for he laid the sins of thousands and ten thousands and thousands of thousands of sinners to his charge Esay 53. And caused him to drink the terrible cup that was due to them all and not onely so but did delight in so doing For it pleased the Lord to bruise him God dealt indeed with his Son as Abraham would have dealt with Isaac I and more terribly by ten thousand parts for he did not onely tear his body like a lion but made his soul an offering for sin And this was not done fainedly but really for justice called for it he standing in the room of sinners witness that horrible and unspeakable agony that fell on him suddenly in the Garden as if all the vials of Gods unspeakable scalding vengeance had been cast upon him all at once and all the devils in hell had been broken loose from thence at once to destroy him and that for ever insomuch that the very pangs of death seized upon him the same hour For saith he My soul is exceeding sorrowful and amazed even unto death Mark 14.33 34. Witness also that strange kinde of sweat that trickled down his most blessed face where it is said And he sweat as it were great mark I beseech you great drops or clodders of blood trickling down to the ground O Lord Jesus what a load didst thou carry what a burthen didst thou bear of the sins of the world and the wrath of God! O thou didst not onely bleed at nose and mouth with the pressure that lay upon thee but thou wast so pressed so loaden that the pure blood gushed through the flesh and skin and so ran trickling down to the ground And his sweat was as it were great drops of blood trickling or falling down to the ground Luke 22.44 Canst thou read this O thou wicked sinner and yet go in sin Canst thou think of this and defer repentance one hour longer O heart of flint yea harder O miserable wretch what place in hell will be hot enough for thee to have thy soul put into if thou shalt persist or go on still to adde iniquity to iniquity Besides his soul went down to hell Psal 16.10 Acts 2.31 and his body to the bars of the grave And had hell death or the grave been strong enough to hold him then he had suffered the vengeance of eternal fire to all eternity But O blessed Jesus how didst thou discover thy love to man in thy thus suffering And O God the Father how didst thou also declare thy purity and exactness of thy justice in that though it was thine onely holy innocent harmless and undefiled Son Jesus that did take on him our nature and represent our persons answering for our sins instead of our selves thou didst so wonderfully pour out thy wrath upon him to the making of him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And O Lord Jesus what a glorious conquest hast thou made over the enemies of our souls even wrath sin death hell and devils in that thou didst wring thy self from under the power of them all and not onely so but hast led them captive which would have led us captive and also hast received for us that glorious and unspeakable inheritance That eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive And also hast given thine some discovery thereof through thy Spirit And now sinner together with this consider Fourthly That though Jesus Christ hath done all these things for sinners yet the devils make it their whole work and continual study how they may keep thee and others from enjoying of these blessed priviledges that have been thus obtained for sinners by this sweet Jesus He labours I say first to keep thee ignorant of thy state by nature Secondly to harden thy heart against the wayes of God Thirdly to inflame thy heart with love to sin and the wayes of darkness And fourthly to get thee to continue herein For that is the way he knows to get thee to be a partaker with him of the flaming hell fire even the same that he himself is fallen into together with the rest of the wicked world by reason of sin Look to it therefore But now in the next place a word of incouragement to you that are the Saints of the Lord. 1. Consider what an happy state thou art in that hast gotten the faith of the Lord Jesus into thy soul But be sure thou have it I say how safe how sure how happy art thou For when others go to hell thou must go to heaven when others go to the devil thou must go to God when as others go to prison thou must be set at liberty at ease and at freedom when others must roar for sorrow of heart then thou shalt also sing for the joy of heart Secondly consider thou must have all thy well spent life to follow thee instead of all thy sins and the glorious blessings of the Gospel instead of the dreadful curses and condemnations of the Law The blessing of the Father instead of a fiery sentence from the Judge Thirdly let dissolution come when it will it can do thee no harm for it will be but onely a passage out of a prison into a palace out of a sea of troubles into an haven of rest out of a croud of enemies to an innumerable company of true loving and faithful friends out of shame reproach and contempt into exceeding great and eternal glory For death shall not hurt thee with his sting nor bite thee with his soul-murthering teeth but shall be a welcome guest to thee even to thy soul in that it is sent to free thee from thy troubles which thou art in whiles here in this world dwelling in the