written. Saul, who would not heare Samuel aliue, went to his graue to heare him there. 1. Sam. 28.8. a very vnmeete pulpit for a Prophet to preach in.
Some would hauehave Angels to teach them, and ſome looke for myracles and ſignes done, to confirme them; but Faith is begotten by the Word, and nurſed with it, being once borne in a true beleeuer. It is not giuen by voices out of the aire, nor cauſed by Angell or Reuelation. Ga. 1.8. The illuſions of Sathan, and his lying wonders, come from the graues of the dead: and they that will hauehave ſuch Teachers, put down the ſcepter of Gods prerogatiue in his Word written. When God ſaid: This is my beloued Sonne, heare him. Math. 17.5. ſhould the Diſciples who heard the voyce, hauehave ſaid: no, but we would heare an Angell from heauen: for hee will aſſure vsus rather: had not this beene to caſt away the word of the Lord, and our ſelues with it, as did rebel…ious Saul? 1. Sam. 15.22.23. Did not the working of Satan, and riſing of Antichriſt ſtand vponupon ſuch a foundation? and do they not go vponupon ſuch legs to this day? 2. Theſſ: 2.9.10. Therfore from the liuing to the dead, is a fooliſh and ſinfull progreſſe: Eſa. 8.19. And thoſe Phariſees that called for ſignes, and neglected the doctrine and words of Chriſt, were ſaid by him to be an adulterous generation, Math. 12.38.39. that is, children born in idolatry, & of idolaters: for, the meaning is not ſo much of corporall, as of ſpirituall adultery, or whoring from God.
Further and again, as that only is to be beleeued to ſaluation, which is written: firſt, in the old Testament, & (ſince) by the men of God in the new: ſo, we (ſecondly.) learne,Doct. 2. that all refuſings of this ordinance for grace, is to make our conuerſion impoſſible by any other meanes: the text is plaine for it: and Ieremy ſaith, They hauehave reiected the word of the Lord, and what wiſedome is in them? Ier. 8.9. as if he had ſaid: they will be wiſe, but not as God hath commanded, and therfore fooles they are in their own courſe: or, they will none of that, that maketh a man wiſe to ſaluation; therfore (as vnwiſe) they ſhall periſh by their own inuentions. But becauſe this doctrine commeth fitly to be further proſecuted in the laſt verſe, and very laſt words of the parable, I referre it thither.
So much for Abrahams anſwer in ſubſtance: the vſe hee propoundeth of it, followeth.
Let them heare them.
If Moſes and the Prophets muſt ſpeake from God vntounto vsus, thē we muſt heare him, ſpeaking by them in his word, that is, by Moſes, who ſhewed what wee ſhould doe; and by the Prophets, who teach what wee ſhould beleeue and doe. Alſo mention is made of hearing them; becauſe in them there is worke for the eare to heare, but none (ſaue of reading) for the eye to ſee. In them wee heare a voyce, but cannot ſee any ſhape or ſimilitude, Deut. 4.12. But this that is ſpoken of hearing Moſes and the Prophets, becauſe no more was then written, is to be extended to the whole word of Scripture, as we hauehave it now; and ſo the whole word is to be heard, Apoc. 2.7.
The doctrine from hence is; Hearing is a neceſſary,Doct. & the principall meane for ſaluation in all Chriſtian aſſemblies or all Chriſtian Churches, and people muſt heare, if they will bee ſaued: Therfore in Prou. 4.10, and many like Scriptures, God offers his words, & requires our cares: ſo Prou. 2.2. An hearkning eare, and an vnderſtanding heart muſt go together; for the eare is the furrow that receyueth the doctrine of the word, and it works not but by hearing. Chriſt ſayth, and the ſame ſayth the Spirit in diuers Texts of the Reuelation: He that hath eares to heare: hee ſayth not, hee that hath eyes to ſee, and what muſt hee doe? not ſee a Stage furniſhed for a Play in the Maſſe; but heare what the Spirit will ſay, to witte, by his Word and Miniſters to the Congregation, Math. 13.9. Apoc. 2.7.11.17.29. & 3.6.13.22. The Apoſtle S. Paul teaching the beleeuing Iewes and Romanes, how ſauing faith may bee gotten, ſayth, Faith is by hearing, not by ſeeing, and Hearing by the Word, Rom. 10.17, to wit, preached, as ver. 8.14. not by gaudes and Images, called by the Papiſts, Lay-mens bookes. And he that turneth away his eare, (ſayth Salomon) from the Law. Hee doth not ſay, his eye from ſeeing, but his eare from hearing it, refuſing to bee inſtructed by it, or from it, by Gods ordinance; as the Maſſe, Prieſts of Rome, who do nothing in the ſeruice of God to common vnderſtanding, but what may more properly be ſeen then heard: his prayer, I may ſay his good prayers, which hee ſo much truſts vntounto, will proue abominable; that is, odious to God, and plagues to himſelfe, Prou. 28.9. Hearing therefore is the moſt neceſſary, and moſt important meane for ſaluation in all the Churches of Chriſt.
