yet you must understand he meaneth all the unG.o.dly, rich 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 Christ"s second coming, when all that are unG.o.dly shall stand at the left hand of Christ, with pale faces and guilty consciences, with the vials of the Almighty"s wrath ready to be poured out upon them. Thus much in brief touching the 19th 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."
This verse doth chiefly hold forth these things; 1. That the saints of G.o.d 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, such are saints[5] of the Lord, for they are for the most part a poor, despised, contemptible people. But if you allegorize it and interpret it thus, They are such as beg earnestly for heavenly food; this is also the spirit of the children of G.o.d, and it may be, and is a truth in this sense, though not so naturally gathered from this scripture. 2.
That "he was laid at his gate, full of sores." These words hold forth the distempers of believers, saying he was "full of sores,"
which may signify the many troubles, temptations, persecutions, and afflictions in body and spirit which they meet withal while they are in the world, but also the entertainment they find at the hands of those unG.o.dly ones who live upon the earth. Whereas it is said, he was "laid at his gate, full of sores." Mark, he was laid at his gate, not in his house--that was thought too good for him--but he was laid at his gate, full of sores. From whence observe, (1.) That the unG.o.dly world do not desire to entertain and receive the poor saints of G.o.d into their houses. If they must needs be somewhere near unto them, yet they shall not come into their houses; shut them out of doors; if they will needs be near us, let them be at the gate. And he "was laid at his gate, full of sores." (2.) Observe that the world are not at all touched with the afflictions of G.o.d"s children for all they are full of sores; a despised, afflicted, tempted, persecuted people the world doth not pity, no, but rather labour to aggravate their trouble by shutting them out of doors; sink or swim, what cares the world? They are resolved to disown them; they will give them no entertainment: if the lying in the streets will do them any good, if hard usage will do them any good, if to be disowned, rejected, and shut out of doors by the world will do them any good, they shall have enough of that; but otherwise no refreshment, no comfort from the world. And he "was laid at his gate, full of sores."
Verse 21.--"And he desired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man"s table: the dogs came also and licked his sores."
By these words our Lord Jesus doth show us the frame of a Christian"s heart, and also the heart and carriage of worldly men towards the saints of the Lord. The Christian"s heart is held forth by this, that anything will content him while he is on this side glory. And "he desired to be fed with the crumbs"; the dogs" meat, anything.
I say a Christian will be content with anything, if he have but to keep life and soul together; as we used to say, he is content, he is satisfied; he hath learned--if he hath learned to be a Christian--to be content with anything; as Paul saith, "I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Phil 4:11). He learns in all conditions to study to love G.o.d, to walk with G.o.d, to give up himself to G.o.d; and if the crumbs that fall from the rich man"s table will but satisfy nature and give him bodily strength, that thereby he may be the more able to walk in the way of G.o.d, he is contented. And he "desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man"s table."[6] But mark, he had them not; you do not find that he had so much as a crumb, or a sc.r.a.p allowed unto him. No, then the dogs will be beguiled, THAT must be preserved for the dogs. From whence observe that the unG.o.dly world do love their dogs better than the children of G.o.d.[7] You will say that is strange. It is so indeed, yet it is true, as will be clearly manifested; as, for instance, how many pounds do some men spend in a year on their dogs, when in the meanwhile the poor saints of G.o.d may starve for hunger? They will build houses for their dogs, when the saints must be glad to wander, and lodge in dens and caves of the earth (Heb 11:38). And if they be in any of their houses for the hire thereof, they will warn them out or eject them, or pull down the house over their heads, rather than not rid themselves of such tenants.[8] Again, some men cannot go half a mile from home but they must have dogs at their heels, but they can very willingly go half a score miles without the society of a Christian. Nay, if when they are busy with their dogs they should chance to meet a Christian, they would willingly shift him if they could. They will go on the other side the hedge or the way rather than they will have any society with him; and if at any time a child of G.o.d should come into a house where there are but two or three unG.o.dly wretches, they do commonly wish either themselves or the saint out of doors; and why so? because they cannot down[9] with the society of a Christian; though if there come in at the same time a dog, or a drunken swearing wretch, which is worse than a dog, they will make him welcome; he shall sit down with them and partake of their dainties. And now tell me, you that love your sins and your pleasures, had you not rather keep company with a drunkard, a swearer, a strumpet, a thief, nay, a dog, than with an honest-hearted Christian? If you say no, what means your sour carriage to the people of G.o.d? Why do you look on them as if you would eat them up? Yet at the very same time if you can but meet your dog, or a drunken companion, you can fawn upon them, take acquaintance with them, to the tavern or ale house with them, if it be two or three times in a week. But if the saints of G.o.d meet together, pray together, and labour to edify one another, you will stay till doomsday before you will look into the house where they are. Ah! friends, when all comes to all, you will be found to love drunkards, strumpets, dogs, anything, nay, to serve the devil, rather than to have loving and friendly society with the saints of G.o.d.