tabernacle of clay Fourthly consider how ever it goes with friends and relations yet it will go well with thee Ecclesiastes 8.12 However it goes with the wicked yet I know Mark yet I know saith he that it shall go well with them that fear the Lord that fear before him And therefore let this in the first place cause thee chearfully to exercise thy patience under all the calamities crosses troubles and afflictions that may come upon thee and by patient continuance in well doing to commit both thy self and thine affairs and actions into the hands of God through Jesus Christ as to a faithful Creatour who is true in his word and loveth to give unto thee whatsoever he hath promised to thee And therefore to incourage thee while thou art here with comfort to hold on for all thy crosses in this thy journey be much in considering the place that thou must go into so soon as dissolution comes It must be into heaven to God the Judge of all to an innumerable company of Angels to the spirits of just men made perfect to the general Assembly and Church of the first born whose names are written in heaven and to Jesus too the
them who are the excellent in the earth in whom his soul delights although he hath made them heirs of the Kingdom Jam. 2.5 Yet doth he bestow but a small portion of these worldly things upon them hereby declaring to all how little he sets by those things which most set so much by and to draw up our hearts mindes and affections to the things above yea His own Son that he appointed heir of all things Heb. 1.2 shall come forth neither of rich kindred nor attended with gallants nor yet accoutred with the worlds glory but in a low mean and abject condition at whose birth a manger received him and through his life sorrows wants and sufferings did attend and at the end a shameful death in the worlds esteem befals him and by all this he shews his contempt of the worldly mans darling Cast not away thy soul then O man in seeking after solacing thy self in and contenting thy self with this present world for though thou mayest make gold thy hope and put thy confidence in thy wealth yet when this thy hope shall fail and thy confidence slip from thee as sure it will ere long glad wouldest thou be of the least drop of the water of life and the least filing of that precious gold that thou art now called upon to drink of and to buy for thy self but alas they shall not be had then O then what profit will thy treasures of wickedness yield thee and whereto will thy thick clay that thou hast hoorded up and thy carnal pleasures which thou hast drunk down as the fish drinks down water whereto I say will they serve unless to weigh thee the deeper into hell and increase the fire when it shall be kindled upon thee Thirdly look upon thy loss too which is such that ten thousand worlds cannot repair thy soul thy body thy comforts thy hopes thy share in a crucified Jesus the crown of life and everlasting Communion with the Father Son and Spirit blessed Angels and glorified Saints and a soul-satisfying soul-saving Christ who came from the bosome of love and gave himself to open a way to everlasting glory by the sacrifice of himself to whom thou art called invited and perswaded to come whose heart is open arms spread and who hath room enough in his bosome to receive thee grace enough to pardon thee blood enough to justifie thee treasures enough to enrich thee pleasures enough to delight thee Psal 36.8 And glory enough to crown thee In whom it hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Colos 1.19 to make them perfectly blessed that come to him so that there is no need to seek happiness among the creatures which most do and thereby lose true happiness and their souls too turn in hither and thou shalt eat of his bread and drink of the wine which he hath mingled Prov. 9.4 5. Wouldest thou fare deliciously every day and have thy soul delight it self in fatness Isa 55.2 Hearken diligently and come to the wedding the oxen and fatlings are killed and all things are ready Mat. 22.5 I tell thee whatsoever food thou feedest upon else will prove no better to thee then the Prodigals husks Luke 15.16 That will starve thee whilest thou feedest on them if thou drinkest of other wine it will prove as a cup of wine mixed with poison which though it be pleasant to the taste it will be the death of thy soul Wilt thou then lose this Christ this food this pleasure this heaven this happiness for a thing of nought Wilt thou drink out of a puddle a broken Cistern which leaks out the water and holds nothing but mud and refuse the fountain of living water which whosoever tastes of shall live for ever Fourthly beware of perswading thy self into a conceit of the poor mans end if thou livest the rich mans life and dyest his death It is strange to see how many run swiftly the very way to hell yet are full of confidence of going to heaven though Scripture every where shuts them out and Christ at last will certainly shut them out for ever hereafter living and dying in their present state let none therefore deceive you neither deceive your selves for none such can enter into the kingdom of heaven But for these things sake cometh the wrath of God on the children of disobedience 1 Cor. 6.9 Ephes 5.5 6. And how sad will thy disappointment be