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 signify 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 find 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. 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 towards 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 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-man's 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 man's Table But mark he had them not you do not find that he had so much as a Crumb or a Scrap allowed unto him No then the Dogs will be beguil'd 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 Heb. 11. 38. And if they be in any of their houses for the hire thereof 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 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 sâ—â—e of the hedge or the way rather than 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 than 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 than with an honest-hearted Christian If you say No What means your sowr 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 Dooms-Day 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 than 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 onely 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 than 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 him 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 mouths at him or rather the Lord did shut them up so that there was not that hurt befel to him as was desired by the Adversaries Dan. 6. And this I am persuaded 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 persuaded that at the Day of Judgment many mens Conditions and Carriages will be so laid
is lighter then vanity and nothing I say this will be a very great torment unto thee 4. Another part of thy torment will be this Thou shalt see thy friends thy acquaintance thy neighbours nay it may be thy Father thy mother thy wife thy husband thy children thy brother thy sister with others in the Kingdome of heaven and thy self thrust out Luke 13. 28. There shall be weeping c. when you shall see Abraham your father and Isaac and Jacob together with your brethren the Prophets in the Kingdome of heaven and your selves thrust out Nay saith he There shall come from the East and from the West that is thâ—se that thou didst never see in all thy life before and they shall sit down with thy friends and thy neighbours thy wife and thy children in the Kingdome of Heaven and thou for thy sins and disobedience shâ—lâ— be shut nay thrust out O wonderful â—oâ—ment 5. Again thou shalt have none but a company of damned souls with an innumerable company of devils to keep company with thee While thou art in this World the very thoughts of the devils appearing to thee makes thy flesh to tremble and thine hair ready to stand upright on thy head But O what wilt thou do when not only the supposition of the devils appearing but the real society of all the devils in hell be with thee howling and roaring screeching and roaring in such a hideous manner that thou wilt be even at thy wits end and be ready to run stark mad again for anguish and torment 6. Again that thou mightest be tormented to purpose the mighty God of heaven will lay as great wrath and vengeance upon thee as ever he can by the might of his glorious power As I said before Thou shalt have his wrath not by drops but by whole showres shall it come thunder thunder upon thy body and soul so fast and so thick that thou shalt be tormented out of measure And so saith the Scripture 2 Thes. 1. 9. speaking of the wicked Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when the Saints shall be admiring his goodness and glory Again this thou shalt have as I said before without any intermission thou shalt not have any ease so long as while a man may turn himself round thou shalt have it alwayes every hour day and night for their worth never dyes but alwayes gnaws and their fire is never quenched As it is written in Mark 9. 7. Again in this condition thou must be for ever and that is as sad as all the rest For if a man were to have all his sins laid to his charge and communion with the devils and as much wrath as the great God of heaven can inflict upon them I say if it were but for a time even ten thousand years and so end there would be ground of comfort and hopes of deliverance but here is thy misery this is thy state for ever here thou must be for ever when thou lookest about thee and seest what an innumerable company of howling devils thou art amongst thou shalt think this again this is my portion for ever When thou hâ—st been in hell so many thousand years as there are stars in the firmament or drops in the Sea or sands on the sea-shore yet thou hast to lye there for ever O this one word ever how will it torment thy Soul Friends I have only given a very short touch of the torments of Hell O! I am set I am set and am not able to uâ—ter what my mind conceives of the torments of Hell Yet this let me say to thee accept of Gods mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ lest thou feel that with thy Conscience which I cannot express with my Tongue and say I am sorely tormented in this flame And seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosome When the damned are in this pittiful state surrounded with fears with terrours with torment and vengeance one thing they shall have which is this they shall see the happy and blessed state of Gods Children he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom which as I said before is the happy state of the Saints when this life is ended This now shall be so far from being an ease unto them that it shall most wonderfully aggravate or heighten their torment as I said before There shall be weeping or cause of lamentation when they shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven and themselves thrust out 2. Observe those that die in their sins are far from going to Heaven He seeth Abraham a far off and Lazarus in his Bosom And indeed it is just with God to deal with them that die in their sins according to what they have done and to make them who are far from Righteousness now to stand far from Heaven to all Eternity Hearken to this ye stout-hearted that are far from Righteousness and that are resolved to go on in your sins when you die you will be far from Heaven you will see Lazarus but it will be afar off Again he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosome These are some of the things that the damned do behold so soon as they come into torment Mark And he seeth Lazarus in Abrahams Bosome Lazarus Who was he Why even he that was so slighted so disregarded so undervalued by this ungodly one while he was in the World he seeth Lazarus in his Bosome From whence observe That those who live and die the enemies of the Saints of God let them be never so great or stout let them bear never so much sway while they are in the World let them â—rag and boast never so much while they are here they shall in spight of their teeths see the Saints yea the poor Saints even the Lazarus's or the ragged ones that belong to Jesus to be in a better condition then themselves O who do you think was in the best condition or who do you think saw themselves in the best condition he that was in Hell or he that was in Heaven He that was in darkness or he that was in light He that was in everlasting joy or he that was in everlasting torments The one with God Christ Saints Angels the other in tormenting flames under the curse of Gods eternal hatred with the Devils and their Angels together with an innumerable company of howling roaring cursing ever burning Reprobates Certainly this observation will be easily proved to be true here in this World by him that looks upon it with an understanding heart and will clear it self to be true in the World to come by such as shall go either to Heaven or to Hell 2. The second Observation from these words And seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom is this They that are the persecutors of the Saints of the Lord now in this World shall see the Lords
persecuted ones to be they that are so highly esteemed by the Lord as to sit or to be in Abrahams bosom in everlasting glory though the enemies to the Children of God did so lightly esteem them that they scorn to let them gather up the Dogs meat that falls under their Table this is also verified and held forth plainly by this Parable And therefore be not grieved O you that are the tempted persecuted afflicted sighing praying Saints of the Lord though your adversaries look upon you now with a disdainful surly rugged proud and haughty countenance yet the time shall come when they shall spie you in Abrahams Bosom I might enlarge upon these things but shall leave them to the Spirit of the Lord which can better by ten thousand degrees enlarge them on thy heart and conscience then I can upon a piece of paper Therefore leaving these to the blessing of the Lord I shall come to the next Verse and shall be brief in speaking to that also and so passe to the rest Verse 24. And he cryed and said Father Abraham have mercy upon me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame YOu know I told you the 22th Verse is a discovery of the departure of the godly and the ungodly out of this life where he saith The beggar died and the rich man also died The 23. Verse is a discovery of the proper places both of the godly and the ungodly after death one being in Abrahams Bosom or in glory the other in Hell Now this 24 Verse is a discovery of part of the too late repentance of the ungodly when they are dropt down into Hell And he cryed and said Father Abraham have mercy upon me From these words And he cryed we may observe first What a change the ungodly will have when they come into Hell He cried it is like he was laughing jesting jearing drinking mocking swearing cursing prating persâ—cuting of the godly in his prosperity among his filthy companions but now the case is otherwise now he is in another frame now his proud flout currish carriage is come down And he cryed The laughter of the ungodly will not last alwayes but will be sure to end in a cry The tryumphing of the wicked is short Job 20 5. Consider you must have a change either here or in Hell If you be not new creatures regenerate persons new-born Babes in this World before you go hence your note will be changed your conditions will be changed for if you come into Hell you must cry O did but the singing drunkards when they are making merrie on the Ale-bench think on this it would make them change their note and cry What shall I do whither shall I go when I die But as I said before the Devil as he labours to get poor souls to follow their sins so he labours also to keep the thoughts of eternal damnation out of their mindes and indeed these two things are so nearly linked together that the Devil cannot well get the Soul to go on in sin with delight unless he can keep the Thoughts of that terrible after-clap out of their minds But let them know that it shall not always be thus with them for if when they depart they drop down into Eternal Destruction they shall have such a sence of their sins and the punishment due to the same that it shall make them to cry And he cryed O what an alteration