Moreover, "the dogs came and licked his sores." Here again you may see, not only the afflicted state of the saints of G.o.d in this world, but also that even dogs themselves, according to their kind, are more favourable to the saints than the sinful world; though the unG.o.dly will have no mercy on the saints, yet it is ordered so that these creatures, dogs, lions, &c. will. Though the rich man would not entertain him into his house, yet his dogs will come and do him the best good they can, even to lick his running sores. It was thus with Daniel when the world was mad against him, and would have him thrown to the lions to be devoured, the lions shut their mouths at him, or rather the Lord did shut them up, so that there was not that hurt befel to him as was desired by the adversaries (Dan 6). And this I am persuaded of, that would the creatures do as some men would have them, the saints of G.o.d should not walk so quietly up and down the streets and other places as they do. And as I said before, so I say again, I am persuaded that, at the day of judgment, many men"s conditions and carriages will be so laid open, that it will evidently appear they have been very merciless and mad against the children of G.o.d, insomuch, that when the providence of G.o.d did fall out so as to cross their expectation, they have been very much offended thereat, as is very evidently seen in them who set themselves to study how to bring the saints into bondage, and to thrust them into corners, as in these late years (Psa 31:13). And because G.o.d hath in his goodness ordered things otherwise, they have gnashed their teeth thereat.[10]
Hence then let the saints learn not to commit themselves to their enemies; "beware of men" (Matt 10:17). They are very merciless men, and will not so much favour you, if they can help it, as you may suppose they may. Nay, unless the overruling hand of G.o.d in goodness do order things contrary to their natural inclination, they will not favour you so much as a dog.
Verse 22.--"And it came to pa.s.s that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham"s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried."
The former verses do briefly hold forth the carriage of the unG.o.dly in this life toward the saints. Now this verse doth hold forth the departure, both of the G.o.dly and unG.o.dly, out of this life.
Where he said, "And it came to pa.s.s, that the beggar died, and was carried--into Abraham"s bosom," and "the rich man also died";--the beggar died, that represents the G.o.dly; and the rich man died, that represents the unG.o.dly. From whence observe, neither G.o.dly nor unG.o.dly must live always without a change, either by death or judgment; the good man died and the bad man died. That scripture doth also back this truth, that good and bad must die, marvellous well, where it is said, "And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb 9:27).
Mark, he doth not say it is so that men by chance may die; which might beget, in the hearts of the unG.o.dly especially, some hope to escape the bitterness of it. But he saith it is a thing most certain, it is appointed; mark, "it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." G.o.d hath decreed it, that since men have fallen from that happy estate that G.o.d at the first did set them in, they shall die (Rom 6:23). Now when it is said the beggar died and the rich man died, part of the meaning is they ceased to be any more in this world; I say partly the meaning, but not altogether. Though it be altogether the meaning when some of the creatures die, yet it is but in part the meaning when it is said that men, women, or children die; for there is to them something else to be said, more than barely agoing out of the world. For if when unregenerate men and women die there were an end of them, not only in this world but also in the world to come, they would be happy over they will be now, for when unG.o.dly men and women die there is that to come after death that will be very terrible to them, namely, to be carried by the angels of darkness from their death-beds to h.e.l.l, there to be reserved to the judgment of the great day, when both body and soul shall meet and be united together again, and made capable to undergo the uttermost vengeance of the Almighty to all eternity. This is that, I say, which doth follow a man that is not born again, after death, as is clear from that in 1 Peter 3:18, 19, where, before speaking of Christ being raised again, by the power of his eternal Spirit, he saith, By which, that is, by that Spirit, "he went and preached unto the spirits in prison." But what is the meaning of this? Why, thus much, that those souls who were once alive in the world in the time or days in which Noah lived, being disobedient in their times to the calls of G.o.d by his Spirit in Noah, for so I understand it, was, according to that which was foretold by that preacher, deprived of life and overcome by the flood, and are now in prison. Mark, he preached to the spirits in prison; he doth not say, who were in prison, but to them in, that is, now in prison, under chains of darkness, reserved, or kept there in that prison, in which now they are, ready, like villains in the jail, to be brought before the judgment-seat of Christ at the great day. But of this I shall speak further by and by.
