him yet now let me have some society with him Though the world disregard the society of God children now yet there is a time coming in which they would be glad to have the least company with them Nay do but observe those of the Saints that are now most rejected by them even from them shall they be glad of comfort if it might be Send Lazarus he that I slighted more then my dogs he that I could not endure should come into my house but must lye at my gate send him Now Lazarus shall be welcome to me now do I desire some comfort from him but he shall go without it From whence again observe that there is a time coming O ye surly dogged persecutors of the Saints that they shall slight you as much as ever you slighted them You have given them many an hard word told many a lie of them given them many a blow And now in your greatest need and extremity they shall not pitty you Again send Lazarus From whence observe that any of the Saints shall then be owned by you to be Saints Now ye look upon them to be of the sect with Hymeneus and Philetus but then you shall see them to be the Lazarus's of God even Gods dear children Though now the Saints of the Lord will not be owned by you because they are beggerly poor low contemptible among you here yet the day is coming that you shall own them desire their company and wish for the least courtesie from them Send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame Thus shall the souls that abide in their sins cry out in the bitterness of their spirits with wonderful anguish torment of conscience without intermission that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue That he namely the man who before I scorned should eat with the dogs of my flock that before I slighted and had no regard of that I shut out of door send him that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue Now these words that he may dip the tip of his finger in water c. do hold forth the least friendship or favour as much as if he should have said Father now I would be glad of the least mercie now I would be glad of the lâ—â—st comfort though it be but one drop of cold water on the tip of his finger One would have thought that this had been a small request a small courtesie one drop of water what is that Take a pail full of it if that will do the any good But mark he is not permitted to have so much as one drop not so much as a man may hold upon the tip of his finger This signifies thus much that they that fall short of Christ shall be night and day tormented from years end to years end as I may say even as long as eternity lasteth and shall not have so much as the least ease no not so long as while a man may turn himself round not so much leave as to swallow his spittle not a drop of cold water 2. Again consider that though the rebels while they are in this world can turne their backs upon the greatest mercy namely the Grace of God in Christ yet the time will come that they would be glad of the least mercy even a drop of cold water 3. Again observe that those who in their life time do turn their back upon the streams of Gods grace and love when they depart this life they shall not have the priviledge of the least mercy though they would never so willingly O that these things did take place in your hearts how would it make you to seek after rest for your souls before it be too late before the sun of the Gospel be set upon you Consider I say the misery of the ungodly that they shall be in and avoid their vices by closing in with the tenders of mercy lest you partake of the same portion with them and cry out in the bitterness of your souls one drop of cold water and cool my tongue For I am tormented in this flame These words hold forth the reason why the damned do so much request there might be some pitty shewed to them namely because they are under sore and sad affliction for I am tormented in this flame Indeed the reason why the poor world do not so earnestly desire for mercy is partly because they do not so seriously consider the torment that they must certainly fall into if they die out of Christ For let me tell you did but poor souls indeed consider that wrath that doth by right fall to their shares because of their sins against God they would make more haste to God through Christ for mercy then they do Then we should have them say it is good closing with Christ to day before we fall into such distress But why is it said Let him dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue Because that as the several members in the bodie have their share in sin and committing of that so the several members and every member of the body shall at that time be punished for the same Therefore when Christ is admonishing his desciples that they should not turne aside from him and that they should rather fear and dread the power of their God then any other power he saith Fear him therefore that can cast both body and soul into hell And again fear him that can destroy both soul and hody in hell Here is not one member onely but all the body the whole body of which the hands feet eyes eares and tongue are members And I am perswaded that though this may be judged carnal by some now yet it will appear to be a truth then to the greater misery of those who