will there be among the ungodly when they go out of this World it may be a Fortnight or a Moneth before their departure they were light stour surly drinking themselves drunk slighting God's People mocking at goodness and delighting in sin following the World seeking after Riches faring deliciously keeping company with the bravest but now they are dropt down into Hell they cry A little while ago they were painting their Faces feeding their Lusts following their Whores robbing their Neighbours telling of Lies following of Plays and Sports to pass away the time but now they are in Hell they do cry It may be last Year they heard some good Sermons was invited to receive Heaven was told their sins should be pardoned if they closed in with Jesus but refusing his profers and slighting the Grace that was once tendered they are now in Hell and do cry Before they had so much time they thought that they could not tell how to spend it unless it were in Hunting and Whoring in dancing and playing and spending whole hours yea days nay weeks in the Lusts of the Flesh but when they depart into another place and begin to lift up their Eyes in Hell and consider their miserable and irrecoverable condition they will cry O what a condition wilt thou fall into when thou dost depart this World if thou depart unconverted and not born again thou hadst better have been smother'd the first hour thou wast born thou hadst better have been plucked one Limb from another thou hadst better have been made a Dog a Toâ—d a Serpent nay any other Creature in the visible World than to die unconverted and this thou wilt find to be true when in Hell thou dost life up thine Eyes and dost cry Here then before we go any further you may see that it is not without good ground that these words are here spoken by our Lord That when any of the ungodly do depart into Hell they will cry Cry why so 1. They will cry to think that they should be cut off from the Land of the Living never more to have any footing therein 2. They will cry to think that the Gospel of Christ should be so often proffered them and yet they are not profited by it 3. They will cry to think that now though they would never so willingly repent and be saved yet they are past all Recovery 4. They will cry to think that they should be so foolish as to follow their pleasures when others were following of Christ Luke 13. 28. 5. They will cry to think that they must be separated from God Christ and the Kingdom of Heaven and that for ever 6. To think that their crying will now do them no good 7. To think that at the Day of Judgment they must stand at the left hand of Christ among an innumerable Company of the Damned Ones 8. They will cry to think that Lazarus whom once they slighted must be of them that must sit with Christ to judge or together with Christ to pass a Sentence of Condemnation on their Souls for ever and ever 1 Cor. 6. 2 3. 9. Cry to think that when the Judgment is over and others are taken into the everlasting Kingdom of Glory then thou must depart back again into that Dungeon of Darkness from whence thou camest out â—o appear before that terrible Tribunal where thou shalt be tormented so long as Eternity lasts without the least intermission or ease How sayest
make it their whole work and continual study how they may keep thee and others from enjoying of these blessed Priviledges that have been thus obtain'd for Sinners by this sweet Jesus He labours I say First To keep thee ignorant of thy state by Nature Secondly To harden thy Heart against the ways of God Thirdly To inflame thy Heart with love to sin and the ways of darkness And fourthly To get thee to continue herein For that is the way he knows to get thee to be a partaker with him of the flaming Hell-fire even the same that he himself is fallen into together with the rest of the wicked World by reason of sin Look to it therefore But now in the next place a word of incouragement to you that are the Saints of the Lord. 1. Consider what an happy state thou art in that hast gotten the Faith of the Lord Jesus into thy Soul But be sure thou have it I say how safe how sure how happy art thou For when others go to Hell thou must go to Heaven when others go to the Devil thou must go to God when as others go to Prison thou must be set at Liberty at Ease and at Freedom when others must roar for sorrow of heart then thou shalt also sing for the joy of heart Secondly consider thou must have all thy well spent Life to follow thee instead of all thy sins and the glorious blessings of the Gospel instead of the dreadful Curses and Condemnations of the Law The blessing of the Father instead of a fiery Sentence from the Judge Thirdly Let dissolution come when it will it can do thee no harm for it will be but onely a passage out of a Prison into a Palace out of a Sea of Troubles into an Haven of Rest out of a Croud of Enemies to an innumerable Company of true loving and faithful Friends out of shame Reproach and Contempt into exceeding great and Eternal Glory For Death shall not hurt thee with his sting nor bite thee with his Soul-murmuring Teeth but shall be a welcome Guest to thee even to thy Soul in that it is sent to free thee from thy Troubles which thou art in whiles here in this World dwelling in the Tabernacle of Clay Fourthly consider however it goes with Friends and Relations yet it will go well with thee Eccl. 8. 12. However it goes with the Wicked yet I know Mark yet I know saith he that it shall go well with them that fear the Lord that fear before him And therefore let this in the first place cause thee chearfully to exercise thy patience under all the Calamities Crosses Troubles and Afflictions that may come upon thee and by patient continuance in well-doing to commit both thy self and thine Affairs and Actions into the Hands of God through Jesus Christ as to a faithful Creator who is true in his Word and loveth to give unto thee whatsoever he hath promised to thee And therefore to incourage thee while thou art here with comfort to hold on for all thy Crosses in this thy Journey be much in considering the place that thou must go into so soon as dissolution comes It must be into Heaven to God the Judge of all to an innumerable Company of Angels to the Spirits of just men made perfect to the General Assembly and Church of the first-born whose Names are written in Heaven and to Jesus too the Redeemer who is the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the Bloud of sprinkling that speaks better Things for thee than Abels did for Cain Heb. 12 22 23 24. 3. Consider That when the time of the dead that they shall be raised is come then shall thy body be raised out of the grave and be glorified and be made like to Jesus Christ Phil. 3. 21. O excellent condition 4. When Jesus Christ shall sit on the throne of his glory you also shall sit with him even when he shall sit on the throne of his glory O will not this be glorious that when thousands and thousands of thousands shall be arraigned before the Judgment-seat of Christ then for them to sit with him upon the throne together with him to pass the sentence upon the ungodly 1 Cor. 6. 2. 3. Will it not be glorious to enjoy those things that eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath entred into the heart of man to conceive Will it not be glorious to have this sentence Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you before the Foundation of the World Will it not be glorious to enter then with the Angels and Saints into that glorious Kingdome Will it not be glorious for thee to be in glory with them while others are in unuâ—terable torments O then how will it comfort thee to sea thou hast not lost that glory to think that the devil hath not got thy soul that thy soul should be saved and that not from a little but from an exceeding danger not with a little but a great salvation O therefore let the Saints be joyful in glory let them triumph over all their enemies Let them begin to sing heaven upon earth triumph before they come to glory salvation even when they are in the midst of their Enemies For this honour shall all his Saints have Psal. 149. 6 7 8 9. Ver. 29. Abraham said unto him they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them IN the Verses foregoing you see there is a discovery of the lamentable state of the poor soul that dyes out of Christ and the special favour of God And also how little the glorious God of Heaven doth regard and take notice of their most miserable condition Now in this verse he doth magnify the word which was spoken to the People by the Prophets and Apostles They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them As if he should say thou askest me that I should send Lazarus back again into the World to Preach to them that live there that they might escape that doleful place that thou art in what needs that have they not Moses and the Prophets have they not had my Ministers and Servants sent unto them and coming as from me I sent Enoch and Noah Moses and Samuel I sent David Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel Daniel Hosea and the rest of the Prophets together with Peter Paul John Matthew James Jude with the rest Let them hear them What they have spoken by Divine inspiration I will own whether it be for the damnation of those that reject or the saving of them that receive their Doctrine And therefore what need have they that one should be sent unto them in another way They have Moses and the Prophets Let them hear them let them receive their word close in with the Doctrine declared by them I shall not at this time speak any thing to that word Abraham having touched upon it already but shall tell you what is to be understood by these words They
