his Spirit in them did bear witness or record to the truth of salvation by his Son Jesus both before and after his comming And thus is that place also to be understood which saith There are three that bear record in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood That is the Spirit in the Apostles which preached him to the world as is clear if you read seriously 1 Thess 4.8 The Apostle speaking of Jesus Christ and obedience to God through him saith thus Now he that despiseth despiseth not us No who then Why God But it is you that speak True but it is by and through the Spirit He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who also hath given us of his holy Spirit This is therefore a mighty confirmation of this truth that he that slights the record or testimony that God by his spirit in his Prophets and Apostles hath testified unto us slights the testimony of the spirit who moved them to speak these things and if so then I would fain know how any man can be saved by Jesus Christ that slights the testimony concerning Christ yea the testimony of his own spirit concerning his own self 'T is true men may pretend to have the testimony of the Spirit and from that conceit set a low esteem on the holy Scriptures But that spirit that dwelleth in them and teacheth them so to do it is no better then the spirit of Satan though it calls it self by the name of the spirit of Christ To the law therefore and to the testimony Try them by that If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them The Apostle Peter when he speaks of the glorious voice that he had from the excellent Majesty saying of Christ This is my beloved Son hear him saith thus to them whom he wrote unto You have also a more sure word of prophecy or of the prophets for so you may read it unto which you do well that you take heed That is though we tell you that we had his excellent testimony from his own mouth evidently yet you have the prophets we tell you this and you need not doubt of the truth of it but if you should yet you may not must not ought not to question them Search therefore unto them until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts That is until by the same spirit that gave forth the Scripture you find the truth confirmed to your souls which you have recorded in the Scriptures That this word of prophecy or of the prophets is the Scriptures read on For saith he knowing this first that no prophecy of the Scriptures is of any private interpretation c. 2 Pet. 1.18 19 20. But you will say What needs all this ado and why is all this time and pains spent in speaking to this that is surely believed already This is a thing received by all that they believe the Scriptures to be the word of God that sure word of prophecy and therefore you need not spend your time in proving these things and the truth of them seeing we grant and confess the truth of it before you begin to speak your judgement of them Answ The truths of God cannot be borne witness unto too often you may as well say You need not preach Jesus Christ so much seeing he hath been and is received for the true Messias already 2. Though many may suppose that they do believe the Scriptures yet if they were but well examined you would find them either by word of mouth or else by conversation to deny reject and slight the holy Scriptures 'T is true there is a notional and historicall assent in the head I say In the head of many or most to the truth contained in Scripture but try them I say and you shall find but a little if any of the faith of the operation of God in the hearts of poor men to believe the Scriptures and things contained in them 'T is true many yea most men believe the Scriptures as they believe a fable a story a tale of which there is no certainty but alas there are but few do intend and in truth believe the Scriptures to be the very word of God But you will say this seems strange to me Answ And it seems as true to me and I doubt not but to make it manifest and plainly to appear that there are but few yea very few that do effectually for that I aim at believe the Scriptures and the truths contained in and spoken of by them But to make this appear and that to purpose if God will I shall lay you down the several operations that the Scriptures have on them who do effectually believe the things contained in them 1. He that doth effectually believe the Scriptures hath in the first place been killed I say killed by the authoirty of the holy Scriptures struck stark dead in a spiritual sense by the holy Scripture being set home by that spirit which gave them forth upon the soul The letter killeth the letter strikes men dead 2 Cor. 3.6 and this Paul witnessed and found before he could say I believe all that the prophets have spoken Where he saith I was alive without the Law once That is in my natural state before the Law was set on my heart with power But when the commandement came sinne revived and I died Rom. 7.9 and that law that was ordained to life I found to be unto death For sin taking occasion by the commandment deceived me and thereby stew me v. 10. Now that which is called the Letter in Cor. is called the Law in Rom. 7. which by its power and operation as it is wielded by the Spirit of God doth in the first place kill and slay all those that are enabled to believe the Scriptures I kill saith God That is with my law I pierce I wound I prick men into the very heart by shewing them their sins against my law Acts 2.36 37. And he that is ignorant of this is also ignorant of and doth not really and effectually believe the Scripture But you will say how doth the law kill and strike dead the poor creature Answ First the letter or law do kill thus It is set home upon the soul and discovers to the soul its transgressions against the law and shews the soul also that it cannot compleatly satisfie the justice of God for the breach of his law therefore it is condemned Joh. 3.19 Mark He that believes not is condemned already To wit by the law that is the law doth condemn him yea it hath condemned him already for his sins against it as it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them Gal. 3.10 Now all men as they come into the world are in this condition that is condemned by the law Yet not believing that their condemnation by
the law really they do not also believe really and effectually the law that doth condemn them For as men have but a notion of the one that is their condemnation because of sins against the law Verse 3 so they have but a notion of the condemning killing and destroying power of the law for as the one is so in these things alwayes is the other there is no man that doth really believe the law or Gospel further then they do feel the power and authority of them in their hearts Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Now this letter or law is not to be taken in the largest sense but is strictly to be tyed to the ten Commandments whose proper work is onely by shewing the soul its sins against this law to kill and there leaves him stark dead not giving him the least life or support or comfort but leaves the soul in an helpless and hopeless condition as from it self or any other meer creature 'T is true the law hath laid all men for dead as they come into the world but all men do not see themselves dead untill they see that law that struck them dead sticking in their souls and having struck them that fatall blow As a man that is fast asleep in an house and that on fire about his ears and he not knowing of it because he is asleep even so because poor souls are asleep in sin though the wrath of God Verse 31. the curse of his law and the flames of hell have beset them round about yet they do not believe it because they are asleep in sin Now he that is awakened and sees this sees that through this he is a dead man Even so they that do see their state by nature being such a sad condition do also see themselves by that law to be dead men naturally But now when didst thou feel the power of this first part of the Scripture the law so mighty as to strike thee dead if not thou dost not so much as verily believe that part of Scripture that doth contain the law in it to be the truth of God Yet if thou shouldest have felt something I say something of the killing power of the law of God in thine heart this is not an argument to prove that thou believest all the things contained in Scripture for there is Gospel as well as Law and therefore I shall speak to that also That is whether thou hast felt the power of the Gospel as well as something of the power of the Law 2. Then if thou hast found the power of the Gospel and so believed it thou hast found it thus with thy soul 1. Thou hast been shewed by the word or truth of the Gospel in the light of the Spirit of Christ that by nature thou wert without the true faith of the Son of God in thy soul For when He the Spirit is come he shall shew men that they believe not in me saith Christ Joh. 16.9 For mark though thou hast as I said before felt somewhat of the power of the Law Letter or ten Commandments yet if thou hast not been brought to this to see by the spirit in the Gospel that thou art without faith by nature thou hast not yet tasted much less believed any part of the Gospel For the Gospel and the Law are two distinct covenants as I have before shewed And they that are under the law maybe convinced by it and so believe the law or first covenant and yet in the mean time to be a stranger to the covenant of promise that is the Gospel so have no hope in them Eph. 2.12 There is not any promise that can be savingly believed untill the soul be by the Gospel converted to Jesus Christ For though men do think never so much that they believe the things of the Gospel or the word of the Gospel of our salvation yet unless they have the work of grace in their souls they do not cannot rightly believe the things contained in the Scriptures Again as the law killeth those that believe it even so the promises contained in the Gospel do through faith administer comfort to those that believe it aright My words saith