1. To show that the godly poor are blessed, and the unmerciful rich are in everlasting torments. Desideravit guttam, quinon dedit micam — He desired a drop of water that would not give a bit of bread.
2. The irreversible estate of the damned : ver. 26, ' Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot ; neither can they pass to us that would come from thence.'
3. That tlie direction oi the holy scriptures is the only means to escape these lurments.
This latter is represented in a dialogue between Dives and Abraham. Dives would have one sent from the dead to his father's house, suppos- ing that would work on them to repent. Christ's parables do imper- sonate our thoughts ; we always dislike the present dispensation which God useth to reclaim us, and would have extraordinary means, and then we presume we should believe and repent ; these are our thoughts. But Abraham thinketh otherwise, or rather Christ, who is the author of the parable : ' If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead.'
By ' Moses and the prophets ' are meant the whole scriptures of the Old Testament and the New. These are mentioned because these only were then written and received by the Jews ; and these include the rest, the same truth being carried on in all the books, though more explicit in the latter.
Doct. That the word of God is a more conducible means to persuade us to repentance than if one should come from the dead.
There are two ways of proof of this doctrine, and therefore let us see what may be said for and against one coming from the dead.
VOL. XVII. Z
354 SERMONS UPON LUKE XVI. 30, 31.
First, If one coming from the dead be presumed to be a more effec- " tual means to bring men to repentance and conversion to God, it must be either because he can bring a more necessary doctrine, or could urge better arguments, and more persuasively, or propound these truths with more certainty, or could by his own strength convey a power with his words, or rationally expect a greater concomitancy and co-operation of grace than is ordinarily dispensed by the word. One or other of these things it must be, or else the conceit is vain and frivolous. But now, proceeding from one consideration to another, I shall show you that the word of God hath clearly the pre-eminence, and is a far more accom- modate instrument to work upon the hearts of men than any extra- ordinary dispensation whatsoever.
1. One coming from the dead, angel or man, cannot bring a doctrine more necessary, there being in the scriptures sufficient direction about the way to true happiness, for which we have not only express testi- mony, but apparent reason and sensible experience.
[1.] Express testimony, which should sway with christians : 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17, ' All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness ; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.' A man of God, or minister of the gos])el, thoroughly furnished, hath from the scriptures full out enough to guide man to the enjoyment of God ; nothing is wanting for information as to doctrine, convic- tion, arguments of quickening or exhortation, for instruction or direc- tions concerning the whole duty of man. And —
[2.] Apparent reason. If God be a sufficient teacher of divine things, and if we suppose him willing to inform the creatures (neither of which can be denied without blasphemy), then surely, supposing the scriptures to be the word of God, as all christians do, and in this debate it is fit we should suppose, then certainly we have enough in the scriptures, and need not that the rest of the dead should be discomposed that there may be a fit messenger found out to invite us to return to God. If it need proof, who can teach us the way to blessedness more than the blessed God ? Ps. cxix. 12, ' Blessed art thou, 0 Lord ; teach me thy statutes.' Who more willing to show man what is good than the good God ? Ps. cxix. 6, 8, ' Thou art good, and doest good ; teach me thy statutes.' The blessed God needeth not to envy us the perfection of knowledge, as the devil insinuated : Gen. iii. 5, ' God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, know- ing good and evil.' Wherein is his happiness lessened by our perfection ? And the good God, who is so full of goodness and love to mankind, would give us a suflScient direction, especially since his Son appeared in human nature, and became his messenger. Would God reveal him- self to any one from the dead, yea, to an angel, more than to his own Son ? Or could he see, feel, or hear more than God hath made known to Christ ? or be presumed to have a greater charity to mankind than the Lord hath, whose creatures they are ? No, no ; it cannot be : * He hath showed thee, 0 man, what is good,' IMicah vi. 8. Abide by that, and thou hast enough.