Now if this one truth, that men must die and depart this world, and either enter into joy or else into prison, to be reserved to the day of judgment, were believed, we should not have so many wantons walk up and down the streets as there do, at least it would put a mighty check to their filthy carriages, so that they would not, could not walk so basely and sinfully as they do.
Belshazzar, notwithstanding he was so far from the fear of G.o.d as he was, yet when he did but see that G.o.d was offended and threatened him for his wickedness, it made him hang down his head and knock his knees together (Dan 5:5,6). If you read the verses before you will find he was careless, and satisfying his l.u.s.ts in drinking and playing the wanton with his concubines. But so soon as he did perceive the finger of a hand-writing, "then," saith the scripture, "the king"s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another." And when Paul told Felix of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, it make him tremble. And let me tell thee, soul, whosoever thou art, that if thou didst but verily believe that thou must die and come into the judgment, it would make thee turn over a new leaf. But this is the misery, the devil doth labour by all means as to keep out other things that are good, so to keep out of the heart, as much as in him lies, the thoughts of pa.s.sing from this life into another world; for he knows, if he can but keep them from the serious thoughts of death, he shall the more easily keep them in their sins, and so from closing with Jesus Christ; as Job saith, "Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of G.o.d upon them." Which makes them say to G.o.d, "Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways" (Job 21:14). Because there is no fear of death and judgment to come, therefore they do put off G.o.d and his ways, and spend their days in their sins, and in a moment, that is, before they are aware, go down to the grave (Job 21:17). And thus it fared also with the man spoken of in Luke 12:20. The man, instead of thinking of death, he thought how he might make his barns bigger. But, in the midst of his business in the world, he lost his soul before he was aware, supposing that death had been many years off. But G.o.d said unto him, "Thou fool," thou troublest thyself about things of this life, thou puttest off the thoughts of departing this world, when this night thy soul shall be taken from thee; or, this night, they, that is, the devil, will fetch away thy soul from thee. And here it comes to pa.s.s, men"s not being exercised with the thoughts of departing this life, that they are, so unexpectedly to themselves and their neighbours, taken away from the pleasures and profits, yea, and all the enjoyments they busy themselves withal while they live in this world. And hence it is again, that you have some in your towns and cities that are so suddenly taken away, some from haunting the ale-houses, others from haunting the wh.o.r.e-houses, others from playing and gaming, others from the cares and covetous desires after this world, unlooked for as by themselves or their companions. Hence it is also that men do so wonder at such tidings as this. There is such a one dead, such a one is departed; it is because they do so little consider both the transitoriness of themselves and their neighbours. For had they but their thoughts well exercised about the shortness of this life, and the danger that will befall such as do miss of the Lord Jesus Christ, it would make them more wary and sober, and spend more time in the service of G.o.d, and be more delighted and diligent in inquiring after the Lord Jesus, who is the deliverer "from the wrath to come" (1 Thess 1:10). For, as I said before, it is evident, that they who live after the flesh in the l.u.s.ts thereof, do not really and seriously think on death, and the judgment that doth follow after: neither do they indeed endeavour so to do; for did they, it would make them say with holy Job, "All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come" (Job 14:14). And as I said before, that not only the wicked, but also the G.o.dly have their time to depart this life. And the beggar died. The saints of the Lord, they must be deprived of this life also, they must yield up the ghost into the hands of the Lord their G.o.d; they must also be separated from their wives, children, husbands, friends, goods, and all that they have in the world. For G.o.d hath decreed it; it is appointed, namely, by the Lord, for men once to die, and "we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ," as it is, 2 Corinthian 5:10, 11.
