The Vanity of Man at His Best Estate, Sermon 2

The Vanity of Man at His Best Estate · Sermon 2

p. 27The Second Sermon.

Luke 16.30.31.

And he ſaid, nay father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent.

And he ſaid unto them, if they hear not Moſes and the Prophets, neither will they be perſwaded, though one roſe from the dead.

THe Relation concerning Dives and Lazarus from the 19th verſe to the end of this Chapter, ſome will have to be an Hiſtory, others a Parable; I concur with the latter: for what tongue could Dives have in hell, whoſe body was in the grave? And what finger could Lazarus have, whoſe ſoul only was now in Paradiſe or heaven?

In parables what is ſet down as ſpoken, ſignifies only what was fit to be ſaid; if any words were to be made of ſuch matters. Parables (ſaith one) are Vocal Hyerogliphicks, Dr. Ing.lively images of uſeful truths fitted for inſtruction: Chriſt made feſcues of known earthly reſemblances, to point out to us ſpiritual and heavenly Doctrines.

In this parable Dives in Hell makes two requeſts to Abraham in heaven.

Firſt, for himſelf, that he would ſend Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool his tongue: But he that would not give a crumb of bread, could not obtain a drop of water.

Being denied for himſelf, his ſecond requeſt is for his brethren, viz. that Abraham, would ſend Lazarus to his fathers houſe, to teſtifie unto his brethren, leſt they alſo ſhould come unto that place of torment: But he ſpeeds no better in this then in the former: Abraham lets him know, 'tis needleſſe: They have Moſes and p. 28the prophets, i. e. the writings of Moſes and the prophets; let them hear them; believe and obey them: by them they may ſooner and better be perſwaded to repent, then if Lazarus or any other like him ſhould ariſe from the dead to warn them, and to teſtify to them that they ſhould repent.

Again, in Parables the end and ſcope of them is mainly to be attended unto; now the ſcope and deſign of this parable is to teach rich men pitty and compaſſion to the poor, and to teach all men to reade and meditate on the holy Scriptures, to hear and to obey them, that ſo they may attain eternal life; for the right way to eſcape hell torments, and to be made partakers of Heavens happyneſſe, is to follow the guidance and direction of the Holy Scriptures. If it be asked, how came Abraham to know that the Jews had the writings of Moſes and the prophets? I anſwer, he might be informed of this, by Moſes and the prophets, when they came to heaven: or he might know it by revelation: probably, God would not hide from Abraham, a matter of ſo great concernment to his ſeed: however, certain it is, the Jews had the Holy Scriptures, which were able to make them wiſe unto Salvation: and they had no need that any ſhould riſe from the dead to teach them.

'Tis true indeed, men are apt to fancy, by other ways and means to get good, and to do good, and to pleaſe God, then what God hath preſcribed: men are apt to ſay in their hearts, who ſhall aſcend into heaven, to bring them the minde of God in ſuch and ſuch things? or wherewithall ſhall I come before God to make atonement for my ſins? ſhall I give the firſt born of my body for the ſin of my ſoul? when Naaman the Syrian came to be cured of his leproſy, 2 King 5.11. he verily thought, that the prophet would have come out to him, and would have ſtroked his hand over the place, and have called upon the name of his God, and when he ſaw he was diſappointed of his expectation in theſe particulars he grew very angry and would hardly be perſwaded by his ſervants to go and waſh ſeaven times in Jordan, as the prophet had ſent unto him to do; ſaying, are not Abanah and Pharpor, Rivers of Damaſcus, better then all the waters of Iſrael? may I not waſh in them and be clean? the ſame Naaman, after he was cured of his leprofy, had a fancy, that the earth of the land of Canaan, was better to build an Altar to God withall, then of any other land; and therefore, he begg'd of the prophet Eliſha, p. 29that there might two Mules burden of earth be given him: (I ſuppoſe, for the purpoſe aforeſaid, becauſe it immediately follows) for thy ſervant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offerings nor ſacrifice unto any other gods, but unto the Lord, 2 Kin. 5.17. The Jews, they imagined, that Meſſiah ſhould be a temporal Prince, and ſet up a temporal Kingdom, and therefore, becauſe our Saviour Chriſt, came not in ſuch outward pomp, ſtate, and glory, they rejected him: hence it is I ſuppoſe alſo, that the papiſts are not contented with Chriſts naked inſtitutions but preſume to adde of their own inventions, to make them more gawdy, and more efficatious: to Baptiſm with water, they adde Cream, Oyle, ſpittle, exſufflation. The Lords ſupper they have turned from a Sacrament for the living, to a ſacrifice for the quick and dead: they will not preſume to go directly or immediately to God the King of Heaven, or by the mediation only of his own ſon whom he hath made Maſter of requeſts there, but they muſt make uſe of the mediation of the Courtiers of Heaven, Saints and Angels: they fancy 'tis not good manners to do otherwiſe: they think Chriſt crucified, not ſufficiently repreſented, in the preaching of the word, and adminiſtration of the Sacraments except they have alſo before their eyes, crucifixes, Images, or pictures of him hanging on the Croſſe. The Idolaters of old offered their ſons and daughters in ſacrifice, to appeaſe their offended Gods. And Gods own people, imitated the Idolaters of the nations: which thing yet, God tells them, it never came into his heart, to require at their hands; thoſe Idolaters, the worſhippers of Baal, cut and lanced themſelves to procure more compaſſion and audience of their prayers: and amongſt the papiſts, ſome whip themſelves, to make thereby ſatisfaction for their ſins, Mat. 6.7. We reade of ſome that thought they ſhould be heard for their much-ſpeaking: and ſuch are our papiſts alſo who think to prevail, by ſuch a number of Ave-Maries, and Pater-noſters; as if God regarded and anſwered prayers, according to their number, rather then according to the faith and devotion, of the ſouls that made them. And here Dives had a perſwaſion, that though his brethren were not converted by the ordinary means, Moſes and the Prophets, yet they would certainly repent, if an extraordinary meſſenger, one from the dead, ſhould be ſent to them, to warn them, leſt they came into the ſame place of torment where he was. And truly at the firſt view, this requeſt of Dives, to ſend p. 30Lazarus from the other world, from the boſome of Abraham to his brethren the children of Abraham according to the fleſh, to warn them to repent, ſeems not unreaſonable.