that goest on securely fearing nothing being fully yet falsely perswaded of eternal life at last and then drop down into the bottomless pit Like wicked Haman that dreamed of greater honour but behold a gallows or our mother Eve who conceited to be as God but became a cursed creature Though the devil may perswade thee thou mayest live as in hell here yet in heaven hereafter believe him not for he endeavours to keep thee in his snares that he may drag thee to hell with him and the better to effect his devilish design upon thee he will present and through his cursed subtlety knows how to do it thy sins and this world in as lovely and taking a guise as may be but will hide the evil consequences from thine eyes that thou mightest be inveigled by gazing on the one and not be afrighted by beholding the other his bait shall be pleasant but his hook hid like the strumpet in Proverbs 7. That intices the simple with fair words but conceals that the way to her house leads to the chambers of death nothing appears but a bed richly furnished and a promise of solacing him with loves but he that followeth after her goeth as an ox to the slaughter and as a fool to the correction of the stocks Fifthly this is thy day to prevent the loss of the one and to get an interest in the other this is the day of salvation the accepted day of the Lord 2 Cor. 6.2 Let the sun of this day be set before this work be done and an everlasting night of darkness will close thee in wherein thou thou shalt have time enough indeed to bemoan thy folly but none to learn to grow wiser It is a sad thing especially in soul concernments to be wise too late and to cry out when time is past Oh that I had improved it when it was present then will the Remembrance of thy former mispent time and thy despair of ever gaining more be like poisoned arrows drinking up thy spirit Amongst all the talents God hath entrusted man withal this is not the least because on it depends eternity and according to the use we make of this will our eternal condition be though the most of men live at such a rate as if it was given them to no other end then to waste in wickedness and consume in pleasures what means else their spending dayes weeks moneths years yea their whole life in whoring swearing playing coveting and fulfilling the lusts of the flesh so that when they come to die the great work
thy soul at the judgement day Friend I have no more to say to thee now it may be shortly thou mayest hear from me again in a discourse touching the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace it had been with thee now had opportunity been afforded me but being busie here and there among the saints and sinners though I can do but little good I have not had that conveniencie nor leasure that I could wish I had to present it in right form for truth and edification to thee Now if thou dost love me pray for me that my God would not forsake me nor take his holy Spirit from me and that God would fit me to do and suffer what shall be from the world or devil inflicted upon me I must tell thee the world rages they stamp and shake their heads and fain they would be doing the Lord help me to take all they shall do with patience and when they smite the one cheek to turn the other to them that I may do as Christ hath bidden me for then the Spirit of God and of glory shall rest upon me Farewel I am thine if thou be not ashamed to own me because of my low and contemptible descent in the world John Bunyan A FEW Sighs from Hell OR The Groans of a damned Soul OR An Exposition of those words in the 19 th of Luke ver 19. c. 19 THere was a certain rich man which was cloathed in purple and fine linnen and fared sumptuously every day 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of fores 21 And desiring to be fed with the the crumbs which fâ—ll from the rich mans tablâ— moreover the dogs came and licked his sores 22 And it came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome the rich man also dyed and was buried 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosome 24 And he cried and said Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame 25 But Abraham said Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented 26 And besides all this 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 27 Then he said I pray thee therefore father that thou wouldest send him to my fathers house 28 For I have five Brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torment 29 Abraham saith unto him They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them 30 And he said Nay father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent 31 And he said unto him If they hear not Moses and the Propets neither will â—hey be perswaded though one rose from the dead THis Scripture was not spoken by our Lord Jesus Christ Verse 19. to shew you the state of two single persons onely as some through their ignorance of the drift of Christ in his Parables do dream but to shew you the state of the godly and ungodly to the worlds end as is clear to him that is of an understanding heart For he spake them to the end that after generations should take notice thereof and fear lest they also fell into the same condition Now in my discourse upon these words I shall not be tedious