shall be forced to undergo that which God in his just judgement shall inflict upon them O then they will cry one dram of ease for my cursing swearing lying jearing tongue Some ease for my bragging braving flattering threatning dissembling tongue now men can let their tongues run at randome as we use to say now they will be apt to say our tongues are our own who shall controle them But then they will be in another mind Then O that I might have a little ease for my deceitful tongue Methinks sometimes to consider how some men do let their tongues run at randome they cannot tell well how it makes me marvell Surely they do not think they shall be made to give an account for their offending with their tongue Did they but think they shall be made to give an account to him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead surely they would be more wary of and have more regard unto their tongue The tongue saith James is * Jam. 2. an unruly member full of deadly poison
to dispute for the truth to preach the Gospel and labour to vindicate it in opposition to gain-sayers and yet be found at the left hand of Christ at the Judgement-day forasmuch as thou didst content thy self with a notion or a traditionall knowledge of them 2. Have a care that thou own the whole Scripture and not own one part and neglect another or slight it as thus To own the law and slight the Gospel or to think that thou must be saved by thy good doing and works for that is all one as if thou diddest thrust Christ away from thee or else so to own the Gospel as if by it thou wert exempted from all obedience to the ten Commandments and conformity to the Law in life and conversation For in so doing thou wilt for certain make sure of eternall vengeance Thirdly have a care that thou put not wrong names on the things contained in the Scriptures as to call the Law Christ and Christ the Law For some having done so in my knowledge have so darkened to themselves the glorious truths of the Gospel that in a very little time they have been resolved to thwart and oppose them and so have made room in their own souls for the Devil to inhabit and obtained a place in hell for their own souls to be tormented for ever and ever Against this danger therefore in reading and receiving the testimony of Scripture learn to distinguish between the Law and the Gospel and to keep them clear asunder as to the salvation of thy soul and that thou mayest so do In the first place beg of God that he would shew thee the nature of the Gospel And set it home effectually with life and power upon thy soul by Faith Which is this That God would shew thee that as thou being man hast sinned against God so Christ being God Man hath bought thee again and with his most precious blood set thee free from the bondage thou wast fallen into by thy sins and that not upon condition that thou wilt do thus and thus this and the other good work but rather that thou being first justified freely by meer grace through the blood of Jesus shouldest also receive thy strength from him who hath bought thee to walk before him in all well pleasing being inabled thereto by vertue of his Spirit which hath revealed to thy soul that thou art delivered already from wrath to come by the obedience not of thee but of another man viz. Jesus Christ Secondly Then if the law thou readest of tell thee in thy conscience thou must do this and the other good work of the Law if ever thou wilt be saved Then answer plainly that for thy part thou art resolved now not to work for life but to believe in the vertue of that blood shed upon the Crosse upon Mount Calvary for the remission of sins and yet because Christ hath justified thee freely by his Grace thou wilt serve him in Holinesse and Righteousnesse all the dayes of thy life yet not in a legall Spirit or in a covenant of Works but mine obedience say thou I will endeavour to have it free and chearful out of love to my Lord Jesus Thirdly Have a care thou receive not this doctrine in the notion onely lest thou bring a just damnation upon thy soul by professing thy self to be freed by Christs blood from the guilt of sin while thou remainest still a servant to the filth of sin For I must tell you that unlesse you have the true and saving work of the Faith and Grace of the Gospel in your hearts you will either go on in a legall Holiness according to the tenour of the Law or else through a notion of the Gospel the Devil bewitching and beguiling thy understanding will and affections thou wilt Ranter-like turn the Grace of God into wantonness and bring upon thy soul double if not treble damnation in that thou couldest not be contented to be damned for thy sins against the Law but also to make ruine sure to thy soul thou wouldest dishonour the Gospel and turn the Grace of God held forth and discovered to man by that into licentiousness But that thou mightest be sure to escape these dangerous rocks on the right hand and on the left see that thy faith be such as spoken of in Scripture and that thou be not satisfied without that which is a faith wrought by the mighty operation of God revealing Christ to and in thee as having wholly freed thee from thy sins by his most precious blood Which faith if thou attain unto will so work in thy heart