Sermons and Discourses Volume 5, Sermon 11
SERMON XI. The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus.
Sermon II. LUKE XVI.19, 20.
There was a certain Rich Man, which was cloathed in Purple and fine Linen, and fared ſumptuouſly every day: And there was a certain Beggar, named Lazarus, which was laid at his Gate full of Sores.
I Proceed to our Second Obſervation, that a Man may be poor and miſerable in this World, and yet dear to God. This beggar Lazarus, tho' he was ſo much ſlighted, and deſpiſed in his life-time by this great Rich Man, yet it appeared when he came to die, that he was not neglected by God, for he gave his Angels charge concerning him, to convey him to Happineſs; v. 22. The Beggar died, and was carried into Abraham's boſom.
But this Truth is not only repreſented to us in a Parable, but exemplified in the Life of our bleſſed Saviour. Never was any Man ſo dear to God as he was, for he was his only begotten Son, his beloved Son, in whom he was well pleaſed: And yet how poor and mean was his Condition in this World! Inſomuch that the Jews were offended at him, and could not own one that appeared in ſo much Meanneſs, for the true Meſſias. He was born of mean Parents, and perſecuted as ſoon as he was born; he was deſtitute of worldly Accommodations, The Foxes had holes, and the Birds of the Air had neſts; but the Son of Man had not where to lay his head. He was deſpiſed and rejected of Men, a Man of Sorrows, and acquainted with Grief.
God could have ſent his Son into the World with Majeſty and great Glory, and have made all the Kings of the Earth to have bowed before him, and paid Homage to him: but the Wiſdom of God choſe rather that he ſhould appear in a poor and humble, in a ſuffering and afflicted Condition, to confound the Pride of the World, who meaſure the Love of God by theſe outward things, and think that God hates all thoſe whom he permits to be afflicted.
Now it was not poſſible to give a greater and clearer Demonſtration of this Truth, that Goodneſs and Suffering may meet together in the ſame Perſon, than in the Son of God, who did no Sin, neither was Guile found in his mouth; yet it pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, and to put him to Grief.
Afflictions in this world are ſo far from being a ſign of God's Hatred, that they are an Argument of his Love and Care; whom the Lord loveth he chaſtneth, and ſcourgeth every Son whom he receiveth. Thoſe he deſigns for great things hereafter, he trains up by great Hardſhips in this world, and by many Tribulations prepares them for a Kingdom. This courſe God took more eſpecially in the firſt planting of Chriſtianity; the poor chiefly were thoſe that received the Goſpel. Not many mighty, nor many noble; but the baſe things of the world, and the things that were deſpiſed did God chuſe. Hearken, my beloved brethren, ſaith St. James, ch. 2.5. Hath not God choſen the poor in this world, rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom, which he hath promiſed to them that love him?
Now this Conſideration ſhould perſuade to Patience under the greateſt Sufferings and Afflictions in this world. God may be our Father, and chaſten us ſeverely; nay this very thing is rather an Argument that he is ſo. God may love us tho' the world hate us. 'Tis but exerciſing a little Patience, and theſe Storms will blow over, and we ſhall be removed into a calmer Region, where all tears ſhall be wiped from our eyes; and death and ſorrow ſhall be no more. This was the Portion of the Son of God here; but it is a faithful ſaying, that if we be dead with him, we ſhall alſo live with him, if we ſuffer with him, we ſhall alſo reign with him. Therefore thoſe who ſuffer in this world ought not to be moved, as tho ſome ſtrange thing hapned unto them; but ſhould rather rejoice, in as much as they are partakers of Chriſt's ſufferings, that when his glory ſhall be revealed, they alſo may be glad with exceeding joy, 1 Pet. 4.12, 13. I proceed to a
Third Obſervation, which is the different Eſtate of good and bad men after this life; Lazarus died, and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's boſom: the rich man died, and went to hell. This the Juſtice of the Divine Providence ſeems to require; ſo that if there had been no Revelation of God to this purpoſe, it is a thing very credible to Natural Reaſon, whether we conſider God or our ſelves. If we conſider God; our Reaſon tells us, that he is the holy and righteous Governor of the World, and conſequently, that he loves Goodneſs and hates Sin, and therefore is concern'd to countenance the one, and diſcountenance the other, in ſuch a ſolemn and publick manner, as may vindicate his Holineſs and Juſtice to the whole World. Now the Diſpenſations of his Providence are promiſcuous in this world; and therefore it ſeems very reaſonable, that there ſhould be a general Aſſizes, a fair and open Trial; when God will render to every Man according to his works.
And if we conſider our ſelves, this will appear very credible; for this hath been the conſtant Opinion, not only of the common People, but of the wiſeſt Perſons, who had only the light of Nature to guide them. Nay if we do but ſearch our own Conſciences, we ſhall find an inward and ſecret acknowledgment of this, in that inward peace and ſatisfaction we find in any good Action, and in that ſhame and fear and horror that haunts a Man after the commiſſion of any, tho' never ſo ſecret a Sin.