But it may be objected, if the G.o.dly do die as well as the wicked, and if the saints must appear before the judgment-seat as well as the sinners, then what advantage have the G.o.dly more than the unG.o.dly, and how can the saints be in a better condition than the wicked?
Answ. Read the 22d verse over again, and you will find a marvellous difference between them, as much as is between heaven and h.e.l.l, everlasting joy and everlasting torments; for you find, that when the beggar died, which represents the G.o.dly, he was carried by the angels into Abraham"s bosom, or into everlasting joy (Psa 1).
But the unG.o.dly are not so, but are hurried by the devils into the bottomless pit, drawn away in their wickedness (Prov 14:32), for he saith, "And in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes." When the unG.o.dly do die, their misery beginneth, for then appear the devils, like so many lions, waiting every moment till the soul depart from the body. Sometimes they are very visible to the dying party,[11] but sometimes more invisible; but always this is certain, they never miss of the soul if it do die out of the Lord Jesus Christ; but do hale it away to the prison, as I said before, there to be tormented and reserved until that great and general day of judgment, at which day they must, body and soul, receive a final sentence from the righteous Judge, and from that time be shut out from the presence of G.o.d into everlasting woe and distress. But the G.o.dly, when the time of their departure is at hand, then also are the angels of the Lord at hand; yea, they are ready waiting upon the soul to conduct it safe into Abraham"s bosom. I do not say but the devils are ofttimes very busy doubtless, and attending the saints in their sickness: ay, and no question but they would willingly deprive the soul of glory. But here is the comfort, as the devils come from h.e.l.l to devour the soul, if it be possible, at its departure, so the angels of the Lord come from heaven, to watch over and conduct the soul, in spite of the devil, safe into Abraham"s bosom.
David had the comfort of this, and speaks it forth for the comfort of his brethren (Psa 34:7), saying, "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." Mark, the angel of the Lord encampeth round about his children, to deliver them. From what? From their enemies, of which the devil is not the least. This is an excellent comfort at any time, to have the holy angels of G.o.d to attend a poor man or woman; but especially it is comfortable in the time of distress, at the time of death, when the devils beset the soul with all the power that h.e.l.l can afford them. But now it may be, that the glorious angels of G.o.d do not appear at the first, to the view of the soul; nay, rather h.e.l.l stands before it, and the devils ready, as if they would carry it thither. But this is the comfort, the angels do always appear at the last, and will not fail the soul, but will carry it safe into Abraham"s bosom. Ah friends, consider, here is an unG.o.dly man upon his death-bed, and he hath none to speak for him, none to speak comfort unto him; but it is not so with the children of G.o.d, for they have the Spirit to comfort them. Here is the unG.o.dly, and they have no Christ to pray for their safe conduct to glory; but the saints have an intercessor (John 17:9). Here is the world, when they die, they have none of the angels of G.o.d to attend upon them; but the saints have their company. In a word, the unconverted person, when he dieth, he sinks into the bottomless pit; but the saints, when they die, do ascend with, and by the angels, into Abraham"s bosom, or into unspeakable glory (Luke 23:43).
Again, it is said, that the rich man when he died was buried or put into the earth; but when the beggar died, he was carried by the angels into Abraham"s bosom. The one is a very excellent style, where he saith he was carried by angels into Abraham"s bosom: it denotes the excellent condition of the saints of G.o.d, as I said before; and not only so, but also the preciousness of the death of the saints in the eyes of the Lord (Psa 116:15). That after-generations may see how precious in the sight of the Lord the death of his saints is, when he saith they are carried by the angels into Abraham"s bosom.
Thus many times the Lord adorneth the death and departure of his saints, to hold forth unto after-generations, how excellent they are in his eyes. It is said of Enoch, that G.o.d took him; of Abraham, that he died in a good old age; of Moses, that the Lord buried him; of Elijah, that he was taken up into heaven; that the saints sleep in Jesus; that they die in the Lord; that they rest from their labour, that their works follow them; that they are under the altar; that they are with Christ; that they are in light; that they are to come with the Lord Jesus to judge the world. All which sayings signify thus much, that to die a saint is very great honour and dignity. But the unG.o.dly are not so. The rich or unG.o.dly die and are buried; he is carried from his dwelling to the grave, and there he is buried, hid in the dust; and his body doth not so fast moulder and come to nought there, but his name doth stink as fast in the world, as saith the holy scripture: "The name of the wicked shall rot" (Prov 10:7). And indeed, the names of the G.o.dly are not in so much honour after their departure, but the wicked and their names do as much rot. What a dishonour to posterity was the death of Balaam, Agag, Ahithophel, Haman, Judas, Herod, with the rest of their companions?