that first thou wilt see the nature of the Law and also the nature of the Gospel and delighting in the glory of it and also thou wilt finde an ingaging of thy heart and soul to Jesus Christ even to the giving up of thy whole man unto him to be ruled and governed by him to his glory and thy comfort by the Faith of the same Lord Jesus The End Errata Courteous Reader before thou readest this Treatise thou art desired to correct these Faults with thy pen which hereaâ—ter followeth PAge 1. for Luke 19. read Luke 16 p. 6. l. 15. r. whence p 44. l 18. for means 1. names p. 54. l. 5. put out and the practice of the Saints p. 64. â— 15. after seek r. not p. 81. l 17. for them r. then l 26. for friends r. friend p. 92. l. 27. r. to be p. 104. l. 6. for sead r. send p. 120 l. 9. for converted r. contented p. 129 l. 12. for the r. their p. 144. l. 16. for 1 Tim. 1.9 r. 2 Tim. 1. 9. p. 145. l 27 for 1 Pet. 2.21 r. 1 Pet. 2.24 p. 166. l. 26. for contradiction r. traditional p. 171. l 23 r. of p. 194. l. 14. for intend r. indeed p. 196. l. 24. leave out that p. 229. l. 6. for powers r. angels Page 199. line 18. thou wilt finde these words as I said before which I desire thee to leave ouâ— The reason why I put th m in was because at the first I thought to put out wi h this a Discourse of the two Covenâ—â—â—s which since I thought to put fâ—r h in a Piece by â—t self and therefore should have put ouâ— these words Bunyan's Sighs from Hell
his life time he enjoyed his good things and at the hour of death legions of devils will beset him innumerable evils will befall him and then shall he pay full dear for all the pleasures of sin that have carried away his heart from closing with and following the Lord in the day of his prosperity Ungodly men because they feel no changes now they fear none hereafter but flatter themselves with dying as the godly though their life is consumed in wickedness and their strength in providing for and satisfying the lusts of the flesh but as it fared with wicked Balaam so shall it fare with these and their vain hopes will prove a feeding upon ashes through their deceived heart that hath turned them aside Isaiah 44.20 For they that sow to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption Galat. 6.8 And they that plow iniquity and sow wickedness shall reap the same Job 4.8 Hosea 8.7 But they that sow to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Say ye then to the righteous it shall go well with him however it goes with him now a few dayes will produce a happy change It shall go well with him that feareth the Lord Eccles 8.12 Go on then O soul thou that hast set thy face towards heaven though the east-wind beats upon thee and thou finde trouble and sorrow these shall endure but for a night joy will undoubtedly come in the morning besides those sweet visits thou shalt have from thy precious Saviour in this thy day of darkness wait but a while and thy darkness shall be turned into light When the light of the wicked shall be put out and the spark of his fire wherewith he warmed himself shall not shine Job 18.5 Grudge not to see the wicked prosper and their steps washed with butter but rather put on bowels of mercy and pitty as the elect of God knowing that they are set in slippery places Psal 73.18 And their day is coming when fearful horrour shall suprize them and hell be opened to receive them nor yet be disquieted in thy minde that troubles and afflictions do beset thee round for as a worser thing is reserved for them so a better is prepared for thee Do they drink wine in bowls and dost thou mingle thy tears with thy drink Do they live in pleasures and spend their dayes in wealth and dost thou sigh and mourn in secret Well there is a cup for them in the hand of the Lord the wine whereof is red and full of mixture which they must drink up the dregs Psal 75.8 And the Lord hath a bottle for thy tears Psal 56.8 And a book foâ— thy secret sighs and ere long thy brinâ—sh tears shal be turned into the sweetest wine which thou shalt drink new in the kingdom of the Father and thy secret sighs into glorious praises when thy mouth shall be filled with laughter and thy eyes see the King in his glory Now considering that these lines may be brought to the sight both of the one sort and the other I shall lay a few things before the thought of each and first to the worser sort First consider what an ill bargain thou wilt make to sell thy precious soul for a short continuance in thy sins and pleasures if that man drives but an ill trade who to gain the world should lose his soul Matth. 