Christ my words they are spirit and they Mark and they are life Joh. 6.63 As if he had said The words contained in in the law as a covenant of works they wound they kill they strike dead those that are under them But as for me the words that I speake unto you they are spirit and they are life That is whosoever doth receive them believingly shall find them full of operation to comfort quicken and revive their soul For as I did not come into the world to destroy mens lives so the words that I speak as I am sent to preach the Gospel they have no such tendency unto those that believe them The promises that are in the Gospel Oh how do they comfort them such a promise and such a promise O how sweet is it O how comfortable to those that believe them Alas there are many poor souls that think they believe the Scriptures that they believe the word of God and yet poor souls that they are they never enjoyed any thing of the life and power of the promises to comfort them after they were killed by the law For mark If thy comfort be indeed by the promises they come in upon thy heart to quicken to revive thee to raise thee from the sentence of death that is passed on thee by the law And through the faith that is wrought in thy soul by the operation of Gods holy Spirit though once killed by the Law or Letter thou art made alive in the Lord Jesus Christ presented to thy soul in the promises 3. Dost thou indeed and in truth believe the Scriptures to be the word of God then the things contained in them especially the things of the Gospel are very excellent to thy soul as the birth of Christ the death resurrection intercession and second coming of Christ O how precious and excellent are they to thy soul insomuch that thou regardest nothing in comparison of them O! it is Christs birth death blood resurrection c. according to the Scriptures that thou doest rejoyce in exceedingly and abundantly desire after 1 Cor. 15.1 2 3 4 5 6. compare with Phil. 3.6 7 8. 4. Doest thou believe the Scriptures to be the word of God Then thou standest in aw of and dost much reverence them Why they are the word of God the true sayings of God they are the counsel of God they are his promises and his threatnings 'T is like poor souls are apt to think If I could hear God speak to me from heaven with an audible voice then sure say they I should be serious and sure I should believe it But truly if God should speak to thee from heaven except thou wert converted thou wouldest not regard nor really believe him But if thou
doest believe the Scriptures thou seest that they are the truth as really as if God should speak to thee from heaven through the clouds and therefore never flatter thy self foolishly thinking that if it were so and so then thou couldest believe I tell thee saith Christ If they believe not Moses and the Prophets neither will they believe though one should rise from the dead But 5. Doest thou believe the Scripture to be the word of God Then through faith in Christ thou endeavourest to have thy life squareed according to the Scriptures both in word and practice Nay this I say thou mayest have though thou do not believe them all My meaning is that if thou believe none but the ten Commandments thy life may be according to them a legal holy life and if thou do believe the Gospel too then thy life will be the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ that is either thou wilt live in the blessed and holy enjoyment of what is testified in the Scripture concerning the glorious things of the Lord Jesus Christ or else thou wilt be exceedingly panting after them For the Scriptures carry such a blessed beauty in them to that soul that hath faith in the things contained in them that they do take the heart and captivate the soul of him that believeth them into the love and liking of them 6. He that believes the Scriptures to be the word of God if he do but suppose that any one place of the Scripture doth exclude him and shut him out of and from a share in the promises contained in them O it will trouble him grieve him perplex him yea he will not be satisfied until he be resolved and thâ— contrary sealed to his soul for he knowâ— that the Scriptures are the word oâ— God all truth and therefore he knowâ— that if any one sentence doth excludeâ— or bar out him for want of this or the other qualification he knows also that not the word alone shuts him out but he that speaks it even God himself and therefore he cannot will not dare not be contented untill he find his soul and Scripture together with the things contained therein to embrace each other and a sweet correspondency and agreement be between them For you must know that to him that believes the Scriptures aright the promises or threatnings are of more power to comfort or cast down then all the promises or threatnings of all the men in the world And this was the cause why the Martyrs of Jesus did so slight both the promises of their adversaries when they would have overcome them with profering the great things of this world unto them and also their threatnings when they told them they would rack them hang them burn them none of these things could prevail upon them or against them because they did most really believe the Scriptures the things contained in them as is cleerly found and to be seen in Heb. 11. and also in Mr. Fox his records of their brethren 7. He that believeth the Scriptures to be the word of God believeth that men must be borne again and have that faith which is of the operation of God or else they cannot be saved And he that believeth this believeth also that if he be not borne again and also be partakers of that faith which is of the operation of God according as he hath read and believed he must and shall be damned And he that believeth this aright will not be contented until according as it is written he do partake of and enjoy the new birth and until he do find through grace that faith that is wrought by the operation of God in his soul For this is the cause why men do satisfie themselves with so slender a conceited hope that their state is good when it is nothing so namely because they do not credit the Scripture for did they they would look into their own hearts and examine seriously whether that faith that hope that grace which they think they have be of that nature and wrought by that spirit and power that the Scripture speaketh of I speak this of an effectual believing without which all other is nothing unto salvation Now then because I would not be too tedious I shall at this time lay down no more discoveries of such an one as doth savingly believe the Scriptures and the things contained in them but shall speak a few words of examination containing the things already mentioned As 1. Thou sayest thou dost indeed and in truth effectually believe the Scriptures I ask therefore wast thou ever killed stark dead by the law of works contained in the Scriptures To be killed and to be struck dead you will say what is that Why to be killed by the law or letter is by the power thereof to be made to see thy sins against it and to be left in an helpless condition by that law for I say the proper work of the law is to slay the soul and to leave it dead in a helpless state For it doth neither give the soul any comfort it self when it comes nor doth it shew the soul where comfort is to be had and therefore it is called the ministration of condemnation as in 2 Cor. 3.9 Yea in plain termes the ministration of death 2 Cor. 3.7 For though men may have a notion of the blessed word of God as as the children had yet before they be converted it may truly be said of to them Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Mark 12.24 2. You say you do believe the Scriptures to be the word of God I say again examine wast thou ever quickened from a dead state by the power of the Spirit of Christ through the other part of the Scripture That is to say by the power of God in his Sonne Jesus Christ through the covenant of promise I tell thee from the Lord if thou hast thou hast felt such a quickning power in the words of Christ Joh. 6. that thou hast been lifted out of that dead condition that thou before wast in and that when thou wast under the guilt of sin the curse of the law and the power of the devil and the justice of the great God that thou hast been inabled by the power of God in Christ revealed to thee by the Spirit through and by the Scripture to look sin death hell the devil and the law and all things that are at enmity with thee for thy sins with boldness and comfort in the face through the blood death righteousness resurrection and intercession of Christ made mention of in the Scriptures And thirdly on this account O how excellent are the Scriptures to thy soul O how much virtue dost thou see in such a promise in such an invitation O sayest thou there are some promises in the book of God that I have had nourishment from and through Christ in them O they are so large they say Christ will in no
