We muſt ſtill remcmyver, that all theſe things are ſpoken in a Fi- gure. The great Gulf here mentioned, to be fixed between Hea- ven and Hell, 1s too wide for Perſons on oppofite fides of it; to be heard communicating their Minds each to other. All that our Savi- our deſigns to let us know, 1s, that the circumſtaices of Damned Souls, arc ſuch, that if it were poffible, they would beg the iclp and affiſtance of the meaueſt Saints, whom they have in this Life moſt ſcorned, deipiſed, or abuſed, but as they will have no ſuch opportu- nitics as to crave any thing at their hands ſo if they had, they could not receive the leaſt relief from them, their ſtate is determin- cd, they are fixed for Eternity, and there can be no chaige of theic condition for the better. Abraham 1s here brought in calling this Man $S9n, cither as lineally deſcended from him, or being a Member of that Churci of which he was the Father. It will add to the Tor- ments of the Damned, to hear and confider the former mcans, and advantages they have been under tor Salvation, if they have de- ſcendcd from Godly Parcnts, or have been Members of the Church of Chrift. | That in thy Life-time thou receivedſt thy gond things, and libewiſe Lazarus evil. ] The good things which the Rich Man received, werc no more the cauſe of his Damnation, than the evi! things which Lozarus met with, were the cauſe of his Salvation ; but the Rich Mans 111 uſe of the former, and Lazarus his good improwu- ment of the latter, through the Grace of God beſtowed on him, Tho it be not ordinary with God to give the ſame Perſons the up- per and the nether Springs, yet he ſometimes doth it, of which Abraham, and Lot, and Fob, and David, and Jfaac, and F:c2h, and Foſeph of Arimathea, are ſome Inftances ; but the term, thy, Ngni- fies the error of this Rich man ; he lookt upon the good things of this Life as his Portion, thoſe were the things which he ſet his heart upon, and let his heart run out unto the negleGting the good things of another Life. Lazarus received evil things, God gave him a mean afflied Portion in this Life, bur he was found patient, and glorifying of God by a quiet ane believing ſubmiffion to h1s Will un- der them. | Now he 7s comforted, and. thou art tormented, | $0 then :t ſeemeth that departed Souls do not ſleep, as fome have dreamed. if they did they could neither have been capable of Comfort or Tor- ment. [And beſides all this there is a great Gulph fixed, &c.)] the meaning of which 15s no more than, 1. That the ſtate of Soils apon their ſeparation from the Bodies of Men and Women, is deterinined and fixed, As the Tree falls, fo it lyeth. 2, That therc 15 no Commerce or Intercourſe betwixt glorified and damned Souls. The Pap:$s paſ- ſage from Purgatory to Heaven, is a new found way, -or rather a new tancied one 3 1f Purgatory be (34s they pretend) a place where Souls are tormented, it may be admired how they ihould pats over this Gulph : it ſeemeth Abraham did not know the way, Saint Peter knew as little ; this is one of his pretended Vicars new diſcoveries z but it 15 no wiſdom in any Souis to truſt to this patſage, of which Abraþam knew as little as he did of our Prayers paſſing to them, or to God for them 3 for there is y&7ua, ui3e t5nerywbor, A great Gulph eSta- blifhed. +7008 | | |
27 Then heſfaid, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldeſt ſend him to my fathers houſe.
28 For [ have five brethen ; that he may teſtifie unto them, leſt they alſocome into this place of torment.
that the Rich Man would not hear when he lay at his Gate full of Sores, exhorting him to do good, and to diſtribute, to grve Alms of all that he. had, and to make himſelf Friends of the Man:- " mon of Unrighteouſneſs, he would now have reſtored to the Earth
fob 21.133
Him,
2&5 = -- 8 on
again ; his Soul before the general Reſurrection reunited to his Body,
that he might go unto his Fathers houſe, and give them warning,' that they might not come into the miſery which he felt. But is there any Charity in Hell ? Is there any there, that with well to Souls
a—_.. 4 6 = "Is
}
+ bed, vhither the Saints, and _Parriarchs went when —_—
. upon Earth ; or rather are not damned Souls like perſons infetted Xxx} viitt
M 1
tht others might be made as miſerable as
Lib.
Chap. VI.
ith the Plague, detirous zht --+:hy ig :* orave and acuic Author 141th, he prayeth Bot for
them but for himielr, that te mizht net be the more miteravic by the company of thoic 5311 p01 THC {:rth were his near Relations, . hun. l Rketh all in a Figure,and tht which our Saviour by thele exprethi- ous detigneth to inſtruct us 118, 15 10 MGTE than this; That altho Arheiſtical, and prous and haughty Souls 1n this Life, MAKE A mock at Hell, and at the wrath of God to be revealcd after this Life, and deſpiſe the poor Scxvants-of God, who by their Dotrine, or holy Life, and Example would teach them better things, yet they ſhall find the Fire ot Heil fo hot, the Wrath of God {o terribl2 and in- tollerable, that if ou could 1magine, that Souls under thoſe miſerics could have the Jeaſt dramm of Charity, and good Nature left in them, tho they apprehend themaiclves paſt all hopes, or recovery tO a better ſtate, yet tlicy would bug thatfome of thoſe faithful Miniſters, or godly Pcople, whom they have rcjzited, deſpiled, and abuſed, might be ſent to every Friend they have in the world, to warn them from doivg as they have done, and running the hazard of thoſe Tor- ments they feel for doing of ſuch things. The Paprits who idly go about from hence to prove a ſenſe in departed Souls of the ſtate of their Friends that are yet alive upon the Earth, can derive very littie com- fort trom that {peculation, out of this Text ; which if *t could prove any thing of that nature, could prove no more, than that Damned Souls have ſuch a Senſe, and mignat by the ſame Argument alſo evince their Charity. Put figurative expretfions muſt not be fo tentered. I have thewed what I judge to be the true inſtruftion
from this paſſage. _ : * ia, 8,20, 29 Abraham ſaith unto him, * They have Moſes and
. 15, the prophets ; let them hear them. moe Go2J. Chriſ an repreſenteth to us the Genius of Wicked and Carnal