Discourses Upon the Rich Man and Lazarus, Collection of sermons · Sermon 9
SERMON IX.
Luke xvi.xxix.
Abraham saith unto him, they have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.
ANew Petition being preferr'd by the Rich Man to Abraham in the two foregoing Verses, wherein he implores the sending of Lazarus to testifie to his five Brethren at his Father's House; these Words contain Abraham's Answer, wherein he gives the like repulse to this Request, as he had done to the former, and so the miserable Supplicant is left unsuccessful in both. The Scope of what is here said, is to let the Rich Man know, that his surviving Relations had sufficient Notice and Warning already, if they would take it, not to come to that Place of Torment, where he now was; and therefore there was no real need or just occasion to Alarm them by such an extraordinary Messenger; Abraham saith unto him, &c.
Here are two things to be consider'd; the Means vouchsafed to the Rich Man's Brethren, and the Improvement required of them. 1. The Means vouchsafed. [They have Moses duplicate page duplicate page and the Prophets]. These two Moses and the Prophets, are frequently put together, as comprehensive of the whole Old Testament, John 1.45. Acts 26.22. Or (which is the same thing) the Law and the Prophets, as it is exprest in other Places, Mat. 7.12. c. 22.40. The one being the beginning, and the other the end of that sacred Volume, which take in all the rest between them. But how could it be said, that they had Moses and the Prophets, whereas they were Dead so long before their Time? Ans. (1.) They had their Writings, which supplied the Place and Room of their Persons. The same God who spake originally to Moses Face to Face, Exod. 33.11. And by the Mouth of his Holy Prophets, Luke 1.70. Did also guide the Pens of those who Recorded what was spoken; so that all Scripture is truly said to be given by Divine Inspiration, 2 Tim. 3.16. The Word Written is equivalent with the Word spoken; and being written by the Direction and Appointment of God himself, is as much to be believ'd, as if the first Speakers of it from God were now alive. (2.) They had these Writings publickly Read and Expounded to them. The Prophets were read every Sabbath-day, Acts 13.27. And so was Moses read in their Synagogues in every City, c. 15.21. Which reading was also accompanied with some Explication; (as indeed it seems reasonable that it should be) for after the return from the Captivity, they are said to give the sence, Neh. 8.8. And on this account the People are bidden to seek the Law at the Priest's Mouth, Mal. 2.7. The Priests being by their Office (when duely Executed) the Living Interpreters of the Deceased Holy Writers. So that God having provided such a Compensation for the Deaths of Moses and the Prophets, they might be said to enjoy them still. 2. They Improvement required. [Let them hear them] This is not to be understood as a bare Permission of what they might do, but as a Command, signifying what they ought to do; as they had the Opportunity of hearing, so they were oblig'd to lay hold of it. But is it not to be rationally supposed, that these Brethren of the Rich Man did hear Moses and the Prophets, as they were Men of Israel, and educated in the Jewish Religion, and consequently frequenters of the Publick Worship; and therefore why should Abraham urge the doing of that which was already done? Ans. So did David undoubtedly, during his Impenitence for those hainous Sins of Adultery and Murder, go to the service of the Tabernacle, and the hearing of the Law, but he heard to no purpose all that Time. The meer hearing of the Ear is not enough, as is plain from Multitudes of Texts, Mat. 7. 26. James. 1. 22. And therefore such Hearing cannot be all that is intended; but hearing so as to come to Repentance, and bring forth answerable Fruits; to receive Instruction, in order to Reformation; to hear and he wise, and guide our Hearts in the Way, as Prov. 23.19. to hear and yeild Obedience, or else we do but offer the Sacrifice of Fools, Eccl. 5.1.
Obs. As the having of the Word preacht is a special Priviledge, so the hearing of it is an important Duty. Here
First, Shew, that the hearing of the Word is a special Priviledge.
Secondly, Wherein that Priviledge lies.