but as briefly as I may I shall pass through the several Verses and lay you down some of the several truths contained therein and the Lord grant that they may be profitable and of great advantage to those that read them or hear them read The 19 and 20 verses also I shall not spend much time upon onely give you three or four short hints and so pass to the next verses for they are the words I do intend most especially to insist upon The 19 20 and 21 verses run thus There was a certain rich man which was cloathed in purple and fine linnen and fared deliciously or sumptuously every day And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus which was laid at his gate full of sores c. 1. If these verses had been spoken by Jesus Christ and no more all the world would have gone near to have cast a wrong interpretation on them I say if Jesus had said onely thus much There was a certain rich man that fared sumptuously daily and a certain beggar laid at his gate full of sores The world would have made this conclusion of them the rich man was the happy man For at the first view it doth represent such a thing But take all together that is read the whole Parable and you shall finde that there is no man in a worse condition then he as I shall clearly hold forth afterward 2. Again if a man would judge of men according to outward appearance he shall oft-times take his mark amiss Here is a man to outward appearance appears the onely blessed man better by half then the beggar in as much as he is rich the beggar poor he is well cloathed but peradventure the beggar is naked he hath good food but the beggar would be glad of dogs meat And he desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich mans table the rich man fares well every day but the beggar must be glad of a bit when he can gâ—t it Oh! who would not be in the rich mans state A wealthy man sorts of new suits and dainty dishes every day enough to make one who mindes nothing but his belly and his back his lusts to say Oh that I were in that mans condition Oh that I had about me as that man had Then I should live a life indeed then should I have hearts ease good store then I should live pleasantly and might say to my soul Soul be of good chear eat drink and be merry thou hast every thing plenty and art in most blessed condition I say this might be I and is the conclusion with them that judgâ— according to outward appâ—arance But if the whole Parable be well considered you will see that that which is had in high estimation with men is an abomination in the sight of God And again that condition that is the saddest condition according to outward appearance is oft times tâ—e most excellent for the beggar had tâ—n thousand degrees the best of it though to outward appearance his state was the saddest from we shall observe thus much 1 That those who judge according to outward appearance do for the most part judge amiss 2. That they who look upon their outward enjoyments to be tokens of Gods special grace unto them are
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
us unless we had it in such a place by such a man no nor then neither effectually But now Oh! that I was to live in the world again and might have that priviledge to have some acquaintance with blessed Lazarus some familiarity with that holy man what attendance would I give unto his wholesome words how would I affect his doctrine and close in with it how would I square my life thereby now therefore it is better to hear the Gospel under an hedge then to sit roaring in a Tavern it is better to welcome Gods begging Lazarus's then the wicked companions of this world t is better to receive a Saint in the name of a Saint a Disciple in the name of a Disciple then to do as I have done Oh! it is better to receive a child of God that can by experience deliver the things of God his free love his tender grace his rich forbearance and also the misery of man if without it then to be daubed up with untempered morter Oh! I may curse the day that ever I gave way to the flatteries and fawning of a company of carnal Clergy-men but this my repentance is too late I should have looked about me sooner if I would have been saved from this woful place O therefore send him not onely to the town I lived in and unto some of my acquaintance but to my fathers house Or else thus also may they cry In my life time I did not care to hear that word that cut me most and shewed me mine estate aright I was vexed to hear my sins mentioned and laid to my charge I loved him best that deceived me most that said peace peace when there was no such thing But now I say Oh that I had been soundly told of it Oh that it had pierced both mine ears and heart and had stuck so fast that nothing could have cured me saving the blood of Christ It is better to be dealt plainly with then that we should be deceived they had better see their lost condition in the world then stay while they be damned as I have done therefore send Lazarus send him to my fathers house Let him go and say I saw your son your brother in hell weeping and wailing and gnashing his teeth Let him bear them down in it and tell them plainly it is so Verse 28. and that they shall see to their everlasting misery if they have not a special care send him to my fathers house