And as Reaſon and Scripture together do aſſure us of a future Judgment; ſo likewiſe, that Men, when they paſs out of this world, ſhall meet with the proper Conſequences and Rewards of their Actions in the other. And tho' the Happineſs or Miſery of Men be not ſo compleat as it ſhall be after the publick Judgment; yet it is unſpeakably great. Lazarus is repreſented as very happy immediately after his paſſing out of this world, he is ſaid to be carried into Abraham's boſom; by which the Jews expreſs the Happineſs of the future State. And the Rich Man is repreſented, as in great Anguiſh and Torment. But what the Happineſs of good Men, and the Miſery of wicked Men ſhall be in the other State, we can but now imperfectly and unskilfully deſcribe.Serm. on Rom. 6.21, 22. Each of theſe I have in another Diſcourſe ſpoken ſomething to. I proceed to a
Fourth Obſervation, the vaſt difference between Men's Conditions in this world, and the other. The Rich Man proſpered here, and was afterward tormented: Lazarus was poor and miſerable in this world, and happy in the other; v. 25. Remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedſt thy good things and Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And it is very agreeable to the Wiſdom of God, to make ſuch a difference between Mens Conditions in this World and the other; and that for theſe two Reaſons.
1ſt. For the trying of Mens Virtue.
2dly, In order to the Recompencing of it.
1. For the Tryal of Men's Virtue. For this End principally God ordains the Sufferings of Good Men, and permits the beſt of his Servants many times to be involved in the greateſt Calamities to try their Faith in him, and Love to him; to improve their Virtue, and to prevent thoſe Sins into which the mighty Temptations of a perpetual Proſperity are apt to draw even the beſt of Men; to take off their Affections from the love of this vain World, and to engage and fix them there, where they ſhall never repent that they have placed them; to prove their Sincerity towards God, and to exerciſe their Patience and Submiſſion to his Will; to prepare them for the Glory of the next Life, and to make the Happineſs of Heaven more welcome to them, when they ſhall come to it.
2dly, In order to the Recompencing of Men; that they who will take up with the Pleaſures and Enjoyments of this preſent world, and take no care for their future State, that they who will gratify their Senſes, and neglect their immortal Souls, may inherit the proper Conſequences of their wretched Choice. And on the other hand, that they who love God above all things, and had rather endure the greateſt Evils, than do the leaſt, that they who look beyond the preſent Scene of things, and believe the reality and Eternity of the other State, and live accordingly, may not be diſappointed in their Hopes, and ſerve God, and ſuffer for him for nothing. From this conſideration of the Difference between the Condition of Men in this world and the other, we may infer,
1. That no Man ſhould meaſure his Felicity or Unhappineſs by his Lot in this world. If thou receiveſt thy good things, art rich and honourable, and haſt as much of the things of this world as thine Heart can wiſh, art ſplendidly attired, and fareſt ſumptuouſly every day; art in no trouble like other Men, neither art plagued like other folk; do not upon this bleſs thy ſelf as the happy Man. On the other hand, art thou poor and miſerable, deſtitute of all the Conveniences and Accommodations of this Life? Do not repine at thy Lot, and murmur at God for having dealt hardly with thee. No Man can be pronounced happy or miſerable for what befals him in this Life; no Man knows Love or Hatred by theſe things; this Life is but a ſhort and inconſiderable duration, and it matters not much what Entertainment we meet withal, as we are paſſing through this world: The ſtate of Eternity is that wherein the Happineſs or Miſery of Men ſhall be determined. He is the happy Man who is ſo in that Life which ſhall never have an end; and he is miſerable that ſhall be ſo for ever.
2. We ſhould not ſet too great a value upon the bleſſings of this Life. We may receive our good things here, and be tormented hereafter; nay this very thing will be no inconſiderable part of our Torment, none of the leaſt Aggravations of our Miſery, that we did receive our good things. Nothing afflicts a Man more, and toucheth him more ſenſibly when he is in Miſery, than the remembrance of his former Proſperity; had he never been happy, his Miſery would be the leſs.
Therefore we ſhould be ſo far from applauding our ſelves in the Proſperity of this World, that we ſhould rather be afraid of receiving our good things here; leſt God ſhould put us off with theſe things, and this ſhould be all our Portion, and leſt our Miſery in the next World ſhould be the greater for our having been happy.
