Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

tice, or mercy; either his power, or wisdom. In that extra mundane space, (so to speak,) where we suppose God not to be present, we must, of course, suppose him to have no duration; but, as it is supposed to be beyond the bounds of the creation, so it is beyond the bounds of the Creator's power. Such is the blasphemous absurdity, which is implied in this supposition!

8. But to all that is or can be said of the omnipresence of God, the world has one grand objection: they cannot see him. And this is really at the root of all their other objections. This our blessed Lord observed long ago: "Whom the world cannot receive, because they see him not." But is it not easy to reply, "Can you see the wind?" You cannot. But do you, therefore, deny its existence, or its presence? You say, No: for I can perceive it by my other senses. "But by which of your senses do you perceive your soul?" Surely you do not deny either the existence or the presence of this! And yet it is not the object of your sight, or of any of your other senses. Suffice it then to consider, That God is a spirit, as is your soul also. Consequently, "him no man hath seen, or can see," with eyes of flesh and blood.

III. 1. But allowing that God is here, as in every place, that he is "about our bed, and about our path," that he "besets us behind and before, and lays his hand upon us;" what inference should we draw from hence? What use should we make of this awful consideration? Is it not meet and right to humble ourselves before the eyes of his majesty? Should we not labour continually to acknowledge his presence, "with reverence and godly fear?" Not, indeed, with the fear of devils, that believe and tremble: but with the fear of angels; with something similar to that which is felt by the inhabitants of heaven, when

"Dark with excessive bright his skirts appear,

Yet dazzle heaven, that brightest seraphim

Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes."

2. Secondly, If you believe that God is about your bed, and about your path, and spieth out all your ways, then take care not to do the least thing, not to speak the least word, not to indulge the least thought, which you have reason to think would offend him. Suppose that a messenger of God, an angel, to be now standing at your right hand, and fixing his eyes upon you; would you not take care to abstain from every word or action that you knew would offend him? Yea, suppose one of your mortal fellow servants, suppose only a holy man, stood by you, would not you be extremely cautious how you conducted yourself, both in word and action? How much more cautious ought you to be, when you know, that not a holy man, not an angel of God, but God himself, the Holy One" that inhabiteth eternity," is inspecting your heart, your tongue, your hand, every moment; and that he himself will surely bring you into judgment, for all you think, and speak, and act, under the sun!

3. In particular: if there is not a word in your tongue, not a syllable you speak, but he "knoweth it altogether;" how exact should you be in "setting a watch before your mouth, and in keeping the door of your lips!" How wary does it behove you to be in all your conversation; being forewarned by your Judge, that, "by your words you shall be justified, or by your words you shall be condemned!" How cautious,

lest" any corrupt communication," any uncharitable, yea, or unprofitable discourse, should "proceed out of your mouth;" instead of, "that which is good to the use of edifying, and meet to minister grace to the hearers!"

4. Yea, if God sees our hearts, as well as our hands, and in all places; if he understandeth our thoughts, long before they are clothed with words; how earnestly should we urge that petition, "Search me, oh Lord, and prove me; try out my reins and my heart; look well if there be any way of wickedness in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" How needful is it to work together with him, in "keeping our hearts with all diligence," till he hath "cast down imaginations," evil reasonings," and every thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and brought into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ!"

[ocr errors]

5. On the other hand, if you are already listed under the great Captain of your salvation, seeing you are continually under the eye of your Captain, how zealous and active should you be, to "fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life;"" to endure hardship, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ;" to use all diligence, to war a good warfare," and to do whatever is acceptable in his sight! How studious should you be to approve all your ways to his all seeing eyes; that he may say to your hearts, what he will proclaim aloud in the great assembly of men and angels, "Well done, good and faithful servants!"

6. In order to attain these glorious ends, spare no pains to preserve always a deep, a continual, a lively and a joyful sense of his gracious presence. Never forget his comprehensive word to the great Father of the faithful: "I am the Almighty [rather, the All Sufficient] God; walk before me, and be thou perfect!" Cheerfully expect that he, before whom you stand, will ever guide you with his eye, will support you by his guardian hand, will keep you from all evil; and, "when you have suffered a while, will make you perfect, will stablish, strengthen, and settle you ;" and then " preserve you unblamable, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ!"

Portsmouth, August 12, 1788.

SERMON CXVII.-The Rich Man and Lazarus.