Thirdly, What an important Duty the hearing of it is.
Fourthly, How this Duty is to be perform'd.
Fifthyly, The ƲSE.
First, To shew, that the having of the Word with us, is indeed a special Priviledge. This is easily prov'd, if we seriously consider these four things.
1. There are Multitudes in the World, that have it not, to whom it might have been sent, as well as unto us, if it had pleased God to Order it so. As the Jews of old were favour'd in this respect above all the Families of the Earth besides, so it is now with the Christian World, and with this Part of it above many others. Whether we compare our selves with the Heathen, or Antichristian World, we cannot but perceive, that we are highly priviledg'd. 1. With the Heathen World; who tho they have something of the Law written on their Hearts (enough to leave them without Excuse in the transgressing of what they know) yet it is so wofully blotted and deprav'd, so broken and defective at the best, that they may be said to know nothing in Comparison of us. A Candle is not so much inferior to the Sun, as the Light of Nature shining in its greatest clearness, comes short of Scripture. We therefore, who are called out of that Darkness in which they sit, reap a vast Advantage which they want, in having the Oracles of God committed to us. 2. With the Antichristian World, whose wretched Inhabitants are restrained from opening this Book or looking therein. It is sealed up from them in an unknown Tongue, and even in that Tongue falsified by a very corrupt Translation. They are forbidden to meddle with this Tree of Knowledge of which we may eat; and what Fruit their deluding Teachers pretend to gather from it, is poyson'd with abominable mixtures before it comes to their Hands. A free and unlimited Ʋse of our Bibles is our Glory, as Protestants; and on the other side, that which is commonly learnt by Popish Sermons, needs to be unlearn't, and pull'd down again, by them that would be built up to the heavenly Inheritance.
2. They that have not the Word, are destitute of that which in God's usual and stated Course is requisite to Salvation. What strange and secret Ways God may possibly have in saving some without the Word, I think, no Man is able to assign; we are to judge by what he hath reveal'd; and if we go by that Rule, we shall find that Faith it self is not more necessary to Salation, than Hearing is to Faith, Rom. 10.17. Tho all have not Faith, that hear the Word, yet how shall they believe that hear it not? 'Tis a Question which the Holy Ghost puts, and he who thinks he can answer it, may do well to try the Spirit, which he is led by. The Scripture still speaks of the great Work of Faith, as the Effect of this instrumental Cause, under the influence of the Supream, Acts 4.4. Many of them which heard the Word, believed. So c. 18.8. Many of the Corinthians hearing, believed. It does not therefore appear, from what God hath discover'd of his Mind and Will to us, but that they to whom the Word comes not, must remain and perish in their Insidelity.
3. The taking away of the Word from those that have enjoy'd it, is threaten'd by God, as a peouliar Judgment, and should be so resented by us, Amos 8.11. Behold the Days come, saith the Ford, that I will send not a Famine of Bread, but (what is a great deal worse, for that is manifestly implied in the manner of Expression) a Famine of hearing the Words of the Lord. A Famine of Bread is no small Calamity; (it exceeds the Pestilence, 2 Sam. 24.13. And the Sword, Lam. 4.9. Which yet are two dreadful Evils) but this Famine of the Word is abundantly greater. It is better to part with the Staff of Life, than the Food of Souls. This was the fearful threatening against the Church of Ephesus, Rev. 2.5. I will remove thy Candlestick out of its Place. The Candlestick signifies nothing, if the Light be gone; so without the Continuance of the Word, there must be the Dissolution of a Church-state. Now if the Judgment of losing the Gospel be so great, the Priviledge of having it is proportionable.