For firſt, the apparition of a dead mans Ghoſt, we may eaſily imagine, would affright a ſinner in the midſt of his ſins, and make him ſmite on his thigh, and ſay, what have I done? or what do I? Moſes and the Prophets tell us of our duties, of the puniſhment due to us, if we fail of it, but one that comes from the other world, could teſtify, that all that Moſes and the prophets have ſaid, is true; ſo that their words ſhould not ſeem any more (as they do too too often, to many) but as idle tales: ſuch a one could tell, that there is another life after this, that there is a future eſtate of happineſſe or miſery; that when a man dyes, his ſoul doth not dye with his body, doth not ſleep; doth not ceaſe to be. It would be happy for Atheiſts, Epicures, Gluttons, Drunkards, Blaſphemers, and unclean perſons; for oppreſſors, for covetous and unmerciful Dives's if there was no life, no world after this; but that as they have lived like beaſts, or worſe then beaſts, ſo they may die like beaſts alſo; But if there had been neither Moſes nor the prophets to teſtify the contrary, yet needed not any to come from the dead to do it: heathen poets, and phyloſophers, have had knowledge of a future eſtate; witneſſe their Eliſian fields, a kinde of paradiſe for the vertuous; and their Phlegethons, a river of fire, a kinde of hell for the wicked.

But 2dly, If a Ghoſt ſhould appear to us, we ſhould be apt to think, that we ſhould die ſhortly; and that the Ghoſt of a dead man, did come to call or ſummon us, to the ſtate and place of ſeparate ſouls; ſuch an apparition would be like the Meſſenger to Hezekiah, ſet thy houſe in order for thou ſhalt dye: and probably would put us into Bellſhazzars poſture, when he ſaw the handwriting upon the Wall, would make our countenance change, would make the joynts of our loyns to be looſed, and our knees to ſmite one againſt another. And one would think, that ſuch a fear, terror and conſternation, might reaſonably minde us, of what we had done, namely, to undo our ſelves: and what we ſhould do to eſcape the wrath to come, or the damnation of hell.

And 3dly, All this probably might prove more effectuall, if that one that came from the dead, ſhould be Lazarus, a good man, whoſe ſoul, came from the boſome of Abraham; Lazarus, one who likely might be known, to Dives his brethren, to have been p. 31a poor miſerable and contemptible perſon whilſt he lived in this world; when they ſhould ſee him come from heaven, from one of the higheſt places there, from Abrahams boſome, and probably, in a glorious manner, make his appearance; this might teach them, and minde them, that 'tis poſſible, that poor men may be happy in the other world; and beſides, when he ſhould tell them, as he might be well able to do, how happy he was there, though he had been never ſo poor here, and how miſerable, Dives their brother was in hell, not withſtanding all his great riches in this world; this, one would think, ſhould be, an effectual means, to warn, to perſwade, and to bring them to repentance: I ſay when he ſhould tell them, that poor Lazarus was comforted, and rich Dives was tormented, how he was advanced to heaven, and their brother Dives thrown down to hell; when he ſhould tell them, the glorious viſions and fruitions of heaven, and that there was no compariſon betwixt earth and heaven; betwixt the fading riches of this world, and the durable riches of the other, 'twixt ſenſible pleaſures, and heavenly joys; 'twixt the honour from men here, and the glory that is to be had from God hereafter; 'twixt the company of men though never ſo great, and rich here, and the ſociety of God and his holy Angels in heaven; And that Dives his palace was but a dungeon, or dunghill, to the palace of the great king of heaven and earth; that riches either horded up, or Epicurean-like, laid out upon our ſelves, our back and our belly, would not avail in the day of wrath; and would only be able to aggravate our miſery, and to encreaſe our torment there; further, when he ſhould tell them, that money though it anſwers all things here, yet in the other world it is of no uſe at all; Saints and Angels above, ſlight it, as much as worldlings overvalue it below: behold, in the other world Dives and all his riches, were weighed and ſound too light: that Dives his greatneſs, Riches and Honours and delicates were momentary, and all vaniſhed; and that in place and room thereof, how he is tormented. How that he ſaw him in hell torments, inſtead of delicious fare, and delightful muſick, behold weeping, and wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth: Inſtead of purple and fine linnen, behold fire and Brimſtone, and the ſmoak of the Bottomleſs pitt, compaſſing him as a garment. And on the other ſide, for his own part, he had no cauſe at all to repent him, of all his poverty, hardſhip, and miſery he went through or underwent in this life, for that now heaven makes amends p. 32for all. That his light afflictions, which were but for a moment, are now recompenſed with a far more, exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And if after all this and a great deal more which he might ſay, he ſhould tell them, that if they did continue in their ſins and die in them, they ſhould have their portion in hell, with their brother Dives, yea, with the Devil and his angels for ever; but if they would now forſake their fins, if they would break off their ſins by repentance, and their iniquities by ſhewing mercy to the poor; if they would ceaſe to do evil, and learn to do well; if they would be open hearted and open-handed to their poor brethren; when they dyed, God would ſend his Angels, to carry their ſouls into the boſome of Abraham, from whence he came out, ſent by their father Abraham, and at the requeſt of their brother Dives. If all this had been ſaid and done, one would be ready to think, that here had been enough and more then enough, to have perſwaded the worſt and moſt hardhearted ſinner to repentance; But ſo is it, that a great deal more effectual means then all this, prove inſufficient to turn ſinners from the errours of their ways.

