Of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Commentary on Luke · Chapter:verse 16:30
Verſe. 30
And he ſayde, nay father Abraham, &c.
It pleaſed not this Rich man, that his rich brethren, drowned in wealth, & in the delights of life, ſhould heare the word at the mouth of any of Gods ordinary Miniſters, whom he knew they would deſpiſe: and therefore, or becauſe he would bee contrary to Abraham and teach him, not learne of him; he maintaineth ſtill his firſt wicked poſition & principle, which was, that one preaching to them from the dead, would doe more good vponupon them for true conuerſion, then all the Preachers liuing could. And therfore he ſayth, Nay father Abraham, &c. or not ſo, but as I ſay, and as I rather wiſh; who neuer loued this teaching by the Word, whether dwelling on earth, or damned in hell. Indeede the way which God by his ordinance hath commaunded for ſaluation to men, is the hearing of his Word by Moſes and the Prophets; but that way is not ſufficient, or I had not beene here: and if hee would giuegive way for this (that I ſpeake of,) my fiue brethren ſhould not come hither. Thus in effect hee reaſoneth againſt God, in ſpeaking to Abraham, rather then hee will confeſſe the way hee hath followed, and would preſcribe to others, to bee (as indeede it is) deceitfull, and to deſtruction.
From hence learne,Doct. 1. that the nature of the wicked is rather to charge God, then themſelues for ſinne. So doe they whom Chriſt will ſet on the left hand of damnation, in his laſt iudgement: for, they ſay, When ſaw wee thee an hungred, or athirſt, or a ſtranger, or naked, or ſicke, or in priſon, and did not miniſter vntounto thee? Math. 25.44: as if they had ſayde, Thou chargeſt vsus that wee ſaw thee hungry and thirſty, & without clothes, and in ſickneſſe, and priſon, and did not helpe thee? but when did wee euer ſee thee in ſuch ſtraites and want, and withdrew our hand of helpe from thee? And therefore we hauehave wrong to be ſo charged, and the thing is not true.
Thus Adam blamed God for giuing him no better a wife, not himſelfe for following in euill, when hee ſhould hauehave led in goodneſſe. The woman, ſayth he, which thou gaueſt to be with mee, to wit, as my wife & helper, Gen. 3.12. Thus alſo moſt vile reprobates impute their damnation to Gods will that cannot be reſiſted, Rom. 9.19. And that reprobate that hid his talent, ſayde, I knew that thou waſt an hard man, Math. 25.14, ſpeaking againſt Gods ſeuerity, but nothing of his own ſinne. So they ſayd that Gods wayes were not equall, who themſelues were equall no way, Ezech. 18.29: The like we reade of Cain: for he when God reproued him for the bloud of his brother, ſpeakes not of his great murther, but of his ouer hard puniſhment, Gen. 4.13. He thought that God was too ſharpe and ſpake too ſeuerely to him for it. It is plaine therfore, that it is the nature of the wicked to blame God, and not blame worthy man.
The Reaſons. Wicked men are proud by nature, and proud men will bee in no fault. Secondly, the Deuils children (ſuch as the wicked bee) are contrary to Gods children; and therefore where they iuſtifie the Lord, theſe iuſtifie themſelues. Thirdly, the wicked, beeing his children who abode not in the truth, and whoſe name is ſlaunderer; muſt needes do his works, and ſay as hee will hauehave them, Iohn 8.44. Fourthly, ſuch men are the vowed enemies of God: and what care ſuch what they ſay of him, and how they charge him.