4. Many that have had the Word, wanted this last and compleat Edition of it, which was reserv'd to these New Testament Times. We have not only Moses and the Prophets (as they in the Text had) but Jesus Christ and his Apostles. God hath added considerably to the Church's Teasure, since our Lord Jesus came to manifest his Father's Name, and bear Witness to the Truth in his own Person. Even they whose inspired Writings make up a Part of what we now possess, had not those measures of Divine Revelation, which we have, Mat. 13.17. Many Prophets and Righteous Men have dosired to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them. They who gave the first Intimations of Christ's coming into the World, would have been glad to know, what the Evangelists reported concerning him, after he was come. The Word of the Kingdom (as well as the Kingdom it self) was formerly contain'd in a lesser Compass, and that which was, was deliver'd more obscurely; now we have such Enlargements, as do both perfect and clear up the whole. So that if the Israelites heretofore were honour'd with knowing the joyful Sound more than any Nation in the World, we evidently go beyond them, and are dignified even in this much more than they.
Secondly, Wherein does the Priviledge of having the Word lye? Ans. We may take it in two things.
1. We have God speaking in the Word. It is truly the Voice of God, and not of Man; and they that do not apprehend it so, mistake it, as Samuel did when the Lord called him three times successively, and he still thought that it was Eli, 1 Sam. 3.8. He that heareth those which are sent of God, heareth him in hearing them, Luke 10.16. For (as Christ himself said) their Word is not theirs, but his, John 14.24. The Audience which Christ's Ministers demand and expect, is not upon their own account, but because of him in whose Name and Authority they come; as the Prophet said to the People of the Jews, Hear ye, and give Ear, for the Lord hath spoken, Jerem. 13.15. q. d. Yon may more safely despise a Man, than be deaf to God. Such as will not hearken to the Men of God, declare plainly, that they will not hearken to God himself, Ezek. 3.7. For they are so far in the Place of God, as Embassadors that represent the Prince whom they come from, and follow the Orders which they have receiv'd, and deliver the Messages wherewith they are entrusted.
2. We have God speaking by Men like our selves; of the same Passions with us, Acts 14.15. This does not lesson our Priviledge, but beighten it. We cannot bear the immediate Manifestations of God, while we are in this World; as we are not able to see 'his Face and live, so if we were to hear his Voice, we should dye, Deut. 5.25. The Disciples in the Mount of Transfiguration, when the Voice came out of the Cloud, were not so much instructed, as amaz'd, Mat. 17.6. It is God's gracious Condescension to our present weakness, that he utters his Mind to us by those who are compassed with Infirmity, as well as our selves; as Elihu said to Job; Behold I am according to thy wish, in God's stead, I also am formed out of the Clay; my Terror shall not make thee afraid, &c. Job 33.6, 7. If this Treasure were not convey'd through earthen Vessels, it would be more unprofitable for us than it is. A Word spoken by Angels would not do us so much good, as that wherein God employs the Tongues of Men; and therefore the Angel that appeared to Cornelius, said little himself, but referr'd him to Peter, Acts 10.6. He shall tell thee, what thou oughtest to do.
Thirdly, What an important Duty the Hearing of the Word is. There are four Considerations which will fully make out this.
1. The Spirit of Grace does ordinarily work most in Hearing. It is no wonder that what is by Divine Appointment, should be chiefly bless't to the Galatians by the hearing of (the Word of) Faith, and so they receiv'd him, as the Apostle makes his appeal to them in the Case, Gal. 3.2, 5. As the Prevalency of the Word, is only when it comes in the Holy Ghost, so the great operations of the Holy Ghost, are mostly, when he comes in the Word. This is the Chariot which he Rides in, when he makes his Entrance into the Soul. The Signal given to David to bestir himself against the Host of the Philistines, was when he heard the sound of a going in the Tops of the Mulberry-trees, for then would the Lord go out before him, 2 Sam. 5.24. So when we feel the Motions of the Spirit in the Preaching the Gospel, that is the time, wherein the Enemies of our Souls are to be subdued to us.