came not in old timeâ—y the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And therefore what a sad thing is it with those that go about to disown the Scriptures I tell you however they may slight them nâ—w yet when they come into hâ—ll they will see their folly They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Further who are they that are so tossed to and fro with the several winds of doctrine that have been broâ—ched in these dayes but such for the most part as have had a light esteem of the Scriptures for the ground of errour as Christ saith is because they know not them Mark 12. 24. And indeed it is just with God to give them over to follow their own dark blinded consciences to be led into errours that they might be damned into hell who did not believe that the things contained in the Scripture were the truth that they might be saved and go to Heaven It cannot well tell how to have done speaking for and on the Scriptures side only this I consider A word is enough to the wise and therefore I shall commit these things into the hands of them that are of God and as for the rest I shall say to them rather than God will save them from hâ—ll with the breach of his holy word if they had a thousand souls a piece God would destroy them all for the Scriptures cannot be broken John 10 35. Verse 30. And he said nay Father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they would repent THe Verse before you know as I told you it was part of an answer to such as lose their souls so it is a vindication of the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Now this Verse is an answer to what was said in the former and such an one as hath in it a rejection of the former answer Nay Father Abraham Nay saith he do not say so do not put them off with this send one from the dead and then there will be some hopes 'T is true thou speakest of the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets and sayest let them hear them but these things are not so well as I could wish I had rather thou woulest send one from the dead In these words therefore Nay Father Abraham there is a repulse given Nay let it not be so Nay I do not like of that answer Hear Moses and the Prophets nay The same expression is used by Christ Luke 13. 2 3. Think you that they upon whom the â—â—ower of Siloe fell were sinnâ—rs above others I tell you nay for except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish So here Nay Father Abraham c. By this word Nay therefore is signified a rejecting the first answer Now observe I pray you the reason why he sayes nay is because God doth put over all those that will be saved to observe and receive the truth contained in Scripture and believe that To have a high esteem of them and to love and search them as Christ saith Search the Scriptures for they are they which testify of me Joh. 5. 39. But the damned say Nay as if he had said This is the thing to be short my brethren are unbelievers and do not regard the Word of God I know it by my self for when I was in the World it was so with me Many a good Sermon did I hear many a time was I admonished desired intreated beseeched threatned forewarned of what I now suffer But alas I was ignorant self-conceited surly obstinate and rebellious Many a time the Preacher told me hell would be my portion the devil would wreck his malice on me God would pour on me his sore displeasure but he had as good have preached to the stock to the post to the stones I trod on his words rang in mine ears but I kept them from my heart I remember he alledged many a Scripture but those I valued not the Scriptures thought I what are they a deâ—d letter a little Ink and Paper of three or four shillings price Alas what is the Scripture give me a Ballad a News-book George on Horsback or Bevis of Southampâ—on give me some book that teaches curious Arts that tells of old Fables but for the Holy Scriptures I cared not And as it was with me then so it is with my brethren now we were all of one spirit loved all the same sins slighted all the same counsels promises incouragements and threatnings of the Scriptures and they are still as I left them still in unbelief still provoking God and rejecting good counsel so hardned in their wayes so bent to follow sin that let the Scriptures be shewed to them daily let the Messengers of Christ preach till their hearts ake till they fall down dead with preaching they will rather trample it under-foot and swine-like rent them than close in with those gentle and blessed proffers of the Gospel Nay Father Abraham but if one should rise from the dead they would repent Though they have Moses and the Prophets the Scriptures they will not repent and close in with Jesus Christ though the Scriptures do witness against them If therefore there be any good done to them they must have it another way I think saith he it would work much on them if one should rise from the dead And this truth indeed is so evident that ungodly ones have a light esteem of the Scriptures that it needs not many strong Arguments to prove it being so evidently manifested by their every dayes practice both in words and actions almost in all things they say and do Yet for the satisfaction to he Reader I shall shew you by a Scripture oâ— two though I might shew many that this was and is true with the generality of the world See the words of Nehemiah in his 9th Chapter concerning the Children of Israel who though the Lord afforded them mercy upon mercy as it is from ver 19 to ver 25. yet ver 26. saith he Nevertheless they were disobedient for all thy goodness towards them and rebelled against thee but how and cast thy Law behind their back Slew the Prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee and they wrought great provocations Observe 1. They sinned against mercy And then 2. They slighted the Law or Word of God 3. They slew the Prophets that declared it unto them 4. The Lord counâ—s it a great provocation See Heb. 3. from ver 10. ver 19. And see Zach. 7. 11 12. But they refused to hearken saith he there of the Wicked and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their ears that they should not hear the Law Yea they made their hearts hard as an adamant stone lest they should hear the Law and the words which the Lord of Hosts sent unto them by his Spirit in the former Prophets c. Mark I pray you her is
is said of some These things are spoken to them that are without in Parables that seeing they might not see and that hearing they might not understand Luke 8. 10. I say take heed of being a quarreller against Christ's Parables lest Christ also objecteth against the salvation of thy Soul at the Judgment Day Friend I have no more to say to thee now if thou dost love me pray for me that my God would not forsake me nor take his holy Spirit from me and that God would fit me to do and suffer what shall be from the World or Devil inflicted upon me I must tell thee the World rages they stamp and shake their heads and fain they would be doing the Lord help me to take all they shall do with patience and when they smite the one cheek to turn the other to them that I may do as Christ hath bidden me for then the Spirit of God and of glory shall rest upon me Farewell I am thine to serve in the Lord Jesus John Bunyan Sighs from Hell OR The Groans of a damned Soul Luke the 16th Verse 19. c. verse 19 THere was a certain rich man which was cloathed in Purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day verse 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazirus which was laid at his gate full of sores verse 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans Table moreover the Dogs came and licked his sores verse 22 And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams Bosome the rich man also dyed and was buried verse 23 And in Hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosome verse 24 And he cryed and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame verse 25 But Abraham said Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented verse 26 And besides all this between us and you there is a great Gulf fixed so that they which would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence verse 27 Then he said I pray thee therefore Father that thou wouldest send him to my Fathers House verse 28 For I have five Brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torment verse 29 Abraham saith unto him They have Moses and the Prophets lâ—t them hear them verse 30 And he said Nay Father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent verse 31 And he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Verse 19. THis Scripture was not spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ to shew you the state of two single persons onely as some through their ignorance of the drift of Christ in his Parables do dream but to shew you the state of the godly and ungodly to the Worlds end as is clear to him that is of an understanding heart For he spake them to the end that after Generations should take notice thereof and fear lest they also fell into the same condition Now in my discourse upon these words I shall not be tedious but as briefly as I may I shall pass through the several Verses and lay you down some of the several truths contained therein and the Lord grant that they may be profitable and of great advantage to those that read them or hear them read The 19 and 20 Verse also I shall not spend much time upon onelâ— give you three or four short hints and so pass to the next Verses for they are the words I do intend most especially to insist upon The 19 20 and 2â— Verses â—un thus There was a 〈◊〉 rich man which was cloathed in Purple and sâ—â—e 〈◊〉 and fared deliciâ—â—sly 〈◊〉 sumptuously everyday And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his Gate full of force c. 1. If these Verses had been spoken by Jesus Christ and no more all the World would have gone 〈◊〉 to have cast a wrong interpretation on 〈…〉 if Jesus had said onely thus much There was a certain rich man that fared sumptuously daily and a certain beggar laid at his Gate full of sores The World would have made this conclusion of them the rich man was the happy man For at the first view it doth represent such a thing But take all together that is read the whole Parable and you shall find that there is no man in a worse condition then he as I shall clearly hold forth afterward 2. Again if a man would judge of men according to outward appearance he shall oftâ—â—â—â—â— take his mark â—miss Here is a man to outward appearance appears the only blessed man betâ—eâ— by half then the beggar in as much as he is rich the beggar poor he is well cloathed but peradventure the beggar is naked he hath good food but the beggar would be glad of Dogs meat And he desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich mans Table the rich man fares well every day but the beggar must be glad of a bit when he can get it Oh! who would not be in the rich mans state A wealthy man sorts of new Suits and dainty dishes every day enough to make one who minds nothing but his belly and his back and his lusts to say Oh that I were in that mans condition Oh that I had about me as that man had Then I should live a life indeed then should I have hearts ease good store then I should live pleasantly and might say to my soul Soul be of good chear eat drink and be merry Luke 12. 19. thou hast every thing plenty and art in a most blessed condition I say this might be I and is the conclusion with them that judge according to outward appearance But if the whole Parable be well considered you will see Luke 16. 15. That that which is had in high estimation with men is an abomination in the sight of God And again Joh. 16. 20 21 22. that condition that is the saddest condition according to outward appearance is oft times the most excellent for the beggar had ten thousand degrees the best of it though to outward appearance his state was the saddest from whence we shall observe thus much 1. That those who judge according to outward appearance do for the most part judge amiss Joh. 7. 24. 2. That they who look upon their outward enjoyments to be tokens of Gods special grace unto them are also deceived Rev. 3. 17. For as it is here in the Parable a man of wealth and a child of the Devil may make but one