The Felicities of this World are Tranſient, and tho' our Happineſs were never ſo compleat, yet it is going off, and paſſing away; and when it is gone and paſt, if Miſery ſucceed it, it had better never have been. Remember, thou in thy life time receivedſt thy good things; theſe things are only for our life time, and how ſhort is that! Did Men ſeriouſly conſider this, they would not ſet ſuch a price upon any of the tranſient Enjoyments of this Life, as for the ſake of them to neglect the great Concernments of another World. We are apt to be dazled with the preſent glittering of worldly Glory and Proſperity: But if we would look upon theſe things as they will be ſhortly gone from us, how little would they ſignifie! The Rich Man here in the Parable did, no doubt, think himſelf a much happier Man than poor Lazarus that lay at his Door; and yet after a little while how glad would he have been to have changed Conditions with this poor Man! When he was in Torments, then no doubt he wiſht that he had ſuffered all the miſery and want in this world which Lazarus did, provided he might have been comforted as he was, and carried by Angels into Abraham's boſom. We ſhould value this world, and look upon it, as this Rich Man did, not when he enjoyed it, but when he was taken from it; and we ſhould eſteem it and uſe it while we may, as he wiſht he had done when it was too late.
3. We ſhould not be exceſſively troubled, if we meet with hardſhip and affliction here in this world; becauſe thoſe whom God deſigns for the greateſt happineſs hereafter, may receive evil things here. Thus our bleſſed Saviour, the Captain of our Salvation, was made perfect through Sufferings: this was the method which God uſed towards his own Son, firſt he ſuffered, and then entred into glory. He ſuffered more than any of us can bear; and yet he ſupported himſelf under all his Sufferings by the conſideration of the Glory that would follow; for the Joy that was ſet before him, he endured the Croſs, and deſpiſed the ſhame.
The ſame Conſideration ſhould arm us with Patience and Conſtancy under the greateſt Evils of this life. The Evils that we lie under are paſſing and going off; but the Happineſs is to come. And if the Happineſs of the next World were no greater, nor of longer continuance, than the Miſeries of this World; or if they did equally anſwer one another; yet a wiſe Man would chuſe to have Miſery firſt, and his Happineſs laſt. For if his Happineſs were firſt, all the Pleaſure and Comfort of it would be eaten out, by diſmal Apprehenſions of what was to follow: but his Sufferings, if they were firſt, would be ſweetned by the conſideration of his future Happineſs; and the bitterneſs of his Sufferings would give a quicker Reliſh to his Happineſs when it ſhould come, and make it greater.
But a good Man under the Sufferings of this life, hath not only this Comfort, that his Happineſs is to come, but likewiſe that it ſhall be infinitely greater than his Sufferings; that theſe are but ſhort, but that ſhall never have an end. And this was that which fortified the firſt Chriſtians againſt all that the Malice and Cruelty of the World could do againſt them. They thought themſelves well paid, if through many Tribulations they might at laſt enter into the Kingdom of God; becauſe they believed that the Joys of the next life would abundantly recompence all their Labours and Sufferings in this World. They expected a mighty Reward far beyond all their Sufferings; they were firmly perſwaded that they ſhould be vaſt Gainers at the laſt. So the Apoſtle tells us of himſelf, Rom. 8.18. I reckon that the Sufferings of this preſent time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory that ſhall be revealed. And to the ſame purpoſe, 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. Our light Afflictions, which are but for a moment, work for us an eternal weight of Glory, whilſt we look not at the things which are ſeen, but at the things which are not ſeen; for the things which are ſeen are temporal, but the things which are not ſeen are eternal. If we would conſider all things together, and fix our Eyes as much upon the Happineſs and Glory of the next World, as upon the Pomp and Splendor of this, if we would look as much at the things which are not ſeen, as the things which are ſeen, we ſhould eaſily perceive, that he who ſuffers in this world does not renounce his Happineſs, only puts it out to Intereſt, upon terms of the greateſt Advantage.
4. We ſhould do all things with a Regard to our future and eternal State. It matters not much what our Condition is in this world, becauſe that's to continue but for a little while: but we ought to have a great and ſerious Regard to that State that never ſhall have an end. Therefore whenever we are doing any thing, we ſhould conſider what Influence ſuch an Action will have upon the Happineſs or Miſery of the next Life. We ſhould meaſure every Action, and every Condition of our Lives by the reference of them to Eternity. To be rich and great in this world will contribute nothing to our future Happineſs; all theſe things which we ſo much dote upon, and purſue with ſo much eagerneſs, will not commend any Man to God; they will ſignifie nothing when we come to appear before our Judge. Death will ſtrip us of theſe things, and in the other world, the Soul of the pooreſt Man that ever lived ſhall be upon equal Terms with the richeſt. Nothing but Holineſs and Virtue will then avail us; and it is but a little while and we ſhall all certainly be of this Mind, that the beſt thing Men can do in this world, is to provide for the other. I proceed to a
Fifth Obſervation, that the State of Men in the next world is fixt and unchangeable; which I ground upon v. 26. Between us and you there is a great gulf fixt, ſo that they that would paſs from hence to you cannot, neither can they paſs to us that would come from thence. By which words our Saviour ſeems not only to intend, that they that are in Heaven and Hell can have no Communication and Intercourſe with one another; but likewiſe that they are lodg'd in an immutable State. Thoſe that are happy are like to continue ſo; and thoſe that are miſerable are immutably fixt in that State.