2. It is a Duty which Life depends upon. We are bidden to Hear for our very Lives, Isd. 55.3. Hear and your Soul shall live. According as we do well or ill in this Case, we prosper or miscarr to Eternity. They that make the best Improvement of such valuable Helps, have the principal Reward, they that neglect and contemn them, have the highest Punishment. Therefore Tribulation and Anguish, Indignation and Wrath on the one Hand, and so Glory, Honour and Peace on the other Hand, are said to be to the Jew first, Rom. 2.9, 10. The Place of Hearing, is like the Mount of Blessing and Cursing too, Gerizim and Ebal united. They that take heed how they Hear, shall inberit the Blessing to which they are called, and they that do not, are smitten with a Curse.
3. No Audience or success can be expected at the Throne of Grace, without a due Attendance to the Word of Grace. We cannot pray in Faith, or with acceptance, if we sleight the Ordinance of Preaching. 'Tis but just, that we should look for the same measure which we mete; but whether we look for it or not, we shall find it so. Prov. 28.9. He that turneth away his Ear from hearing the Law, even his Prayer shall be Abomination. If we be not sift to Hear, how can we ask of God to hear us speedily in the most urgent distressed Cases? What Confidence can we have in making known any request to him, when we have little or no regard to what he says to us? God's Messengers might Preface all their Discourses, as Jotham did his Parable. Judg. 9.7. Hearken to me, that God many hearken to you, It is vain Presumption to think that our Prayers should be receiv'd, when God's calls are refus'd, or that his Ears should be open, when we stop our own. See Zech. 7.11, 12, 13.
4. From our hearing of the Word, we may gather a certain Evidence of our State. It is made a distinguishing Character and Mark, whereby to discern between the Righteous and Wicked, the Children of God, and of the Devil. John 8.47. He that is of God, heareth God's Words; you therefore hear them not, because you are not of God. The Proposition which is here laid down, and the Inference which is drawn from it, do both teach us, that the Respect which Men bear to the Word, is an infallible touchstone, whereby to try their spiritual Condition. So 1 John 4.6. He that knoweth God, heareth us; he that is not of God, beareth not us. No Person that hears the Word aright, can be in a bad state, tho he may do some things amiss; and on the contrary, he that does not hear aright, cannot be in a good State, tho some particular Acts may have a plausible Appearance. Now that which thus turns the Scale, must undoubtedly be of great and eminent Importance.
Fourthly, How is this Duty to be performed. Ans. In six Things.
1. With constant Diligence. Prov. 8.34. Blessed is the Man that heareth me, watching daily at my Gates, &c. They have no Title to this Promise, who are frequently diverted from coming to Wisdom's Doors, or that do not watch when they are there. As the Opportunities of hearing are not to be omitted upon slender grounds, so a strict Attention in hearing ought to be kept up, Luke 19.48. Acts 16.13. Our bear Presence in Places of solemn Assembly can never be imagined to excuse us, or to answer the end of the Commandment. It may very well be enquir'd of some shameful Drones, as it was of jonah when he slept in the Storm, What they mean? Whether they take the Bed of Ordinances to be a place of slothful rather than spiritual, rest? And whether they fancy that God will always appear to them, as he did once to Solomon (1 Kings 3.5.) in a Dream? But there are others almost as far from giving earnest heed (which they should do, heb. 2.1.) as they that are asleep; I mean, those, the Eyes of whose Minds are perhaps at the Ends of the Earth, and the Eyes of their Bodies wandering about to some nearer Objects, which at such times they are not at all concern'd with. These affront God with their trifling Mockery, when they sit before him.