person or a man may have abundance of outward enjoyments and yet be carryed by the devils into eternal burnings Luke 12. 20. But this is the trap in which the Devil hath caught many thousands of poor souls namely by getting them to judg according to outward appearance or according to Gods outward blessings Do but ask a poor carnal covetous wretch how we should know a man to be in a happy estate and he will answer Those that God blesseth and giveth abundance of this world unto when for the most part they are they that are the cursed men Alas poor men they are so ignorant as to think that because a man is increased in outward things and that by a small stock therefore God doth love that man with a special love or else he would never do so much for him never bless him so and prosper the work of his hands Ah poor soul it is the rich man that goes to hell And the rich man dyed and in hell mark in hell he lift up his eyes c. Methinks to see how the great ones of the world will go stâ—nâ—â—ing up and down the streets sometimes it makes me wonder Surely they look upon themselves to be the only happy men but it is because they judg according to outward appearance they look upon themselves to be the only blessed men when the Lord knows the generality are left out of that blessed condition Not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called 1 Cor. 1. 26. Ah! did they that do now so brâ—g that no body dare scarce look on them but believe this it would make them hang down their heads and cry O give me a Lazarus's portion I might here enlarge very much but I shall not only thus much I shall say to you that have much of this World Have a care that you have not your portion in this world take heed that it be not said to you hereafter when you would very willingly have heaven Remember in your life time you had your good things in your life time you had your portion Psalm 17. 14. And Friend thou that seekest after this world and desirest riches let me ask this question wouldest thou be content that God should put thee off with a portion in this life Wouldest thou be glad to be kept out of heaven with a back well cloathed and a belly well filled with the dainties of this world Wouldest thou be glad to have all thy good things in thy life time to have thy heaven to last no longer then while thou dost live in this world Wouldest thou be willing to be deprived of eternal happiness and felicity If you say no then have a care of the world and thy sins have a care of desiring to be a rich man lest thy Table be made a snare unto thee Psal. 69. 22. lest the wealth in this world do bar thee out of glory For as the Apostle saith They that will be rich do fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men in perdition and destruction 1 Tim. 6. 9. Thus much in general but now more particularly These two men here spoken of as I said do hold forth to us the state of the godly and ungodly the beggar holdeth forth the godly and the rich man the ungodly There was a certain rich man c. But why are the ungodly held forth under the notion of a rich man 1. Because Christ would not have them look too high as I said before but that those who have riches should have a care that they be not all their portion Jam. 1. 10 11 12. 1 Tim. 6. 17. 2. Because rich men are mostly able to the Devils temptations are most ready to be puft up with pride stoutness cares of this world in which things they spend most of their time in lusts drunkenness wantonness idleness together with the other works of the flesh For which things sake the wrath of God commeth upon the children of disobedience Col. 3. 6. 3. Because he would comfort the hearts of his own which are most commonly of the poorer sort But God hath chosen the poor despised and base things of this world 1 Cor. 1. 26. Should God have set the rich man in the blessed state his children would have concluded being poor that they had no share in the life to come And again had not God given such a discovery of the sad condition of those that are for the most part rich men we should have had men conclude absolutely that the rich are the blessed men Nay albeit the Lord himself doth so evidently declare that the rich ones of the world are for the most part in the saddest condition yet they through unbelief or else presumption do harden themselves and seek for the glory of this world as though the Lord Jesus Christ did not means as he said or else that he will say more than shall assuredly come to pass but let them know that the Lord hath a time to fulfill that he had a time to declare for the Scripture cannot be broken Joh. 10. 35. But again the Lord by this word doth not mean those are ungodly who are rich in the world and no other for then must all those that are poor yet graceless and vain men be saved and delivered from eternal vengeance which would be contrary to the word of God which saith That together with the Kings of the earth and the great men and the chief Captains and the mighty men there are bondmen or servants and slaves that cry out at the appearance of the Almighty God and his Son Jesus Christ to Judgment Rev. 6. 15. So that though Christ doth say There was a certain rich man yet you must understand he meaneth all the ungodly rich or poor Nay if you will not understand it so now you shall be made to understand it to be so meant at the day of Christs second comming when all that are ungodly shall stand at the left hand of Christ with pale faces and guilty Consciences with the vials of the Almighties wrath ready to be powred out upon them Thus much in brief touching the 19th verse I might have observed other things from it but now I forbear having other things to speak of at this time Verse 20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores 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 thus 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
the Lord will sit still as I may say and let thy Tongue run as it lists and yet never bring you to an account for the same No stay The Lord will not alwayes keep silence but will reprove thee and set thy sins in order before thine eyes O sinner Yea and thy Tongue together with the rest of thy members shall be tormented for sinning And I say I am very confident that though this be made light of now yet the time is coming when many poor souls will rue the day that ever they did speak with a tongue O will one say that I should so disregard my tongue O that I when I said so and so had before bitten off my tongue that I had been born without a tongue my tongue my tongue a little water to cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame even that flame that my tongue together with the rest of my members by sinning have brought me to Poor Souls now will let their tongues say any thing for a little profit for two pence or three pence gain But O what a grief will this be at that day when they together with their tongue must smart for that which they by their tongues have done while they were in this world Then you that love your souls look to your tongues lest you bind your selves down so fast to hell with the sins of your tongues that you will never be able to get loose again to all eternity For by thy words thou shalt be condemned if thou have not a care of thy tongu For I say unto you that for every idle word that men shall speak he shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment Matth. 1â— 36. Verse 25. But Abraham said Son remember that thou in thy life-time hadst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evill things now he is comforted and thou art tormented THese words are the answer to the request of the damned The Verse before as I told you is a discovery of the desires they have after they depart this world Here is the answer Son Remember c. The answer signifies thus much That instead of having any relief or ease they are hereby the more tormented and that by fresh recollections or by bringing afresh their former ill-spent life while in the world into their remembrance Son Remember thou hadst good things in thy life-time As much as if he had said Thou art now sensible what it is to lose thy Soul thou art now sensible what it is to put off repentance thou art now sensible that thou hast befooled thy self in that thou didst spend that time in seeking after outward momentary earthly things which thou shouldest have spent in seeking to make Jesus Christ sure to thy soul and now through thy anguish of spirit in the pains of hell thou wouldst enjoy that which in former time thou didst make light of but alas thou art here beguiled and altogether disappointed thy crying will now avail thee nothing at all This is not the acceptable time 2 Cor. 6. 2. This is not a time to answer the desires of damned Reprobates If thou hadst cryed out in good earnest while grace was offered much might have been but then thou wert careless and didst turn the forbearance and goodness of God into wantonness wert thou not told that these who would not hear the Lord when he did call should not be heard if they turned away from him when they did call Prov. 1. 24. to 28. But contrariwise he would lough at their calamity and mock when their fear did come Now therefore instead of expecting the least drop of mercy and favour call into thy mind how thou didst spend those days which God did permit thee to live I say remember that in thy life-time thou didst behave thy self rebelliously against the Lord in that thou wert careless of his Word and Ordinances yea and of the welfare of thine own soul also therefore now I say instead of expecting or hoping for any relief thou must be forced to call to remembrance thy filthy waies and feed upon them to thine everlasting astonishment and confusion From these words therefore which say Remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things There are these things to be taken notice of 1. They that by putting off repentance and living in their sins lose their souls shall instead of having the least measure of comfort when they come into hell have their ill-spent life alwayes very fresh in their remembrance While they live here they can sin and forget it but when they depart they shall have it before them they shall have a remembrance or their memory notably enlightened and a clearer and a continual sight of all their wicked practices that they wrought and did while they were in the World Son remember saith he then you will be made to remember 1. How you were born in sin and brought up in the same 2. Remember how thou hadst many a time the Gospel preached to thee for taking away of the same by him whom the Gospel doth hold forth 3. Remember that out of love to thy sins and lusts thou didst turn thy back on the tenders of the same Gospel of good tidings and peace 4. Remember that the reason why thou didst lose thy Soul was because thou didst not close in with free grace and the tenders of a loving and freehearted Jesus Christ. 5. Remember how near thou wast to turning at such and such a time only thou wast willing to give way to thy lusts when they wrought to drunkards when they called to pleasures when they proffered themselves to the cares and incumbrances of the world which like so many thorns did choak that or those convictions that were set on thy heart 6. Remember how willing thou wast to satisfy thy self with an Hypocrites hope and with a notion of the things of God without the real power and life of the same 7. Remember how thou when thou wert admonished to turn didst put off turning and repeâ—â—ng till another time 8. Remember how thou didst dissemble at such â— time â—â—e at such a time cheat thy neighbour at such a time mock slout scoff taunt hate persecute the people of God at such a time in such a place among such company 9. Remember that while others were met together in the fear of the Lord to seek him thou wast met with a company of vain companions to sin against him while the Saints were a praying thou were a cursing while they were speaking good of the name of God thou wert speaking evil of the Saints of God O then thou shalt have a scalding hot remembrance of all thy sinful thoughts words and actions from the very first to the last of them that ever thou didst commit in all thy life time Then thou wilt find that Scripture to be a truth Deut. 28. 65 66 67. The Lord shall give thee there a trembling heart and failing of eyes and
