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 hand-writing 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 a 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 't is 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 for 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 hard-hearted 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 2. Yea Christ himself afterward raised himself from the dead and confirmed his doctrine and his mission
contrary to the divine will and so wills in vain wills and cannot obtain 3. Further it wills and wills not it wills mutably and that is its vanity and infirmity We are like men in a feaver or like little children now we will have one thing and anon another we are not satisfied we will we know not what Our vain wills are blown about with every blast of vanity Yet lastly the will ofttimes wills wilfully impetuously violently 't is almost always in motion though a kinde of palsey motion which proceeds from its infirmity and vanity 3. There 's vanity in the affections 1. They are always busyed and yet alway idle like children playing in the market-place of the world when they should be labouring in Gods vineyard like Martha troubled about many things but one thing is necessary Our affections had rather like the Israelites be scattered all up and down the Egypt of the world to gather straw and stubble to make brick to build Cities for the great Pharach the devil then to follow Moses or Jesus towards the heavenly Canaan Again 2. There is in our affections the vanity of mutability they are constant only in inconstancy 4ly There 's vanity in the memory our memories like the stream carry down with them light matters but lets gold and silver and the more precious things sink to the bottom 't is a sieve of vanity it lets go the good corn and returns the dross and chaff of vanity 't is a crack'd cistern which lets out pure Chrystal water and retains only mud and dirt 5. Lastly there 's vanity in the Imagination the fancy is the Arch limner of vain shaddows and disquiets it self in vain this is the house and shop of vanity here dwells and here works vanity night and day here many chambers of imagery worse and worse are in every mans fancy before regeneration 2. And then as there is vanity in the powers of the minde so in the perfections of the body bodily health strength agility are not free from vanity they are vanishing perishing things soon gone of short continuance God puts no trust in the legs of a man neither in the strength nor swiftnesse of any man so let not us lean too much upon these pillars these strong men shall one day bow themselves neither shall any man rescue himself or his brother from the arrest of death 't is worth our taking notice of that which is observed by learned Mr Mede in his Diatriba upon Prov. 21.16 that Hell is set out to us in the Old Testament by this expression the place of the Gyants And as for our health set aside innumerable casualties and the principle of mortality within it hath 300 cremies viz. so many diseases to encounter it and our liablenesse to be spoyled by these is part of our vanity And thus much for the vanity of man in what he is the vanity of his nature 2. As man is vain in his nature in the saculties of his soul and perfections of his body so likewise in his operations 1. In his thoughts those inward works of the soul the soul is a mint and an Exchange of vain thoughts Mans heart in thinking runs like a swift Dromedary up and down the world and snuffeth up the winde vanity every where oh what a storehouse of foolish deceitful sinful and so of vain thoughts is every one of our hearts Oh how long how long shall vain thoughts be minded by us be lodged in us be hid within us and the precious thoughts of God and Jesus Christ stand without and have not where to lay their heads 2. There 's vanity in mens words and communication mens words are winde and sometimes like breath from corrupt lungs they are rotten putrid unsavoury words our mouths are an open Sepulcher which sends forth a stinking favour we may say to every natural man of his words thou sayest but they are but vain words vain because uselesse not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for use because not for edification they are idle words unprofitable words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not working words Gods word is sincere milk profitable for nourishment mans words are like foam and froth vain and unprofitable for the most part and sometimes we spit out our venome in one anothers faces whilst we talk together 3. The Actions of a man whilst in his natural condition are vanity His natural actions his eating drinking sleeping c. are in vain because not done to the glory of God His moral actions his acts of civil justice c. although they be good for the matter of them yet they are done from a vain principle of inordinate self-love or in a vain manner and to a wrong end for vain-glory and therefore cal'd by the father but splendida peccata glittering sins And lastly his religious actions his fasting praying worshipping are mixed with much vanity God may say to them bring no more vain oblations to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrisices and services The very Gods of the nations are Idols are vanity and lyes in Scripture account and therefore their religion and worship must needs be salse and vain A natural man whether he eats or drinks or whatsoever he does I may say to him he sows the wind and shall reap the whirl winde he conceives vanity and shall bring forth a lie shall at last be disappointed of his expectation Surely man walketh in a vain shew or shadow dum unum imaginatur cogitat aliud succedit whilest he designes one thing another succeeds so the next verse to the text is expounced And thus much concerning the vanity of mans nature and the vanity of actions or operations his vanity in what he is and what he does 3. Lastly there is a vanity also in what a man hath the goods of this world which he hath in possession are also vanity The Heathens used to call these outward good things bona fortuna goods of fortune they thought them subject to change and vanity as undable as a wheel up and down here now and soon passed away in a moment in the twinkling of an eye Riches Honours Pleasures all are vanity great places great palaces delicious fare gorgeous attire a long train of attendants all these are vanity and will be found so in the using 1. These are vain things which cannot profit them that have them as they look to be benefited by them Râ—ches are thorns which are wounding tearing things they tear off the fleece instead of affording shelter many times and not only the fleece but skin and flesh and our very hearts are rent and torn away after them 2. Honours and great places c. they are vanity these things are winde apt to make men that have them to swell above their measure hence so many quarrels for elbow-room in the world the narrow way to heaven is not broad enough for many great ones they must be allowed a greater latitude and the great
