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Worms. Riches cannot bribe or put off Death, nor cari any Man's Wealth and Plenty fecure him from the Grave, but rather fink him the fooner into it; their Table oftimes becomes a Snare to catch themselves withal, and what was intended for their good, proves many times an occafion of falling. So we read here, The Rich Man alfo died, and was buried. We heard nothing before of the Poor Man's Burial, and perhaps he had none, but pafs'd away in the fame Silence and Obscurity in which he lived, his Meanness and Poverty not amounting to the Charges of a Funeral. But of the Rich Man 'tis here faid, that he died and was buried; and he, no doubt, had a folemn and fplendid Funeral, fuitable to the Pomp and Grandeur in which he lived, having all the Ceremonies of State and Mourning that commonly attend and adorn fuch Solemnities,

But what became of this Rich Man after Death? Why, he was carry'd into Hell, the Place of Mifery and Torment, where the departed Souls of wicked Men go and remain till the Day of Judgment. He was not carry'd by Angels (as the poor Man was) into Abraham's Bofom, there to fit down with Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven; but was hurry'd away by evil Spirits into everlafting Fire, prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels. There, nothing of his Pomp, only the Punishment of his Cruelty and Ingratitude follow'd him; where he found no Mercy, because he never fhew'd any: for in Hell he lift up his Eyes, being in Torments, and feeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his Bofom. Which words are not to be underflood literally, as if they could fee one another at the distance of thofe places; for we are told after, that between them there is a great Gulf fix'd, fo that the bodily Eye cannot reach to the beholding or difcerning each other fo far. And therefore the Words are to be understood figuratively, as an Aggravation of Dives's Mifery, to find himself fo grievoufly tormented, when Lazarus whom he defpis'd was feated in a place of endless Joy and Happiness. This he knew by fome Revelation or other, and the Thoughts and Envy of it rack'd his Breast, and fill'd it with Horrour and Defpair, And indeed it must be a very great Addition to the Torments of the Damned, at once to feel their own Tortures, and. know the eternal Joys and Bleffedness of others. In this defperate and deplorable Condition, Dives is represented as one that cry'd and faid, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and fead Lazarus that he may dip the tip

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of his Finger in Water, and cool my Tongue; for I am tormented in this Flame. Thefe words are ftill to be taken figuratively; for fuch a Communication cannot be fuppos'd between Paradife and Hell, as to fend Meffages, to receive Answers, or to hear Difcourfes from the one place to the other; much less can it be imagin'd, that one fhould go from Abraham's Bofom to carry Water on the tip of his Finger, to cool the Tongue of another in Hell. But thefe Expreffions are ufed, the farther to heighten and represent the Mifery and Condemnation of the Wicked in the other World: that Dives, who refus'd to hear the Cries of Lazarus, fhould be forc'd to cry hinifelf for fome Relief from him, and to beg Mercy from him, to whom he would fhew none: that he who deny'd a Crumb of Bread or a Drop of Beer out of his Abundance to a poor Beggar, fhould be himself driven to ask a Drop of Water in his extreme Want; and that too to cool his Tongue with a little Water, which he had before inflam'd with too much Wine. Which things are here related in a parabolical way, to fhew the Danger of fuch a hard-hearted Temper, and the fuitable Punishments that will follow upon fuch unmerciful Practices.

But what Answer did the Rich Man receive in this his great Neceffity? Why, that the following words declare: Abraham faid unto him, Son, remember that thou in thy Life-time receivedft thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. Where the Term Son is us'd not to fignify that he was a true Son of Abraham, the Father of the Faithful; for then he would have been receiv'd into Abraham's Bofom: but 'tis a vulgar manner or kind of speaking, accommodated to the Tenor of this Narration, wherein 'tis ufual to call one ano. ther by the name of Sons or Brethren. But in answer to his Request, he tells him what he was now in Reason and Juftice to expect; for he had receiv'd his Portion of good things in the Plenty and Abundance of earthly things, which he had already enjoy'd and spent upon himself in his life-time, without imparting any of it to the Neceffities of others and on the other hand, Lazarus hath had his Portion of evil things in the Hardships and Afflictions he hath already fuftain'd in this World. And therefore 'tis but Jultice and Equity, that Lazarus fhould be now rewarded for the evil things which he fo patiently endur'd; and thou punifh'd for the good things thou haft fo wickedly abus'd.

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In this Anfwer of faithful Abraham we may obferve two or three things:

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If, That there is fome Portion of good things belonging to every one, which he is to receive either in this World or in the next; for we being all God's Creatures and Children, he reckons himself oblig'd to provide and take care of us, and at leaft to give to each a Child's Portion, Befide, there is none fo abandon'd to Sin and Wickedness, but hath fomething of Good in him, fome commendable Quality or other, to which fomething of a Reward is in a manner due: And these are here and elfewhere call'd a Man's good things. Again, there is a Portion of evil things belonging to every Man, which he is to receive either here or hereafter for as there is none so bad but hath something of good in him, which God as a kind Father rewards with good things, fo there is none fo good, but hath fomething of Evil in him, which God as a juft Judg punifhes with evil things and these are here faid to be his evil things. Now he that receives all his good things here in this Life, without any Allay or Mixture of Sufferings for his bad Deeds, hath all his Portion of Good in this World, and fhall receive the Punishment of his Evil in the World to As on the other fide, he that hath receiv'd his evil things in the Sufferings and Troubles of this Life, fhall receive the Reward of his good Deeds in the next. This is the Cafe here between Dives and Lazarus, where Abraham bids Dives remember, that he in his life-time had re ceiv'd his good things, and Lazarus evil things; and therefore Lazarus is comforted, and he is tormented. And this may teach us, that Profperity is not always a fign of God's Favour, nor Adverfity of his Frowns, for the one may be given in Wrath, and the other in Love; and therefore we hould not be lifted up with Profperity, nor caft down with Adverfity, or in any Affliction that may befal us.d