1. As to thoſe that are in Happineſs there can be no great doubt. For what can tempt Men that have ſo narrowly ſcap'd the Dangers and Temptations of a wicked world, and are poſſeſt of ſo great a Happineſs by the free Grace and Mercy of God, to do any thing whereby they may forfeit their Happineſs; or ſo much as to entertain a Thought of offending that God, to whom they cannot but be ſenſible how infinitely they are obliged. In this Imperfect ſtate few Men have ſo little Goodneſs as to ſin without a Temptation; but in that ſtate where Men are perfectly good, and can have no Temptation to be otherwiſe, it is not imaginable that they ſhould fall from that ſtate.
2. As to the ſtate of the damned, that that likewiſe is immutable the Scripture does ſeem plainly enough to aſſert, when it calls it an everlaſting Deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and uſes ſuch Expreſſions to ſet forth the continuance of their Miſery, as ſignifie the longeſt and moſt interminable Duration, expreſſions of as great an Extent as thoſe which are uſed to ſignifie the Eternal Happineſs of the bleſſed; and as large and unlimited, as any are to be had in thoſe Languages wherein the Scriptures are written.
Beſides that wicked Men in the other World are in Scripture repreſented, as in the ſame Condition with the Devils, of whom there is no ground to believe that any of them ever did or will repent. Not becauſe Repentance is impoſſible in its own nature to thoſe that are in extream Miſery; but becauſe there is no place left for it. Being under an irreverſible Doom, there is no encouragement to Repentance, no hope of Mercy and Pardon, without which Repentance is impoſſible. For if a Man did utterly deſpair of Pardon, and were aſſured upon good ground, that God would never ſhew Mercy to him, in this caſe a Man would grow deſperate, and not care what he did. He that knows that whatever he does, he is miſerable and undone, will not matter how he demeans himſelf. All motives to Repentance are gone after a Man once knows it will be to no purpoſe. And this the Scripture ſeems to repreſent to us, as the caſe of the Devils and damned Spirits. Becauſe their ſtate is finally determined, and they are concluded under an irreverſible Sentence, therefore Repentance is impoſſible to them.
Sorry, no doubt, they are, and heartily troubled that by their own Sin and Folly they have brought this Miſery upon themſelves, and they cannot but conceive an everlaſting Diſpleaſure againſt themſelves, for having been the Cauſe and Authors of their own Ruin; and the Reflection of this will be a perpetual Spring of diſcontent, and fill their Minds with eternal rage and vexation; and ſo long as they feel the intolerable Puniſhments of Sin, and groan under the inſupportable Torments of it, and ſee no end of this miſerable ſtate, no hope of getting out of it, they can be no otherwiſe affected, than with diſcontent at themſelves, and rage and fury againſt God.
They are indeed penitent ſo far, as to be troubled at themſelves for what they have done; but this Trouble works no change and alteration in them; they ſtill hate God who inflicts theſe Puniſhments upon them, and who they believe is determined to continue them in this miſerable ſtate. The preſent anguiſh of their Condition, and their deſpair of bettering it, makes them mad; and their Minds are ſo diſtracted by the wildneſs of their Paſſions, and their ſpirits ſo exaſperated and ſet on fire by their own giddy Motions, that there can be no reſt and ſilence in their Souls, not ſo much as the liberty of one calm and ſedate Thought.
Or if at any time they reflect upon the evil of their Sins, and ſhould entertain any thoughts of returning to God and their Duty, they are preſently checkt with this Conſideration, that their caſe is determined, that God is implacably offended with them, and is inexorably and peremptorily reſolved to make them miſerable for ever; and during this Perſwaſion, no Man can return to the love of God and Goodneſs, without which there can be no Repentance.
This Conſideration, of the immutable ſtate of Men after this Life, ſhould engage us with all ſeriouſneſs and diligence to endeavour to ſecure our future happineſs. God hath ſet before us good and evil, life and death, and we may yet chuſe which we pleaſe; but in the other world, we muſt ſtand to that choice which we have made here, and inherit the Conſequences of it.