1. The Jews had Moſes and the prophets amongſt them, who being dead, yet ſpake unto them in their writings. They received the law by the diſpoſition of Angels; yea God himſelf preached unto them in thunder and lightnings, and flames of fire at Sinai; the Jews had more ſignes, wonders and miracles wrought amongſt them, or for them, then the whole world beſides: they had three raiſed from the dead under the Old Teſtament-diſpenſation; our Saviour when he came he raiſed three from the dead, one newly dead Jairus his daughter: one carried out to be buried as the widdow of Naim her ſon, and one that lay four days in the grave, viz. Lazarus; and yet the Jews, the body of the nation, were ofttimes hard-hearted and impenitent ſinners; even when Chriſt came in the fleſh, and manifeſted forth his glory amongſt them, in working more miracles, then Moſes and the prophets that went before him: yet they would not repent, that they might believe, that Jeſus was the Chriſt, the Meſſiah, and that believing they might have life, through his name: yea, they ſought to put Lazarus to death, whom Chriſt raiſed from the dead; and at laſt put Chriſt himſelf to death who brought him from the dead: ſo far were they from being wrought upon, to repent once unto life by this miracle.

p. 332. Yea, Chriſt himſelf afterward raiſed himſelf from the dead, and confirmed his doctrine and his miſſion, that he was ſent of God, that he came out of the boſome of God the father, the God of Abraham, Iſaack and Jacob, that he came to preach repentance and forgiveneſſe of ſins, and yet the groſſe of the Jewiſh Nation would not be perſwaded to repent and believe on him: behold one greater then Moſes, and all the prophets; and therefore one greater then Lazarus, and he too from the dead, his ſoul from paradiſe, and his body was raiſed out of the grave: and he was one who could tell them of the joys of heaven, and of the torments of hell more, and better then Lazarus: he could tell them, that for to procure pardon to ſinners, he himſelf had ſuffered the pain of ſence in the garden, when he ſaid, his ſoul was exceeding ſorrowful unto the death, and when he ſweat great drops of blood, trickling down to the ground; and the pain of loſs when he hung on the Croſſe, and cryed out, my God, my God why haſt thou for ſaken me? he could tell them that for their ſakes he had endured the pains of hell, to the end, that repentance and remiſſion of ſins ſhould be preached in his name, unto all nations, beginning at Jeruſalem: yet how few in compariſon, amongſt the Jews believed on him.

3. 'Tis obſervable, what we reade of Herod, that he heard John Baptiſt gladly, and did many things at his preaching though John wrought no miracles: and when he heard of the ſame of Jeſus Chriſt, and the mighty works done by him, and imagined that it was John the Baptiſt or ſome old prophets riſen from the dead, but for all that, did not repent and amend his life, that ever was heard of.

4. There are to be found many, too too many amongſt us, that call themſelves Chriſtians, D. All.and profeſſe to believe in Chriſt crucified, dead and buried, deſcended into hell, that he aroſe from the dead the third day, aſcended into heaven, and from thence he ſhall come to judge the quick and the dead, and for all this are impenitent and unbelieving.

5. Paſſe we to the Church of Rome, and ſee whether it be better there, they tell us of the obambulation of ſpirits, of the apparitions of dead men, whoſe ſouls have come out of the fire of purgatory, a temporary hell; and yet how few amongſt them are brought to true repentance and amendment of life.

6. How often do men come from the beds of dying men and p. 34women, from the laſt words perhaps of good men and women, telling them, they are as full of joy as they can hold, that they deſire to be diſſolved and to be with Chriſt; or from the beds and laſt words of wicked men, who would if it was poſſible, call time again, or deſire to live, though it was but the life of a toad, rather then dye; and yet how few are thereby wrought upon to repentance unto life? to a repentance never to be repented of?

7. Come we to our ſelves, and as a Reverend and learned Author obſerves; D. Alleſt.we, diverſe of us, have been in our own apprehenſion at deaths door, and have had the proſpect of the other world before our eyes, as it were, and God hath ſaid to us at ſuch a time by his providence, return, return, thou ſhalt not dye, and then our good purpoſes and reſolutions, of dying to our former ſins, die preſently, and we mend into, and live unto our old fins again: And how then ſhould another mans coming from the dead make us repent, when we our ſelves have come, as it were from the dead, and have not repented?

Are theſe things ſo? let's learn then to attend to Moſes and the Prophets, i. e. to the holy Scriptures; and that they are more likely and effectuall means to bring ſinners to repentance, then if one came unto them from the dead; and that now we are not to expect Meſſengers or preachers to be ſent unto us from the dead, nor any ſignes, wonders, or Miracles to be wrought, to bring or perſwade us to repent; or to warn us to fly from the wrath to come. Let none be found amongſt you that asketh counſel of the dead, for all that do ſuch things are an abomination to the Lord, Deuter. 1811. To the law, and to the teſtimony; if they ſpeak not according to this Rule, it is becauſe there is no light in them: men muſt not ſeek or ask counſel for the living of the dead, Iſa. 8 19.20. When King Saul in his diſtreſſe, went to the witch of Endor to raiſe up Samuel from the dead, to enquire of him; the devil appeared to him in Samuels mantle, and ſad was the iſſue of that enquiry: and ſhould we deſire and have an apparition from the dead, how ſhould we be aſſured that it was not a cheat put upon us by the devil? and that it was not the devil appeared to us in the likeneſſe of our friend, or of the party we had a minde to conſult withall: Angels, even evil Angels can aſſume bodies for a time, and move them, or elſe make to themſelves aerial bodies, and move them though not inform them, as the ſoul the body. We reade, that Satan can transform himſelf into an Angel of light: p. 35if ſo, then ſurely into the likeneſſe of a dead man, yea of a dead ſaint.