widowhood lest desolation come upon thee suddenly which thou shalt not know Say not with Western Babylon that is Rome so Austin calls her I sit a Queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow Lest it be said Therefore shall thy plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine c. Revel 18.7 8. Trust not in uncertain riches but in the living God Set before your eyes always the vanity of this world and of your condition here be it never so flourishing Let not your thoughts be as their thoughts are Psal 49.11 of whom the Psalmist witnesseth their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling-places to all generations they call their land after their own names They think their family and name shall continue for ever Thus they think but they are but vain thoughts The Jews have a saying that Every King is the son of a beggar and every beggar is the son of a King Such mutability and vanity there is in humane affairs and in worldly greatness 'T is Gods work to humble high things and to raise low things He it is who sets up one and pulls down another who powrs contempt upon Princes and stains the pride of all their glory and again at the same time raiseth the poor from the dunghill to set him amongst the Princes of his people Oh then ye great men ye Grandees of the world ye Noblemen ye rich men whom God hath in these respects exalted above your Brethren be not high-minded but fear Let not your hearts be lifted up to Judge your selves therefore the only happy men and to despise others take heed your height make not your brethren below seem as dwarfs as little or as nothing in your eyes If the height you are in once make you dissie and giddie as we say you are like to fall presently and lay all your honour in the dust or dirt Do not ye Idolize your selves and let not the world deify you or do not ye deify your selves and let not the world Idolize you for both these are vanity To make you Gods to give you that honour which belongs to God is to make you Idols and to make you Idols is to make you vanities and lyes and nothing it is indeed quite to mar you to undo you This text well studyed would be a good antidote against the swelling of the poyson or against the tympany of pride in mighty men and a good Cordial against the pining-consumption of envy in mean men at the prosperity of others The fashion beauty glory of the world passeth away Every man at his best estate is altogether vanity Selab And here I shall back this lesson with these following considerations let high and low rich and poor together consider 1. That in Adam our common-Father we were all moulded out of the same red earth we grew all from one root we issued all from one fountain the higher we derive our pedegree the neerer we are all akin We are all lines from one center and the neerer we go to the center the neerer we are one to another God made of one blood all nations and familyes to dwell upon the earth Acts. 17.26 All bloud is of one colour and runs in the like channels and vessels and observes the same course and motion in all men We had all one father Adam and one maker God We are the sons and daughters of Adam who was the son of God 2. We all live upon our fellow-Creatures We all spend out of Gods treasury are maintained at his cost and charges Those who received and spend most of Gods bounty are like greater and larger poor mens boxes God of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named doth of his meer goodness feed and cloath and harbour us all We are all of us wholly beholden to him and live upon his alms or contribution altogether and the more delicious is our fair the finer our apparel the more stately our dwelling the greater our train the more are we indebted to his liberality The whole world is Gods Hospital or Almes-house where the greatest and gayest are indeed but his Eleemosynaryes his Almes-men 3. All men are alike for almost half their times viz. whilst both are asleep only it is the sleep of the labouring man ordinarily is the sweetest here in sleep as in death poor and rich meet together and here the servant is free from his master 4. That greatnesse is not alway not very often accompanied with goodnesse a man may be advanced to worldly honour and more greatnesse but not at all to be bettered thereby or therewith The same peice of money without any real change in the money may by the supreme power be advanced and made to passe at a higher rate even so is honour the raysing the rate or value of a man in the account of the world D. R. without changing the man in the least for the better on the other side poverty and outward meannesse do not make men ordinarily the worse Nay those who by the world are accounted as the scum and dung and filth of the world even they are Gods Jewels they are they of whom the world is not worthy It is well said by Dr. R. that mighty men and mean differ but like great and small letters in the same volume great letters take up more room make a braver shew It may be we are arrayed in scarlet and so better seen and more gazed on by vulgar eyes but they put no more matter or worth no more or better sense into the words which they compound 〈◊〉 the volumes thâ—… are in Great men make a more glorious show in the volume of this world but this great book of the Universe is not substantially the better for them 5. Whilst we live together here in this world there is no respect of persons with God God accepts no mans person or sacrifice for his greatnesse and in Christ Jesus 't is not his being a mighty man or mean man a rich man or poor man not bound or free which avayleth any thing but the being a good man a good Christian this is it which is accepted of him All true Christians rich and poor are fellow-members of the same body now as in the body natural one member doth not undervalue another because it is not set in so high a place in the body or is not so well cloathed as another so let Christians of high degree not contemn them of low degree and let not Christians of low degree envy or repine at them that are exalted they that are on high see a larger field of vanity then you that stand on a lower ground 6. We shall all dye alike no difference in the natural deaths of men because Princes or poor men mighty or mean Though some seem to have heads of gold like Nebuchadnezzars Image yet they all stand but upon feet of clay we must lye down in