By Sin Mankind is brought into a miſerable ſtate; but our Condition is not deſperate and paſt Remedy. God hath ſent his Son to be a Prince and a Saviour, to give Repentance and Remiſſion of Sins. So that tho' our Caſe be bad, it need not continue ſo, if it be not our own fault. There is a poſſibility now of changing our Condition for the better, and of laying the foundation of a perpetual Happineſs for our ſelves. The Grace of God calls upon us, and is ready to aſſiſt us; ſo that no Man's Caſe is ſo bad, but there is a poſſibility of bettering it, if we be not wanting to our ſelves, and will make uſe of the Grace which God offers, who is never wanting to the ſincere endeavours of Men. Under the Influence and Aſſiſtance of this Grace, thoſe who are dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, may paſs from death to life, may be turned from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. So long as we are in this world there is a poſſibility of being tranſlated from one ſtate to another, from the dominion of Satan, into the kingdom of God's dear Son. But if we neglect the opportunities of this life, and ſtand out againſt the offers of God's Grace and Mercy, there will no Overtures be made to us in the other world. After this life is ended, God will try us no more; our final miſcarriage in this world will prove fatal to us in the other, and we ſhall not be permitted to live over again to correct our Errors. As the Tree falls, ſo it ſhall lye; ſuch a State as we are ſettled in, when we go out of this world, ſhall be fixt in the other, and there will be no poſſibility of changing it. We are yet in the hand of our own Counſel, and by God's Grace we may mould and faſhion our own Fortune. But if we trifle away this Advantage, we ſhall fall into the hands of the living God, out of which there is no Redemption. God hath yet left Heaven and Hell to our choice, and we had need to look about us, and chuſe well, who can chuſe but once for all and for ever. There is yet a ſpace and opportunity left us of Repentance; but ſo ſoon as we ſtep out of this Life, and are entred upon the other world, our Condition will be ſealed, never to be reverſt. And becauſe after this Life there will be no further hopes of Mercy, there will be no poſſibility of Repentance. This is the accepted time, this is the day of Salvation; therefore to day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; leſt God ſwear in his Wrath that we ſhall not enter into his reſt. I proceed to a
Sixth Obſervation, That a ſtanding Revelation of God is Evidence ſufficient for Divine things. They have Moſes, and the Prophets, let them hear them; that is, they have the Books of Moſes and the Prophets, written by Men divinely inſpired, theſe do ſufficiently declare to them the Will of God and their Duty; and it is unreaſonable to demand or expect that God ſhould do more for their Conviction and Satisfaction.
I know very well the Text ſpeaks only of the Scriptures of the Old Teſtament, thoſe of the New being not then extant, when this Parable was deliver'd. But what is here ſaid concerning the Scriptures of the Old Teſtament, is equally applicable to the New; and tho' Abraham do only recommend Moſes and the Prophets, there is no doubt but he would have ſaid the ſame concerning Chriſt and his Apoſtles, if the Books of the New Teſtament had been then extant. So that what I ſhall ſay upon this Obſervation, does indifferently concern the whole Scripture.
And that I may make out this Obſervation more fully, I ſhall take theſe Five things into conſideration.
1ſt. What we are to underſtand by a Divine Revelation.
2dly. Give a brief Account of the ſeveral kinds of it.
3dly. Shew what Advantage this ſtanding Revelation of the Scriptures hath above any other way of conveying the will of God to the world.
4thly, That there is ſufficient Evidence for the divinity of the Scriptures.
5thly, That it is unreaſonable to expect that God ſhould do more for our Conviction, than to afford ſuch a ſtanding Revelation of his Mind and Will. I ſhall go over theſe as briefly as I can. I begin with the
1ſt, What we are to underſtand by a Divine Revelation. By a divine Revelation we are to underſtand a ſupernatural diſcovery, or manifeſtation of any thing to us; I ſay ſupernatural, becauſe it may either be immediately by God; or by the mediation of Angels, as moſt, if not all the Revelations of the Old Teſtament were. A ſupernatural Diſcovery or Manifeſtation, either immediately to our Minds, by our Underſtandings and inward Faculties; (for I do not ſo well underſtand the diſtinction between Underſtanding and Imagination, as to be careful to take notice of it,) or elſe mediately to our Underſtandings by the mediation of our outward Senſes, as by an external appearance to our Bodily Eyes; or by a Voice and Sound to the Senſe of Hearing. A Diſcovery or Manifeſtation of a thing, whether it be ſuch as cannot be known at all by the uſe of our natural Reaſon and Underſtanding; or ſuch as may be diſcovered by natural Light, but is more clearly revealed or made known, or we are awakened to a more particular and attentive conſideration of it. For it is not at all unſuitable to the wiſdom of God, to make a ſupernatural Diſcovery to us of ſuch things as may be known by the light of Nature, either to give us a clearer manifeſtation of ſuch Truths as were more obſcurely known, and did as it were lie buried in our Underſtandings; or elſe to quicken our Minds to a more ſerious and lively conſideration of thoſe Truths.
2dly. For the ſeveral kinds of Divine Revelation. That they were various, the Apoſtle to the Hebrews tells us, ch. 1.1. God who at ſundry times, and in ſeveral manners, ſpake to the Fathers by the Prophets; where by Prophets we are to underſtand not only thoſe who did foretel future things; but any Perſon that was divinely inſpired, and to whom God was pleaſed to make any ſupernatural diſcovery of himſelf.