is John 13.20 Verily verily I say unto you he that receiveth whomsoever I send mark whomsoever receiveth me and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me The other is Luke 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me and he that despisest you despisest me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me I. G. The Authour to the READER FRiend because it is a dangerous thing to be walking towards the place of darkness and anguish and again because it is notwithstanding the journey that most of the poor souls in the world are taking and that with delight and gladness as if there was the onely happiness to be found I have therefore thought it my duty being made sensible of the danger that will befall those that walk therein for the preventing of thee O thou poor man or woman to tell thee by opening this Parable what sad success those souls have had and are also like to have that have been or shall be found persevering therein We use to count him a friend that will forewarn his neighbour of the danger when he knoweth thereof and doth also see that the way that his his neighbour is walking in doth lead right thereto especially when we think that our neighbour may be either ignorant or carelesse of his way Why Friend it may be nay twenty to one but thou hast been ever since thou didst come into the world with thy back towards heaven and thy face towards hell and thou it may be either through ignorance or carelesnesse which is as bad if not worse hast been running full hastily that way ever since Why Friend I beseech thee put a little sâ—op to thy earnest race and tâ—ke a view of what entertainment thou art like to have if thou do indeed and in truth persist in this thy course Friend â—hy way leads down to death and thy steps take hold on hell * Prov 5.5 It may be the path indeed is pleasant to the flesh but the end thereof will be bitter to thy soul Hark dost thou hear the bitter cries of them that are but newly gone before saying Let him dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue that is so tormented in this flame * Luke 16. Dost thou not hear them say Send one from the dead to prevent my father my brother and my fathers house from comming into this place of torment Shall not then these mournfull groans pierce thy flinty heart Wilt thou stop thine ears and shut thy eyes and wilt thou not regard take warning and stop thy journey before it be too late Wilt thou be like the silly flie that is not quiet unlâ—ss she be either intangled in the spiders web or burned in the candle Wilt thou be like the bird that hasteth to the sâ—are of the Fowler Wilt thou he like that simple one named in the 7. of Proverbs That wilt be drawn to the slaughter by the cord of a silly lust O sinner sinner there is better things then hell to be had and at a cheaper rate by the thousand part then that O there is no comparison there is heaven theâ—e is God there is Christ there is communion with innumerable company of Saints and Angels hear the message then that God doth send that Christ doth send that Saints do bring nay that the dead do send unto thee How long ye simple ones will you love simplicity and ye scorners delight in scorning and ye fools hate knowledge Turn you at my reproof and behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you I say hear this voice O silly one and turn and live thou sinful soul lest he make thee hear that other saying But because I have called and you have refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh O poor soul if God and Christ did wish thee for thine harm it would be another matter then if thou didst refuse thou mightest have some excuse to make some fault to finde and some ground to make delayes O but this is for thy profit for thy advantage for the pardoning of thy sins the salvation of thy soul the delivering of thee from hell fire from the wrath to come from everlasting burnings into favor with God Christ and communion with all happiness that is so indeed But it may be thou wilt say all that hath been spoken to in this discourse is but a Parable and Parables are no realities I could put thee off with this answer that though it be a Parable yet it is a truth and not a lie and thou shalt finde it so too to thy cost if thou shalt be found a slighter of God Christ and the salvation of thy own soul But secondly know for certain that the things signified by Parables are wonderful realities O what a glorious reality was there signified by that Parable The kingdom of heaven is like to a net that is cast into the sea c. Signifying that sinners of all sorts of all Nations should be brought into Gods kingdom by the net of the Gospel And O how real a thing shall the other part thereof be when it s fulfilled which saith And when it was full they drew it to shore and put the good into vessels but threw the bad away signifying the mansions of glory that the Saints should have and also the rejection that God will give to the ungodly and to sinners And also that Parable what a glorious reality is there in it which saith Except a corn of wheat fall to the ground and die it abideth alone but if it die it doth bring forth much fruit To signifie that unless Jesus Christ did indeed spill his blood and die the cursed death he should abide alone that is have never a soul into glory with him but if he died he should bring forth much fruit that is save many sinners And also how real a truth there was in that Parable concerning the Jews putting of Christ to death which the poor dispersed Jews can best experience to their cost for they have been almost ever since a banished people and such as have had Gods sore displeasure wonderfully manifested against them according to the truth of the Parable * Mat. 21. v. 33. to 41 O therefore for Jesus Christs sake do not slâ—ght the truth because it is discovered in a Parable for by this argument thou mayest also nay thou wilt slight almost all the things that our Lord Jesus Christ did speak for he spake them for the most part if not all in parable Why should it be said of thee as it 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 parables lest Christ also objecteth against the salvation of
the day of judgement many mens conditions and carriages will be so laid open that it will evidently appear they have been very merciless and mad against the children of God insomuch that when the providence of God did fall out so as to cross their expectations Verse 22. they have been very much offended thereat as is very evidently seen in them who set themselves to study how to bring the Saints into bondage and to thrust them into corners as in these late years And because God hath in his goodness ordered things otâ—erwise they have gnashed their teeth thereat Hence then let the Saints learn not to commit themselves to their enemies they are very merciless men and will not so much favour you if they can help it as you may suppose they may Nay unless the over-ruling hand of God in goodness do order things contrary to their naturall inclination they will not favour you so much as a dog Verse 22. And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome the rich man also died and was buried THe former verses do briefly hold forth the carriage of of the ungodly in this life toward the Saints Now this Verse doth hold forth the departure both of the godly and the ungodly out of this life Where he saith And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried into Abrahams bosome and the rich man died also The beggar died that represents the godly and the rich man died that represents the ungodly from whence observe Neither godly â—or ungodly must live alwayes without a change either by death or judgement the good man died and the bad man died that Scripture also doth back this truth that good and bad must die marvellous well where it is said And it is appointed to men once to die and after that the judgement Heb. 9.27 Mark he doth not say it is so that men by chance may die which might beget in the hearts of the ungodly especially some hope to scape the bitterness of it but he saith It is a thing most certain it is appointed Mark it is appointed for men once to die and after that the judgement God hath decreed it that since men have fallen from that happy estate that God at the first did set them in they shall die now when it is said the beggar died and the rich man died part of the meaning is they ceased to be any more in this world I say partly the meaning but not altogether Though it be altogether the meaning when some of the creatures die yet it is but in part the meaning when it is said that men women or children die for there is to them something else to be said more then barely a going out of the world For if when unregeneraâ—e men and women die there were an end of them not onely in this world but also in the world to come they would as I may say be happy over they will be now for when ungodly men and women die there is that to come after death if they die unregenerate that will be very terrible to them namely to be carried by the Angels of darkness from their death-beds to hell there to be reserved to the judgement of the great day when both body and soul shall meet and be united together again and made capable to undergo the uttermost vengeance of the Almighty to all eternity This is that I say which doth follow a man that is not born again after death as is clear from that in 1 Pet. 3.18 19. Where before speaking of Christ being raised again by the power of his eternal spirit he saith by which that is by that spirit he went and preached to the spirits in prison but what is the meaning of this Why thus much that those souls who were once alive in the world in the time or dayes in which Noah lived being disobedient in their times to the calls of God by his Spirit in Noah for so I understand it was according to that which was foretold by that Preacher deprived of life and overcome by the flood and are now in prison Mark he preached to the spirits in Prison he doth not say who were in Prison but to them in that is now in Prison under chains of daâ—kness reserved or kept there in that prison in which now they are ready like villains in the jayl to be brought before the judgement seat of Christ at the great day but of this I shall speak further by and by Now if this one truth that men must die and depart this world â—nd either enter into joy or else into prison to be reserved to the day of judgement were believed we should not have so many wantons walk up and down the streeets as there do at least it would put a mighty check to their filthy carriages so that they would not could not walk so basely and sinfully as they do Belshazzer notwithstanding he was so far from the fear of God so long as he was senseless of the Lords hand against him yet when he did but see that God was offended and threatned him for his wickedness it made him hang down his head and knock his knees together Dan. 5.5 6. If you read the verses before you will finde he was careless and satisfying his lusts in drinking and playing the wanton with his Concubines But so soon as he did but perceive the finger of an hand writing then saith the Scripture the Kings countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loins were loosed and his knees smote one against another And when Paul told Felix of Righteousness Acts 24.25 Temperance and Judgement to come it made him rremble And let me tell thee Soul whosoever thou art that if thou didst but verily believe that thou must die and come into the judgement it would make thee turn over a new leaf as we say But this is the misery the devil doth labour by all means as to keep out other things that are good so to keep out of the heart as much as in him lies the thoughts of passing from this life into another world for he knows if he can but keep them from the serious thoughts of death he shall the more easily keep them in their sins and so from closing with Jesus Christ as Job saith Their houses are safe from fear Job 21.9 neither is the rod of God upon them Which makes them say to God Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes verse 14. Because there is no fear of death and judgement to come therefore they do put off God and his wayes and spend their dayes in their sins and in a moment that is before they are aware go down to the grave ver 17. And thus it sared also with the man spoken of in Luke 12.20 the man instead of thinking of death he thought how he