Thus the wicked have their names written in the earth, and they do perish and rot, and the name of the saints do cast forth a dainty savour to following generations; and that the Lord Jesus doth signify where he saith the G.o.dly are "carried by the angels into Abraham"s bosom"; and that the wicked are nothing worth, where he saith the unG.o.dly die and are buried.
Verse 23.--"And in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."
The former verse speaks only of the departure of the unG.o.dly out of this life, together with the glorious conduct[12] that the G.o.dly have into the kingdom of their Father. Now our Lord doth show, in this verse, partly what doth and shall befal to the reprobate after this life is ended, where he saith, "And in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes." That is, the unG.o.dly, after they depart this life, do lift up their eyes in h.e.l.l.
From these words may be observed these things, First. That there is a h.e.l.l for souls to be tormented in, when this life is ended.
Mark, after he was dead and buried, "In h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes." Second. That all that are unG.o.dly, and do live and die in their sins, so soon as ever they die, they go into h.e.l.l: he died and was buried; "And in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes." Third. That some are so fast asleep, and secure in their sins, that they scarce know well where they are till they come into h.e.l.l; and that I gather from these words, "In h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes." He was asleep before, but h.e.l.l makes him lift up his eyes.
[First.] As I said before, it is evident that there is a h.e.l.l for souls, yea, and bodies too, to be tormented in after they depart this life, as is clear, first, because the Lord Jesus Christ, that cannot lie, did say that after the sinner was dead and buried, "In h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes."
Now if it be objected that by h.e.l.l is here meant the grave, that I plainly deny: 1. Because there the body is not sensible of torment or ease; but in that h.e.l.l into which the spirits of the d.a.m.ned depart, they are sensible of torment, and would very willingly be freed from it, to enjoy ease, which they are sensible of the want of; as is clearly discovered in this parable, "Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue."
2. It is not meant the grave, but some other place, because the bodies, so long as they lie there, are not capable of lifting up their eyes, to see the glorious condition of the children of G.o.d, as the souls of the d.a.m.ned do. "In h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes."
3. It cannot be the grave, for then it must follow that the soul was buried there with the body, which cannot stand with such a dead state as is here mentioned; for he saith, "The rich man died"; that is, his soul was separated from his body. "And in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes."
If it be again objected that there is no h.e.l.l but in this life; that I do also deny, as I said before: after he was dead and buried, "In h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes." And let me tell thee, O soul, whoever thou art, that if thou close not in savingly with the Lord Jesus Christ, and lay hold on what he hath done and is doing in his own person for sinners, thou wilt find such a h.e.l.l after this life is ended, that thou wilt not get out of again for ever and ever. And thou that art wanton, and dost make but a mock at the servants of the Lord, when they tell thee of the torments of h.e.l.l, thou wilt find that when thou departest out of this life, that h.e.l.l, even the h.e.l.l which is after this life, will meet thee in thy journey thither; and will, with its h.e.l.lish crew, give thee such a sad salutation that thou wilt not forget it to all eternity.
When that scripture comes to be fulfilled on thy soul, in Isaiah 14:9, 10, "h.e.l.l from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they," that is, that are in h.e.l.l, shall say, "Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?" O sometimes when I have had but thoughts of going to h.e.l.l, and consider the everlastingness of their ruin that fall in thither, it hath stirred me up rather to seek to the Lord Jesus Christ to deliver me from thence, than to slight it, and make a mock at it.
"And in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes."
[Second.] The second thing I told you was this, that all the unG.o.dly that live and die in their sins, so soon as ever they depart this life, do descend into h.e.l.l. This is also verified by the words in this parable, where Christ said, He "died and was buried, and in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes." As the tree falls, so it shall be, whether it be to heaven or h.e.l.l (Eccl 11:3). And as Christ said to the thief on the cross, "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise."