16.26 then certainly thou a far worse that sells thy soul for a very trifle Oh 't is pitty that so precious a thing should be parted withall to be made a prey for the devouring lion for that which is worse then nothing if they were branded for desperate wretches that caused their children to pass through the fire to Molech surely thou much more that gives thy soul to devouring flames to be fewel for the everlasting fire upon so easie tearms what meanest thou O man to truck with the devils Is there no better merchandize to trade in then what comes from hell or out of the bowels of the earth and to be had upon no lower rates then thy immortal soul Yes surely the merchandize of wisdom which is better then the merechandize of silver and the gain thereof then fine gold Prov. 3.14 Prov. 8.19 is exposed to sale Rev. 3.18 And to be had without money or price and if thou shouldest part with any thing for it it is such that it is better to part withal then to keep The wise Merchant that sought a goodly pearl having found one sold all that he had not himself not his soul and all that he sold was in it self not worth a farthing and yet obtained the Pearl Mat. 13.45 46. Paul made the like exchange when he threw away his own righteousness which was but rags yea filthy rags Isaiah 64.6 And put on the garment of salvation and cast away to the dunghil that which was once his gain and won Christ Phil. 3.8 Thou needest not cast away thy soul for puddle pleasures behold the fountain of living water is set open and thou invited to it to take and drink thy belly thy soul full without price or money Isaiah 55.1 2 ly Take a short yet let it not be a slight view of the best of the things men prize so high that for the love of they lose their souls what are they Even painted nothings promising vanities like the apples of Sodom fair to the eye but being touched turn to dust or like our Mother Eve's that had a beautiful look but being tasted brings forth death which for the most part have proved snares to the owners and alwayes miserable comforters at the parting they cannot satisfie in life for the more of these things are had the more with a disquieted spirit are they reached after and what comes in serves but to whet up the greedy unsatisfied appetite after more The world passeth away and the lust thereof 1 John 2.17 Though most men content themselves with these yet it is not in these to satisfie them and had they but one glimpse of the world to come one cranny of light to discern the riches of Christ and the least taste of the pleasures that are at the right hand of God Psal 16.11 They would be as little satisfied without a share in them as they are now with what of worldly things they enjoy much less can they ease from pain at death clap a bag of gold as one once did to thy sinking spirit pained body and tormented conscience and it can neither chear up the one nor appease the other least of all can they deliver from or yield comfort after death those cannot serve as a bribe to death to pass thee by nor yet bring comfort to thy soul when thou art gone the rich fools large crop and great increase could not procure one nights respite nor one moments comfort Besides God regards them so little that frequently he gives the largest share of them to whom he hateth most Psal 17.14 And the least to
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
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
it setteth on fire the whole frame of nature and is set on fire of hell The tongue how much mischief will it stir up in a very little time How many blows and wounds doth it cause How many times doth it as James saith curse man How oft is the tongue made the conveyer of that hellish poyson that is in the heart both to the dishonour of God the hurt of its neighbours and the utter ruine of its own soul And do you think that the Lord will sit still as I may say and let thy tongue run as it lists Verse 25. and yet never bring you to an account for the same No stay the Lord will not alwayes keep silence Psal 50.21 but will reprove thee and set thy sinnes in order before thine eyes O sinner Yea and thy tongue together with the rest of thy members shall be tormented for sinning And I say I am very confident that though this be made light of now yet the time is coming when many poor souls will rue the day that ever they did speak with a tongue will one say that I should so disregard my tongue O that I when I said so and so had before bitten off my tongue that I had been born without a tongue my tongue my tongue a little water to cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame even that flame that my tongue together with the rest of my members by sinning have brought me to Poor souls now will let their tongues say any thing for a little profit for two pence or three-pence gain But O what a grief will this be at that day when they together with their tongue must smart for that which they by their tongues have done while they were in this world Then you that love your souls look to your tongues lest you bind your selves down so fast to hell with the sins of your tongues that you will never be able to get loose again to all eternity Jam. 1.26 For by thy words thou shalt be condemned if thou have not a care of thy tongue Verse 25. But Abraham said Son remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things and likewise Lazarus evill things now he is comforted and thou art tormented THese words are a discovery of the answer to the request of the damned such as did or shall depart this life unconverted The verse before as I told you is a discovery of the desires they have after they depart this world Here is the answer Son Remember c. The answer signifies thus much that in stead of having any relief or ease they are hereby the more tormented and that by fresh recollections or by bringing afresh their former ill spent life while in the world into their