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deed, whatever were his thoughts, it was now too late for him to call upon God for Mercy. The day of Grace was now closed in an eternal Night of Darkneß and Wrath. Prayers may do much good on Earth, but they are of no vertue in Hell. God is become inexorable, and fhuts his Ears against all Petitions that are fent unto him thence by what hand foever, O, that whilft we are through

the Mercy of that good God, whom fuch Men defpife, yet alive and out of Hell, where we deferve to be, we would wifely confider of it. How little care we now for Praying, whilft we may be heard. And how earneft will we be in Prayer when it is too late? When there will be none to hear nor pity us,then and not before; we would be content to fall down and pray even to a Dog, if we thought it could bring us the leaft cafe.

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4. That the Rich Man in Hell, tho' he pray, yet prayeth he to one that can give him no relief. Father Abraham, faith he, bave Mercy on me. ham was indeed a great Man on Earth, and he is too a great Saint in Heaven. Abraham was the Friend and Favourite of God when on Earth, and he is not leffened by going to God in Heaven, God promises often to do great things even to a wicked People, for the Covenants fake that he made with Abraham, and he is ftill the God of Abraham. He had great power with God, and his Prayers for others were very prevalent. He is fill the Father of all them that believe, and are of his Faith; and will (no doubt of it) do them all the good that is in his power to do them. But what that is, we cannot tell; only we are fure, that we have no Commiffion at all to pray unto him for mercy, either from Earth or Hell. Whilft we are on Earth, we have one powerful MediaH 3

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tor between God and Man, even the Seed of Abraham, in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be Bleffed, the Man Chrift JESUS, whatsoever we ask the Father in his name, he will give it us. Abraham is the Father of the Faithful, but there is another Father of Mercies, the God of all Confolation, he hath not intrusted the deftribution of his Mercy to Father Abraham. Whatever pity and compaffion the Saints in Heaven may be supposed to have towards thofe in Hell, it is certain they are not able to afford 'em any relief; neither will be that made them, then have Mercy on them. The Rich Man would now have Lazarus fent by Abraham unto him with a little refreshment. He that had no mercy on that Poor Man whilft he stood in need of fome refreshment from him, would now have him fent to cool his Tongue. But to him that shewed no mercy to the Poor, no mercy fhall be fhewed of God. Neither hath Abraham any power to command Lazarus, neither hath Lazarus leave to go on fuch an Errand; as will appear from Abraham's Answer in the next Verfe.

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LUKE XVI. Ver. 25.

But Abraham Said, Son, remember that thou in thy Life time receivedft thy good things, and likewife Lazarus evil things; but now He is comforted, and thou art tormented.

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E have heard the earneft Petition which the Rich Man put up from Hell to Father Abraham. His requeft was but for a very small favour in all appearance, a mercy, which if he might have obtained, would have done him little good in fo fad a condition; and yet as small a matter as it was, could not then be granted. When wicked men are once by Death departed out of this World, the time of mercy is quite at an end. In vain then are all Prayers made, either by themselves in Hell, or by their Friends on Earth for them. And the reason of this, Abraham here tells the Rich Man. Such Men receive theirwhole portion of good things whilft they live; and therefore muft expect no more. Let us consider the whole anfwer more distinctly.

But Abraham Jaid, that is, fuppofing that 4braham had heard fuch Words from the Rich Man in Hell, as here he is fupposed to speak, thus he would have answered him; that is, the Rich Man fhould be made fenfible, that all his defires of eafe were now in vain, he must expect the quite contrary to what he would have had.

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Some gracious Anfwer, fomething of Comfort he hop'd for from fuch a Father, from the Head of his Progenitors; furely, might he think, Father Abraham fo good a Man, hath a mind to do his miferable Son all the good he can; and one fo much in God's favour as he, muft needs be able to do fomething for me. But the cafe is ftrangely alter'd, Father Abraham can no longer own him for his Son, nor is he allow'd to speak one Syllable of comfort to him. Abraham was always ready to do what good he could for all Men, he had an univerfal charity for all Mankind; he interceded with God for Wicked Sodom, and no Stranger could pafs by his Gate to his Knowledge without a feasonable Relief, and liberal Entertainment. Yet had he not now a drop of Water to bestow on him that was tormented in Hell. All the World of Angels and Men, cannot adminifter the leaft degree of comfort to one in that Condition. His nearest Relations, his dearest Friends, who always wifh'd him well, and endeavour'd his Happinefs equally with their own; the best and sweeteft natur'd Men, whofe delight and Recreation it was on all Occafions to do good, and to fhew mercy, cannot now afford him any kindness at all, not one Tear of Commiferation, not one drop of cooling Water, no not a little Breath or Air, so much, as to utter a fhort Prayer to God for him. Thofe Holy Angels in Heaven that would have rejoiced, and kept a Thanksgiving Day in the prefence of God for his Converfion, will now rather rejoice to fee God glorified in his juft Condemnation.

All good Men, fuch as Abraham was, do always rejoice in the Glory of God. And, O, how glad would they be to fee all Men on Earth glorifying

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God in bolinefs of Life and Converfation, and to fee God glorifying his own Goodness in the exercife of his Mercy and Loving Kindness towards them. How do all fuch holy Perfons now mourn with them that mourn, and rejoice with them that rejoice, and grieve at the Heart to fee any one Member of the Body miferable, that is, in any fpiritual want, and in danger of being tormented in the Flames of Hell? How earnestly pray they, and with what weeping Eyes and bleeding Hearts, do they beg of God for him grace and pardon? Why? Now is the time wherein God would be glorified both in his own, and in our mercy and compaffion to poor Sinners. But after Death, all Tears, all Griefs and Sorrows, of all forts, are done away from the pious Man's Heart and Eyes, his Heavenly Joys muft not be interrupted, or in the leaft abated, by any trouble of Mind, or Grief of Heart. Then is it the time of God's glorifying his Justice; and it becomes all his Saints to rejoice, that God is glorified in his Righteous Judgments executed on the defpifers of his Mercy and Long Suffering. God now in the time of this Life rejoiceth in Mercy, and exercifeth much patience towards vile Sinners. He is always calling out unto them, How long, ye fimple ones, will ye love Simplicity? Turn you at my reproof, bebold I will pour my Spirit upon you, I will make my Words unto you. But there will come a time when he will laugh at their Calamity, and mock when their Fear cometh; when Defolation and Deftruction, Diftrefs and Anguish come upon them, the' they call, he will not bear, but have them in Derifion. And all holy Souls in Heaven will be fo far from pitying them, that they shall triumph in God's Victory over them, and rejoice in the Vengeance whereby God is pleafed to glorifie

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