a word while thou wert making sure of Eternal Ruine he by Faith in the Bloud of the Lord Jesus Christ was making sure of Eternal Salvation Therefore Now he is comforted and thou art tormented Here then you may see that as the Righteous shall not be always void of comfort and blessedness so neither shall the ungodly go always without their punishment As sure as God is in Heaven it will be thus They must have their several portions And therefore you that are the Saints of the Lord follow on be not dismayed For asmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. last Verse Your portion is Eternal Glory And you that are so loath now to close in with Jesus Christ and to leave your sins to follow him Your day is coming Psal. 37. 13. in which you shall know that your sweet morsels of sin that you do so easily take down Job 20. 12 13 14. and it scarce troubles you will have a time so to work within you to your Eternal Ruine that you will be in a worse condition than if you had ten thousand Devils tormenting of you Nay you had better have been plucked Limb from Limb a thousand times if it could be than to be partakers of this Torment that will assuredly without Mercy lie upon you Vers. 26. And besides all this between us and you there is a great Gulf fixed so that they which would go from hence to you cannot neither can they come to us that would come from thence THese words are still part of that Answer that the Souls in Hell shall have for all their Sobbings Sighing â—grievous Cries Tears and Desires that they have to be released out of those intollerable pains they feel and are perplexed with And O methinks the words at the first view if rightly considered are enough to make any hard-hearted sinner in the World to fall down dead The verse I last spake to was and is a very terrible one and aggravates the Torments of poor sinners wonderfully Where he saith Remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things and Lazarus his Evill things c. I say these words are very terrible to those poor Souls that die out of Christ. But these latter words do much more hold out their sorrow They were spoken as to the present condition then upon the sinner These do not onely back the former but do yet further aggravate their misery holding forth that which will be more intollerable The former Verse is enough to smite any sinner into a swound but this to make him fall down dead Where he saith And besides all this There is still something to aggravate thy misery yet far more abundantly I shall briefly speak to the words as they have relation to the Terrour spoken of in the verses before As if he had said Thou thinkest thy present state unsupportable it makes thee sob and sigh it makes thee to rue the time that ever thou wert born Now thou findest the want of Mercy now thou wouldst leap at the least dram of it now thou feelest what it is to slight the Tenders of the Grace of God now it makes thee to sob sigh and roar exceedingly for the anguish that thou art in But besides all this I have other Things to tell thee of that will break thine heart indeed Thou art now deprived of a Being in the World Thou art deprived of hearing the Gospel the Devil hath been too hard for thee and hath made thee miss of Heaven Thou art now in Hell among an innumerable Company of Devils and all thy sins beset thee round Thou art all over wrapped in flames and canst not have one drop of water to give thee any ease Thou cryest in vain for nothing will be granted Thou seest the Saints in Heaven which is no small trouble to thy Damned Soul Thou seest that neither God nor Christ takes any care to ease thee or to speak any comfort unto thee But besides all this There thou art and there thou art like to lie never think of any ease never look for any comfort Repentance now will do thee no good the Time is past and can never be called again look what thou hast now thou must have for ever 'T is true I speak enough before to break thine heart asunder But besides all this there lye and swim in flame for ever these words Besides all this are terrible words indeed I will give you the scope of them in a similitude Set case you should take a man and tye him to a stake and with red hot pincers pinch off his flesh by little pieces for two or three years together and at last when the poor man cryes out for ease and help the tormentors answer Nay but besides all this you must be handled worse We will serve you thus these 20. years together and after that we will fill your mangled body full of scalding lead or run you through with a red hot spit would not this be lamentable yet this is but a flea-biting to the sorrows of these that go to hell for if a man were served so there would ere it were long be an end of him But he that goes to Hell shall suffer ten thousand times worse torments then these and yet shall never be quite dead under them There they shall be ever whining pining weeping mourning ever tormented without ease and yet never dissolved into nothing if the biggest devil in hell might pull thee all to peices and rend thee small as dust and dissolve thee into nothing thou wouldest count this a mercy But here thou mayest lye and fry scorch and broil and burn for ever For ever that is a long while and yet it must be so long Depart from me saith Christ into everlasting fire into the fire that burns for ever prepared for the devils and his Angels Mat. 25. 41. Oh thou that wert loath to foul thy foot if it were but dirty or did but rain thou that wert loath to come out of the Chimney corner if the wind did but blow a little cold and wert loath to go half a mile yea half a furlong to hear the Word of God if it were but a little dark thou that wert loath to leave a few vain companions to edify thy Soul thou shalt have fire enough thou shalt have night enough and evil company enough thy belly full if thou miss of Jesus Christ and besides all this thou shalt have them for ever and for ever O thou that dost spend whole nights in carding and dicing in rioâ—ing and wantonness thou that countest it a brave thing to swear as fast as the bravest to spend with the greatest spend-thrift in the Countrey thou that lovest to sin in a corner when no body sees thee O thou that for by-ends dost carry on an hypocrites profession because thou wouldest be counted some body among the children of God but art an enemy to the
24. Who bare our sins in his own body on the tree Wouldest thou know whether he did rise again after he was crucified with the very same body then read Luke 24. at ver 38 39. 40 41. Wouldest thou know whether he did eat or drink with his Disciples after he arose out of the Grave then read Luke 24. 42. and Acts 10. 41. If thou wouldest be perswaded of the truth of this that that very body is now above the Clouds and Stars read Acts 1. 9 10 11 and Luke 24. toward the end If thou wouldest know that the Quakers hold an errour that say the body of Christ is within them consider the same Scripture Wouldest thou know what that Christ that died for sinners is doing in that place whether he is gone then read Heb. 7. 24. Wouldest thou know who shall have life by him read 1 Tim. 1. 14. 15. and Rom. 5. 6 7 8. which say Christ died for sinners for the ungodly Wouldest thou know whether they that live and die in their sins shall go to Heaven or not then read 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. Rev. 21. 8 27. which saith They shall have their part in the like that burns with fire and Brimstone Wouldest thou know whether mans obedience will obtain that Christ should die for them or save them then read Mark 2. 17. Rom. 5. 7. Wouldst thou know whether Righteousness Justification and Sanctification doth come through the vertue of Christs blood compare Rom. 5. 9. with Heb. 12. 12. Wouldest thou know whether natural man can abstain from the outward act of sin against the Law meerly by a principal of nature then compare well Rom. 2. 14. with Phil. 3. 6. Wouldest thou know whether a man by nature may know something of the invisible things of God compare seriously Rom. 1. 20. 21. with Rom. 2. 14. 5. Wouldest thou know how far a man may go on in a profession of the Gospel and yet fall away then read Heb. 6. 4 5 6. They may taste the good word of God and the powers of the world to come They may taste the Heavenly gift and be partakers of the Holy Ghost and yet so fall as never to be recovered or renewed again unto repentance see also Luke 13. Wouldest thou know how hard it is to go to Heaven read Mat. 7. 13 14. Luke 13. 24. Wouldest thou know whether a man by nature be a friend to God or an enemy then read Rom. 5. 11. Col. 1. 21. Wouldest thou know what or who they are that shall go to Heaven then read John 3. 3. 5. 7. and 2 Cor. 5. 17. Also wouldest thou know what a sad thing it is for any to turn their backs upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ then read Heb. 10. 28 29. and Mark 16 16. Wouldest thou know what is the wages of sin then read Rom. 6. 23. Wouldest thou know whither those do go that die unconverted to the faith of Christ then read Psal. 9. 17. and Isa. 14. 9. Reader here might I spend many sheets of paper yea I might upon this subject write a very great Book but I shall now forhear desiring thee to be very conversant in the Scriptures for they are they that will testifie of Jesus Christ Joh. 5. 39. The Bereans were counted noble upon this account These were more noble then those of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily c. Acts 17. 11. But here let me give thee one caution that is have a care that thou do not satisfie thy self with a bare search of them without a real application of him whom they testifie of to thy soul lest instead of faring the better for thy doing this work thou dost fare a great deal the worse thy condemnation be very much heightned in that though thou didst read so often the sad state of those that die in sin and the glorious estate of them that close in with Christ yet thou thy self shouldst be such a fool as to lose Jesus Christ notwithstanding thy hearing and reading so plentifully of him They have Moses and the Prophets let them 〈◊〉 them As if he should say What need have they that one should be sent to them from the dead Have they not Moses and the Prophets hath not Moses told them the danger of living in sin Deut. 27. from ver 15. to ver 26. And chap. 28. 15. 16 17 18 19. 20. c. to the end of the Chapter also chap. 29. 