remembrance Son Remember thou hadst good things in thy life time as much as if he had said Verse 24. thou art now sensible what it is to lose thy soul thou art now sensible what it is to put off repentance thou art now sensible that thou hast befooled thy self in that thou didst spend that time in seeking after outward momentary earthly things which thou shouldest have spent in seeking to make Jesus Christ sure to thy soul and now through thy anguish of spirit in the pains of hell thou wouldest enjoy that which in former time thou didst make light of but alas thou art here beguiled and altogether disappointed thy crying will now avail thee nothing at all This is not the acceptable time 2 Cor. 6.2 This is not a time to answer the desires of damned reprobates If thou hadst cryed out in good earnest while grace was offered much might have been but then thou wert careless and didst turne the forbearance and goodness of God into wantonness wert thou not told that these who would not hear the Lord when he did call should not be heard if they turned away from him when they did call Prov. 1.24 to 28. But contrariwise he would laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear did come Now therefore instead of expecting the least drop of mercy and favour call into thy mind how thou didst spend those dayes which God did permit thee to live I say remember that in thy life time thou didst behave thy self rebelliously against the Lord in that thou wert careless of his word and ordinances yea and of the welfare of thine own soul also therefore now I say in stead of expecting or hoping for any relief thou must be forced to call to remembrance thy filthy wayes and feed upon them to thine everlasting astonishment and consusion From these words therefore which say Remember that thou in thy life time hadst thy good things There are these things to be taken notice of 1. They that by putting off repentance and living in their sins lose their souls shall instead of having the least measure of comfort when they come into hell have their ill spent life alwaies very fresh in their remembrance While they live here they can sin and forget it but when they depart they shall have their ill spent life before them they shall have a remembrance or their memory notably enlighrened and a clearer Verse 25. and a continual fight of all their wicked practices that they wrought and did while they were in the world Son remember saith he then you will be made to remember 1. How you were born in sin and brought up in the same 2. How thou hadst many a time the Gospel preached to thee for taking away of the same by him whom the Gospel doth hold forth 3. That out of love to thy sins and lusts thou didst turne thy back on the tenders of the same Gospel of good tidings and peace 4. Then thou shalt see clearly that the reason why thou didst lose thy soul was because thou didst not close in with free grace and the tenders of a loving and free-hearted Jesus Christ 5. Thou shalt remember how near thou wast to turning at such and such a time onely thou wast willing to give way to thy lusts when they wrought to drunkards when they called to pleasures when they proffered themselves to the cares and incumbrances of the world which like so many thornes did choak that or those convictions that were set on thy heart 6. How willing thou wast to satisfie thy self with an hypocrites hope and with a notion of the things of God without the real power and life of the same 7. Thou shalt remember how thou when thou wert admonished to turn didst put off turning and repenting till another time 8. How thou didst dissemble at such a time lie at such a time cheat thy neighbour at such a time mock flout scoff taunt hate persecute the people of God at such a time in such a place among such company 9. Thou shalt remember that while others were met together in the fear of the Lord to seek him thou wast met with a company of vain companions to
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
Lord Jesus Christ and that for sinners 3. Consider that the Lord calls to thee for to receive whatsoever Christ hath done and that on free cost Rev. 22.17 4. Consider that thou canst not honour God more then to close in with his profers of grace mercy and pardon of sin Rom. 4. And because there is a gap open for poor sinners to come from under the curse and condemnation of the Law into the grace of Christ for there is one made by the blood of Christ he having broken down the middle wall of partion I shall speak a few words further and they are these To invite sinners seeing there is mercy and deliverance to be had to come in and accept of it and that from these considerations 1. Consider thy state by nature if thou come not in which is this Thou art under the breach of the law and so under the curse which doth call for inexpressible destruction I mean destruction of soul destruction of body destruction by fire by hell fire by the fire the devils must be burned in even eternal fire destruction from God for sins against the law without intermission without ease without end without hopes of any recovery or of ever coming out of this sad and miserable condition 2. Consider thou wilt bring all this upon thy self for having some of the