Here then we ſee whoſe children, Vſe. and children of what ſtocke and parentage they are, who complaine of God, when they ſhould giuegive him glory in his iudgements. They are not of the houſe of Dauid, neyther hauehave they Dauids ſpirit in them: for, he confeſſed his fault, that God might be iuſtified in his ſayings, and pure when he iudgeth, Pſal. 51.4. He blamed not God, when he had told him by Nathan, That euill ſhould be rayſed againſt him out of his own houſe, that the ſword of death ſhould ſtrike it, that his wiues ſhould be defiled, & that the child ſhould die, 2 Sam. 12.11; but cōfeſſeth, as it was, that he had deſerued no leſſe, & that God in ſo doing, was holy, righteous and iuſt, v. 13. Nor did Eli charge God when he threatned the deſtruction of his houſe by young Samuel, but ſubſcribed, that he might iuſtly do what Samuel had ſayd, 1. Sam. 3.18: for, ſayth he, It is the Lord who can do nothing but wel. And with him ſubſcribed Hezechiah in a like meſſage ſent him from God, 2 Kin. 20.19. But what did Herod when Iohn reproued him? He could not beare the rebuke of his mouth, but ſent him to Warde for beeing ſo bolde with the King, Mar. 6.17. So the Iewes, when Steuen iuſtly charged them, in ſtead of iuſtifying the Lord in that iuſt reproofe, they rather iuſtified themſelues in their wickedneſſe, and in madneſſe ran vponupon him, and with ſtones murthered him, Act. 7.51.57. And what ſhall we ſay of our owne times? when Gods hand lyes vponupon vsus in ſome generall or priuate ſtrokes for ſin: doe we confeſſe our ſins, and that God in viſiting for them is righteous? or do we not rather murmur, and take on in the affliction, as if he dealt hardly, or too cruelly with vsus in ſmiting ſo for ſo ſmall matters? Doe we ſay as Daniel, O Lord, righteouſnes belongeth vntounto thee, and to vsus open ſhame, or the confuſion of our faces? Dan. 9.7: or doe we not rather breake out by impatience and bitter curſing, at the leaſt by fretting againſt God, and his righteous iudgments, as too galling and rigorous? The condemnation that is of themſelues, ſome hauehave learned here of a damned ſoule in hell to transferre, not iuſtly vponupon themſelues, but vniuſtly vponupon God, that they hauehave wrong to be damned: for, ſay they, how can we chuſe, when God will hauehave it ſo? Rom. 9.19.
But this Rich man knew by himſelfe, that the louelove of the word could finde no entrance where the louelove of worldly pleaſures had filled the heart: ſo it had in his fiue brethren; and therfore he was perſwaded that all labor of teaching by the word ſhould be in vaine and loſt vponupon them.
And here we ſecondly learne,Doct. 2. that worldly couetouſneſſe and voluptuous life quench in natural men all deſire of ſaluation by the Word: for ſuch will not come to the Aſſemblies with the bidden gueſts, who abſented themſelues by their Farmes and yokes of oxen from it, Luk. 14.18.19: or if they come, they are ſure to come without all affection of hearing thither; & their mind goeth after their couetouſneſſe, Ezech. 33.31. Their wits are ſo exerciſed & taken vp with thoughts about worldly things, that they hauehave neyther leaſure nor mind to attend to the word deliuered, or hauing ſpēt all edge (this way) before they come: being come, they fall aſleepe when they ſhould heare; or if they be awake, and liſten a little, they hauehave neither louelove nor liking to that which is taught.
The Reaſons. Worldly riches and voluptuous life are thornes, Luk. 8.14; as therefore thorns make the ſowne fields vnfruitfull, ſo the thorns ofriches and voluptuous life make the word where it is taught vnprofitable Secondly, theſe are enmity to God, Iam. 4 4, and what enemy will not in corruption, doe all he can to deſtroy his enemie? Thirdly, they that follow theſe luſts are called, if they bee men, adulterers, and if women, adultereſſes, I am. 4.4: not corporall, but ſpirituall, which is farre worſe; for corporall adultery is againſt the ſecond Table; but this is againſt God in the firſt; and a man may be a corporall Adulterer, as Dauid, and yet not hate God: but hee that goes a whoring from him by a worldly and couetous heart, cannot but ſtand vp againſt him, as the hater of him, and enemy of his couenant.