2. With serious Reverence. If they that speak should speak as the Oracles of God, 1 Pet. 4.11. They that hear, should do it, as becomes those Oracles also. Not only in a becoming Posture, (as all the People stood up, when Ezra open'd the Book of the Law, Neh. 8.5.) but especially in an awful Frame, which the Word of such a King, tho pronounced by his inferior Officers, justly calls for. When Samuel came to Bethlehem upon an Errand from God, the Elders of the Town trembled at his Coming, 1 Sam. 16.4. And that which mightily increased Titus his esteem of the Corinthians, was the Remembrance of their Obedience, how with fear and trembling they receiv'd him, 2 Cor. 7.15. A respect to the Persons of Ministers, (tho really Due, and will be paid by those that consider who emploies them, yet) signifies nothing, without a regard to the Matter of their Ministry; for Christ threatens a Wo to them that built the Tombs of the Prophets, Mat. 23.29. but minded not their Doctrine. We should be as filially afraid of the Judgments of God's Mouth, as others are servilely of the Judgments of his Hand.
3. With sincere Affection and Delight. Whatsoever Truths are not receiv'd in Love, are really not receiv'd to any saving Purpose. The Words of God should be not only hastily catcht as (as the Words of abab by Benhadad's Servants) but eaten, like Food, which a Man hath the sharpest Appetite to, and takes sweetest Pleasure in, Jerem. 15.16. The Levites of old were to come from the Places where they sojourned in Israel, with all the desire of their Mind to the Place which God had chosen, Deut. 18.6. So should we come to hear the Words of Eternal Life. The Fame of Solomon's Wisdom brought the Queen of Sheba from the uttermost Parts of the Earth, Mat. 12.42. i. e. from a very distant Country, near a thousand Miles off, (as some compute) and yet it was not so tedious to her, as perhaps such a number of sleps is to many upon a greater Occasion. If Love to the Word be our Spur and Motive in coming to it, it will carry us upon Eagle's wings; and if it be not so, there can be no rational Hope of our prositing by the Word.
4. With settled Resolutions and Designs of suitable Obedience. Set your Hearts (says Moses) to all the Words which I testifie among you this Day, which you shall command your Children to observe, &c. Deut 32.46. There is no Attention which is significant, or serviceable, but what is in order to practical Observation. No Ordinance of God was ever designed only to employ the Ear, or inform the Judgment, but to assect the Soul, and influence the Life. And if this end be not unfeignedly proposed, a Man may multiply his Hearing of Sermons, with as little Effect, as the Pharisees enlarg'd their Phylacteries, which were Scrolls of Parchment, whereon they wrote some Memorials of the Law, when there was nothing of it written on their Hearts, nor much legible in their Conversations. We should resolve (as the Jews did, but perform better) to do according to all things, and that we will obey the Voice of God, whether it be Good or Evil; whether it agree with out own Inclinations and Interests, or be contrary to them, Jer. 42. 5,6. If this be not the full bent of our Spirits, we deceive our selves.
5. There must be a mixture of Faith with the Word which we hear, or it will not be useful to us, Heb. 4.2. There seems to be an Allusion in that Place to the mingling of the natural ferment in the Stomach with our Food, which procures both Digestion and Nourishment; or else the Food would be rather hurtful than profitable, and lay up matter for dangerous Diseases. This is called very frequently a receiving of the Word; Acts 2.41. c. 8.14. c. 11.1. 'Tis a taking of it into the Soul, that it may be an internal ruling Principle; as by Faith we receive our Lord Christ himself, that he may dwell in our Hearts also. Doctrines which are not believingly embraced, and so engrasted in the Mind, will e of no Benefit to us; but as Jehoshaphat said in another Case, Believe in the Lord your God, and believe his Prophets, so shall you prosper, 2 Chron. 20.20.
6. There must be fervent Supplication, before, and in, and after Hearing. As every Creature is sanctified by the Word of God and Prayer, so by Prayer the Word it self if sanctified. We cannot expect that it should Minister any Grace to us, if we do not expresly seek to the God of all Grace, that it may do so. His Blessing should be begg'd when we go about this Duty, when we are exercis'd in it, and when we have done it. Or else we may be ever learning, and never taught; the Truth, as it is in Jesus, will be always unknown to us, and Moses and the Prophets will accuse us to the Father, instead of bringing us to Christ. Our sitting under the best of Means will not be seen by our thriving; as when the Lean Kine in Pharaoh's Dream had eaten up the Fat it could not be known that they had eaten them, but they were still ill-favoured as at the beginning, Gen. 41.21. So shall we be, if Prayer berestrain'd, and only Preaching attended.