Again, we might probably be more affrighted then edified, by ſuch an apparition; and when the fright was over, we might queſtion, whether there was any ſuch thing or no: whether it was not a dream of our own brain, or a cheat or trick put upon us, by others, or whether there was not ſome miſt caſt before our eyes, and ſome juggle or trick uſed to make us think we ſaw what we did not ſee.

Further, the holy Scriptures teach us, that God hath magnified his word above all his name, above his creatures and the works of his creation; above his providences, ordinary and extraordinary; in plain engliſh, above miracles, ſignes and wonders: Here in this parable we are taught rather to attend to the holy Scriptures then to one that ſhould come to us from the dead. In the firſt Chapter of the 2d Epiſt. of Peter, 17, 18, 19. verſes, the holy Apoſtle teaches us, to attend unto the word of propheſy, as more ſure, then a voice from heaven, from the excellent glory, when our bleſſed Saviour was transfigured, upon the holy mount, and had conference with Moſes from the dead, and with Elijah from heaven, concerning his foreign or departure out of this world; and truly this is the only inſtance, in all the Scriptures, of the matter of the diſcourſe of any one that aroſe from the dead, our bleſſed Saviour himſelf excepted: if God had ever intended that we ſhould be taught by men from the dead, ſurely we ſhould have had ſome directions, or inſtructions from thoſe whom the prophets, our Saviour, or the holy Apoſtles raiſed from the dead, but behold Altum Silentium! not a word to this purpoſe.

And this deep ſilence in this matter, ſpeaks aloud to us, not to make enquiry of the dead, either what we are to do in this, or to expect in the other world. I ſhall adde one teſtimony more in this matter, and that is of St Paul, Galath. 1.8, 9. where he ſaith, that if we or any Angel from heaven preach any other Goſpel unto you, then that which we have preached unto you, let him be accurſed: where he prefers the Doctrine of the Goſpel of Chriſt, preached by him, and which was taken out of, and proved by Moſes and the prophets, before the teſtimony of an Angel from heaven. And if ſo, then ſurely; the Teſtimony of Moſes and the Prophets, is more to be attended unto, then that of one that ſhould riſe from the dead: And here we may appeal to our own reaſon, p. 36and to the reaſon of other men, and ſay, Whether it be more reaſonable to believe God or man judge ye? God, The living God, ſpeaking to us in his holy word by Moſes and the prophets, or to a man, ſuppoſe it was Lazarus from the dead? Before God gave his people his minde and will in writing, he taught them by dreams and viſions of the night, by the miniſtry of Angels, by ſignes and wonders, but now he hath revealed his whole counſel, neceſſary to our ſalvation and committed it to writing; now that he hath ſealed up the Canon of the Old Teſtarnent by Ezra, and of the New by St John's Revelation; and now that he hath ratifyed the truth of both, by his broad ſeal of miracles, let not the Church nor any particular perſon look after one from the dead, or for ſignes, wonders and miracles. His holy word teacheth us, that now God commandeth every man, every where to repent, becauſe he hath appointed a day to judge the world in righteouſneſse by Jeſus Chriſt, whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given ſufficient proof, or evidence to all men, in that he raiſed him from the dead, Acts. 17.30, 31. I confeſſe it hath been the guiſe and faſhion of the world to look after, and long for Miracles. Show us a ſigne, and what ſigne ſheweſt thou? ſaid the Jews to Chriſt: notwithſtanding all the wonders and miracles that he had wrought amongſt them, yea, the devil himſelf, tempted our bleſſed Saviour in the wilderneſſe to ſhew a ſigne, to work a miracle, if thou be the Son of God command that theſe ſtones be made bread. But our Lord and Saviour would not gratifie the devils curioſity, nor work a wonder at his beck or deſire; he would not caſt ſuch a pearl before ſuch a ſwine; beſides, had our Saviour wrought that miracle in that place, and at that time, the devil might have denyed it; or if not, our Saviours enemies poſſibly might have been tempted by the devil to blaſpheme, as ſome times they did afterwards, and to ſay, he had done it by the power of the devil.

We are apt to think, that if one came from the dead, or that we ſaw ſignes and wonders, then we ſhould believe, then we ſhould repent; but alas! alas! how often hath God ſhewed ſignes, and wrought wonders for nations and perſons, and yet they have remained impenitent and diſobedient.