Now the ſeveral Kinds of Revelation taken notice of by the Jews, are Viſions; Dreams; Prophecy; Oracle; Inſpiration, or that which they call the Holy Ghoſt; voice Bath-col; or that which was the higheſt of all, which they call gradus Moſaicus, the degree of Revelation which was peculiar to Moſes. The Jewiſh Writers, eſpecially Maimonides, have many ſubtil Obſervations about the differences of theſe ſeveral kinds of Revelation, which depends upon ſubtil and Philoſophical Diſtinctions of the Faculties of Perception; as that ſome of theſe Revelations were by impreſſion only upon the Underſtanding; ſome only upon the Imagination; ſome upon both; ſome upon the outward Senſes: But the ſimple and plain difference between them, ſo far as there is any ground in Scripture to diſtinguiſh them, ſeems to be this; Viſion was a Repreſentation of ſomething to a Man, when he was waking, in oppoſition to Dreams, which were Repreſentations made to Men in their Sleep. Prophecy might be either Dream or Viſion, and the Jews obſerve that it was always one of theſe two ways, which they grounded upon Numb. 12.6. If there be a Prophet among you, I the Lord will make my ſelf known to him in a Viſion, and will ſpeak unto him in a Dream. But Prophecy in the ſtrict Notion of it, had this peculiarly belonging to it, that it was not only monitory or inſtructive, but did foretel ſome Event of Concernment to others; and the Jewiſh Doctors tell us, that it was a clearer Revelation, and carried greater aſſurance along with it; and that this was common to all the three, that there was ſomething of Extaſie and Tranſport of Mind in all theſe.
The fourth ſort of Revelation, which was by Oracle, which is call'd Ʋrim and Thummim, was a rendring of Anſwers to Queſtions, by the High-Prieſt looking upon the Stones in the Breaſt-plate, which how it was done, is uncertain.
The Fifth ſort of Revelation is that which they call the Holy Ghoſt, which was a more calm and gentle Inſpiration, without any extraordinary Tranſport of Mind or Extaſie; ſuch as David had in the writing of the Pſalms.
The loweſt of all was that which they call'd Bath col, which was by a Voice from Heaven; and this is the way of Revelation, which the Jews obſerved did only continue among them from the days of the Prophet Malachi to our Saviour.
The higheſt of all was that which they call'd gradus Moſaicus, to which the Jews give ſeveral Prerogatives above all the other ways of Revelation; as that it was done by Impreſſion merely upon the Underſtanding, without Extaſie, or Rapture, or Tranſport, when he was waking, and in his ordinary Temper, and his Senſes not bound up either by Extaſie or Sleep, that it was a Revelation immediately from God himſelf, and not by the Mediation of Angels; without any Fear, or Amazement, or Fainting, which was incident to other Prophets; and the Spirit of Prophecy reſted upon him, and he could exert it arbitrarily, and put it forth when he would. Of which thus much is evidently true from the Story of him, that the Spirit of Prophecy did reſt more conſtantly upon him, and that he could exert it with greater freedom, and without any diſcernable Amazement or Tranſport from his ordinary Temper. But that it was by Impreſſion merely upon his Underſtanding, as that is a diſtinct Faculty from the Imagination, is not ſo certain; that it was always by an immediate Communication from God, without the mediation of Angels, ſeems not to be true; for St. Stephen tells us, that the Law was given by the diſpoſition of Angels, Acts 7.53. And St. Paul, that it was ordained by the Angels in the hand of a Mediator, that is Moſes, Gal. 3.19. But that the Revelation which was made to him, had ſome ſingular Prerogatives above thoſe of other Prophets, is plain from Scripture, Numb. 12.5, 6, 7, 8, when Aaron and Miriam contended with Moſes as being equal to him, God tells them that there was a vaſt difference between him and other Prophets; Hear now my Words, if there be a Prophet among you, I the Lord will make my ſelf known unto him in a Viſion, and will ſpeak unto him in a Dream. My Servant Moſes is not ſo—With him will I ſpeak Mouth to Mouth, even apparently, and not in dark Speeches, &c. Ex. 33.11. And the Lord ſpake unto Moſes face to face, as a Man ſpeaketh unto his Friend. Deut. 34.10. And there aroſe not a Prophet ſince in Iſrael like unto Moſes, whom the Lord knew face to face. All which ſignify at leaſt this, that God made the cleareſt, and moſt familiar, and moſt perfect Diſcoveries to Moſes of any of the Prophets; only our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom God hath diſcovered his Will to us under the New Teſtament, did excel Moſes; Moſes being but a faithful Servant that is, humilis amicus, a meaner ſort of Friend; but the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the only begotten Son of God, who came from the boſom of his Father, and was intimately acquainted with the ſecrets of his Will, and had not the Spirit given him by meaſure, but the moſt plentiful Effuſion of it, being anointed above his Fellows.
Now theſe being the ſeveral ſorts and degrees of Revelation, which God hath made of himſelf to the World, the Holy Scriptures are a Syſtem or Collection of theſe, the authentick Inſtrument or Record, by which the things revealed any of theſe ways, are tranſmitted to us, and is therefore call'd the Word of God, as containing thoſe things which God in ſeveral Ages hath ſpoken to the World; that is, matters of Divine Revelation, which are neceſſary to be known by Men, in order to their Eternal Happineſs. And this being now the great and ſtanding Revelation of God, which is to continue to the end of the World, I intend to limit my Diſcourſe ſolely to this, as being the only Revelation which we are concern'd to enquire after.