cunota sumus umbra vanitas Et verbout absolvam nihil Vse 5. Let us all make that use of this doctrine which the Prophet David doth in this Psal v. 7. saying And now Lord what wait we for our hope is in thee Seeing Every man is so vain and seeing every thing is so unprofitable why should we in vain seek to be happy by any thing short of thee No no we do not that be for ever far from us so to do Our hearts were made by thee and they are never fully at rest till they come unto thee Thy favour and grace we prize above all earthly happiness Be thou our God let us be thy Sons and daughters and then we are sure thou hast begun already and wilt perfectly in thy own time redeem us from this bondage of corruption and vanity to which we are now subject As we are children of the first Adam so we are indeed bond-men to vanity but our hope is in the second Adam to be by him delivered into the glorious liberty of the sons of God Our present life is vanity but the gift of God is eternal life is immortallity All this world is a world of vanity but we look for the world to come wherein dwells blessedness and true felicity Vanity groweth up out of the earth we expect our happinesse to come from heaven We account all things here below but as dung and dross and vanity in comparison of Christ and the grace and glory of Christ those better things those things above all temporal good things are but as shadows but our substance is with thee substantia mea apud te est so some render the 7th verse All worldly hopes are but like the spiders web but our hope in God and Christ our Saviour is an Anchor firm and stedfast cast surely within the veyl so that we can never sink Our all is nothing compared to thee Lord thou art our all in all Whom have our souls in heaven but thee and whom have we on earth that we can desire in comparison of thee truly our lines are fallen in a pleasant place we have a goodly inheritance The Lord is our portion our exceeding great reward we will not be satisfied with any thing with all things besides thee not with things present nor things to come not with things in the height or depth visible or invisible temporal or eternal not with angels principalities or powers or earth or heaven we esteem all as shadows and vanities only this is our happinesse we are Christs and Christ is Gods We will no longer forsake our own mercies that is thee the God of our mercies to follow after lying vanities behold here is an answer to the last thing propounded in the begining viz. This is the way to be freed from vanity and we will walk in it Jesus Christ is our Captaine whom if we follow through the troublesome sea of this world as the Israelites did Moses through the Red-sea the waters shall stand as a wall on the right hand and on the left and the proud waters shall not overwhelm us shall not go over our souls Jesus Christ is our Ark into whom we will get by faith and by him be saved whilst the whole world that are out of Christ shall perish by this floud of vanity which comes upon all the earth Thus will we make sure of this one thing necessary that our faith and hope being in God shall not be in vain that we shall not live and dye in vain but that our Lord Jesus Christ may be to us both in life and death gain and advantage that when we shall part with our corporal lives which in times of sicknesse and war we carry dayly in our hands and are apt to lose and which in times of the greatest peace and prosperity we cannot long hold for at the best they are fleeting and fading and vanity we may be sure to lay fast hold on eternal life so that vanity may no more have dominion over us Amen An Epitaph on Sir Roger Townshend who dyed at Geneva in his travail towards Rome aged 19 years and a half in the year 1648. LOe here lyes dust and ashes Oar More prec'ous then the golden shoar One Jewel precious in this tomb Far more then all i' th Sea of Rome Geneva now a Saint may vye With Rome and with all Italy Loe there the Painters are divines In Colours and their Saints are shrines But here doth sleep are all Saint Here is no Sepulcher in paint Piemont to Townshend Pisgah was Nigh which to Canaan he doth passe And when men thought h 'had been at Rome To Heav'n the Traveller was come To England how should he return When all 's on fire and Seas do burn Had he seen Rome he knew 't would farn Then make a Saint him rather marr In peace had 's English home ' gain seen H 'had still a Ward and Pilgrim been Heav'n is a home which rest give can And under Twenty make him Man T. H. Another HEre aye Geneva Lake let weep Cause death a Gourt of Guard did keep Eccho ye Alps for aye alas ' Cause Travâ—llers have for death no pass Our tears let recompence the Lake And ever after full-sea make Let 's thus requite the hills let 's all Henceforth them Townshends Pyramids call On Occasion of the Narrative sent over by M. Diodati in which house he dyed ARe ye prevented Poets what too late His life and death to blazo'n Diodate Has don 't in Prose he that the Sacred Text First Commented upon his life is next And 't was a sacred story short it was Vpon the Bible cal 't a Paraplorase A Paraphrase Incarnate of the last And best edition much corrected was 't Reformed eve'ry way Translated so He now speaks seventy languages and moe H' Interprets Babel Pentecost and all And is translated to 's Original In this small work divinity is more Then in the great Tostatus half a score Yea now one Tome of this short volume man Contains more learning then the Vatican Set by Inspired Authors th' rest iâ—le call Compar'd to this one Ignoramus all Worms may devour th' book cover leaves may fade Though green and florid or with gold ore laid Worms can't corrupt the text and the Angel's blast Shall blow ' way worms and dust and death at last T. H. The 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 't is needlesse They have Moses and the 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 'T is 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 that 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 't is 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 Lazarus 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
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. 'T is 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 women 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 if 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
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 be 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 or 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 Le ts 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 vain 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 8. l. 1. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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