while fend us to our Prayers, we would, it may be, fear left the Ghoft were come to tell us we muft die, and so put us into just the same kind of affrightment, as the apprehenfion of Death juft at hand is wont to put wicked Men into. In Summe, fuch a Spirit might tell us very dreadful Stories of Hell and Damnation, and make us afraid of coming thither, and caft about which way to efcape the Torments of it, and work fome change in our Lives, and we would poffibly be of a little more fober Behaviour. But alafs, how far fhort doth all this come of Repentance unto Life? For all the change that is made in our Affections is no more, but a Slavish fear of being tormented in Hell. Could fuch an one, do we think, fo defcribe the Joys and Blessedness of Heaven to us, as to bring us in love with them ? Never think it, he might tell us indeed, what it is that he and other Saints of God rejoice in, and how great and unexpreffible their Joy is. And all this we have been often told of; but ftill the fame difficulty remains, that is, how to perfuade us to think thofe Things fit to be rejoiced in, or to bring us to love them fo, as we fhall indeed rejoice in them. Foy we long for, and cannot think our felves happy in any Thing but that. But we know as well that we can have no Joy in that which we love not, and what fhall per'fuade us to love what is to be the Object of our Joy? Our pleasure and delight is altogether in thofe Things which Heaven affords not. the Thing which the Saints there rejoice in, we perfectly hate. The perfecting and exercising of our human Faculties, by the knowing and enjoying of God in perfect Holinefs, is a thing, which if we And do do not bate, yet whilft wicked, we have no manner of Senfe of, as of a thing lovely, and to be rejoiced in. How then fhall any thing that one from the Dead can tell us, even tho' we believe him to speak the Truth, perfuade us to Repentance, that is, to love the Things which we bate, and to bate the Things which we love? It may make us forbear, or do fomething for fear of Punishment, but never to ferve God heartily in love to Him and Holiness. All that he could tell us, God himself hath already told us, and yet, tho' we fuppofe all true which he hath told us, we never could find any thing so pleasant and lovely to us, as to make it our free choice. By all which it appears, that the Rich Man's Requeft was very impertinent and unreasonable; and that Abraham had all the reason in the World to reject it, and to commend to his Brethren the hearkening to the Holy Scripture, as the best means of bringing them to Repentance. Let us therefore make good ufe of the Holy Scripture, which in much goodness it hath pleas'd God to give us as a fure light unto our Paths. Let us be heartily thankful to God for his Goodness in calling us into this marvelous Light. Let us order our Lives and Conversation by this fure Rule, in all Godliness, Righteousness and Sobriety, fo may we comfortably look for the bleffed hope, and the glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour JESUS Chrift. He that thus diligently ufeth the holy Scripture, as the Rule of his Faith and Life, fhall not want the bleffing of God upon his pious Endeavours, but may make make himself fure of the Spirit of Christ to guide him to his Reft with Lazarus in Peace and Joy. Let us therefore most humbly befeech God in the that Name of our Lord JESUS Chrift, to grant, by the conduct of his Word, and Holy Spirit, we may be duly qualified for any State unto which God fhall call us to in this Life, whether it be Riches or Poverty, Sickness or Health, Honour or Difgrace, that we may fo pass through Things temporal, of what fort foever they be, that we finally lofe not the Things eternal... Amen. |