18 19 20 21. hath he not there told them what a sad state these persons are in that deceive themselves with the deceit of their hearts saying They shall have peace though they follow their sins in these words And when he heareth the words of this curse he bless himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I go on or walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst The Lord will not spare that man but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoak against him and all the curses that are written in this Book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under Heaven Again did not Moses write of the Saviour that was to come afterwards into the World Deut. 18. 18. Nay have not all the Prophets from Samuel with all those that follow after prophesied and foretold these things therefore what need have they that I should work such a miracle as to send one from the dead unto them They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them From whence observe again That God doth honour the writings of Moses and the Prophets as much nay more than if one should rise from the dead Should not a People seek unto their God what seek for the living among the dead To the Law and to the Testimonies saith God if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa. 8. 19 20. And let me tell you plainly I do believe that the Devil knows this full well which makes him labour to beget in the hearts of his Disciples and followers light thoughts of them and doth perswade them that even a motion from their own beguiled conscience or from his own wicked Spirit is to be observed and obeyed before them when the very Apostle of Jesus Christ though he heard a voice from the excellent glory saying This is my beloved Son c. Yet writing to the Churches he commends the writings of the Prophets before it saying We have also a more sure word of the Prophets unto which ye do well to take heed c. 2 Pet. 1. 17 18 19. Now if thou doubtest whether that place be meant the Scriptures the words of the Prophets or no read but the next Verse where he addeth for a certain confirmation there of these words Knowing this first that there is no Prophecy of the Scriptures of any private interpretation for Prophecy
also First a refusing to hearken to the word of the Prophets 2. That they might so do they stopped their ears 3. If any thing was to be done they pulled away their shoulder 4. To effect this they labour to make their hearts hard as an Adamant stone 5. And all this lest they should hear and close in with Jesus and live and be delivered from the wrath to come all which things do hold out an unwillingness to submit to and embrace the words of God and so Jesus Christ which is restified of by them Many other Scripture I might bring in for confirmation of the thing as that in Amos 7. 12 13. also 2 Sam. 2. 24 25 2 Chron. 25. 15 16. Jer. 7. 23 24 25 26 27. and that 16. 12. Read also seriously that saying in 2 Chron. 36. 15. where he saith And the Lord God of their Fathers sent unto them by his Messengersrising up betimes because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place And did they make them welcome No But mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words And was that all No they misused his Prophets How long untill the wrath of the Lord arose against them Till there was no remedy See also Jer. 29. 19. chap. 25. 3 4 5 6 7. Luke 11. 49. And besides the Conversation of almost all men doth bear witness to the same both Religious and profane persons in that they daily neglect reject and turn their backs upon the plain testimony of the Scriptures As 1. Take the threatnings laid down in holy Writ and how are they disregarded there are but a few places in the Bible but there are threatnings against one sinner or other against drunkards swearers lyars proud persons strumpets whoremongers covetous railers extortioners thieves lazy persons In a word all manner of sins are reproved and without Faith in the Lord Jesus there is a â—ore punishment to be executed on the committers of them and all this made mention of in the Scriptures But for all this how thick and by heaps do these wretches walk up and down our streets Do but go into the Ale-houses and you shall see almost every room besprinkled with them so foming out their own shame that it is enough to make the heart of a Saint to tremble insomuch that they would not be bound to have society with them any long while for all the world For as the wayes of the godly are not liked of by the wicked even so the wayes of the wicked are an abomination to the just Prov. 29. 27. Psal. 120. 5 6. The Scriptures say Cursed is the man that trusteth in man that maketh flesh his arm and whose heart departeth from the Lord Jer. 17. 5. And yet how many poor souls are there in the world that stand in so much aw and dread of men and do so highly esteem their favour that they will rather venture their souls in the hands of the devil with their favour then they will â—â—y to Jesus Christ for the salvation of their soul. Nay though they be convinced in their souls that the way is the way of God yet how do they labour to stifle convictions and turn their ears away from the truth and all because they will not lose the favour of an opposite neighbour Oh! I dare not for my Master my Brother my Landlord I shall lose his favour his house of work and so decay my calling O saith another I would willingly go in this way but for my Father he chides and tells me he will not stand my friend when I come to want I shall never enjoy a penyworth of his goods he will disinherit me And I dare not saith another for my Husband for he will be a railing and tells me he will turn me out of doors he will beat me and cut off my legs But I tell you if any of these or any other things be â—o prevalent with thee now as to keep thee from seeking after Christ in his wayes they will also be so prevalent with God against thee as to make him cast off thy soul because thou didst rather trust man than God and delight in the embracing of man rather than in the favour of the Lord. 2. Again the Scripture saith He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29. 1. Yet many are so far from turning though they have been convinced of their wretched state an hundred times that when convictions or trouble for sin comes on their Consciences they go on still in the same manner resisting and choaking the same though remediless destruction be hard at their heels 3. Again thou hast heard say Unless a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Joh. 3. 3 5 7. And yet thou goest on in a natural state an unregenerate condition nay thou dost resolve never to turn not be changed though hell be appointed on purpose to swallow up such Isa. 14. 9. Psal. 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget God 4. Again the Scripture saith plainly That he that loveth and maketh a lye shall have his part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Rev. 21. 8 27. And yet thou art so far from dreading it that it is thy delight to jest and jeer and lye for a penny or two pence or â—ix pence gain And also if thou canst make the rest of thy companions merry by telling things that are false of them that are better then thy self thou dost not care a straw Or if thou hearest a lye from or of another thou wilt tell it and swear to the truth of it O miserable 5. Thou hast heard and read That he that believes not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. And that all men have not Faith 2 Thess. 3. 2. and yet thou dost so much disregard these things that it is like thou didst scarce ever so much as examine seriously whether thou wert in the faith or no but dost content thy self with the Hypocrites hope which at the last God will cut off and count it no better then the spiders web Job 8. 13 14. or the house that is builded on the sands Luke 6. 49. Nay thou peradventure dost flatter thy self and thinkest that thy Faith is as good as the best of them all when alas poor soul thou mayest have no saving faith at all which thou hast not if thou be not born again and made a new Creature 2. Cor. 2 17. 6. Thou hast heard That he that neglects Gods great salvation shall never escape his great damnation Heb. 2. 3. compared with Luke 14. 24. and Rev. 14. 19 20. And yet when thou art invited intreated and beseeched to come in Luke 14. 17 18. 2 Cor. 5. 19 20. Rom. 12. 1. thou wilt make any excuse to serve the turn Nay thou wilt be so wicked as to put off Christ time after time notwithstanding he is
so freely profered to thee a little ground a few Oxen a Farm a Wife a two penny matter a Play nay the fear of a mock a scoff or a jeer is of greater weight to draw thee back than the Salvation of thy Soul to draw thee forward 7. And thou hast heard that Whosoever will be a friend of the World is the enemy of God Jam. 4. 4. But thou regardest not these things but contrariwise rather then thou wilt be out of the friendship and favour of this world thou wilt sin against thine own Conscience and get thy self inâ—o favour by fawning and flattering of the world Yea rather then thou wilt go without it thou wilt dissemble lye backbite thy Neighbour and an hundred other tricks thou wilt have 8. You have heard that the day of Judgement is near in which you and I all of us must appear before the Tribunal of Jesus Christ and there be made to give an account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead even of all that ever we did yea of all our sins in thought word and deed and shall certainly be damned for them too if we close not in with our Lord Jesus Christ and what he hath done and suffered for eternal life and that not notionally or traditionally but really and savingly in the power and by the operation of the spirit through faith Eccles. 11. 9. 12. 14. Heb. 9. 27. Acts 10. 42 Acts 17. 30 31. 2 Cor. 5. 10. Rev. 20. 12. And I saw the dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the dead were judged out of those things that were written in the Books There is the Book of the Creatures the Book of Conscience the Book of the Lords Remembrance the Book of the Law the Book of the Gospel Rom. 1. 20. compared with Rom. 2. 12. 15. Rev. 6. ver 19. Joh. 12. 48. Then shall he separate them one from another as a Shepherd divideth his Sheep on his right hand and the Goats on his left Mat. 25. 30 31 32. And shall say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed vers 34. But to the other go or depart ye cursed ver 41. Yet notwithstanding the Scriptures do so plainly plentifully speak of these things alas who is there that is weaned from the world and from their siâ—s and pleasures to fly from the wrath to come Mat. 3. 7. notwithstanding the Scripture saith also That Heaven and Earth shall pass away rather than one jot or one tittle of the word shall shall fail till all be fulfilled they are so certain Luke 21. 37. But leaving the threatnings let us come to the promises and speak somewhat of them and you may see how light men make of them and how little they set by them notwithstanding the mouth of the Lord hath spoken them As first Turn ye fools ye scorners ye simple ones at my reproof and behâ—ld I will pour out my spirit unto you Prov. 1. 24. And yet persons had rather be in their foolishness and scorning still and had rather imbrace some filthy lust then the holy undesiled and blessed Spirit of Christ thorow the promise though by it as many as receive it are sealed unto the day of redemption Eph. 4. 