at And again tell me now if it be not better to leave sin and to close in with Christ Jesus notwithstanding that reproach thou shalt meet with for so doing then to live a little while in this world in pleasures and feeding thy lusts in neglecting the welfare of thy soul and refusing to be justified by Jesus and in a moment to drop down to hell and to cry O consider I say consider betimes and put not off the the tenders of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ lest you lift up your eyes in hell and cry for anguish of spirit And he cried and said Father Abraham have mercy upon me and send Lazarus c. These words do not onely hold forth the lamentable condition of the damned and their lamentable howling and crying out under their anguish of spirit but also they do signifie to us as I said before their too late repentance and also that they would very willingly if they might be set at liberty from that everlasting misery that by their sins they have plunged themselves into I say these words do hold forth a desire that the damned have to be delivered from those torments that they now are in O Father Abraham saith he have mercy upon 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 These words Father Abraham may have some difficulty in them It is possible that some may think them to be meant of Abraham and those or him that crieth out here to be the Jews Or it may be some may understand it to be God or Jesus Christ his Son which I rather suppose it may be that is here cried out unto because you finde the same cry to him as it were uttered by the ungodly in other places of the Scripture as in Luke 13. verse 25 26. Then shall they say Lord Lord we have eat and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets Nay more In thy Name have we cast out devils and in thy Name done many wonderfull works This was just at their rejection And again in Mat. 25.11 They cry again to him even to Jesus Lord Lord open to us And he there again gives them a repulse as also in this Parable But however or whosoever Abraham is yet these truths may be observed from the words 1. That the damned when in an irrecoverable estate will seek for or desire deliverance from the wrath that they are and shall be in for eternity 2. That they will pray if I may so call it earnestly for deliverance from their miserable estate These two things are clear from the words For mark He not onely said Father Abraham have mercy upon me But he cried and said Father Abraham have mercy on me From whence take a third observation and that is There is a time comming wherein though men shall both cry and pray yet they are like to have no mercy at the hands of God for so was this man served as I shall further shew by and by when I come to it Some people are so deluded by the devil as to think that God is so merciful as to own or regard any thing for prayer they think any thing will go for currant and good satisfaction while they are here in this world through ignorance of the true nature of the mercy of God and the knowledge in what way God is satisfied for sinners Now I say through ignorance they think that if they do but mutter over some form of prayers though they know not what they say nor what they request yet God is satisfied yea very well satisfied with their doings when alas there is nothing lesse O friends I beseech you to look about you and seek in good earnest for the Spirit of Christ so to help you now to strive and pray and to enable you to lay hold of Christ that your souls may be saved lest the time come that though you cry and pray and wish also that you had laid hold on the Lord Jesus yet you must and shall be damned Then again you may see that though God be willing to save sinners at some time yet this time doth not alwayes last No he that can finde in his heart to turn his back upon Jesus Christ now shall have the back turned upon him hereafter when he may cry and pray for mercy and yet go without it God will have a time to meet with them that now do seek after him they shall have a time yea time enough hereafter to repent their folly and to befool themselves for turning their backs upon the Lord Jesus Christ Again this should admonish us to take time while it is profered lest we repent us of our unbelief and rebellion when we are deprived of it Ah friends time is precious an hours time to hear a sermon is precious I have sometimes thought thus with my self Set the case the Lord should send two or three of his servants the Ministers of the Gospel to hell among the damned with this Commission Go ye to Hell and preach my grace to those that are there let your Sermon be an hour long and hold forth the merits of my Sons birth righteousness death resurrection ascension and intercession with all my love in him and proffer it to them telling them that now once more and but once do I profer the means of reconciliation to them They who are now roaring being past hope would then leap at the least proffer of mercy Oh they that could spend whole dayes weeks nay years in rejecting the Son of God would now be glad of one tender of that mercy Father saith he have mercy on me Again from these words you may observe that mercy will be welcome when souls are under judgement now his soul is in the fire now he is under the wrath of God now he is in Hell there to be tormented now he is with the devills and damned spirits now he feels the vengeance of God now Oh now have mercy on me Here you may see again that mercy is prized by them that are in Hell they would be glad if they could have it Father have mercy on me For my poor souls sake send me a little mercy And send Lazarus that he may dip thâ— tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue These words do not onely hold forth that the ungodly have a desire of mercy but what those mercies are that these poor creatures would be glad of As first To have the company of a Lazarus granted to them Father Abraham have mercy upon me and send Lazarus Now Lazarus was he that was beloved of God and also he that was hated of him Therefore 2. Observe that those Saints that the world in their life-time could not indure now they are departed they would be glad to have society with them O now send Lazarus though the time was when I cared not for
sin against him while the Saints were a praying thou wert 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 sorrow of mind And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee and thou shalt fear day and night and shalt have none assurance of thy life In the morning thou shalt say would God it were even and at even thou shalt say would God it were morning for the fear of thine heare wherewith thou shalt fear and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see Nay thou wilt find worse things to thy woe then this Scripture doth manifest For indeed there is no tongue able to express the horrour terrour torment and eternal misery that those poor souls shall undergo without the least mitigation oâ— ease and a very great part of it shall flow or come from that quick full and continual remembrance that they shall have And therefore there is much weight in these words Son remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things That is all thou art like to have From these words you see this is to be observed that the ungodly shall remember or have in remembrance the mispending their lives and that I gather from these words Remember that in thy life time thou hadst thy good things You may take these words good things either simply for the things of this world which in themselves are called and may be called good things or else with these words namely the things of this life all the pleasures delights profits and vanities which the ignorant people of the world do count their good things and do very much cheer themselves therewith Soul soul eat drink and be merry for thou hast much goods laid up for many years Luke 12.20 Now I say God according to his glorious power and wisdome will make poor creatures have alwayes in their minds a fresh and clear remembrance of their ill spent life he will say unto them Remember remember that in thy life time it was thus and thus with thee and in thy life time thy carriage was so and so It is like that if sinners might have their choice they would not have their sins and transgressions so much in remembrance as is evident by their carriages here in this world for here they will not endure to entertain a serious thought of their filthy life but will labour by all means to put the thought of it out of their mind but there they shall be made to remember to a purpose and to think continually of their ungodly deeds And therefore it is said that when our Lord Jesus comes to judgement it will be to convince the ungodly world of their wicked and ungodly deeds