And therefore in the 3d Place to ſhew you what Advantages this ſtanding Revelation of the Scriptures hath, above private Revelations made to particular Perſons, and frequently repeated and renewed in ſeveral Ages; that ſo it may appear both agreeable to the Wiſdom of God to ſettle Revelations in this way, as being more commodious; and likewiſe to his Goodneſs, it being a real Priviledge which theſe later Ages of the World enjoy, that they have a more fixt and certain way of being acquainted with the Will of God, than thoſe Ages had, which were govern'd by ſuch private Revelations, as were now and then made to particular Perſons. And the Advantages are theſe.
1. It is a more certain way of conveyance of things, and more ſecure and free from Impoſture. Suppoſe a Revelation made to a particular Perſon, which is of general Concernment, that this may have a general and laſting effect, he muſt impart it to others, as many as he can, and give them the beſt Aſſurance he can of it; and theſe muſt relate it to others; and ſo it muſt paſs from hand to hand, to be delivered from Parents to their Children. Now this way of conveying a Revelation by Oral Report muſt needs be liable to many Uncertainties, both by involuntary Miſtakes, through Weakneſs of Memory or Underſtanding; and wilful Falſifications and Impoſtures, out of Malice and Deſign. So that the effect of an unrecorded Revelation can neither be large nor laſting, it can but reach a few Perſons, and continue a little while in its full Credibility; and the further it goes, the weaker, like Circles made in Water, which the more they inlarge themſelves, and the longer they continue, the leſs diſcernable they are 'till at length they quite diſappear. Whereas being once recorded by Perſons ſecured from Error, by Supernatural and Divine Aſſiſtance, they are not liable to thoſe eaſie Falſifications or Miſtakes, which traditional Reports and Relations are neceſſarily, through human Malice or Weakneſs, liable to.
2. It is a more general and univerſal way of Conveyance; Which is evident from the common Experience of the World, who have pitched upon this way of writing things in Books, as that which doth moſt eaſily convey the knowledge and notice of things to the generality of Men.
3. It is a more uniform way of Conveyance; that is, things that are once written and propagated that way, lye equally open to all, and come in a manner with equal Credit to all; it being not morally poſſible that a common Book, that paſſeth through all hands, and which is of vaſt Importance and Concernment, ſhould be liable to any material Corruption, without a general Conſpiracy and Agreement, which cannot be, but that it muſt be generally known. So that conſidering the commonneſs, and univerſal Concernment of this Book of the Scriptures, all Men are in a manner equally, that is, every Man is ſufficiently and competently aſſur'd of the credit of it; that is, that we are not in any material thing impoſed upon by falſe Copies. But in traditional Revelation it is quite otherwiſe; Traditional being a very unequal and ununiform way of Conveyance. For ſeeing it may be of general Concernment, and all cannot have it at the firſt hand, that is, immediately from him to whom it was made; but ſome at the ſecond, others at the third, fourth, or fifth hand, or much further off; the Credit of it will be neceſſarily weakned by every Remove. A Report that comes through many Hands, being like the Argument we call Induction; and as the Strength and Goodneſs of that depends upon the Truth of every one of thoſe Inſtances that make it up, ſo that if any of them fail, the whole Argument is naught; ſo the credit of a Report that paſſeth through twenty hands, depends upon the Integrity and Sufficiency of all the Relators, and whatever there is either of Falſhood and Malice, or of Incapacity of Underſtanding, or Frailty of Memory in any of the Relators, ſo much Weakneſs is derived into the Report or Teſtimony; and conſequently the aſſurance which we can have of a private Revelation, which is deliver'd traditionally through a great many Perſons, muſt needs be very unequal.
4. It is a more laſting way of Conveyance. Which likewiſe appears by Experience, we having now nothing at all of the Hiſtory of ancient times, but what is conveyed down to us in Writing.
5. It is a more human way of Conveyance, which requires leſs of Miracle and ſupernatural Interpoſition for the Preſervation of it. This Book of the Scriptures may with ordinary human Care be tranſmitted intire, and free from any material Error, to all ſucceeding Ages. But Revelations unwritten, if they have any laſting and conſiderable Effect, they muſt at leaſt in every Age be renewed and repeated; otherwiſe in a very ſhort ſpace, either through the unfaithfulneſs, or careleſsneſs and frailty of Men, they will either be quite loſt, or ſo corrupted and depraved, that they will ſignifie nothing.