2dly, We may obferve here, that 'tis not the poffeffing, no nor the spending of Riches, that is the Caufe of thefe future Torments, but the doing both in a wrong way; 'tis the ill getting, and the ill ufing of Wealth, that bring on these heavy Punishments. Dives was condemn'd to Hell not for being rich, but for fpending his Riches in Luxury and Vanity, when he faw others to want Neceffaries, without giving them any Relief. His fumptuous Fare and gorgeous Attire had been innocent enough, had he fed the Hungry with what was left, and cover'd the Naked with

with his caft Clothes: but his ftrutting in Purple and fine Linen, when Lazarus was naked and fhivering, and ready to die with the cold; his denying him the Crumbs of his Table, when he was juft perifhing at his doors, was fuch a piece of Hardheartedness, as juftly deferv'd the greatest Torments. However, Riches are not to be blamed for the Faults of the Owners; for they are the Bleffings of God, and capable of ferving many good Ends. If we ufe the good things of this Life well, they will bring us to much better in the next; 'tis only the Abufe of them here, that dooms us to evil things hereafter. And therefore our Care fhould be, not only to get the Wealth and Subftance of this World, but to have Hearts to use and employ it aright, that it may tend to our prefent Comfort, and the Increase of our future Felicity.

3dly, We may obferve farther, that as 'tis not the poffeffing, but the abufing of Riches, that brings on future Torments; fo 'tis not Poverty only, but a pious and patient Behaviour under it, that intitles to future Comforts, 'Twas not Poverty alone that carry'd Lazarus into Abra ham's Bofom, but a Poverty attended with an honeft, meek, and contented Mind: for he did not open his mouth in Murmuring, Lying, or Blafpheming, nor reach out his Hand to Picking and Stealing, but quietly refign'd himself to God's Difpofal, and trufted in his Providence for a Deliverance when he fhould fee fit. If a poor Man be a Thief or a Lyar, proud and impatient, and a Contemner of God and good things, his unfanctify'd Poverty will not help him, he hath forfeited all title to Favour; and to the evil things he hath receiv'd here, will be added much worfe hereafter. In fhort, Dives was tormented, not for being rich, but for being hard-hearted and unmerciful, for fpending all his Wealth upon his own Vanities, and fparing nothing to the Relief of Lazarus's Neceffities: And Lazarus was comforted not barely for being poor, but for patiently fubmitting to God's Will, cafting his Care upon him in well-doing, and waiting for a Recompence of his Sufferings in God's due time,

The Senfe then of Abraham's Anfwer to Dives is, to fhew that wicked Men, who profper in their Wickedness, have all their Portion in the good things of this Life; and for their abufing and mifpending of them now, fhall receive nothing but the evil things of Mifery and Punishment in the World to come and likewife that they who have

their Portion in the Afflictions and Troubles of this World, fhall be recompens'd with better things at the Refurrection of the Juft.

As to that part of Dives's Requeft, to fend Lazarus with a little Relief to eafe his Torments, Abraham replies farther, that between us and you there is a great Gulf fixed, fo that they who would pass from hence to you cannot, neither ean they pass to us, that would come from you. Which words relate either to the Distance of the Places between them, which would admit of no Correfpondence, or paffing from the one to the other; or elfe to that irreversible Decree paft upon them, whereby 'twas utterly impoffible to give them any Relief in their Condition, or to get them a Releafe for one moment out of their miferable State; for the Gates of Mercy were then fhut, and 'twas in vain to ask for that now, which fhould have been done fooner. Hereupon,

Dives finding his Torments to be endless, eafelefs, and remedilefs, faid unto Abraham, I pray thee therefore, Father, that thou wouldst send him to my Father's Houfe, for I have five Brethren, that he may teftify unto them, left they also come into this place of Torment. Which words are still parabolical, and fignify, not that there is fo much Charity and Goodness in Hell, as to call Men to Repentance, and to caution others to avoid that place of Torment, in which they had unhappily plung'd themselves: but the Design of those words was, to enhance the Mifery and Torments of the Damned, that they were fo great, that they could not bear them themselves, nor would they wish them to their greatest Enemies, and much lefs to their Friends and Relations. However, Abraham replies to him, that they have fufficient warning already in those matters; for they have Mofes and the Prophets, let them hear them. They may daily read or hear thefe expounded to them, and by God's Minifters are frequently call'd upon to reform and amend their Lives out of the Scriptures. Nay, but Father Abraham, (faith he) if one went unto them from the Dead, they will repent. Such an unusual thing would prevail more with them, than all the common and ordinary Means are wont to do. A Meffenger from the Dead, that related to them, from his own Sight and Knowledg, the dreadful Punishments of the Wicked in the other World, would be much more minded and hearken'd to, than the remote and filent Notices of Mofes and the Prophets; yea, fuch an

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