Mark To convince them Jude 14 15. It is like they will not willingly take notice of them But they shall be convinced of them in spite of their teeth And also between this and them these that die out of Christ shall be made to see acknowledge and confess do what they can when they lift up their eyes in hell and to remember their transgressions God will be a swift witness against them Mat. 3.5 and will say Remember what thou didst in thy life time how thou didst live in thy life time Ha friend if thou dost not in these dayes of light remember the dayes of darkness Eccles 11.8 the dayes of death hell and judgement thou shalt be made in the dayes of darkness death hell and at the judgement too to remember the dayes of the Gospel and how thou didst disregard them too to thy own destruction and everlasting misery Remember that in thy life time thou hadst thy good things The great God in stead of giving the ungodly any ease will even aggravate their torments first by slighting their perplexities Secondly by telling of them what they must be thinking of Remember saith he O ye lost souls that you had your joy in your life time your peace in your life time your comforts delights ease wealth health your heaven your happiness and your portion in your life time O miserable state Thou will then be in a sad condition indeed when thou shalt see that thou hast had thy good things thy best things thy pleasent things for that is clearly signified by these words Remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things or all the good things thou art like to have From whence take notice of another truth though it be a dreadful one to them that fall under the sentence of it which is this there are many poor creatures who have all their good sweet and comfortable things in this life or while they are alive in this world remember saith he that in thy life time thou hadst thy good thiâ—gs Psal 17.14 2. Observe That the wickeds good things will shortly have an end they will last no longer with them then this life or their life time That Scripture was not written in vain It is like the crackling of thorns under a pot make a litle blaze for a sudden a little heat for a while but come and consider them by and by and instead of a comfortable heat you will find nothing but a few dead ashes and instead of a flaming fire nothing but a smell of smoak 3. Again observe that there is a time coming that the ungodly would be glad of a better portion when they shall see the vanity of this that is when they shall see what a poor thing it is for a man to have his portion in this world 'T is true while they are here on this side hell they think there is nothing to be compared with riches honours and pleasures in this world which makes them cry out Who will shew us any good that is comparable to the pleasures profits and glory of this world but then they will see there is another thing that is better and of more value then ten thousand worlds And seriously friends will it not grieve you trouble perplex and torment you when you shall see that you lost heaven for a little pleasure and profits in your life time certainly it will grieve you and perplex you exceedingly to see what a blessed heaven you left for a dunghill world Oh! that you did but believe this that you did but consider this and say within your selves What shall I be contented with my portion in this world what shall I lose heaven for this world I say consider it while you have day-light and Gospel-light while the Son of God doth hold out termes of reconciliation to you least you be made to hear
words have still something more in them then I have yet observed from them there are one or two things more that I shall briefly touch upon and therefore Mark he saith That he may testifie unto them lest c. Mark I pray you and take notice of the word Testifie He doth not say and let him go unto them or speak with or tell them such and such things No but let him testifie or affirme it constantly in case any should oppose it Let him testifie to them It is the same word the Scripture useth to set forth the vehemencie of Christ his telling of his disciples of him that should betray him And he testified saying One of you shall betray me And he testified that is he spake it so as to dash or overcome any that should have said it shall not be so It is a word that signifies thus much That in case any should oppose the things spoken of yet that the party speaking should still continue constant in his saying And he commanded them to preach and to testifie that it is he which was ordained of God to be the juâ—ge of quick and dead To testifie Mark that is to be constant irresistible undanted in case it should be opposed and objected against So here let him testifie to them lest they come into this place of torment From whence observe That it is not an easie matter to perswade them who are in their sins alive in this world that they must and shall be damned if they turne not and be converted to God Let him testifie to them let him speak confidently though they frown upon him or dislike his way of speaking to them And how is this truth verified and cleared by the carriages of almost all men now in the world toward them that do preach the Gospel and shew their own miserable state plainly to them if they close not with it If a man do but indeed labour to convince sinners of their sins and lost condition by nature though they must be damned if they live and die in that condition Oh how angry are they at it Look how he judges say they hark how he condemns us he tells us we must be damned if we live and die in this state we are offended at him we cannot abide to hear him or any such as he we will believe none of them all but go on in the way we are a going I say tell the drunkard he must be damned if he leave not his drunkenness the swearer liar cheater thief covetous railers or any ungodly persons they must and shall lie in hell for it if they die in this condition they will not believe you nor credit you Again tell others that there are many in hell that have lived and died in their conditions and so are they like to be if they convert not to Jesus Christ and be found in him Again there are others that are more civil and sober men who although we know that their civility will not save them if we do but tell them plainly of the emptiness and unprofitableness of that as to the saving of their souls and that God will not accept them nor love them notwithstanding these things and that if they intend to be saved they must be better provided than with such a righteousness as this they will either fling away and come to hear no more or else if they do come they will bring such prejudice with them in their hearts that the word preached shall not profit them it being mixed not with faith but with prejudice in them that hear it Nay they will some of them be so full of anger that they will break out and call even those that speak the truth Heretiques and say they would deceive them And why so Because they tell them that if they live in their sins that will damne them yet if the turne and live a righteous life according to the holy and just and good law of God that will not save them Yea because we tell them plainly that unless they leave their sins and righteousness too and close in with a naked Jesus Christ his blood and merits and what he hath done and is now doing for sinners they cannot be saved And unless they do eat the flesh of the Sonne of man and drink his blood they have no life abiding in them they gravel presently and are offended at it as the Jews were with Christ for speaking of the same thing to them Joh. 6.53 60. and fling away themselves the souls and all by quarrelling against the doctrine of the Sonne of God as indeed they do though they will not believe they do and therefore he that is a Preacher of the word had need not onely tell them but testifie to them again and again that their sins if they continue in them will damne them and damne them again And tell them again their living honestly according to the law their paying every one their own their living quietly with their neighbours their giving to the poor their notion of the Gospel and saying they do believe in Christ will do them no good at the general day of Judgement they are offended also Ha friends how many of you are there at this very day that have been told once and again of your lost undone condition because you want the right reall and saving work of God upon our souls I say hath not this been told you yea testified unto you from time to time that your state is miserable that yet you are never the better but do still stand where you did some in an openly ungodly life and some drowned in a self-conceited holiness of Christianity Therefore for Gods sake if you love your souls consider and beg of God for Jesus Christs sake that he would work such a work of grace in your hearts and give you such a faith in his Sonne Jesus Christ that you may not onely have rest here as you think not onely think your state safe while you live here but that you may be safe indeed not onely here but also when you are gone lest you do cry in the anguish and perplexity of your souls O send one to my companions that have been beguiled by Satan as I have been and so by going on come into this place of torment as I have done Again one thing more is to be observed from these words Let him testifie to them lest they come into this place of torment Mark lest they come in as if he had said or else they will come into this place of torment as sure as I am here From whence observe That though some souls for sin do fall into the bottomless pit of hell before their fellows because they depart this world before them yet the other abiding in the same course are as sure to go to the same place as if they were there already How so Because they are all condemned together they have all fallen under the same