devils brats some hellish lusts that like so many witches imps will suck and draw thy soul from God Christ Angels Saints Heaven and all happiness 3. Consider thou wilt buy sin at a dear rate inasmuch as it will cost the body soul ease peace joy comfort heaven God Christ c. 4. Consider that that Christ who will â—ow save the soul and body if thou wilt come in will hereafter reject thee and cast thee out from the joyes of the world to come and damn thee though thou hadst a thousand souls without any pitty or yerning of bowels toward thee if thou shalt refuse him now 5. That which is worse then all the rest thou shalt have the very mercy of God the blood of Christ the preachers of the word together with every Sermon all the promises invitations exhortations and all the counsels and threatnings of the blessed word of God Nay besides thou shalt have all thy thoughts words and actions together with all thy food thy raiment thy sleep thy goods and also all hours dayes weeks moneths and years together with whatsoever else God hath given theâ—e I say thy abuse of all these shall come up in judgement against thy soul For God will reckon with thee for every thing whether it be good or bad Eccles 12.14 Again 7. Thy damnation will be worse then the damnation of the very devils forasmuch as thou wilt have not onely the law from God as a Creator which they also had to answer for the breach of But thou wilt have thy rejection of the tenders of the glorious Gospel of the glorious Lord Jesus to answer for as I said before which sin the devil was never in a capacity to commit inasmuch as he never had the Gospel tendered to him But thou vile wretch hast had it over and over once and again time after time and that with intreaties beseechings wishings and wooings by one messengers after another and yet hast rejectâ—d O wonderful calamity that is coming upon thee For first thou shalt fall into endless torment Secondly thou shalt groan and weep to see for what thou hast brought thy self into such a sad and miserable condition Thirdly thou shalt weep to think that weeping and repenting will do thee no good Fourthly thou shalt see thy neighbours in heaven thy Father Mother or other of thy relations but they shall not groan for thee but rather rejoyce that the judgements of God have found out thee so vile a wretch and are a punishing thee The righteous shall rejoyce when he seeth the vengeance he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked Psal 58.10 O woful woful One would think this enough if thou be not stark mad and fully bent to give the devil thy soul to make thee fly to Christ for succour and help that thou mayest be delivered in the day of trouble I say therefore consider seriously of these things 1. May not the very devils themselves come in against thee as well as Sodom that damned crue May not they I say come in against thee and say O thou simple man or woman O vile wretch that had not so much care of thy soul thy precious soul as the beast hath of his young or the dog of the very bone that lyeth before him Was thy soul worth so much and didst thou so little regard it were the thunder-claps of the law so terrible and didst thou so slight them Besides was the Gospel so freely so frequently so fully tendered to thee and yet hast thou rejected all these things Hast thou valued sin at an higher rate then thy soul then God Christ Angels Saints and Communion with them in eternal Blessedness and Glory Wast thou not told of hell fire those intollerable flames Didst thou never hear of the intollerable roarings of the damned ones that are therein Didst thou never hear or read that doleful saying in the 16. of Luke how the sinful man cries out among the flames One drop of water to cool my tongue Thus I say may the very devils being ready to go with thee into the burning furnace of fire and brimstone though not for sins of so high a nature as thine tremblingly say Oh that Christ had died for devils as he died for man And Oh that the Gospel had been preached to us as it hath been to thee O how glad would we have been of it How would we have laboured to have closed in with it But woe be to us for we might never have it profered no not in the least though we would have been glad of it But you you have had it profered preached and proclaimed unto you besides you have been intreated and beseeched to accept of it but you would not O simple fools that might have escaped wrath vengeance hell fire and that to all eternity and had no heart at all to do it 2 May not the messengers of Jesus Christ also come in with a shrill and terrible note against thy soul when thou standest at the bar of Gods Justice saying Nay thou ungodly one but how often hast thou been forewarned of this day Did we not sound an alarum in thine ears by the trumpet of Gods word day after day How often didst thou hear us tell thee of these things Did we not tell thee sin would damn thy soul Did we not tell thee that without conversion there was no salvation Did we not tell thee that they who loved their sins should be damned at this dark and gloomy day as thou art like to be Yet did we not tell thee that God out of his love to sinners sent Christ to die for them
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