An inſtruction to emptie our mindes and hands of all thorns of earthly cares and pleaſures, Vſe 1 before we come to the meanes of ſaluation in the aſſemblie; leſt, as thornes in our ſowen fields, they make the word barren, and without fruit in our hearing. They that plough and ſowe their fieldes, will rid vp by the rootes, all Bryers, thorns, and buſhes. So ſhould they vſe no leſſe dilgence to free their hearts frō the thornes and buſhes of bad affections, that come to heare: and this fore-skin of a couetous and wanton heart, ſhould likewiſe be circumciſed by the ſpirit of God, in a new creature, if they will heare with pleaſure and commoditie, Ier: 4.4. But they who come ſtuff with worldly luſts, ſhall goe away emptie of heauenly fillings. So ſaith bleſſed Marie, in her thankfull ſong: He hath filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he ſendeth away emptie: to wit, of things that are truely good; Luc. 1.53. and ſo their hearing is made damnable, and with ſinne vntounto them.
A like inſtruction to be contented with a meane Eſtate, Vſe 2 and to refrain from all deſire of hauing much in the worldlie part. For, the world is a dangerous morſell, 1. Tim. 6.9. Moſt men go a whering after it; and the beſt men caſt (but) too wanton an Eye vponupon it. Which maketh the Lord in theſe outward things, rather to keepe his children ſhort, for their good, then to ſurfet them with fulnes. And (here) he dealeth with them, as wiſe Parents with their children, whom they truely louelove. For, when they perceiue them to abuſe vntounto wantōnes, a full allowance, they will draw back their hand in a ſparer portion. So God, perceiuing his children (becauſe they be full-fed) wantonly to take pleaſure in the gauds & faſhions of this world, doeth therefore many times keepe them low, & denie them that plēty of theſe worldly things that the wicked hauehave. He knoweth how weake our braines are to beare the ſtrong Wine of proſperity; and therefore Hee (ſometimes) makes vsus to drinke bitter aduerſities out of a weaker cup. And who can deny that it is farre better to creepe with ſafety, then to clime to deſtruction? & ſo better to keepe on the low ground, then to riſe and fall. And now thirdly, this damned ſoule, though he could not be ignorant, how litle, nay, how nothing the necromancy that he ſpake of, could profit any to true conuerſion, ſeeing the word is ſufficient: yet becauſe hee loued to be contentious, and to take ſide againſt godly truth, hee holdeth himſelfe faſt to his former falſe ground, which was, that good might be receyued by the preaching of men from the dead.
But this is (after) as truely denyed by Abraham, as it was falſly auouched by him,Doct. 3. verſ. 31. where we learn, that none from the dead did euer yet conuert ſoule. Therefore it was forbidden to the Iſraell of God, to aske counſell at the dead: Deut. 18.11. And among other ſinnes, wherewith the Lord profeſſed himſelfe to hauehave been angred by rebellious Iſraell, one was, that they remained among the graues, Eſa. 65.4. that is (as it is expounded, Eſa. 8.19) were Necromancers: and ſought vntounto them that had familiar ſpirits, and that could diuine. But Lazarus the brother of Martha was raiſed by Chriſt: after he had bin foure daies in his graue, Io. 11.39. Did the Iews for that, beleene? nay, but rather they conſulted to put him to death? Ioh. 12.10. Alſo, Chriſt rayſed himſelſe from the dead. Why did not the Iewes care to heare him? rather they bribed the ſouldyers to belye his Reſurrection. Math: 28, 12, 13, 14. Further, when Chriſt roſe, many dead Saints (his bed fellowes) roſe with him and were ſeene in the holie cittie, Math: 27.52.53. were the Iewes euer a whit the better for it, to their conuerſion? nay, but they were more hardned rather in their vnbele…fe. The reaſons. That this cannot open the heart, in the point of Faith, muſt needes ſhut it; And nothing can turne the heart to God, but that which hath power from him ſo to doe: which power the Word onelyonly hath, not the lying Diumations of the dead.