"If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead," Luke xvi, 31.

1. How strange a paradox is this! How contrary to the common apprehension of men! Who is so confirmed in unbelief, as not to think, "If one came to me from the dead, I should be effectually persuaded to repent?" But this passage affords us a more strange saying, ver. 13: "Ye cannot serve God and mammon." "No! Why not? Why cannot we serve both?" will a true servant of mammon say. Accordingly, the Pharisees, who supposed they served God, and did cordially serve mammon, derided him, suurngov: a word expressive of the deepest contempt. But he said, verse 15, "Ye are they who justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts and that which is highly esteemed among men, is [very commonly] an abomination before God:"

a terrible proof of which our Lord subjoins in the remaining part of the chapter.

2. But is the subsequent account merely a parable, or a real history? It has been believed by many, and roundly asserted, to be a mere parable; because of one or two circumstances therein, which are not easy to be accounted for. In particular, it is hard to conceive, how a person in hell could hold conversation with one in paradise. But, admitting we cannot account for this, will it overbalance an express assertion of our Lord: "There was," says our Lord, "a certain rich man. Was there not? Did such a man never exist? "And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus."-Was there, or was there not? Is it not bold enough, positively to deny what our blessed Lord positively affirms? Therefore, we cannot reasonably doubt, but the whole narration, with all its circumstances, is exactly true. And Theophylact (one of the ancient commentators on the Scriptures) observes upon the text: "That, according to the tradition of the Jews, Lazarus lived at Jerusalem."

I purpose, with God's assistance, first, To explain this history: secondly, To apply it: and, thirdly, To prove the truth of that weighty sentence with which it is concluded; namely, " If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."

I. 1. And, first, I will endeavour, with God's assistance, to explain this history. "There was a certain rich man :" and, doubtless, on that very account, highly esteemed among men.-"Who was clothed in purple and fine linen :" and, consequently, esteemed the more highly, both as appearing suitably to his fortune, and as an encourager of trade. "And fared sumptuously every day." Here was another reason for his being "highly esteemed,"-his hospitality and generosity, both by those who frequently sat at his table, and the tradesmen that furnished it.

2. "And there was a certain beggar;" one in the lowest line of human infamy; "named Lazarus," according to the Greek termination; in Hebrew, Eleazar. From his name we may gather, that he was of no mean family, although this branch of it was, at present, so reduced. It is probable, he was well known in the city and it was no scandal to him to be named." Who was laid at his gate;" although no pleasing spectacle; so that one might wonder he was suffered to lie there;-" full of sores;" of running ulcers;-" and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table." So the complicated affliction of poverty, pain, and want of bread, lay upon him at once! But it does not appear that any creature took the least notice of the despicable wretch! Only "the dogs came and licked his sores:" All the comfort which this world afforded him!

3. But see the change! "The beggar died." here ended poverty and pain :-" and was carried by angels;" nobler servants than any that attended the rich man ;-" into Abraham's bosom :" so the Jews commonly termed what our blessed Lord styles paradise; the place "where the wicked cease from troubling, and where the weary are at rest;" the receptacle of holy souls, from death to the resurrection. It is, indeed, very generally supposed, that the souls of good men, as soon as they are discharged from the body, go directly to heaven; but this opinion has not the least foundation in the oracles of God: on the contrary, our Lord says to Mary, after the resurrection, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father," in heaven. But he had been

in paradise, according to his promise to the penitent thief: "This day shalt thou be with me in paradise." Hence, it is plain, that paradise is not heaven. It is, indeed, (if we may be allowed the expression,) the anti-chamber of heaven, where the souls of the righteous remain, till, after the general judgment, they are received into glory.

4. But see the scene change again! "The rich man also died."What! must rich men also die? Must they fall "like one of the people?" Is there no help? A rich man in London, some years ago, when the physician told him," He must die," gnashed his teeth, and clenched his fist, and cried out vehemently, "God, God, I won't die!" But he died with the very words in his mouth.-" And was buried;" doubtless with pomp enough, suitably to his quality: although we do not find that there was then, in all the world, that exquisite instance of human folly, that senseless, cruel mockery of a poor putrefying carcass, what we term lying in state!