Pharaoh, and the Egyptians had many ſignes and wonders wrought before their eyes; and yet their fooliſh hearts were hardened; yea, ſuch madneſſe was in their hearts, that they purſued Iſrael into the Red ſea, and were drowned in the ſea. The Iſraelites p. 37for whoſe ſake God wrought ſuch wonders in Egypt and in the Red-ſea, and whom God led and fed by a Miracle in the Wilderneſſe with Angels food, bread from heaven, and with water out of the rock fourty years, yet they murmured, and tempted God, and many a time rebelled they againſt his word; ſo that ſix hundred thouſand of them, their carcaſes fell in the wilderneſſe, and they could not enter into the Land of Canaan, becauſe of unbelief: Well, come we to their children whom God Miraculouſly preſerved; brought into and ſettled in the good land of Canaan; and we ſhall finde, that they or their children, ſoon forget God their Saviour; whereas God, the Lord of hoſts, did ſeveral times fight for Iſrael with his hoſts; his Angels; his ſtars, his clouds, againſt their enemies; yet ever and anon we finde them even fighting againſt God: when our Saviour Chriſt came into the world, entred upon his publique Miniſtry and office of Mediatour, he manifeſted forth his glory many ways, in ſundry miracles wrought by him, in the ſight of the Jews, and were they kindly and ſavingly wrought upon? were they warned? were they perſwaded? did they, the body of them, all repent? do we not rather finde, that when our Saviour raiſed Lazarus from the dead, and by reaſon thereof, many believed on him, that therefore their chief prieſts an Rulers, the phariſees, ſought to kill Chriſt, and Lazarus both? yea, when they had crucified the Lord of glory, and he aroſe from the dead, the third day, the greateſt Miracle, that ever the ſun ſaw, did they thereupon believe and repent? no, no, they ſeek to hide this miracle, and they give money to the ſouldiers to ſay, his diſciples came by night and ſtole him away. Of old, Balaam was ſtopped by an Angel from heaven, and God opened the mouth of his Aſs, ſo that he ſpake with mans voyce, and reproved the madneſſe of the prophet, yet Balaam was not converted King Jeroboams hand was withered, and reſtored, by a miracle, and yet he continued his falſe worſhip at Dan and Bethel, and would not ſuffer the people to worſhip at Jeruſalem. King Ahab ſaw that great wonder, fire came from heaven to conſume the ſacrifice, at the prayers of Elijah; and yet for ought we know, was never ſavingly wrought upon: Yea, that which is a wonder to think of it, good men who have ſeen wonders and miracles, have not been ſo good as they ſhould be, but after thoſe things have for a time turned afide, like a broken bow. Good King Hezekiah, that was cured of the p. 38plague, by direction of the Prophet, after he had received the ſentence of death in himſelf, yet his heart was lifted up, and he did not render unto the Lord anſwerable to what he had received. Ionah the prophet was miraculouſly preſerved in the belly of the whale, three days and three nights, and yet afterwards was ſo peeviſh and paſſionate as to tell God to his face, that he did well to be angry even unto death. Go we higher, Noah was ſaved by Miracle in an Ark, without ſayls, Rudders, Anchors or Pilot, when the world was drowned, and yet was overtaken ſoon after, with drunkenneſſe. Lut was ſaved miraculouſly from fire, when Sodons and Gomorrah and the other Cities were burned, and yet it was not long, before he became guilty of drunkenneſſe and inceſt. By theſe inſtances national and perſonal, we may conclude, that ſignes wonders and miracles are not always, ſuch certain, powerful, and effectual means, to bring ſinners to repentance, or to make bad men good, or good men better, as men are apt to imagine.

But what ſhall we ſay then to that of our Saviour, Obj. Matth. 11.21.23. Wo to thee Corazin, wo unto thee Fethſaida, for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Zidon they would have repented long ago in ſackcloth and aſhes?

Grotius will have all theſe things to be ſaid by our Saviour not Anſ. foreign but foreign, that is to ſay, it is reaſonable to think, that thoſe miracles would have been ſufficient, to produce ſuch effects, even repentance, and that in ſackcloth and aſhes, as Jonahs preaching did among the Ninevites: again, although miracles might probably have been efficatious to bring gentile ſinners to repentance; yet the Jews were ſo perverſe, obſtinate, and rebellious, they had Moſes and the Prophets, and therein ſufficient motives to repentance, (namely Gods commands, his promiſes, and threatnings, even heaven and hell ſet before them, and thoſe things ratifyed formerly by miracles) ſo that if they would not be wrought upon by all this, it would be in vain to ſend unto them a meſſenger, or preacher from the dead: miracles (ſaith the Apoſtle) are for them that believe not, and not for them that believe, when there is no propheſy, there miracles probably may prevail, but thoſe within the Church who have had Moſes and the prophets, and propheſy confirmed by miracles long ago, if they believe not, if they repent not, they themſelves are to be looked upon us prodigies and wonders; ſo p. 39far are they from reaſonably expecting of miracles, to turn and convert them: If Moſes and the prophets be not of credit with Dives his brethren, being Jews, to perſwade them to amend and repent, neither could one, and that one Lazarus, if he went unto them from the dead.

The Uſes or inferences from the premiſes may be either for direction or information of our ſelves, or for confutation of others, that are in errour, and for exhortation.

1ſt. Uſe, Hence we may be informed, 11Ʋſe.that if we muſt attend to Moſes and the prophets, and that thoſe believed and obeyed, are means ſufficient to bring us to repentance and ſalvation, that then by thoſe, as the wife men by a Star, we may be directed unto Chriſt: our bleſſed Saviour teſtified as much, John. 5.46.47. Hadye believed Moſes, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of we; but if ye believe not his writings, how ſhall ye believe my words? Moſes wrote of Chriſt, Gen. 3.15. Namely, that the ſeed of the woman ſhould break the ſcrpents head; and Deut. 18.15.18. the Lord thy God will raiſe up unto thee a prophet from the midſt of thee, of thy brethren like unto me, unto him ye ſhall hearken: This was ſo well known, that Philip finding Nathanael, ſaith unto him, as we reade, John. 1.45. We have found him, of whom Moſes in the law, and the Prophets did write, Jeſus of Nazareth; the ſon of Joſeph: As for the prophets, they foretold him, as the Branch of the Lord, Iſa. 4.2. as the prince of peace; ſo Iſaiah, chap. 9.6. as the deſtre of all nations, Haggai Chap. 2.7. As Meſſiah the prince, ſo Daniel, Chap. 9.25. as the ſun of righteouſneſse with healing in his wings, ſo Malachi Chap. 4. ver. the 2d: the two Teſtaments are joynt witneſſes of one and the ſame great truth; namely, that Jeſus is the Chriſt, the Meſſiah, the Saviour that was to come into the world.