Secondly, there is no conuerſion without Faith. But what faith is to be giuen to deuils in dead mens skinnes? Thirdly, that which is able to conuert the heart, hath a promiſe from God, and bleſſing thereunto: But is any ſuch promiſe made to that which prouoketh him ſo much as Necromancie is ſayd to doe? and doth he bleſſe that which himſelfe hath forbidden?
The vſe is againſt the kingdom of darknes in Popery, Vſe, ſet on foot, and kept going by Necromancies and ſundry apparitions of the dead, all damnable and fabulous; but thoſe are ſooner and more beleeued then the Word and Scripturein all that darke and ſuperſtitious climate of Papiſtic…l Paganiſme. To ſuch the Apoſtle ſayth: If the Goſpell bee hid, it is to them that are loſt, 2. Cor. 4.3: but this was ſpoken of in the vſe of the firſt doctrine of the former verſe.
Laſtly, this contrarying mind in Diues, doth as it were, hold vsus the light to ſee what frowardnes naturally, is ſhut vp in all ſtubborne Chriſtians. And it teacheth,Doct 4. that it is the property of a very froward perſon to reiect the Word. They that were very froward in Iob, ſay de to the Almighty, Depart from vsus, to wit, in the gouernment of thy word: We deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes, that is, wee deſire not thy acquaintance in the truth, as neyther thy preſence among vsus by it in the mouths of thy ſeruants, Iob, 21.14; or what care wee whether thou bee among vsus in thy comman dements, which we louelove not? rather we deſire thy roome then thy company in ſuch matters. So of Iſrael that would not heare, the Lord himſelfe ſayth, Iſrael would none of me, Pſal. 81.11. the meaning is, They who reiect my Word, reiect Me:& are they not perſons very froward that ſo doe? They that would not hauehave Chriſt to reigne ouer them, with his word, are called by himſelfe enemyes: Luc. 19.27. by Eſay, rebellious, or froward enemies, Eſa. 30.9. and, are they not wicked, and ſinners indeede (ſuch as will helpe the d…?) who rebell againſt God, in his owne ſoueraigntie, and the parts of his Dominion? The reaſons. The patterne of ſuch frowardnes, wee hauehave here in a very rebellious ſoule, damned in hell. Secondly, the Word is the Lords ſcepter, and they that reiect it, put downe their Soueraigns ſcepter. This were treaſon againſt an earthly Maieſtie: & can that other bee leſſe, or better then rebellious frowardnes, or treaſon (in the higheſt point of treaſon) againſt the Lord? Thirdly, ſuch mean to liue quietly in all ſinne: ſeeing they reiect the word that reproueth ſinne, and the ſcornfull ſinner. And, are they not moſt wickedly froward, who ſay of ſinne, This is my rest, here will dwell; to wit, in the chayre of ſinne, with the worſt of ſinners? Pſal. 1.1. Fourthly, they that meditate in the law, and they that delight in it, are, and are ſaid to be very obedient children; therefore they are froward children and vngodly, by the true rule of contraries, who cannot abide the Word, much leſſe abide to meditate in, or reade it.
A reproofe of Popiſh both Maſters and Schollers, Vſe. 1 who (as we heard) preach and beleeue, that it is dangerous to hauehave the Word of God among them, that is, among the common ſort of them, in a tongue they vnderſtand, or in their mother tongue; for ſuch cannot but carry the brand of perſons frowardly wicked. But there are in our owne profeſſion who heare it, and reade in it, and yet reiect the nurture of it in their liues, and reaſon againſt it in their talke, as this Rich man here. Surely, if there be not much rebellious wickedneſſe in this, then was this damned ſoule in hel, in ſome thing tollerable, or not very ill.