30. And although he that lives and dies without it is none of Christs Rom. 8. 9. 2. God hath said If thou do but come to him in Christ though your sins be as red as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow and he will by no meanes cast thee away compare Isa. 1. 18. with Joh. 6. â—7 yet poor souls will not come to Christ that they might have life Joh. 5. 41. but rather after their hardness and impenitent heart treasure up unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2. 4 5 6. 3. Christ Jesus hath said in the word of truth That if any man will serve and follow him Where he is there shall also his servant be Joh. 12. 26. but yet poor souls choose rather to follow sin Satan and the world though their companions be the devils and damned souls for ever Mat. 25. 41. 4. He hath also said Seek first the Kingdom of God and all other things shall be added But let who so will seek after the Kingdom of Heaven first for them For they will take the first time while time serves to get the things of this life And if it be so that they must needs seek after Heaven or else be damned they will stay till they have more leisure or till they can better attend to it or till they have other things handsome about them or till they are older when they have little else to do or when they come to be sick and to die Then Lord have mercy upon them though it be ten thousand to one but they perish for ever For commonly the Lord hath this way to deal with such sinners who put him off when he is striâ—â—â—â— with them either to laugh at their calamity and mâ—â—k when their fear cometh Prov. 1. 26. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 send them to the gods they have served which are the devils Judg. 10. 13. 14. Go to the gods you have served and let them deliver you saith he compare this with Joh. 8. 44. 5. He hath said There is no man that forsaketh Father or Mother Wife or Children or Lands for his sake and the Gospels but shall have an hundred fâ—lâ— in this world with persecution and in the world to come life everlasting Mark 10. 29 30. But men for the most part are so far off from believing the certainty of this that they will scarce lose the earning of a penny to hear the word of God the Gospel of salvation Nay they will neither go themselves nor suffer others to go if they can help it without threatning to do them a mischief if it lie in their way Nay further many are so far from parting from any worldly gun for Christs sake and the Gospels that they are still striving by hook and by crook as we say by swearing lying cousening stealing covetousness extortion oppression forgery bribery flâ—ttery or any other way to get more though they get together with these death wrath damnation hell the devil and all the plagues that God can pour upon them And if any do not run with them to the same excess of riot but rather for all their threats will be so bold and careless as they call it as to follow the wayes of God if they can do no more yet they will whet their tongues like a Sword to wound them and do them the greatest mischief they can both in speaking against them to neighbours to Wives to Husbands to Landlords and raising false Reports of them But let such take heed lost they be in such a state and woful condition as he was in who said
received the word was because they believed it was the Word of God and not the word of man which did effectually work in them by their thus believing 1 Thes. 2 13 14. When ye received the word which ye heard of us saith he ye received it not as the word of man but as it is indeed the Word of God which effectually worketh in you that believe So that did a man but receive it in hearing or reading or meditating as it is the Word of God they would be converted But the Word preached doth not profit not being mixed with faith in them that hear it Heb. 4. 1 2. 2. Because they do not indeed see themselves by nature heirs of that exceeding wrath and vengeance that the Scriptures testifie of For did they but consider what God intends to do with those that live and die in a natural state it would either sink them into despair or make them fly for refuge to the hope that is set before them But if there be never such sins committed and never so great wrath denounced and the time of execution be never so near yet if the party that is guilty be senseless and altogether ignorant thereof he will be careless and regard it nothing at all And that man by nature is in this condition it is evident For take the same man that is senseless and ignorant of that misery he is in by nature I say take him at another time when he is a little awakened and then you shall hear him roar and cry out so long as trouble is upon him and a sense of the wrath of God hanging over his head Good sirs what must I do to be saved Though the same man at another time when his conscience is fallen asleep and grown hard will lie like the Smiths Dog at the foot of the Anvil though the fire-sparks flie in his face But as I said before when any one is a little awakened Oâ— what work will one verse one line nay one word of holy Scriptures make in his heart he cannot eat sleep work keep company with his former companions and all because he is afraid that the damnation spoken of in Scripture will fall to his share Like Balaam who said I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord Numb 22. 18. so long as he had something of the word of the Lord with authority severity and power on his heart but at another time he could teach Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the Children of Israel Rev. 2. 14. 3. Because the carnal Priests do tickle the ears of their hearers with vain Philosophy and deceit and thereby harden their hearts against the simplicity of the Gospel and word of God which things the Apostle admonished those that have a mind to close in with Christ to avoid Col. 2. 8. saying Beware lest any man be he what hâ— will spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men and rudiments of the world and not after Christ. And you who muzzle up your people in ignorance with Aristotle Plato and the rest of the heathenish Philosophers and preach little if any thing of Christ rightly I say unto you that you will find you have sinned against God and beguiled your hearers when God shall in the Judgement-day lay the cause of the damnation of many thousands of souls to your charge and say He will require their blood aâ— your hands Ezek. 33. 6. 4. Another reason why the carnal unbelieving world do so slight the Scriptures and Word of God is because the judgement spoken of in the Scripture is not presently executed on the transgressors Because sentence against an evil act is not speedily executed therefore the hearts of the sons of men are wholly set in theâ—â— to do evil Eccles. 8. 11. Because God doth not presently strike the poor wretch as soon as he sins but waits and forbears and is patient Therefore the world judging God to be unfaithful go to it again and again and every time grow harder and harder till at last God is forced either to stretch out his mighty power to turn them or else send death with the Devil and Hell to fetch them Thou thoughtest saith God that I was altogether such an one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thy face Now consider this ye that forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Psal. 50. 20. 21. 5. Another Reason why the blind world do slight the authority of Scripture is because they give â—ar to the Devil who through his subtilty casteth false evasions and corrupt interpretations on them â—endâ—ing them not so point blank the mind of God and a rule for direction to poor souls perswading them that they must give ear and way to something else besides and beyond that or else he labours to render it vile and contemptible by perswading them that it is a dead letter when indeed they know not what they say nor whereof they affirm For the Scripture is not so dead but that the knowledge of it is able to make any man wise unto salvation through faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3. 15. And is profitable for instruction reproof and correction in righteousness that the man of God may be throughly furnished to all good works verse 17. And where it is said the letter killeth he meaneth the Law as it is the ministration of damnation or a Covenant of works and so indeed it doth kill and must do so because it is just forasmuch as the party that is under the same is not able to yield to it a compleat and continual obedience But yet I will call Paul and Peter to witness that the Scriptures are of a very glorious concernment in as much as in them is held forth to us the way of life and also in that they do administer good ground of hope to us Rom. 15. 4. For whatsoever things were written a foretime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture migâ—â— have hope And again Rom. 16. 25 26. Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the Revelation of the mistery which was kept hid since the World began but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations for the obedience of faith And therefore whosoever they be that slight the Scriptures they slight that which is no less then the word of God and they who slight that slight him that spake it and they that do so let them look to themselves for God will be reveâ—ged on such Much more might be said to this thing but I would not be tedious A word or two more and so I have done with this Consider the dangers of slighting the words of the Prophets or