Even so the devil in the like manner may say unto thy soul, To-morrow shalt thou be with me in h.e.l.l. See then what a miserable case he that dies in an unregenerate state is in; he departs from a long sickness to a longer h.e.l.l; from the gripings of death, to the everlasting torments of h.e.l.l. "And in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes."
Ah friends! If you were but yourselves, you would have a care of your souls; if you did but regard, you would see how mad they are that slight the salvation of their souls. O what will it profit thy soul to have pleasure in this life, and torments in h.e.l.l? (Mark 8:36). Thou hadst better part with all thy sins, and pleasures, and companions, or whatsoever thou delightest in, than to have soul and body to be cast into h.e.l.l. O then do not now neglect our Lord Jesus Christ, lest thou drop down to h.e.l.l (Heb 2:3). Consider, would it not wound thee to thine heart to come upon thy death-bed, and instead of having the comfort of a well spent life, and the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, together with the comforts of his glorious Spirit: to have, first, the sight of an ill-spent life, thy sins flying in thy face, thy conscience uttering itself with thunder-claps against thee, the thoughts of G.o.d terrifying of thee, death with his merciless paw seizing upon thee, the devils standing ready to scramble for thy soul, and h.e.l.l enlarging herself, and ready to swallow thee up; and an eternity of misery and torment attending upon thee, from which there will be no release. For mark, death doth not come alone to an unconverted soul, but with such company, as wast thou but sensible of it would make thee tremble. I pray consider that scripture (Rev 6:8), "And I looked and behold a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was Death, and h.e.l.l followed with him." Mark, death doth not come alone to the unG.o.dly, no, but h.e.l.l goeth with him. O miserable comforters! O miserable society! Here comes death and h.e.l.l unto thee. Death goeth into thy body, and separates body and soul asunder; h.e.l.l stands without, as I may say, to embrace, or rather, to crush thy soul between its everlasting grinders. Then thy mirth, thy joy, thy sinful delights will be ended when this comes to pa.s.s. Lo it will come. Blessed are all those that through Christ Jesus his merits, by faith, do escape these soul-murdering companions. "And in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes."
[Third.] The third thing you know that we did observe from these words was this, That some are so fast asleep, and secure in their sins, that they scarce know where they are, until they come into h.e.l.l. And that I told you I gather by these words, "In h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes." Mark, it was in h.e.l.l that he lift up his eyes. Now some do understand by these words that he came to himself, or began to consider with himself, or to think with himself in what an estate he was, and what he was deprived of; which is still a confirmation of the thing laid down by me. There it is that they come to themselves, that is, there they are sensible where they are indeed. Thus it fares with some men that they scarce know where they are, till they lift up their eyes in h.e.l.l. It is with those people as with those that fall down in a swoon; you know if a man do fall down in a swoon in one room, though you take him up and carry him into another, yet he is not sensible where he is till he cometh unto himself, and lifteth up his eyes.
Truly thus, it is to be feared, it is with many poor souls, they are so senseless, so hard, so seared in their conscience (1 Tim 4:2), that they are very ignorant of their state; and when death comes it strikes them as it were into a swoon, especially if they die suddenly, and so they are hurried away, and scarce know where they are till in h.e.l.l they lift up their eyes: this is he who "dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet" (Job 21:23).
Of this sort are they spoken of in Psalm 73, where he saith, "There are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm." "They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men." And again, "they spend their days in wealth, and in a moment," mark, "in a moment," before they are aware, they "go down to the grave" (Job 21:13).