Ver. 28. For I have five brethren that he may testifie unto them lest they also come into this place of torment THese words are if I may so say a reason given by those in hell why they are so restless and do cry so loud it is that their companions might be delivered from those intollerable torments which they must and shall undergo if they fall short of everlasting life by Jesus Christ Send him to my fathers house for I have five brethren c. Though while they lived among them in the world they were not so sensible of their ruine yet now they are passed out of the world and do partake of that which before they were warned of they can I say then cry out now I find that to be true indeed which was once and again told and declared to me that it would certainly come to pass For I have five brethren Here you may see that there may be and are whole housholds in a damnable state condition as our Lord Jesus doth by this signifie Send him to my fathers house for they are all in one state I left all my brethren in a pittiful case People while they live here cannot indure to hear that they should be all in a miserable condition but when they are under the wrath of God they see it they know it and are very sure of it for they themselves when they were in the world lived as they do but they fell short of heaven and therefore if they go on so shall they Oh therefore send him quickly to my fathers house for all the house is in an undone condition and must be damned if they continue so The thing observable is this namely that those that are in hell do not desire that their companions should come thither nay rather saith he send him to my fathers house and let him testifie to them that are therein lest they also come c. Quest But some may say what should be the reason that the damned should desire not to have there companions come into the same condition that they are fallen into but rather that they might be kept from it and escape that dreadful state Answ I do believe there is scarce so much love in any of the damned in hell as really to desire the salvation of any it would seem strange to me that such a quality should be found in any there as out of singleness of heart to desire the salvation of their neighbours out of love to them But in that there is any desire in them that are damned that their friends and relations should not come into that place of torment It appears to me to be rather for their own ease then for their neighbours good for let me tell you this I do believe that it will aggravate or heighten the grief and horrour of them to see their ungodly neighbours in the like destruction with them For where the ungodly do live and die and descend into the pit together the one is rather a vexation to the other then any thing else And it must needs be so because there are no ungodly people that do live ungodly together but they do learn ill examples one of another as thus If there live one in the town that is very expert and cunning for the world why now the rest of his neighbours that are of the same mind with him they will labour to imitate him and follow his steps this is commonly seen Again if there be one given to drunkenness others of the town through his means run the more into that sin with him do accustom themselves the more unto it because of his inticing them and also bysetting such an ill example before them And so if there be any addicted to pride must needs be in all the newest fashions how do their example provoke other to love and follow the same vanity spending that upon their lusts which should relieve their own and others wants Also if there be any given to jesting scoffing lying whoring backbiting junketting wantonness or any other sin they that are most expert in these things do oft-times intangle others that peradventure would not have been so vile as now they are had they not had such an example Now these will by their doings exceedingly aggravate the condemnation of one another as thus He that did set his neighbour an ill example and thereby caused him to walk in sin He will be found one cause of his and his friends
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
that they might by comming to him be saved Did we not tell thee of these things Did we not run ride labour and strive abundantly if it might have been for the good of thy soul though now a damned soul Did we not venture our goods our names our lives Yea did we not even kill our selves with our earnest intreatings of thee to consider of thine estate and by Christ to escape this dreadful day O sad doom when thou shalt be forced full sore against thy will to fall under the truth of this judgement saying O how have I hated instruction aâ—d how hath my heart despised reproof for indeed I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me Proverbs 5.11 12 13. Thirdly may not thy Father thy Mother thy Brother thy Sister thy Friend c. appear with gladness against thâ—e at the terrible day Saying O thou silly son or daughter brother or sister or friend Oh â—ow rightly hath God met with thee O how righteously doth his sentence pass upon thee Remember thou wouldst not be ruled nor perswaded in thy life time as thou didst not care for us and our admonitions then so neither do we care for thy ruine terrour and