An admonition therefore to all that would auoide the blot & note of very froward perſons,ſe. 2 or perſons frowardly wicked and rebellious to God, not to croſſe his Word eyther with their conuerſation, or tongues; and where the wicked as Antipodes goe againſt the footings of it; to walke with it in a right path, and to adorne it with their obedience in a holy life: where froward perſons and very wicked ſpeake againſt the Word, our reaſoning muſt bee for it; where they ſhut their eares, we muſt open our eares vntounto it: where they hate admonition, we muſt heare and increaſe in learning, Prou. 1.5. Increaſe (I ſay) as they that liue by their meate, and hauehave a good digeſtion: for the righteous, the more they eate ſpiritually, the more they may: Fooles ſay to the Prophets, Propheſie not, Amos 2.12, that is, ſpeake as wee would hauehave you, or ſay nothing; and theſe are fooles indeed: but Chriſtians (that are godly wiſe) ſay to the Prophets, that is, to thoſe that teach thē in the word, Propheſie right things to vsus, Eſa. 30.10, that is, tell vsus of our faults that we may amend them; and wherin we faile, tell vsus, that we may do better hereafter, or, Let the righteous ſmite vsus, to wit, with the ſeuerity of the Law; for that ſhall be a benefite, Pſal. 141.5; that is, that ſhall doe vsus good indeed, and ſaue vsus from the ſweet, but killing poiſon of flattring lips; and let not their tongues, nor let them (that hauehave ſuch tongues deſtroy vsus. The laſt anſwer of Abraham, or his anſwer to this rich mans reply, followeth.
Ver. 31.
Then he ſayde, if they heare not Moſes, &c.
Ahraham perceiuing that words could not ſatisfie this importunate & cuntentious rich-man, breaks off al further talke with him, and leaues him; telling him (at parting) which he had tolde him before, that Moſes and the Prophets muſt be heard to ſaluation; and that not beleeuing the Word, it is impoſſible to beleeue without it, though men ſhould come from the dead vntounto vsus. And thus hee concludes the Parable, and all ſpeech with this rich man in it. The concluſion is that which already was ſpoken of; and the repetition thereof is ſafe for vsus, Phil. 3.1: for, beſides that it ſtands vponupon a ſure ground of truth; it is auouched twice, the better to aſſure vsus, Gen. 41.32. And it teacheth that there is no perſwading of him that will not bee perſwaded by the Word written. Therefore ſayd the counterfeit Samuel to reprobate Saul: Wherefore doeſt thou aske of me, ſeeing the Lord is gone from thee? 1. Sam. 28.16. as if he had ſayde, How ſhall I perſwade thee, when God by his word can not? and what anſwer can I make when his Prophets will make mone? v. 15. So Ieremie, They hauehave reiected the word of the Lord, and what wiſedome is in them? Ier. 8.9, that is, the word cannot teach them, and what then ſhall teach them wiſedome? Therefore Moſes ſpeaking of the ordinances and lawes which God had commaunded, telleth the people, that to keepe and do them is their wiſdome, Deut: 4.5.6. his meaning is, that if they will be truly wiſe, or made wiſe vntounto ſaluation, it muſt be by the ordinances & lawes written: or, if not by theſe, by nothing. And Chriſt ſends the Iewes to the Scriptures, to ſearch them: not to dead mens graues, to rake in them. Ioh: 5, 39. As if he had ſayde, eyther there, or no where. For, to reſolue the Iewes, concerning Him, whome the Father ſent: what could do it ſooner, or ſo well as the Word, that is mightie in operation, liuely for edification? Hebrewes 4.12. The reaſons. Firſt, nothing is written in Moſes and the ſcriptures, that is not written in the heart of nature, Rom. 2.14.15. And what naturall Man doeth not confeſſe the effect of the Law, as that which is ſo deepely engrauen in him, that he cannot rubb it out-by any pretences or colours to the contrary? Secondly, the prophecyes that went before, are daily fulfilled. And what