the dead what need have they of such a thing 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 ch 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 shâ—ll have peace though I go on or walk in the imagination of my heart to adde 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 lye upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven Agâ—in 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 â—ave 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 then if one should rise from the dead Should not a people seek unto their God what seek for seek for the living among the dead To the Law and to the testimonies saith â—od 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 and telling them he heard such a voice 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 thereof these words Knowing this first that there is no prophecy of the Scriptures Mark it is the prophecy of the Scriptures There is no prophecy of the Scriptures of any private interpretation for prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And therefore O what a sad thing is it with those that go about to disown the Scriptures I tell you however you may slight them now yet when they come into hell and in bitterness of soul cry out Oh that one might go to forewarn my companions of their folly lest they come into this place of torment God doth and will answer them with these words they have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Again it is very observable who they are that are so tossed to and fro with the several winds of doctrine that have been broached in these dayes They are 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 I cannot well tell how to have done speaking for and on the Scriptures side onely this I consider Verse 30. 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 if they convert not to Jesus Christ I shall say to them rather then God will save them from hell 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 Joh. 10.35 Ver. 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 where he saith They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them as if he had said they should have closed in with the tenders of mercy held out by Moses Samuel David Isaiah Jeremiah together with the rest of the glorious certain truths that I moved them to utter and hold forth in their generation to the world and also which they have left on record both for the warning comfort and reproof of them who in after ages should come into the world both by holding forth the state of man by nature how miserable it was and by holding out the mercy and grace of God and how large that was and also how free God is and ever was to save them that did come the right way to him namely by Christ together with the lamentable and sad state that those were and are and shall be in that did turne their backs on what they did then speak and afterwards leave on record for the good of succeeding generations if they vvould or v ill be blessed that are yet alive let them ovvn them cloâ—e in vvith that vvhich is held forth by them namely the Mesias or Jesus that came from heaven to earth on purpose to lay dovvn his life for the rebellious as I said before Novv this verse is an ansvver to the former and such an one as hath in it a kind of rejectâ—on of the former ansvver Nay Father Abraham Nay saith he do not say so do not put them off vvith this send one from the dead and then there vvill 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 vvell as I could vvish I had rather thou wouldst send one from the dead In these vvords therefore Nay Father Abraham there is a repulse given Nay let it not be so Nay I do not like of that ansvver Hear Moses and the Prophets nay The same expression is used by Christ Luk. 13.2 3. Think you that they upon whom the tower of
Siloe fell were sinners above others I tell you nay for except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish So here Nay Father Abraham c. By this vvord nay therefore is signified a rejecting the first ansvver Novv observe I pray you the reason vvhy he sayes nay is because God doth put over all those that vvill be saved to observe and receive the truth contained in Scripture and believe that To have high esteem of them and to love and search them as Christ saith Search the Scriptures for they are they which testifie of me Joh. 5.39 But the damned say Nay as if he had said It is true the Scriptures are truth and every curse contained in and held forth by them shall be fulfilled and have its time to be executed on them vvho live and die in unbelief as novv I feel by vvoful experience for I svvim novv in the curses and vvrath vvhich once they told me I should partake of But 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 'T is true 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 'T is true many a time the preacher told me hell would be my portion the devill 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 'T is true 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 dead 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 horseback or Bevis of Southhampton 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 trampleit under foot and swine like rent them than close in with those gentle and blessed profers of the Gospel Thus therefore these words Nay Father Abraham but if one should rise from the dead they would repent are to be understood That the world of ungodly men will not regard the Scriptures seriously Though they have Moses and the Prophets the Scriptures they will not repent or heartily 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 the Reader I shall shew you by a Scripture or two though I might shew many that this was and is true with thâ— geâ—erality of the world See the words of Nehemiah in his 9. 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 toward them and rebelled against thee but how and cast thy law behind their back And was that all No for they 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 câ—unts it a great provocation See Heb. 3. from ver 10. to ver 19. And see Zach. 7.11 12. But they refusâ—d 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 adament 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 here is also First a refusing to hearken namely to the words of the Propehts 2. That they might so do they stopped their cares 3. If any thing was to be done they pulled away their shoulder 4. To effect this they labor to make their hearts hard as an adament 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 testified of by them Many other Scriptures 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 Chap 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 How by his messengers rising up betimes because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place And did they make them welcome No But mocked them 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 In how high a measure Till there was no remedy See also Jer. 29.19 Chap. 25.3 4 5 6 7. Luk. 11.49 But alas we need not be so earnest in quoting the Scriptures so plentifully seeing any one or two places are enough 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 liars proud persons strumpets whoremonger covetous railers extortioners theeves lazy persons In a word all manner of sins are reproved and without faith in the Lord Jesus there is a sore punishment to be executed on the committers
verse one line nay one word of holy Scriptures make in his heart so that 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 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 Bewarâ—â—est any man be he what he 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 nuzzle 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 that 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 at 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 them 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 agaiâ— and again and every time grow harder and harder till at last God is forced either to stretch out his mighty power to turne 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 ear to the devil who through his subtilty casteth false evasions and corrupt interpretations on them rendring them not so point blank the minde 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 affirme 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 ver 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 otherwise 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 Mark whatsoever were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture mâ—ght 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 revenged 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 adament 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 no man regarded but set at nought all my counsels and would 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 whirlewind Then shall they call but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Proverbs 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 delusions that they should believe a lie That they all might be damned 2 Thess 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 hearkenning to the voice of their father reproving them for their sins but disobeying his voice it is said 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 Forbear wherefore shouldst thou be smitten he did not hearken to the word of God Then the Prophet forbare saying I know that God hath determined to destroy thee because thou hast not hearkened to my counsel Read therefore