damnation now No but we will stand on Gods side in sentencing of thee to that portion which the devils must be partakers of O sad it is enough to make mountains tremble and the rocks to rend in pieces to hear this doleful sound Consider these things and if thou wouldest be loth to be in this condition then have a care of living in sin now O consider how loth thou wilt be to be thrust away from the gates of heaven and how loâ—â— thou wilt be to be deprived of the â—â—rcy of God 2. How unwillingly will thou set foot forward towards the lake of fire Never did Malefactour so unwillingly turn off the ladder when the halter was about his neck as thou wilt turn from God to the devil from heaven to hell when the sentence is passed upon thy soul Oh how wilt thou sigh and groan Oh how willingly wouldest thou hide thy self and run away from Justice but alas as it is with them that are on the ladder ready to be executed so it will be with thee Alas they would fain run away but there are many Halberd-men to stay them And so the powers of God will beset thee round I say round on every side so that thou mayest indeed look but run thou canst not thou mayest wish thy self under some great rock or mountain but how to get under thou knowest not 3 Oh how unwilling wilt thou be to let thy father go to heaven without thee thy mother or friends c. go to heaven without thee O how willingly wouldest thou hang on them and not let them go O Father cannot you help me O Mother cannot you do me some good O how loath am I to burn and fry in hell while you are singing in Heaven But alas the father mother brother sister son daughter or friend rejects them slights them and turn their backs upon them saying You would have none of heaven in your life time therefore you shall have none of it now you slighted our counsels then and we slight your tears cries and condition now What sayest thou sinner will not this perswade thine heart nor make thee bethink thy self This is now before thou fall into that dreadful place that fiery furnace But O consider how dreadful the place it self the devils themselves the fire it self will be And this at the end of all here thou must lie for ever here thou must fry for ever and for ever This will be more to thee then any man with tongue can express or with pen can write there is none that can I say by the ten thousand part discover the state and condition of such a soul O sad And now I shall give thee a few considerations more and they shall be thus and so conclude 1. Consider for I would fain have thee come in sinner that there is way made by Jesus Christ for them that are under the law of works to come to this comfortable and blessed state that I was speaking of See Ephesians 2. 2. Consider if thou never come thy blood will be charged on thy own head and so much the more because thou hast been told of thy misery and sin and also of the safety thou shalt be in if thou do indeed come into this Lord Jesus Ezek. 33.1 2 3 4 5. Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet and taketh not warning if the sword commeth and taketh away any person his blood shall be upon his own head He heard the sound of the trumpet that is the good news of the Gospel and taketh not warning that is did not fly to Jesus Christ for succour his blood shall be upon his own head 3. Consider what pains Christ Jesus took for the ransoming of thy soul from all the curses thunder-claps and tempests of the law from all the intollerable flames of hell from that soul sinking appearance of thy person on the left hand before the judgement-seat of Christ Jesus from everlasting fellowship with innumerable companies of yelling and soul-amazing devils I say consider what pains the Lord Jesus Christ took in bringing in redemption for sinners from these things 1. In that Though he were rich yet he became poor that thou through his poverty might be made rich 2 Cor. 8 9. He laid aside his glory John 17. and became a servant Phil. 2. He left the company of Angels and incountred with the devil Luke 4. Mat. 4. He left heavens ease for a time to lie upon hard mountains John 8. In a word he became poorer then they that go with flail and rake yea then the very birds or foxes and all to do thee good Besides consider a little of these unspeakable and intollerable slightings and rejections and the manifold abuses that came from man upon him How he was falsly accused being a sweet harmless and undefiled Lamb. How he was undervalued so that a Murtherer was counted less worthy of condemnation then he Besides how they mocked him spat on him beat him over the head with staves had the hair pluckt from his cheeks I gave my back to the smiters saith he and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair I hid not my face from shame and spitting His head crowned with thorns his hands pierced with nails and his side with a spear together with how they used him scourging him and so miserably misusing him that they had even spent him in a great measure before they did crucifie him Insomuch that there was another fain for to carry his Crosse Again not onely this but lay to heart a little what he received from God his dear Father though he were his dear and tender Son First in that he did reckon him the greatest sinner and rebell in the world