Fifthly, the ƲSE.
1. Information. 1. It will be worse for those that are not the better by the Word, than if they had it not. No Persons are accountable for the neglect of Means which they never enjoy'd; none shall be condemn'd for not hearing, who cannot if they would; but where the Word is sent, and yet put away, their Condemnation is aggravated. As it was a far greater shame to the Disciples who had conversed so much with Christ, to be ignorant of the Parable, than for the common People, and therefore Christ upbraids them, Are you without Ʋnder standing also? Mark 7.18. Where the way of Salvation is utterly hid, they are less guilty, than such as turn their Backs upon the discovery of it. 2. Ministers have just ground of complaint against too many Customary Hearers, for the lost labour bestow'd upon them. Deaf Adders fill up Multitudes of Seats. As the Prophet said, it may with equal Reason be said again; Jerem. 6.10. To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold their Ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken. This is the Case of Hundreds, who pretend to great obsequiousness. And indeed an Auditory consisting of Publicans and Sinners (like that Luke 15.1.) is far more hopeful, than one made up of formal Hypocrites, who drive on a Trade of hearing without any sollicitude, whether they get real good by it. 3. God hath great Provocation to withdraw the Means, where they are ungratefully contemn'd. As the Blind Man who had been restored to his sight by Christ, answer'd the Jews very well, when they repeated their captious and frivolous Enquiries, I have told you already, and you did not hear; wherefore would you hear it again? John 9.27. The way to secure our selves in the Possession of any Priviledge, is to improve it; but where that is wholy wanting, no wonder if the Priviledge be lost. It is manifest Justice, that the Prophets (like Zacharias, the Father of the Baptist) should be Lumb, when the People refuse to hearken. The silencing of a Gospel-Ministry is a natural Punishment for the Sin of its Despisers.
2. Exhortation. 1. Consider well, whom, as well as what, you hear. The Prophets whom the Rich Man's Brethren are referr'd to, are link't with Moses, an authentick Author, to distinguish them from the false Prophets that were among the People, 2 Pet. 2.1. Christ speaks of the Thieves and Robbers which came before him (i. e. came without being sent) that the Sheep did not hear them; which is not mentioned as their Sin, but to their Commendation, John 10.8. They that have learned Christ, will chuse no such Masters. Men that have no true Commission from God, will do no Service to Souls. This is intimated, Jerem. 23.22. If they had stood in my Counsel, and caused my People to hear my Words, then they should have turned them from their Evil way, &c. 2. Be sure to do that in reality, which you so often appear to do. You may as well utterly forbear, as not hear indeed. It will be sad to be found in their number, who in hearing, hear not, Mat. 13.13. For this is as possible, as a Bodily sight of many things joyn'd with Mental Blindness and insensibility. So we are to understand those Words of Moses to Israel (which are seemingly Contradictory), Deut. 29.2, 3, 4. You have seen all that the Lord did before your Eyes, &c. yet the Lord hath not given you Eyes to see. Hear, as under the Inspection of God, and so that you may approve your selves in this Act to him. 3. Examine your selves frequently with relation to the Benefit which you reap by doing it. See (1.) Whether the Work of God be begun by the Ministry of his Word, which you give your attendance to; whether that Evangelical Promise be yet fulfilled in you, of the Ears of the Deaf being unstopped, Isa. 35.5. So that the Passage to the Heart may be free and open. (2.) Whether it be carried on notwithstanding the Obstructions which it meets with. Take an impartial measure of your growth by the Word, that you may not only be certified of your spiritual Life, but know how much is added to your Stature. If the Consciences of our Auditors were but weekly busied in such Reflections, we should have more and better Christians.