Indeed this is too much known by woeful and daily experience; sometimes when we go to visit them that are sick in the towns and places where we live, O how senseless, how seared in their consciences are they! They are neither sensible of heaven nor of h.e.l.l, of sin nor of a Saviour; speak to them of their condition, and the state of their souls, and you shall find them as ignorant as if they had no souls to regard. Others, though they lie ready to die, yet they are busying themselves about their outward affairs, as though they should certainly live here, even to live and enjoy the same for ever. Again, come to others, speak to them about the state of their souls, though they have no more experience of the new birth than a beast, yet will they speak as confidently of their eternal state, and the welfare of their souls, as if they had the most excellent experience of any man or woman in the world, saying, "I shall have peace" (Deut 29:19). When, as I said even now, the Lord knows they are as ignorant of the new birth, of the nature and operation of faith, of the witness of the Spirit, as if there were no new birth, no faith, no witness of the Spirit of Christ in any of the saints in the world. Nay, thus many of them are, even an hour or less before their departure. Ah, poor souls!
though they may go away here like a lamb, as the world says, yet, if you could but follow them a little, to stand and listen soon after their departure, it is to be feared, you should hear them roar like a lion at their first entrance into h.e.l.l, far worse than even did Korah, &c., when they went down quick into the ground (Num 16:31-35).
Now, by this one thing doth the devil take great advantage on the hearts of the ignorant, suggesting unto them that because the party deceased departed so quietly, without all doubt they are gone to rest and joy; when, alas! it is to be feared the reason why they went away so quietly, was rather because they were senseless and hardened in their consciences; yea, dead before in sins and trespa.s.ses. For, had they had but some awakenings on their death-beds, as some have had, they would have made all the town to ring of their doleful condition; but because they are seared and ignorant, and so depart quietly, therefore the world takes heart at gra.s.s,[13] as we use to say, and make no great matter of living and dying they cannot tell how; "therefore pride compa.s.seth them as a chain" (Psa 75:6). But let them look to themselves, for if they have not an interest in the Lord Jesus now, while they live in the world, they will, whether they die raging or still, go unto the same place; "and lifted up their eyes in h.e.l.l."
O, my friends, did you but know what a miserable condition they are in that go out of this world without an interest in the Son of G.o.d, it would make you smite upon your thigh, and in the bitterness of your souls cry out, "Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved?" (Acts 16:29-31). And not only so, but thou wouldst not be comforted until thou didst find a rest for thy soul in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 23. "And in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom."
Something, in brief, I have observed from the first part of this verse, namely, from these words, "And in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes." And, indeed, I have observed but something, for they are very full of matter, and many things might be taken notice of in them. There is one thing more that I might touch upon, as touched in this saying, and that is this:--Methinks the Lord Jesus Christ doth hereby signify that men are naturally unwilling to see or take notice of their sad state, I say by nature; but though now they are willingly ignorant, yet in h.e.l.l they shall lift up their eyes.
That is, in h.e.l.l they shall see and understand their miserable condition; and, therefore, to these words: "In h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes," he adds, "being in torments." As if he had said, though once they shut their eyes, though once they were willingly ignorant (2 Peter 3:5), yet, when they depart into h.e.l.l, they shall be so miserably handled and tormented, that they shall be forced to lift up their eyes. While men live in this world, and are in a natural state, they will have a good conceit of themselves, and of their condition--they will conclude that they are Christians, that Abraham is their father, and their state to be as good as the best (Matt 3:7-9). They will conclude they have faith, the Spirit, a good hope, and an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ; but then, when they drop into h.e.l.l, and lift up their eyes there, and behold first their soul to be in extreme torments; their dwelling to be the bottomless pit; their company thousands of d.a.m.ned souls; also the innumerable company of devils; and the hot scalding vengeance of G.o.d, not only to drop, but to fall very violently upon them; then they will begin to be awakened, who all their lifetime where in a dead sleep. I say, when this comes to pa.s.s, lo it will; then in h.e.l.l they shall lift up their eyes, in the midst of torments they shall lift up their eyes.
Again, you may observe in these words, "And in h.e.l.l he lifted up his eyes, being in torments," that the time of the unG.o.dly men"s smarting for their sins will be in the torments of h.e.l.l. Now here I am put to a stand, when I consider the torments of h.e.l.l into which the d.a.m.ned do fall. O unspeakable torments! O endless torments!
Now that thy soul might be made to flee from those intolerable torments into which the d.a.m.ned do go, I shall show you briefly what are the torments of h.e.l.l. First. By the names of it. Second.
by the sad state thou wilt be in, if thou comest there.
First. The names. It is called a never-dying worm (Mark 9). It is called an oven fire, hot (Mal 4:1). It is called a furnace, a fiery-furnace (Matt 13). It is called the bottomless pit, the unquenchable fire, fire and brimstone, h.e.l.l fire, the lake of fire, devouring fire, everlasting fire, eternal fire, a stream of fire (Rev 21).
