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SERMONCXXVI.

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus.

LUKE XVI. 19, 20.

There was a certain rich man, which was cloathed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of fores.

I

The first fermon on this text.

Intend, by God's assistance, to go over this parable, than which I think there is none in the

whole gospel, which is more apt to affect men, or which is more artificially contrived, and in the circumstances whereof a greater decorum is observed.

It is a great question among interpreters, whether this narration concerning the rich man and Lazarus be a parable, or a history, or a mixture of both. That it is not a history, the resemblance between it and others of our Saviour's parables, will easily convince any man that is not contentious; besides that, in fome ancient copies, it is ushered in with this preface, And he spake a parable to his disciples: A certain rich man, &c.

But yet as some of the ancients have not improbably conjectured, it seems to be such a kind of parable, as had something of a real foundation; as namely, that there was such a poor man as Lazarus is here described, and of that name among the Jews: For in a mere parable it is altogether unusual to name perfons, nor is this done in any other of our Saviour's parables.

But

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But whether this be so or not, is not worth the

disputing, because it alters not the cafe as to our Saviour's purpose, and the instructions which we may learn from it.

In the handling of this parable, I shall explain it as I go along, and draw two forts of instructions or obfervations from it.

The first fort of obfervations shall be from the circumstances which serve for the decorum of the parable: And these I will not warrant to be all intended by our Saviour; but only to be true in themselves, and useful, and to have a probable rise from some circumstances of the parable; and therefore I shall speak but very briefly to them.

The second sort of observations shall be such as are grounded upon the main scope and intent of the parable; and these I shall insist more largely upon. I begin,

First, With those observations and instructions which I shall gather up from the circumstances which serve for the decorum of the parable; and I shall take them in order as they ly in the parable.

Ver. 19. There was a certain rich man, which was cloathed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. Some think that our Saviour in this description reflected upon Herod, because he describes this rich man to be cloathed in purple. But this conjecture is without reason; for besides that it was not our Saviour's custom in his preaching, to give fecret girds to the Magistrate; it is certain that it was long after our Saviour's time, that purple was appropriated to Kings: It was then, and a great while after, the wear of rich and powerful men, and of the favourites and great men of the court, who are frequently in ancient histories called the purpurati, those that wore purple.

That which I observe from hence, is, that the rich man is not here censured for enjoying what he had, for wearing rich apparel, and keeping a great table. This of itself, if it be according to a man's estate and quality, and without intemperance, is so far from being a fault, that it is a commendable virtue. But here here was his fault, that he made all to serve his own sensuality and luxury, without any confideration of the wants and necessities of others: Whereas one of the great uses of the plentiful tables of rich men, is from the fuperfluity of them to feed the poor and the hungry.

Ver. 20. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, as if our Saviour had faid, for instance, poor Lazarus, whom ye all knew. And here I cannot but take notice of the decorum which our Saviour uses. He would not name any rich man, because that was invidious, and apt to provoke. He endeavours to make all men sensible of their duty; but he would provoke none of them by any peevish reflexion; for nothing is more improper than to provoke those whom we intend to perfuade. While a man's reason is calm and undisturbed, it is capable of truth fairly propounded; but if we once stir up mens paffions, it is like muddying of the waters, they can difcern nothing clearly afterwards. But to proceed

in the parable:

There was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at the rich man's gate, full of fores, and was desirous to be fed with the crumbs which fell from his table; moreover the dogs came and licked his fores. Here are three great aggravations of the rich man's uncharitableness :

ift, That here was an object presented itself to him. 2dly, Such an object as would move any one's pity; a man reduced to extreme misery and neceffity. 3dly, A little relief would have contented him.

1st, Here was an object presented itself to him, Lazarus laid at a rich man's gate; so that as often as he went out of his own house and came in, he could not but take notice of him. Good men that are charitably disposed, will enquire out objects for their charity, and not always stay till they thrust themselves upon them: But he is a very bad man, who, when an object of great pity and charity is presented, is so far from relenting towards him, that he stops his ear to his cry, and turns away his face from him.

He

He is an uncharitable man, who being rich, and hearing of the miseries of others, does not take them into confideration: But what we fee with our eyes is much more apt to affect us. So that this was an argument of a very cruel disposition in the rich man, that having so many occafions of feeing Lazarus, he should never be moved to commiferate him.

2dly, Here was such an object presented to him, as would move any one's pity, a man reduced to extreme mifery and neceffity. Here was no common object of charity, a man, not only in extreme want, but in great pain and anguish, and so helpless, that he was unable to keep off the dogs from being troublesome to him: and yet this did not move him.

3dly, A very little relief would have contented this poor man, and have been a great kindness to him; that which the rich man might have spared without the least prejudice to himself. He would have been glad to have been fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table; and yet the parable intimates, that the rich man was so hard-hearted as not to afford him these.

Ver. 22. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bofom. Here was a great and sudden change! He who, when he was alive, was neglected by men, and contumeliously exposed like a dead carcafe to the dogs, when he dies, is attended on by the angels, and by them safely conveyed into a state of unspeakable happiness. He who lay at the rich man's gate, and could find no entrance there, is admitted into heaven. The beggar died, and was carried into Abraham's bosom.

It is very observable, that our Saviour in this parable represents men as passing immediately out of this life into a state of happiness or torment. And as in no other place of scripture, so neither in this, where it had been so proper, does our Saviour give the least intimation of the state of purgatory, which the church of Rome hach devised, and makes fo much profit and advantage of; which because it is

fo

so visible and apparent, we may without uncharitableness suppose to be the reason why they keep such a ftir about it.

And was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom. It was an ancient tradition among the Jews, that the Angels did attend good men at their death, and carry their fouls into paradise, which is here called Abraham's bosom. And this was a proper place for Lazarus, who had been neglected by the rich man, to be conveyed into Abraham's bosom, who was of a quite contrary temper, and loved to entertain and relieve strangers.

And paradife is fitly called Abraham's bosom, because the Jews had so great a veneration for Abraham, and that deservedly, for his eminent faith and obedience, that they gave him the first place among the bleffed. Hence is the expreffion, Mat. viii. 11. of fitting down with Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of God. Now this expression of being in Abraham's bosom, is an allusion to the custom of feafts among the Jews, where the most esteemed and beloved guest sat next him that was chief at the feast, and leaned on his bosom. Hence St. John is called the Disciple whom Jesus loved, because when he fat at meat, he leaned on his bosom, John xiii. 23. Hence likewise is the expression of our Saviour's being in the bosom of his Father, to fignify his dearness to him, John i. 18. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

I proceed. The rich man also died, and was buried. The rich man also died; this is very elegant and emphatical, infinuating to us, what the scripture so often takes notice of; that riches, for all mens confidence in them, will not deliver from death. This rich man indeed was out of danger of being starved and famished, as poor Lazarus was: But death had other ways to come at him. It is probable enough, that he might be surfeited by faring sumptuously every day. The rich man also died.

And was buried. And here again we may observe the strict decorum which our Saviour uses in this pa