Apostles whether they be correction reproof admonition forewarning or the blessed invitations and promises contained in them 1. Such souls do provoke God to anger and to execute his vengeance on them They refused to hearken they pulled away their shoulder they stopped their ears lest they should hear the Law and they made their hearts Adamant stone that they might not hear the Law and the words that were spoken to them by his spirit in the former Prophets Therefore came a great wrath upon them Zach. 7. 11 12. 2. God will not regard in their calamity Because I called and ye refused I stretched out my hand and no man regarded but set at nought all my counsels and would have none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamities and mock when your fear cometh When their fear cometh as desolation and their destruction like a Whirlwind Then shall they call but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Prov. 1. 25 26 27. 3. God doth commonly give up such men to delusions to believe lies Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved therefore God shall send them strong delusiens that they should believe a lie That they all might be damned 2 Thes. 2. 11 12. 4. In a word they that do continue to reject and slight the word of God they are such for the most part as are ordained to be damned Old Eli his sons not hearkening to the voice of their father reproving them for their sins but disobeying his voice it is saiâ— It was because the Lord would slay them 1 Sam. 2. 15. Again see in 2 Chron. 25. 15 16. Amaziah having sinned against the Lord he sends to him a Prophet to reprove him But Amaziah sayes â—orbear wherefore shouldst thou be smitten he â—id not hearken to the word of God Then the Prophet forbear saying I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast not hearkened to my counsel Read therefore and the Lord give thee understanding For a miserable end will those have that go on in sinning against God rejecting his word Other things might have been observed from this verse which at this time I shall pass by partly because the sum of them hath been touched already and may be more clearly hinted at in the following verse and therefore I shall speak a few words to the next verse and so draw towards a conclusion Ver. 31. And he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the Dead ANd he said That is and God made answer to the words spoken in the verse before And he said unto him If they hear not Moses c. As if he had said Moses was a man of great Renown a man of worthy note a man that talked with God face to face as a man speaketh to his Friend The words that Moses spake were such as I commanded him to speak Let who will question them I will own them credit them bless them that close in with them and curse those that reject them I my self sent the Prophets they did not run of their own heads I gave them Commission I thrust them our and told them what they should say In a word They have told the World what my mind is to do both to Sinners and to Saints They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Therefore he that shall reject and turn his back either upon the Threatnings Counsels Admonitions Invita ions Promises or whatsoever else I have commanded them to speak as to Salvation and Life and to Directions therein shall be sure to have a share in the many Curses that they have spoken and the Destruction that is pronounced by them Again If they hear not Moses and the Prophets c. As if he had said Thou would'st have me send one from the Dead unto them what needs that They have my Mind already I have declared unto them what I intend to stand to both for saving them that believe and damning them that do not That therefore which I have said I will make good whether they hear or forbear And as for this desire of yours you had as good desire me to make a new Bible and so to revoke my first Sayings by the Mouth of my Prophets But I am God and not Man and my Word is immutable unchangable and shall stand as fast as my Decreâ—s can make it Heaven and Earth shall pass away but one jot or tittle of my Word shall not pass If thou hadst Ten Thousand Brethren and every one in danger of losing his Soul if they did not close in with what is contained and recorded in the Scriptures of Truth they must even every one of them perish and be for ever damned in Hell for the Scriptures cannot be broken I did not send them so unadvisedly to recall it again by another consideration No For I speak in Righteousness and Judgment Isa. 63. 1 2 3. and in much Wisdom and Counsel It being therefore gone out of my Mouth in this manner It shall not return in vain untill it hath accomplished the thing whereto I have sent it But again Thou supposest that Miracles and Wonders will work more on them which makes thee say Send one from the Dead But herein thou art mistaken for I have proved them with that once and again by more than one or two or three of my Servants How many Miracles did my Servant Moses work by Commandment from me in the Land of Egypt at the Red-Sea and in the Wilderness yet they of that Generation were never the sooner converted for that but notwithstanding rebelled and lusted and in their hearts turned back into Egypt Act. 7. How many Miracles did Samuel David Elias Elisha Daniel and the Prophets together with my Son who raised the Dead cast out Devils made them to see that were born blind gave and restored Limbs yet for all this as I said before they hated him they crucified him I raised him again from the Dead and he appeared to his Disciples who were call'd and chosen and faithful and he gave them Commandment and Commission to go and testifie the Truth of this to the World and to confirm the same he inabled them to speak with divers Tongues and to wâ—â—k Mâ—â—acles most plentifully yet there was great persecution raised against them insomuch that but a few of them died in their beds And therefore though thou thinkest that a Miracle will do so much with the World yet I say No For if they will not believe Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one should rise from the Dead From these words therefore take notice of this Truth namely that those who reject and believe not Moses and the Prophets are a very hard-hearted people that will not be perswaded though one rise from the Dead They that regard not the Holy
in thy Life-time For if in this life onely we have our portion we are of all people the most miserable â— Cor. 15. 19. Again consider that when other men the Saints are to receive their good things then thou hast had thine When others are to enter into joy then thou art to leave and depart from thy joy When others are to go to God thou must go to the Devil Oh miserable thou hadst better thou hadst never been born than to be an Heir of such a portion Therefore I say have a care it be not thy condition Remember that thou hadst thy good things and Lazarus evil things These words do not onely hold forth the misery of the Wicked in this Life but also great consolation to the Saints where he saith And Lazarus evil things That is Lazarus had his Evil Things in his Life-time or when he was in the World From whence observe 1. That the Life of the Saints so long as they are in this World is attended with many Evils or Afflictions which may be discovered to be of divers Natures as saith the Scripture Many are the troubles of the Righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of all 2. Take notice that the Afflictions or Evils that accompany the Saints may continue with them their Life-time so long as they live in this Vale of Tears Yea and they may be divers that is of several sorts some outward some inward and that as long as they shall continue here below as hath been the Experience of all Saints in all Ages and this might be proved at large but I onely hint in these Things although I might enlarge much upon them 3. The Evils that do accompany the Saints will continue with them no longer than their Life-time and here indeed lies the comfort of Believers the Lazarus's the Saints they must have all their bitter Cup wrung out to them in their Life-time Here must be all their Trouble here must be all their Grief Behold saith Christ the World shall rejoyce but you shall lament but your mourning shall mark it shall be turned into joy Joh. 16. 2. You shall lament you shall be sorrowful you shall weep in your Life-time but your sorrow shall be turned into joy and your joy no man let him be what he will no man shall take away from you Now if you think when I say the Saints have all their Evil Things in their Life-time that I mean they have nothing else but Trouble in this their Life-time this is your mistake For let me test you That though the Saints have all their Evil Things in their Life-time yet even in their Life-time they have also joy unspeakable and full of glory while they look not at the things that are seen but at the things which are not seen The joy that the Saints have sometimes in their hearts by a believing consideration of the good Things to come when this Life is ended doth fill them fuller of joy than all the Crosses Troubles Temptations and Evils that accompany them in this Life can fill them with grief 2 Cor. 4. But some Saint may say My troubles are such as are ready to overcome me Answ. Yet be of good comfort they shall last no longer than thy Life-time But my Trouble is I am perplexed with an heart full of corruption and sin so that I am much hindred in walking with God Answ. 'T is like so but thou shalt have these Troubles no longer than thy Life-time But I have a cross Husband and that 's a great grief to me Well but thou shalt be troubled with him no longer than thy Life-time and therefore be not dismaid be not discomforted thou shalt have no Trouble longer than this Life-time Art thou troubled with cross Children cross Relations cross Neighbours They shall trouble thee no longer than this Life-time Art thou troubled with a cunning Devil with unbelief yea let it be what it will thou shalt take thy farewel of them all if thou be a Believer after thy Life-time is ended O excellent Then God shall wipe away all Tears from your Eyes There shall be no more Death nor Sorrow nor crying nor any more pain for the former Things are passed away But now on the contrary if thou be not a right and sound Believer Then though thou should'st live a Thousand Years in this World and meet with sore Afflictions every day Yet these Afflictions be they never so great and grievous they are nothing to that Torment that will come upon thee both in Soul and in Body after this Life is ended I say be what thou wilt if thou be found in unbelief or under the first Covenant thou art sure to smart for it at the time when thou dost depart this World But the Thing to be lamented is For all this is so sad a condition to be fallen into yet poor Souls are for the most part sensless of it yea so sensless at sometimes as though there was no such misery to come hereafter Because the Lord doth no immediately strike with his Sword but doth bear long with his Creature waiting that he might be gracious Therefore I say the Hearts of some of the Sons of Men are wholly set upon it to do mischief Eccles. 8. 11. And that forbearance and goodness of God that one would think should lead them to Repentance the Devil hardening of them by their continuing in sin and by blinding their Eyes as to the end of God's forbearance toward them they are led away with a very hardned and sensless heart even until they drop into Eternal Destruction But poor hearts they must have a time in which they must be made sensible of their former Behaviours when the just Judgments of the Lord shall flame about their Ears insomuch that they shall be made to cry out again with anguish I am sorely tormented in this flame But now he is comforted and thou art tormented As if he should say Now hath God recompenced both Lazarus and you according to what you sought after while you were in this World As for your part you did neglect the precious Mercy and goodness of God you did turn your Back on the Son of God that came into the World to save sinners You made a Mock of preaching the Gospel You was admonished over and over to close in with the loving kindness of the Lord in his Son Jesus Christ. The Lord let you live 20 30 40 50 60 Years all which time you instead of spending it to make your Calling and Election sure Job 21. 29 30. did spend it in making of Eternal Damnation sure to thy Soul And also Lazarus he in his Life-time did make it his business to accept of my Grace and Salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ. When thou wast in the Alehouse he frequented the Word preached when thou wert jearing at goodness he was sighing for the sins of the times Eccles. 9. 4. While thou wert swearing he was praying In