wise cast me out My crimson sins shall be white as snow I tell thee friend there are some promises that the Lord hath helped me to lay hold of Jesus Christ through and by that I would not have out of the Bible for as much Gold and Silver as can lie between York and London piled up to the stars And why so O because through them Christ is pleased by his Spirit to convey comfort to my soul O I say when the law curses when the Devil tempts when hell-fire flames in my conscience my sins with the guilt of them tearing of me then is Christ revealed so sweetly to my poor soul through the promises that all is forced to fly and leave off to accuse my soul So also when the world frowns when the enemies rage and threaten to knock me in the head then also the precious yea the exceeding great and precious promises do weigh down all and comfort the soul against all This is the effect of believing the Scriptures savingly for they that do so have by and through the Scriptures good comfort and also ground of hope Rom. 15.4 believing those things to be its own which the Scriptures hold forth 4. Examine dost thou stand in aw of sinning against God because he hath in the Scriptures commanded thee to abstain from it Dost thou give diligence to make thy calling and election sure because God commandeth it in Scripture Dost thou examine thy self whether thou be in the faith or no having a command in Scripture so to do Or dost thou notwithstanding what thou readest in the Scripture follow the world delight in sin neglect coming to Jesus Christ speak evil of the Saints slight and make a mock at the ordinances of God delight in wicked company and the like Then know that it is because thou dost not indeed and in truth believe the Scriptures effectually For as I said before if a man do believe them and that savingly O then he stands in aw he looks to his steps he turns his feet from evil and endeavours to follow that which is good which God hath commanded in the Scriptures of truth yet not from a legal or natural principle that is to seek for life by doing that good thing but knowing that salvation is already obtained for him by the blood of that man Christ Jesus on the Cross because he believes the Scriptures therefore mark I pray therefore I say he labours to walk with his God in all well pleasing and godliness because the sweet power of the loves of Christ which he feels in his soul by the Spirit according to the Scriptures constrain him so to do 2 Cor. 5.14 5. Examine again dost thou labour after those qualifications that the Scriptures do describe a child of God by that is faith yea the right faith the most holy faith the faith of the operation of God And also dost thou examine whether there is a real growth of grace in thy soul as love zeal self-denial and a seeking by all means to attain if possible to the resurrection of the dead that is not to satisfie thy self until thou be dissolved rid of this body of death and be transformed into that glory that the Saints shall be in after the resurrection day and in the mean time dost labour and take all opportunities to walk as near as may be to the pitch though thou know thou canst not attain it perfectly yet I say thou doest aim at it seek after it press towards it and to hold on in thy race thou shunnest that which may any way hinder thee and also close in with what may any way further the same knowing that that must be or desiring that it should be thine eternal frame and therefore out of love and liking to it thou dost desire and long after it as being the thing that doth much please thy soul Or how is it with thy soul Art thou such an one as regards not these things but rather busie thy thoughts about the things here below following those things that have no sent of divine glory upon them if so look to thy self for it is high time for thee so to do for thou art an unbeliever and so under the wrath of God and wilt for certain fall into the same place of torment that thy fellows have fallen into before thee to the grief of thy own soul and everlasting destruction both of soul and body Consider and regard these things and lay them to thy heart before it be too late to recover thy self by repenting of the one and desiring to close in with the other O I say regard regard for hell is hot Gods hand is up the Law is resolved to discharge against thy soul the judgement-day is at hand the graves are ready to fly open the trumpet is near the sounding the sentence will ere long be past and then you and I cannot call time again Now then from what hath been spoken there might many things be spoken by way of Use and Application But I shall be very brief and but touch some things and so wind up And first I shall begin with the sad condition of those that die out of Christ and speak something to that Secondly to the latter end of the parable which more evidently concerns the Scripture and speak somewhat to that 1. Therefore you see that the former part of the parable contains a sad declaration of the state of one living and dying out of Christ how that they lose heaven for hell God for the devil light for darkness joy for sorrow 2. How that they have not so much as the least comfort from God who in the time they live here below neglect coming to him for mercy not so much as one drop of cold water 3. That such souls will repent of their folly when repentance will do them no good or when they shall be past recovery 4. That all the comfort such souls are like to have they have it in this world 5. That all their groanings and sighs will not move God to mitigate in the least his heavy hand of vengeance that is upon them for the transgressions they have committed against him 6. That their sad state is irrecoverable or they must never mark never come out of that condition 7. There desires will not be heard for their ungodly neighbours From these things then I pray you consider the state of those that die out of Christ Jesus yea I say consider their miserable state and think thus with thy self Well if I neglect coming to Christ I must go to the devil and he will not neglect to fetch me away into those intollerable torments Think thus with thy self What shall I lose a long heaven for short pleasure shall I buy the pleasures of this world at so dear a rate as to lose my soul for the obtaining of that Shall I content my self with a heaven that will last no longer then my life time What advantage
Redeemer who is the Mediatour of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things for thee then Abels did for Cain Hebrews 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 arreigned before the judgement-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 kingdom 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 kingdom Will it not be glorious for thee to be in glory with them while others are in unutterable torments O then how will it comfort thee to see 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. But secondly for the latter part of the Parable touching the Scriptures and the certainty of them Seeing they are so certain so sure so irrevocable and firm and seeing the saving faith of the things contained therein is to reform the soul and bring it over into the things of God really conforming to the things contained therein both to the point of Justification and also an impracticall walking and giving up the soul and body to a conformity to all the commands counsels instructions and exhortations contained therein This then will learn us how to judge of those who give up themselves to walk in the imaginations of their own hearts who slight and lay aside the Scriptures counting them but empty and uncertain things and will live every day in open contradiction to what is contained commanded and forbidden therein As first this will shew us that all your Drunkards Whoremasters Liars Thieves Swearers Back-biters Slanderers Scoffers at goodness c. I say we may see by this that they that live in such things have not the faith of the things contained in their hearts seeing they delight to practise those things that are forbidden by and in them And so they continuing living and dying in this state we may conclude without fear that such portions of holy Scripture belong unto them and shall for certain be fulfilled upon them He that believes not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. The unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God 1. Corinthians 6.9 10. But the abominable the unbeleiving the whoremongers and all liars shall have their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Revelation 21.8 Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels Mâ—tthew 25.41 Depart that is as if he should say Depart from me for I will not save you Depart for my blood shall not at all wash you Depart for you shall not set one foot into the kingdom of heaven Depart ye cursed that is ye are cursed of God cursed of his Law cursed of me cursed by the Saints and cursed by the Angels cursed all over nothing but cursed and therefore depart from me and whither Into everlasting fire fire that will scald scorch burn and flame to a purpose fire that never shall be quenched Mark 9. fire that will last to all eternity And must we be all alone No you shall have company store of company with you Namely all thâ— raging roaring devils together with an innumerable company of fellow damned sinâ—ers men women and children And if the Scriptures be true as they will one day wonderfully appear to be then this must and shall be thy portion if thou live and die in this state and of all them who continue in sinning against the truths contained in Scriptures As first Dost thou delight to sin against plain commands thou art gone Secondly Dost thou slight and scorn the counsels contained in Scriptures and continue in so doing then thou art gone Thirdly Dost thou continually neglect to come to Christ and usest arguments in thine own heart to satisfie thy soul with so doing then thou art gone Luke 14.17 18. compared with verse 24. and Hebrews 2.3 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation How shall we escape that is tâ—ere is no way to escape First because God hath said we shall not Heb. 12.25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth that was Moses much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven 2. Because he hath not onely said they shall not but also hath bound it with an oath saying So I sware in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest Hebrews 3.11 But you will say To whom did he swear that they should not enter into his rest Ans er To them that believed not So we see they could not enter in because of unbelief verse 18 19. Secondly this will teach us what to think and conclude of such who though they do not so openly discover their folly by open and grosse sins against the Law yet will give more heed to their own spir t s and the movings thereof though they be neither commanded nor commended for the same in Scripture nay though the Scripture command and commend the contrary Isaiah 8.20 then they will to the holy and revealed will of God I say such men are in as bad a state as the other to the full being disobedient to Gods will revealed in his word as well as they though in a different manner the one openly transgressing against the plain and well known truths revealed in it the other though more close and hidden yet secretly rejecting and slighting them giving more heed to their own spirits and the motion thereof although not warranted by the Scriptures A few words more and so I shall conclude And first take heed that you content not your self with a bare notion of the Scriptures in your heads by which you may go far even so far as to be able