[Second. By the sad state thou wilt be in, if thou comest there.]
1. One part of thy torments will be this, thou shalt have a full sight of all thy ill spent life, from first to last; though here thou canst sin today and forget it by to-morrow, yet there thou shalt be made to remember how thou didst sin against G.o.d at such a time, and in such a place, for such a thing, and with such a one, which will be a h.e.l.l unto thee. G.o.d will "set them in order before thine eyes" (Psa 51:21).
2. Thou shalt have the guilt of them all lie heavy on thy soul, not only the guilt of one or two, but the guilt of them all together, and there they shall lie in thy soul, as if thy belly were full of pitch, and set on a light fire. Here men can sometimes think on their sins with delight, but there with unspeakable torment; for that I understand to be the fire that Christ speaketh of, which shall never be quenched (Mar 9:43-49). While men live here, O how doth the guilt of one sin sometimes crush the soul! It makes a man in such plight that he is weary of his life, so that he can neither rest at home nor abroad, neither up nor in bed.[14] Nay, I do know that they have been so tormented with the guilt of one sinful thought, that they have been even at their wits" end, and have hanged themselves. But now when thou comest into h.e.l.l, and hast not only one or two, or an hundred sins, with the guilt of them all on thy soul and body, but all the sins that ever thou didst commit since thou camest into the world, altogether clapped on thy conscience at one time, as one should clap a red hot iron to thy b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and there to continue to all eternity: this is miserable.
3. Again, then thou shalt have brought into thy remembrance the slighting of the gospel of Christ; here thou shalt consider how willing Christ was to come into the world to save sinners, and for what a trifle thou didst reject him. This is plainly held forth in Isaiah 28, where, speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, the foundation of salvation, verse 16, he saith of them that reject the gospel, that, when the overflowing scourge doth pa.s.s through the earth, which I understand to be at the end of the world, then, saith he, it shall take you morning by morning, by day and by night shall it pa.s.s over you; that is, continually, without any intermission.
"And it shall be a vexation only to understand the report." "A vexation," that is, a torment, or a great part of h.e.l.l only to understand the report, to understand the good tidings that came into the world by Christ"s death for poor sinners. And you will find this verily to be the mind of the Spirit, if you compare it with Isaiah 53:1, where he speaks of men"s turning their backs upon the tenders of G.o.d"s grace in the gospel, he saith, "Who hath believed our report?" or the gospel declared by us? Now this will be a mighty torment to the unG.o.dly, when they shall understand the goodness of G.o.d was so great that he even sent his Son out of his bosom to die for sinners, and yet that they should be so foolish as to put him off from one time to another; that they should be so foolish as to lose heaven and Christ, and eternal life in glory, for the society of a company of drunkards; that they should lose their souls for a little sport, for this world, for a strumpet, for that which is lighter than vanity and nothing; I say this will be a very great torment unto thee.
4. Another part of thy torment will be this: Thou shalt see thy friends, thy acquaintance, they neighbours; nay, it may be thy father, thy mother, thy wife, thy husband, thy children, thy brother, thy sister, with others, in the kingdom of heaven, and thyself thrust out (Luke 13:28). "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham (your father), and Isaac, and Jacob, (together with your brethren), and all the prophets in the kingdom of heaven, and you yourselves thrust out." Nay, saith he, "they shall come from the east, and from the west"--that is, those that thou didst never see in all thy life before, and they shall sit down with thy friends, and thy neighbours, thy wife and thy children, in the kingdom of heaven, and thou, for thy sins and disobedience, shall be shut, nay, thrust out. O wonderful torment!
5. Again, thou shalt have none but a company of d.a.m.ned souls, with an innumerable company of devils, to keep company with thee.
While thou art in this world, the very thoughts of the devils appearing to thee makes thy flesh to tremble, and thine hair ready to stand upright on thy head. But O! what wilt thou do, when not only the supposition of the devils appearing, but the real society of all the devils in h.e.l.l will be with thee howling and roaring, screeching and roaring in such a hideous manner, that thou wilt be even at thy wits" end, and be ready to run stark mad again for anguish and torment?