The Reaſons. As a mans mind is not knowne but by ſpeaking; ſo neyther can wee know Gods will but by his word; nor what is in his word, but by hearing: Therefore God is ſay de to ſpeake in his word, and ſpeeches are to be taken with the eare, and no other wayes, Deut. 4.12. Secondly, the eare is the conduit of knowledge to the ſoule; and ſo, of ſauing knowledge to it. Thirdly, they that thirſt, muſt come to Chriſt, as they that want common water come to the well, Iohn 7.37: but this well is deepe, and our eares are the buckets to draw with, Iohn 4, 11. Therefore when wee come to this well of liuing waters, wee muſt bring our eares (theſe buckets) with vsus. Fourthly, when a Maſter ſpeaketh, he will looke to be heard. God ſpake by his Prophets in thebHeb. 1.1. old Teſtament, and by his Sonne in the new; did hee not ſpeake to bee heard? or ſhall wee not cauſe our eares to heare? and can the Lord of his people take it well, if we refuſe to heare the Maſter of his owne family? Fiftly, the word of Scripture is called the Power of God to ſaluation, Rom. 1.16; that is, his arme reuealed, Eſa. 53.1, to ſaue all that ſhall bee ſaued in deede. But to ſpeake properly; wee cannot ſee a word, and therefore wee muſt heare i…, if we will bee ſaued by it. Sixtly, none can come to Chriſt but his ſheepe: and all his ſheepe are thus marked by him; They heare his voyce, Iohn 10.27. If then it be neceſſary for Chriſtians to be Chriſts ſheepe, it is as neceſſary that they hauehave his marke, and heare what hee will ſay vntounto them.
The duty therefore of all Chriſtian Churches & people is to heare the Word, that is the written word of God: Vſe, 1: and that not ſlackely, but with all readiueſſe, Iam. 1.19. Salomon oppoſeth the duty of hearing, and the ſacrifice of fools, Eccleſ. 4.17▪ as if hee ſhould ſay, that they who refuſe to heare, doe ſeruice as fooles; and to heare is better then all ſacrifice, ſaith Samuel to Saul, a good Prophet to a badde King, 1. Sam. 15.22. Alſo no duty that wee doe to God, can pleaſe him without this; To pray is our duty, but they that refuſe to heare, may ſpare to pray: for, as wee hauehave already heard, ſuch pray in ſinne, or their prayer is ſinne, Prou. 28.9. To come to Chriſts Table is a good duty, but hee that hath not learned the myſtery by hearing, comes to condemnation, 1. Cor. 11.29. To eate and drinke are neceſſary duties; but without the Word that ſanctifieth the creature, what is our eating and drinking, but a prophane thing? Vſe. 2 1. Tim. 4.5.
Secondly, this maketh againſt Popiſh Churches and people, in whoſe eares the word ſoundeth not, but in a ſtrange tongue: and teacheth that they who liue in Popery, liue in a wretched bondage of ignorance and ſinne, to which the Diuell hath captiued their eares and whole man. Neyther can they doe any thing ſo long as they continue ſuch, that will bee pleaſing to God. Further, this maketh againſt two ſorts of Recuſants in our land, the Popiſh, and thoſe of the Separation. And is it not a reproofe of many of our owne profeſſion, who on our Saboth dayes, neyther ſhew themſelues diligent, nor well diſpoſed hearers? For though they doe not turne their backes vponupon vsus, as the other doe; yet they looke vponupon our Aſſemblies with little or no zeale, and ſome with Ieroboam ſet vp Idols of wantonneſſe againſt them, and thinke it too farre, or much to bee at them eueryevery Sabboth day, 1. King. 12.28.29. Or if they come to the Aſſemblies in the morning of the Sabboth, yet in the afternoone of the ſame day, they goe to their Farmes or pleaſures from them, and from God in them, Luk. 14.18.20. And now how can they who come ſo ſeldome and vnwillingly (when they come) hearken? Ier. 6.10. Ezech. 33.31. How is it like that they will meditate in the Law, who delight not in it? And what good hearing without meditation? They that reioyce in vnrighteouſnes, will neuer reioyce in the Word, that reproueth ſinners, and for ſinne, 2. Theſſ. 2.12: and can ſuch proue good hearers? Surely, when ſuch heare the Word, (which they heare with ſo little good will, it cānot butbHeb. 2.1. ſlip & runne out, as liquor out of olde tubbes, or water out of a Sieue. And thus diuide our hearers into foure kinds of ground; the fourth ground, or part of ground will hardly be found to receyue the ſeede and doctrine of the Goſpell with good hearing, Math. 13.8. This Chriſt reproued in the hearers of his time: and if our times bee ſuch, are they not times of ill hearing, worthy to be rebuked in the gate, that is, openly, and with authority? Tit. 2.15. The ſuppoſed reply of the Rich man followeth.