also deceived for as it is here in the Parable a man of wealth and a childe of the devil may make but one person or thus a man may have abundance of outward enjoyments and yet be carried by the devils into eternal burnings But this is the trap in which the devil hath caught many thousands of poor souls namely by getting them to judge according to outward appearance 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 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 died and in hell mark in hell he lift up his eyes c. Methinks to see how the great ones of the world will go strutting up and down the streets sometimes it makes me wonder Surely they look upon themselves to be the onely happy men but it is because they judge according to outward appearance they look upon themselves to be the onely 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 brag that no body dare scarce look on them but believe this it would make thâ—m hang down their heads and cry O give me a Lazarus portion I might here enlarge very much but I shall not onely 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 porâ—â—on 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 lest the wealth in this world do bar thee out of glory For as the Apostle saith They that wâ—ll be rich do fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful 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 â—hy are the ungodly held forth under the notion of a rich man 1. Because Christ would no 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 2. Because rich men are most liable 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 comith 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 â—ich man in the blessâ—d 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 mean as he said or else that he will say more then shall assuredly come to pass but let them know that the Lord hath a time to fulfil that he had a time to declare for the Scripture cannot be bâ—oken But again the Lord by this word doth not mean those are ungodly who aâ—e 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 w uld 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 bond-men or servants and slaves that cry out at the appearance of the Almighty God and his Son Jesus Christ to Judgement Rev. 6.15 So that though Christ doth say There was a certain rich man yet you must understand he meaneth all the ungodly riâ—â— 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 19. 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 Verse 20. THis verse doth chiefly hold forth these things 1. That the Saints of God are a poor contemptible people There was a certain beggar If you understand the word beggar to hold forth outward poverty or scarcity in outward things the Saints of the Lord for they are for the most part a poor despised contemptible people But if you allegorize it and interpret it â—â—us They are such as beg earnestly for heavenly food this is also the spirit of the Children of God and it may be and is a truth in this
sence though not so naturally gathered from this Scripture 2. That he was laid at his gate full of sores These words hold forth the distempers of believers saying He was full of sores which may signifie the many troubles temptations persecutions and afflictions in body and spirit which they meet withal while they are in the world but also the entertainment they finde at the hands of those ungodly ones who live upon the earth Whereas it is said He was laid at his gate full of sores Mark He was laid at his gate not in his house that was thought too good for him But he was laid at his gate full of sores From whence observe That the ungodly world do not desire to entertain and receive the poor Saints of God into their houses If they must needs be somewhere near unto them yet they shall not come into their houses shut them out of doors if they will needs be near us let them be at the gate And he was laid at the gate full of sores 2. Observe that the world are not at all touched with the afflictions of Gods children for all they are full of sores a despised afflicted tempted persecuted people the world doth not pitty no but rather labour to aggravate their trouble by shutting them out of doors sink or swim what cares the world they are resolved to disown them they will give them no entertainment if the lying in the streets will do them any good if hard usage will do them any good if to be disowned rejected and shut out of doors by the world will do them any good they shall have enough of that but otherwise no refreshment no comfort from the world And he was laid at his gate full of sores Verse 21. Verse 21. And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich mans table the dogs came also and licked his sores BY these words our Lord Jesus doth shew us the frame of a Christians heart and also the heart and carriage of worldly men toward the Saints of the Lord the Christians heart is held forth by this that any thing will content him while he is on this side glory And he desired to be fed with the crumbs the dogs meat any thing I say a Christian will be content with any thing if he have but to keep life and soul together as we use to say He is content he is satisfied he hath learned if he hath learned to be a Christian to be content with any thing as Paul saith Phil. 4.21 I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content He learns in all conditions to study to love God to walk with God to give up himself to God and if the crumbs that fall from a rich mans table will but satisfie nature and give him bodily strength that thereby he may be the more able to walk in the way of God he is contented And he desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich mans table But mark he had them not you do not finde that he had so much as a crumb or a scrap allowed unto him No then the dogs will be beguild that must be preserved for the dogs From whence observe that the ungodly world do love their dogs better then the children of God You will say that 's strange It is so indeed yet it is true as will be clearly manifested as for instance How many pounds do some men spend in a year on their dogs when in the mean while the poor Saints of God may starve for hunger They will build houses for their dogs when the Saints must be glad to wander and lodge in dens and caves of the earth and if they be in any of their houses for the hire thereâ—f they will warn them out or eject them or pull down the house over their heads rather then not rid themselves of such Tenants Again some men cannot go half a mile from home but they must have their dogs at their heels but they can very willingly go half a score miles without the society of a Christian Nay if when they are busie with their dogs they should chance to meet a Christian they would willingly shift him if they could They will go on the other side of the hedge or the way rather then they will have any society with him and if at any time a child of God should come into an house where there are but two or three ungodly wretches they do commonly wish either themselves or the Saint out of doors and why so Because they cannot down with the society of a Christian though if there come in at the same time a dog or a drunken swearing wretch which is worse then a dog they will make him welcome he shall sit down with them and partake of their dainties And now tell me you that love your sins and your pleasures had you not rather keep company with a drunkard a swearer a strumpet a thief nay a dog as I said before then with an honest hearteâ— Christian If you say no. What meaâ—â— your sowre carriage to the people of God Why do you look on them as if you would eat them up yet at the very same time if you can but meet your dog or a drunken companion you can fawn upon them take acquaintance with them to the Tavern or Ale-house with them if it be two or three times in a week but if the Saints of God meet together pray together and labour to edifie one another you will stay till doomes-day as they call it before you will look into the house where they are Ah friends when all comes to all you will be found to love drunkards strumpets dogs any thing nay to serve the devil rather then to have loving and friendly society with the Saints of God Moreover The dogs came and licked his sores Here again you may see not 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 then the sinful world though the ungodly will have no mercy on the Saints yet it is ordered so that these creatures dogs lions c. will Though the rich man would not entertain hiâ— into his house yet his dogs will come and do him the best good they can even to lick his running sores It was thus with Daniel when the world was mad against him and would have him thrown to the lions to be devoured the lions shut their mouthes at him or rather the Lord did shut them up so that there was not that hurt befell to him as was desired by the adversaries Dan. 6. And this I am perswaded of that would the creatures do as some men would have them the Saints of God should not walk so quietly up and down the streets and other places as they do And as I said before so I say again I am perswaded that at