2. Uſe, hence we may learn to make the written word of God, 2 Ʋſe. Of Inform.(as David did) a light unto our feet, and a lanthorn to our paths; and not to leave Moſes and the Prophets, pretending to follow the light within us, as ſome do; the light within us, our own reaſon; that's a dim and imperfect light, without revelation; by this light, we ſhould never have diſcovered the myſteries of the holy Trinity, the Myſtery of the two natures in Chriſt, nor, our ſalvation by Faith in him: by this we could not have diſcovered all ſins, nor have known all neceſſary truths; nor have been convinced of all duties: yea, it might come to paſſe, that leaving the p. 40holy Scriptures, Moſes and the Prophets; and the writings of the holy Evangeliſts, and Apoſtles, to follow the dictates of our own erroneous conſciences, we might be led, as thoſe are, they ſay, that follow an ignis fatuus, out of our right way into boggs and precipices; Thus, they that ſhall kill you, (ſaith our Saviour) ſhall think they do God good ſervice: And the holy Apoſtle Paul tells us; I verily thought, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Ieſus of Nazareth; which things I alſo did in Ieruſalem, Acts. 26.9, 10. 'Tis true, that we are to follow the guidance of our conſciences, but our conſciences are to be inlightned and guided by the directions of God in his word: Our conſciences are but Gods deputyes and Lieutenants, and whether it be fit to obſerve the ſervant or Deputy rather then to obey the will of the ſupreme or ſoveraign Lord, judge ye.

Again, hence we may learn to ſtudy, and follow the directions of the holy Scriptures of the old and New Teſtarnent, rather then pretend to impulſes, providences, viſions and Revelations for what we do: to the law to the teſtimony; by this our opinions, and practices yea, our perſons ſhall be juſtified, and by this word they ſhall be condemned: heaven and earth ſhall paſſe away (ſaith our Saviour) but not aniota or tittle of the law ſhall periſh.

3. Uſe, 33Ʋſe of Informat.Hence learn not to be ſeduced or not to be drawn away from the true Proteſtant Religion founded upon the doctrine of Moſes and the Prophets, (i. e. the holy Scriptures) unto the Romiſh Religion, upon pretence of Miracles, which they ſay are wrought amongſt them, for,

1. Our bleſſed Saviour foretold, Math. 24.24. that men ſhould ariſe doing ſuch great wonders in imitation of himſelf, that they ſhould deceive, if it were poſſible, the very elect. And St. Paul tells us in his 2d Epiſtle to the Theſſalonians the 2d Chap. verſe the 9th. that the ſon of perdition ſhould ariſe, ſhould appear with all power, ſignes and lying wonders: So that Antichriſt does pretend to nothing but what our Saviour Chriſt and his Apoſtle foretold.

2. The protended Miracles of the Church of Rome are wrought and brought to confirm a Doctrine contrary to Moſes and the prophets, that is, to the holy Scriptures, and they being already ratified by many and great Miracles, true Miracles, 'tis certain, that theſe pretended miracles brought to confirm a lye, are deluſions and impoſtures.

3. The Ancient fathers and ſome of the moſt learned men of p. 41the Church of Rome of latter times, deny the continuance of the power of Miracles in the Church after that the Chriſtian Religion had been ſo generally received, believed and embraced in the world: for this the Reverend Dr Stilling fleet in a late piece againſt the Papiſts, quoted St. Chryſoſtome, St. Auſtin, Toſtatus upon Leviticus, chap. 9.9.14. Stella upon Luke, Chap. 11 v. 29. and Eraſmus upon the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians the 13, Chap. and 13 verſe.

4. If the power of Miracles ſhould be continued in the Church, moſt probably it would be exerted for the converſion of infidels, and conſequently the gift of languages ſhould be given to them, now a days who are ſent to preach to the Indians, or other heathens; but we have no ſufficient or credible witneſſe, or teſtimony, that thoſe preachers of late times, or for many years have had or ever have been endued with the gift of languages.

Again, doth Abraham in heaven direct, to Moſes and the prophets as above-ſaid; 22Ʋſe of Confutat. Coufut. 1. Of the doctrin of the Papiſts.then this may ſerve to confute the Doctrine and practice of the Church of Rome, their Doctrine in exalting the teſtimony of the preſent Church above the Authority of the holy Scriptures, the judge and touch-ſtone of the Church. Our Saviour ſaid to the Jews; you have one that accuſeth you, even Moſes in whom ye truſt, John. 5.45. 'tis obſervable, that Abraham takes no notice of any infallible judge or interpreter of Moſes and the Prophets: In this the Papiſts, out-wit the ſcribes and Phariſees, when they diſputed with Chriſt, yea, they out-do and go beyond the devil himſelf; that old ſubtil ſerpent, when he tempted our Saviour: for when our Saviour quoted Scripture, neither the phariſees, nor the devil, ever thought of replying: I, but who muſt interpret the Scripture? who muſt be judge? it belongs not to thee to reade them, much leſſe to interpret Scripture; this belongs to the Jewiſh Church; who is the only ſupream judge of Scriptures and of controverſies.