From all which it appears, that we have ſo little cauſe to murmur and repine at the Providence of God, which in theſe later Ages of the World does not make thoſe more immediate Diſcoveries and Manifeſtations of himſelf to us, that he did to former Ages, that we have rather great reaſon to admire the Wiſdom and Goodneſs of God's Providence, which hath privileged us with this ſtanding Revelation of his written Word, which hath ſo many ways the Advantage of frequent and extraordinary Revelation, and in reſpect of the generality of Mankind, is much more uſeful and effectual to its end. I know there are ſome that have endeavour'd to perſwade the World, that Doctrines may much better be preſerved by common Rumor and Report, than by Writing and Record; but I hope there is no Man ſo deſtitute of common Senſe as to believe them contrary to the Experience of all Men.
I come now to the 4th thing I propos'd to be conſider'd; namely, That there is ſufficient Evidence of the Divinity of the Scriptures. By the Divinity of the Scriptures, I mean, that they were revealed by God, and that the things contained in them were not invented by Men, but diſcovered to Men by God; and that the Pen-men of theſe Books did not write their own private Conceptions, but were inſpired by the Holy Ghoſt. Now if we can be ſatisfy'd of this, we ought to receive the Scriptures with the ſame reverence, as if an Angel from Heaven ſhould declare theſe things unto us, or as if God ſhould immediately reveal them to our Minds; for nothing can come with greater Authority than this, that we believe it to be revealed by God; and provided we be aſſured of this, it matters not which way; the thing hath the ſame Authority.
Now that we have ſufficient Evidence of the divinity of the Scriptures, will beſt appear, by conſidering what is ſufficient to give Authority to a Book, ſo that no prudent or reaſonable Man can queſtion, but that the Book was writ by him whoſe Name it bears. For what Evidence we would accept of, for the Authority of other Books, we muſt not refuſe in this caſe for the Scriptures; if we do, we deal unequally, and it is a ſign that we do not want Evidence for the Authority of the Scriptures, but that we have no mind to believe them.
Now the utmoſt Authority that any Book is capable of, is, that it hath been tranſmitted down to us by the general and uncontroll'd Teſtimony of all Ages, and that the Authority of it was never queſtioned in that Age wherein it was written, nor invalidated ever ſince.
And this Evidence we have for the Authority of the Scriptures. As for the Old Teſtament, I ſhall not now labour in the proof of that by Arguments proper to it ſelf, but ſhall take the Divinity of them upon the Authority of the New, which, if it be proved, is ſufficient Evidence for it, tho' there were no other.
Now for the Scriptures of the New Teſtament, I deſire but theſe two things to be granted to me at firſt.
1. That all were written by thoſe perſons whoſe Names they bear; and for this we have as much Authority, as for any Books in the World, and ſo much as may ſatisfie Men in other caſes, and therefore not to be rejected in this.
2. That thoſe who wrote thoſe Books were Men of Integrity, and did not wilfully falſifie in any thing; and this cannot reaſonably be denied, becauſe theſe very Perſons gave the utmoſt Evidence that Men could give of their Integrity. The higheſt atteſtation that any Man can give of the Truth of what he relates, is to lay down his Life for the Teſtimony of it; and this the Apoſtles did.
Now if this be granted, that they did not falſifie in their Relations concerning the Miracles of Chriſt, and his Reſurrection, and the miraculous Gifts which were beſtowed upon the Apoſtles after his Aſcenſion; this is as great an Evidence as the world can give, and as the thing is capable of, that our Saviour was a Teacher come from God, and that the Apoſtles were extraordinarily aſſiſted by the Holy Ghoſt; and if this be granted, what can be deſired more to prove the Divinity of their Writings?
But it may be ſaid, that tho' the Apoſtles were granted to be Men of Integrity, and that they did not wilfully falſifie in their Relations, yet they might be miſtaken about thoſe Matters. But that they were not, we have as much Evidence as can be for any thing of this Nature, namely, that the things which are related are plain ſenſible matters of Fact, about which no Man need miſtake, unleſs he will; and they did not write things upon the report of others, who might poſſibly have deſigns to deceive, but upon the ſureſt Evidence in the world, their own Knowledge, and the Teſtimony of their Senſes; the things that we have ſeen and heard teſtifie we unto you. So that if they were miſtaken in theſe things, no Man can be ſure of any thing; and by the ſame reaſon that we disbelieve the Authority of the Scriptures upon this account, we muſt believe nothing at all. This is in ſhort the whole force of the Argument for the divinity of the Scriptures, which I might have enlarged infinitely upon; but I deſign now only briefly to repreſent to you, that we, who live at the diſtance of ſo many Ages from the time of this Revelation, are not deſtitute of ſufficient Evidence for the Authority of the Scriptures, and ſuch Evidence, as they who reject in other Caſes, are eſteemed unreaſonable,
I ſhould come now to the
5th, and laſt Thing, namely, that it is unreaſonable to expect, that God ſhould do more for our Conviction, than to afford us a ſtanding Revelation of his Mind and Will, ſuch as the Books of the Holy Scriptures are. But this I ſhall refer to another Opportunity, in a particular Diſcourſe upon the 31 verſe, which contains the main Deſign, the Sum, and Subſtance of this whole Parable.