5. "And, in hell he lifted up his eyes."-Oh, what a change! How is the mighty fallen! But the word which is here rendered hell, does not always mean, the place of the damned. It is, literally, the invisible world; and is of very wide extent, including the receptacle of separate spirits, whether good or bad. But here it evidently means, that region of hades where the souls of wicked men reside, as appears from the following words: "being in torment:"-in order, say some, for the sins committed while in the body, as well as to purify the soul from all its inherent sin.' Just so, the eminent heathen poet, near two thousand years ago:

"Necesse est

M..Ita diu concreta modis inolescere miris,
Ergo exercentur pœnis

Aliæ panduntur inanes

Suspensæ ad ventos: aliis sub gurgite vasto

Infectum eluitur scelus, aut exuritur igni."

66

to atone

See the near resemblance between the ancient and the modern purgatory! Only in the ancient, the heathen purgatory, both fire, water, and air, were employed in expiating sin, and purifying the soul; whereas, in the mystic purgatory, fire alone is supposed sufficient, both to purge and expiate. Vain hope! No suffering, but that of Christ, has any power to expiate sin; and no fire, but that of love, can purify the soul, either in time or in eternity.

6. "He seeth Abraham afar off."-Far, indeed! As far as from hell to paradise! Perhaps, "ten fold the length of this terrene." But how could this be? I cannot tell: but it is by no means incredible. For who knows, "how far an angel kens?" Or a spirit divested of flesh and blood?" And Lazarus in his bosom." It is well known, that, in the ancient feasts among the Jews, as well as the Romans, the guests did not sit down at the table, as it is now the custom to do; but lay on couches, each having a pillow at his left side, on which he supported his elbow; and he that sat next him, on the right side, was said to lie in his bosom. It was in this sense that the apostle John lay in his Master's bosom. Accordingly the expression of Lazarus lying m Abraham's bosom, implies, that he was in the highest place of honour and happiness.

7. "And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me." -Thou fool, what can Abraham do? What can any creature, yea, all Vol. II.

27

the creation do, to break the bars of the bottomless pit? Whoever would escape from the place of torment, let him cry to God, the Father of mercy! Nay, but the time is past! Justice now takes place, and rejoices over mercy!" 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!" How exceeding modest a request is this! He does not say, "That he may take me out of this flame." He does not ask, "That he may bring me a cup of water, or as much as he might hold in the palm of his hand." But barely, "That he may dip (were it but) the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue." No! It cannot be! No mercy can enter within the shades of heil!

8. "But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented." Perhaps these words may supply us with an answer to an important question: How came this rich man to be in hell? It does not appear that he was a wicked man, in the common sense of the word: that he was a drunkard, a common swearer, a sabbath breaker, or that he lived in any known sin. It is probable he was a Pharisee; and, as such, was, in all the outward parts of religion, blameless. How then did he come into "the place of torment?" If there was no other reason to be assigned, there is a sufficient one implied in those words: ("He that hath ears to hear, let him hear!") "Thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things:"-the things, which thou hadst chosen for thy happiness. Thou hadst set thy affection on things beneath. And thou hadst thy reward. Thou didst receive the portion which thou hadst chosen, and canst have no portion above. "And likewise Lazarus evil things." Not his evil things; for he did not choose them. But they were chosen for him by the wise providence of God: and now "he is comforted, while thou art tormented."

9. "But, beside all this, there is a great gulf fixed:"-a great chasm, a vast vacuity. Can any tell us, what this is? What is the nature, what are the bounds of it? Nay, none of the children of men; none but an inhabitant of the invisible world." So that they who would pass from hence to you, cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence." Undoubtedly, a disembodied spirit could pass through any space whatever. But the will of God, determining that none should go across that gulf, is a bound which no creature can pass.

10. Then he said, "I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldesi send him to my father's house; for I have five brethren, that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment," ver. 27, 28. Two entirely different motives have been assigned for this extraordinary request. Some ascribe it wholly to self love, to a fear of the bitter reproaches, which, he might easily suppose, his brethren would pour upon him, if, in consequence of his example, and perhaps advice, they came to the same place of torment. Others have imputed it to a nobler motive. They suppose, as the misery of the wicked will not be complete till the day of judgment, so neither will their wickedness. Consequently, they believe, that till that time, they may retain some sparks of natural affection; and they, not improbably, imagine, that this may have occasioned his desire to prevent their sharing his

own torment.

« AnteriorContinua »