A Few Sighs from Hell, Exposition · Verse 20 – Verse 21
Verſe 20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of ſores.
Verſe 20.THis verſe doth chiefly hold forth theſe things. 1. That the Saints of God are a poor contemptible people. There was a certain beggar. If you underſtand the word beggar, to hold forth outward poverty, or ſcarcity in outward things, the Saints of the Lord, for they are for the moſt part a poor, deſpiſed, contemptible people. But if you allegorize it, and interpret it …us, They are ſuch as beg earneſtly for heavenly food; this is alſo the ſpirit of the Children of God, and it may be, and is a truth in this ſence, though not ſo naturally gathered from this Scripture.
2. That he was laid at his gate full of ſores.] Theſe words hold forth the diſtempers of believers, ſaying, He was full of ſores; which may ſignifie the many troubles, temptations, perſecutions, and afflictions in body and ſpirit, which they meet withal while they are in the world; but alſo the entertainment they finde at the hands of thoſe ungodly ones, who live upon the earth. Whereas it is ſaid, He was laid at his gate full of ſores. Mark, He was laid at his gate, not in his houſe, that was thought too good for him, But he was laid at his gate full of ſores. From whence obſerve, That the ungodly world do not deſire to entertain and receive the poor Saints of God into their houſes. If they muſt needs be ſomewhere near unto them, yet they ſhall not come into their houſes: ſhut them out of doors, if they will needs be near us, let them be at the gate. And he was laid at the gate full of ſores. 2. Obſerve, that the world are not at all touched with the afflictions of Gods children, for all they are full of ſores; a deſpiſed, afflicted, tempted, perſecuted people, the world doth not pitty; no, but rather labour to aggravate their trouble, by ſhutting them out of doors; ſink, or ſwim, what cares the world, they are reſolved to diſown them, they will give them no entertainment; if the lying in the ſtreets will do them any good; if hard uſage will do them any good; if to be diſowned, rejected, and ſhut out of doors by the world will do them any good: they ſhall have enough of that, but otherwiſe no refreſhment, no comfort from the world. And he was laid at his gate full of ſores.
Verſe 21. Verſe 21.And deſiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans table: the dogs came alſo, and licked his ſores.
BY theſe words our Lord Jeſus doth ſhew us the frame of a Chriſtians heart, and alſo the heart and carriage of worldly men toward the Saints of the Lord: the Chriſtians heart is held forth by this, that any thing will content him while he is on this ſide glory. And he deſired to be fed with the crumbs, the dogs meat, any thing. I ſay a Chriſtian will be content with any thing, if he have but to keep life and ſoul together. (as we uſe to ſay.) He is content, he is ſatisfied, he hath learned, if he hath learned to be a Chriſtian, to be content with any thing, as Paul ſaith,Phil. 4.21. I have learned in whatſoever state I am, therewith to be content. He learns in all conditions to ſtudy to love God, to walk with God, to give up himſelf to God; and if the crumbs that fall from a rich mans table will but ſatisfie nature, and give him bodily ſtrength, that thereby he may be the more able to walk in the way of God: he is contented. And he deſired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich mans table. But mark, he had them not, you do not finde that he had ſo much as a crumb or a ſcrap allowed unto him. No, then the dogs will be beguild, that muſt be preſerved for the dogs. From whence obſerve, that the ungodly world do love their dogs better then the children of God. You will ſay that's ſtrange. It is ſo indeed, yet it is true, as will be clearly manifeſted, as for inſtance. How many pounds do ſome men ſpend in a year on their dogs, when in the mean while the poor Saints of God may ſtarve for hunger. They will build houſes for their dogs, when the Saints muſt be glad to wander, and lodge in dens and caves of the earth: and if they be in any of their houſes for the hire there…f, they will warn them out, or eject them, or pull down the houſe over their heads, rather then not rid themſelves of ſuch Tenants. Again, ſome men cannot go half a mile from home, but they muſt have their dogs at their heels; but they can very willingly go half a ſcore miles without the ſociety of a Chriſtian Nay, if when they are buſie with their dogs they ſhould chance to meet a Chriſtian, they would willingly ſhift him if they could. They will go on the other ſide of the hedge or the way, rather then they will have any ſociety with him; and if at any time a child of God ſhould come into an houſe where there are but two or three ungodly wretches, they do commonly wiſh either themſelves, or the Saint out of doors; and why ſo? Becauſe they cannot down with the ſociety of a Chriſtian: though if there come in at the ſame time a dog, or a drunken ſwearing wretch, which is worſe then a dog, they will make him welcome, he ſhall ſit down with them, and partake of their dainties. And now tell me, you that love your ſins and your pleaſures; had you not rather keep company with a drunkard, a ſwearer, a ſtrumpet, a thief; nay, a dog (as I ſaid before) then with an honeſt hearte… Chriſtian? If you ſay, no. What mea… your ſowre carriage to the people of God? Why do you look on them, as if you would eat them up? yet at the very ſame time if you can but meet your dog, or a drunken companion, you can fawn upon them, take acquaintance with them, to the Tavern or Ale-houſe with them, if it be two or three times in a week; but if the Saints of God meet together, pray together, and labour to edifie one another, you will ſtay till doomes-day (as they call it) before you will look into the houſe where they are. Ah friends, when all comes to all, you will be found to love drunkards, ſtrumpets, dogs, any thing; nay, to ſerve the devil, rather then to have loving and friendly ſociety with the Saints of God.
Moreover, The dogs came and licked his ſores] Here again you may ſee, not onelyonly the afflicted ſtate of the Saints of God in this world, but alſo, that even dogs themſelves, according to their kind, are more favourable to the Saints, then the ſinful world; though the ungodly will have no mercy on the Saints, yet it is ordered ſo, that theſe creatures, dogs, lions, &c. will. Though the rich man would not entertain hi… into his houſe, yet his dogs will come, and do him the beſt good they can even to lick his running ſores. It was thus with Daniel, when the world was mad againſt him, and would have him thrown to the lions to be devoured, the lions ſhut their mouthes at him, (or rather the Lord did ſhut them up) ſo that there was not that hurt befell to him, as was deſired by the adverſaries. Dan. 6. And this I am perſwaded of, that would the creatures do as ſome men would have them, the Saints of God ſhould not walk ſo quietly up and down the ſtreets, and other places, as they do. And as I ſaid before, ſo I ſay again, I am perſwaded, that at the day of judgement many mens conditions and carriages will be ſo laid open, that it will evidently appear, they have been very mercileſs, and mad againſt the children of God; inſomuch, that when the providence of God did fall out ſo, as to croſs their expectations,Verſe 22. they have been very much offended thereat, as is very evidently ſeen in them who ſet themſelves to ſtudy how to bring the Saints into bondage, and to thruſt them into corners, as in theſe late years. And becauſe God hath in his goodneſs ordered things ot…erwiſe, they have gnaſhed their teeth thereat. Hence then let the Saints learn not to commit themſelves to their enemies, they are very mercileſs men, and will not ſo much favour you, (if they can help it) as you may ſuppoſe they may. Nay, unleſs the over-ruling hand of God in goodneſs do order things contrary to their naturall inclination, they will not favour you ſo much as a dog.