will they beleeue who ſhal doubt of that which they hauehave heard, which they hauehave ſeene with their eies, and which (euen) their hands, in ſome ſort hauehave handled of the word of life? 1. Ioh. 1, 1. But all theſe are contained in the word written: and (therefore) they that refuſe to heare it, what wil they heare? Thirdly, it is ſafe to heare Moſes & the other writings of holy men in ſcripture; but ſafe no way (Sathan transforming himſelfe (as hee doth) into an angel of light.) to leane vntounto things not written: or reſt vponupon vn written vanities, taken vp vponupon credite, of ſathā the father, as of lyers, ſo of lies, Ioh. 8.44. and wherfore hath God giuen vsus a moſt ſure word of the Prophetes, 2. Pet. 1, 19. but that we ſhold not leaue a certainty, for an vncertaintie: or goe frō that which will ſurely leade vsus in our way, to that which wil be ſure to lead vsus out? Fourthly, the word written containeth the promiſes of a moſt excellent life, and that Sternall in heauen: alſo the threatnings of a moſt intollerable death, and that euerlaſting in the hells. If then, a ſhort life of pleaſures, ſhort and vaine, ſo moue vsus: how can we but be moued with the long life of thoſe pleaſures, that are for euer? And if wee be ſo much troubled to heare of death (which in ſome ends all paines, and beginnes all ioyes that hauehave no end) how can that but ſhake all our bones, as with a moſt violent wind, that ſpeaketh of the death that is endles; which all reprobates die, & are neuer dead? Therefore, not to be moued with all this, what can moue vsus? So it is ſealed vp for a ſure truth, that what the word of God cā not do, that no word of man or Angell can doe. They that will not be healed by it, are incurable; ſo ſaith my text: neither wil they be perſwaded, thogh one roſe frōthe dead again.
A terrour to thoſe that cannot be perſwaded by the word, whether Atheiſts in life, or opinion. For, Vſe. ſuch go againſt all principles and lights both of grace & nature. And they that ſo doe, what can perſwade them but the Magiſtrates ſtaffe? and what anſwer muſt be made them, but ſilence? 2. Kings, 18, 36. How wretched then is the condition of thoſe popiſh poore people that cannot come at the word, to be perſwaded by it, and of their popiſh leaders, that thinke to perſwade without it? And, what doe ſuch, but bury Chriſt in ſtead of being buryed with Chriſt? alſo, by making ignorance the Mother of deuotion (which is the ſtep-mother of religion) what do they but keepe him ſtill in his graue? But, let vsus of chriſtian England, to whom this day-ſtarre of the goſpel hath ſo long appeared, and in ſuch glorie & brightnes, vnderunder the two Sunnes of Q. Eliſabeth, of infinite worthy memory, & of our dread Soueraign, K. Iames now liuing, and the happines of our land, & the glory of all Chriſtendom: let vsus (I ſay) the Chriſtians of bappy England follovv, to wit, in obedience, this ſtarre of the Worde, to the houſe where Chriſt is borne: Math. 2.9. and auoyde or turne from, by our conformitie with it, the houſe where the dead are, and whoſe gueſts are in the depth of hell, Pro. 9.18. So ſhal we bee partakers of thoſe ioyes, which Lazarus hath in Abrahams boſome, and eſcape the torments, and place of torments, wherein Abraham left this Rich-man, and wee leaue him. And pray wee, that wee may imitate Lazarus, and be like him, and not be as this cruell Rich-man, doing as hee did, and ending vvhere he left: leſt being like him in vvickednes, our revvard bee like his in hell.
From which woefull Pit of death Eternall, Hee that bought vsus with a price, ſaue vsus, and that by Faith in him only, who only is the Sauiour, Ieſus Chriſt the righteous; to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghoſt, bee praiſe for euer, in all the Churches. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Robert Horne, Of the Rich Man and Lazarus (1619)