Again, hence we may ſee, Confut. 2. Of the practiſe of the Papiſts.that the Papiſts erre in withholding the Scriptures from the Laity: what an unreaſonable and unrighteous thing is it, that Gods children muſt not be permitted to reade their fathers will, without the licence of man firſt had and obtained for their ſo doing? Abraham ſaith, they have Moſes and the Prophets let them bear them.

3. Hence then we may be exhorted greatly to prize and value the Scriptures, the Bible, as the book of books, 33Ʋſe, Of Exhortat. Exhort. 1.as a cabinet of moſt rich and precious jewels, as a fountain of water of life, as p. 42a fiery pillar to lead us through this wilderneſſe to Canaan.

2. And let us bleſſe and praiſe God for his word; Exhor. 2.how highly did David eſteem the holy Scriptures? how doth he magnifie them? and yet he had but a third part of what we have now: and if Moſes applauded the Jews happineſſe, when he had finiſhed his Pentateuch, if he accounted the law, as the inheritance of the congregation of Iſrael; and as 'tis in the Pſalm, he hath not dealt ſo with any Nation, neither hath the heathen the knowledge of his law; how ſhould we prize, and praiſe and bleſſe God for the law and Goſpel, the whole Canon of the Old and New Teſtament: and let's know this, that our beſt way of praiſing. God for the Scriptures, will be to reade, ſtudy, meditate on them, but above all to conform our hearts, lips, lives, to the rules and precepts contained in them; doubtleſſe obedience to the law is the beſt way to honour both the law-giver, and the law.

To draw towards a concluſion; From the text and context, the parable of Dives and Lazarus, we may learn many uſeful and profitable leſſons ſuch as theſe.

1. That rich men muſt give an account how they have laid out their riches: rich men are ſtewards, and it is requiſite in ſtewards, that they be found faithful; they muſt not lay out their Lords money upon themſelves, their own backs, and bellyes; and let the poor, ſuch as Lazarus, their fellow-creatures, and fellowſervants, and their own brethren to ſtarve at their gates, manus pauperis the ſaurus Chriſti. And rich men muſt caſt into Chriſts treaſury of their abundance.

2. That rich men muſt be careful, not only not to hurt the poor, but to relieve them: they muſt not be Dives's, to do good to themſelves only, but like the good Samaritan, do good unto them that are in neceſſity and in extremities. Dives is blamed and condemned, not for taking away from the poor, by oppreſſion or injuſtice; but for not communicating to poor Lazarus in his neceſſity, in his extremity.

3. That men may ſin in the miſuſe of lawful things, of outward comforts and enjoyments; purple, fine lynnen, delicate fare, Muſick, were all lawful to be uſed, but Dives did not uſe them lawfully, In licitis perimus omnes: we muſt not uſe our lawful enjoyments, unſeaſonably nor exceſſively, nor make every day a Feaſt-day. We muſt not forget the afflictions of Joſeph in the priſon, nor themiſeries and neceſſities of Lazarus at our Gates.

p. 434. That good men may have evil things in this life, and evil men good things: Dives had his good things here, and Lazarus his evil things: I know this is a bard ſaying, who can bear it? This is it that hath troubled heathen philoſophers; Jewiſh Rabbies, and the Doctors of the Chriſtian Church, yea, that it was malis bene and bonis male, hath been a trouble to ſome of the beſt men in the Scriptures, to Job, to Jeremy, to David, to Habakkuk; but let's not judge of Gods works till he hath finiſhed them; wait but a while and thou ſhalt ſee a Dives in hell, and a Lazarus in Abrahams boſome, and then God will be cleared and juſtified, and all the world will become ſilent before God.

5. That ſome men are more kinde to their dogs then to the poor; ſome there are who take the childrens bread, and give it to the dogs, but grudge to give the dogs portion to the children; to ſuch I ſhould commend the Example of Amideus Duke of Savoy, ſometimes choſen Pope, but too good a man for ſo bad an office, who ſhewed a hall full of poor people fed by him daily, when it was expected, he ſhould have ſhewed his hounds, and ſaid, theſe are the hounds, wherewith I hunt, after the Kingdom of Heaven.

6. That Lazarus received more kindneſſe from Dives his dogs, then from himſelf: Humaniores (ſaith one) fuerunt canes hominibus. The dogs were more hoſpitable then the maſter or his ſervants: and yet (ſaith one) Canis eſt latrare, peregrinos mordere, abigere Hoſpites, 'tis the property of dogs to bark at, to bite ſtrangers, and to drive them away; not to ſawn on gueſts that are ſtrangers.

7. That like maſter, like ſervants; no man gave unto him; the maſter would not give him a bit from his table, and the ſervants would none of them give him a crumb that fell from the table.

8. That even Dives in hell ſeems to have more Charity and kindneſs to his brethren, eſpecially to their ſouls, then many men on earth and in the boſome of the Church; he would have uſed means to ſave his brethrens ſouls, and now many, do what they can, in a manner, to damn their own and their brethrens fouls alſo.

9. That there are rewards and puniſhments after this life; there's a future Eſtate of happineſs or miſery, for rich and poor; there's an Abrahams boſome for ſome, and hell-torments for others; thoſe that have done good and ſuffered evil things here, ſhall p. 44be comforted, and thoſe who have done evil things, and enjoyed good things here, they ſhall be tormented.

10. That ſome of the Children of Abraham finde no place in the boſome of Abraham: Dives cal'd Abraham father, and Abraham cal'd Dives ſon, but yet Dives had his place and portion in hell.

11. That rich men muſt expect mercy in the other world according as they have ſhewed mercy to the poor in this: he that giveth to the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and the Lord will repay him his own again with uſury: Giving to the poor is but ſowing of feed, and in due time they that ſow plentifully ſhall reap plentifully, ſhall I ſay, thirty or ſixty, yea, I dare ſay an hundred-fold, even in the world to come life everlaſting.

12. That the way to eſcape hell, and attain heaven, is to hearken to, to obey the holy Scriptures: theſe are they that ſhew unto us the way of ſalvation, the only way of peace and reconciliation with God, and remiſſion of ſins, namely, repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Theſe, theſe are they that are as a voice behinde us, or within us, ſaying, this is the way walk in it, when that which is holy, juſt and good, is propoſed to us: But when we are tempted unto evil, theſe are unto us as the Angel to St. John, ſaying, ſee thou do it not; Let us not in the leaſt queſtion the divine authority of the holy Scriptures, either of the Old or New teſtament; both are confirmed by the exerting of ſupernatural power in miracles, and of ſupernatural wiſdom and knowledge in fulfilling of propheſies: and foraſmuch as Abraham in heaven ſends us to Moſes and the Prophets, and even Chriſt himſelf a greater then. Abraham appeals to Scripture, proves by Scripture, (though he received the ſpirit without meaſure,) and reſolves as it were his own authority into the divine authority of the Old Teſtament.

13. And again, that if one of the Teſtaments be true, neither of them can be falſe; let's know and believe all that is written in the Law of Moſes, and in the Prophets, and in the Pſalms, concerning Chriſt; and all that is written in the Goſpel in the Acts, in the Epiſtles and the Revelation concerning Chriſt, and Chriſtians, our Saviour, or our ſelves; and let's not only hear the Scriptures but do them, ſo that we may be bleſſed in the deed. And when we hear any new or ſtrange doctrines, let's be noble, like the Bereans, and ſearch the Scriptures to ſee, whether things be ſo p. 45or no as theſe men teach. Let's try opinions; doctrines and actions; our own and others, by this touchſtone: Let's weigh them in this ballance of the ſanctuary, and accordingly judge them. And that I may ſpeak a word in ſeaſon, both as to the text and the occaſion, and that ſome good account may be given of this days concourſe, let's all of us labour to ſhew forth our faith by our works, and as we hold, that our faith juſtifies our perſons before God; ſo let our good works juſtifie our faith before men. They are like the hand on the dial of a Clock; which ſhews how it goes, although it doth not cauſe it to move. Lets feed the Hungry, Clothe the Naked, make our ſelves friends of the mammon of unrighteouſneſſe: that when we fail, we may be received into everlaſting habitations. Let's be confident that our cruiſe of Oyl, ſhall never fail ſo long as we pour it out in theſe empty veſſels; and that one penny laid out upon Gods poor, upon Chriſts brethren, will redound more to our account at the great day, then many thouſands laid up in our Coffers, or laid out upon our vain delights, and pleaſures; and ſhould the Lady of this Manour ariſe from the dead, this day, I dare ſay, ſhe could teſtifie, that the widows mite, ſo (as I take it) ſhe called the donation and benefaction we now commemorate, was of more avail and advantage to her then the thouſands ſhe laid up in her treaſury; therefore whilſt we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, eſpecially to them who are of the houſhold of Faith, to the bretheren of Chriſt: and what ſoever good we finde in our hearts to do, let's do it with all our might, for there is no wiſedome nor counſel in the grave, whither we are going.

Let's beg of God, that we may not have our good things in this life, and our evil in the other, that we may not be like Dives, of the number of thoſe worldlings, who have their portion in this life, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks. Or as thoſe fools who lay up for themſelves treaſures on earth and are not rich towards God.

And let's manifeſt that our treaſures are in heaven, becauſe there are our hearts alſo: let's ſet our affections on things above, and not on things on the earth, conſidering God has made the earth to ſet our feet upon, not to ſet our hearts upon: let us not be like blinde Moles, ever rooting, digging in the Earth, living here, as in our proper Element: for when a few years, perhaps weeks or days are gone and death comes, our eyes ſhall be opened, as the Naturaliſts ſay, the eyes of the Moles are when they come to die; and then we ſhall ſee clearly, that we have laboured in vain; in p. 46vain have we riſen early, gone to bed late, eaten the bread of care. fulneſſe, for Riches Miſer-like hoarded up, or Epicure-like laid out upon our ſelves, profit not in the day of death.

To conclude all, let's not ſuffer any poor Lazarus to ſtarve at our gates, for want of crumbs; and let none of us, that are miniſters, ſuffer any poor ſoul for whom Chriſt died, to ſtarve at the gates of the Temple for want of our breaking to them the bread of life: we are all by our profeſſion children of Abraham: now then let us do the work of Abraham: let's walk in the ſteps of Abraham; let's be rich in faith, full of ſelf-denyal, full of good works, chariry, Hoſpitality; let's go out, and invite ſtrangers on occaſion, as he did, and then he will not be aſhamed to be called our father, nor unwilling to take our ſoul into his boſome: yea, let's imitate Lazarus, let's make God our help, our truſt, ſo he did; and ſo his name (as the name Eleazar) imports. And let's patiently bear all the evils that God lays on us himſelf, or ſuffers man to lay on us in this world: and then when we die, God will ſend his Angels to do the like office for us, which they did for Lazarus, even to carry our ſouls into Abrahams boſome.

Errata.

PAge. 3. line 12. for foreign reade foreign. p. 8. l. 1. for foreign r. foreign p. 20. l. 6. for ſumus r. fumus. p. 25. l. 2. for which r. who p. 15. l. 8. for powrs r. pours. p. 27. l. 3. for them r. him. p. 3… l. 32. for any r. an. p. 37. l. 22. for an r. and.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Hodges, The Vanity of Man at His Best Estate (1676)