as may fatisfy men in other cases, and therefore not to be rejected in this.

2. That those who wrote those books were men of integrity, and did not wilfully falfify in any thing; and this cannot reasonably be denied, because these very persons gave the utmost evidence that men could give of their integrity. The highest attestation that any man can give of the truth of what he relates, is to lay down his life for the testimony of its and this the Apostles did.

Now if this be granted, that they did not falfify in their relations concerning the miracles of Chrift, and his refurrection, and the miraculous gifts which were bestowed upon the Apostles after his afcenfion; this is as great an evidence as the world can give, and as the thing is capable of, that our Saviour was a teacher come from God, and that the Apostles were extraordinarily assisted by the Holy Ghost; and if this be granted, what can be defired more to prove the divinity of their writings ?

But it may be faid, that though the Apostles were granted to be men of integrity, and that they did not wilfully falfify in their relations, yet they might be mistaken about those matters: But that they were not, we have as much evidence as can be for any thing of this nature, namely, that the things which are related are plain sensible matters of fact, about which no man need mistake, unless he will; and they did not write things upon the report of others, who might poffibly have designs to deceive, but upon the surest evidence in the world, their own knowledge and the teftimony of their senses; the things that we have seen and heard testify we unto you. So that if they were mistaken in these things, no man can be fure of any thing; and by the same reason that we disbelieve the authority of the scriptures upon this account, we must believe nothing at all. This is in short the whole force of the argument for the divinity of the scriptures, which I might have enlarged infinitely upon; but I design now only briefly to represent to you, that we, who live at the distance of so many ages from the time of this revelation,

are

are not destitute of sufficient evidence for the authority of the scriptures, and fuch evidence, as they who reject in other cafes, are esteemed unreasonable.

I should come now to the

5th, and last thing, namely, that it is unreasonable to expect, that God should do more for our convi. tion, than to afford us a standing revelation of his mind and will, such as the books of the holy fcriptures are. But this I shall refer to another opportunity, in a particular discourse upon the 31st verse, which contains the main design, the fum and substance of this whole parable.

SERMONCXXVIII.

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus.

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Preached at Whitehall, Anno 1678.

LUKE xvi. 31.

If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the

dead.

The third fermon on this text.

Hese words are the conclusion of that excellent parable of our Saviour concerning the

rich man and Lazarus, and they are the final answer which Abraham gives to the rich man's last request; who being in great torment, and not able to obtain any ease for himself, is reprefented as concerned for his relations, whom he had left behind him upon earth, left they also by their own carelessness and folly should plunge themselves into the fame VOL. VI.

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misery that he was in; and therefore he begs of Abraham, that he would send Lazarus to his father's house, where he had five brethren, that he might testify unto them, left they also should come into that place of torment. To which request Abraham answers, that there was no necessity of such an extraordinary course to be used towards those who had sufficient means of conviction so near at hand, if they would but hearken to them, and make use of them. Abraham faith unto him, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.

But the rich man presseth his request further, upon this reason, that they might not perhaps be moved by Moses and the Prophets, nay, it was likely they would not be moved by them; for they had always had them, and yet they remained impenitent: But if a special messenger should be sent to them from the dead, this certainly could not fail to awaken them, and bring them to repentance, ver. 30. And he said, nay, father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. To which Abraham makes this peremptory reply, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

In which words Abraham absolutely denies that there is any such probability, much less certainty that those who reject a publick credible revelation of God, such as that of the holy scripture is, should be effectually convinced by a messenger from the dead. And our Saviour brings in Abraham delivering himself very positively in this matter, and therefore we may presume it to be our Saviour's own sense, and may rely upon it for a truth; which however at first sight it may not be so evident, ye I hope in the progress of this discourse to make it sufficiently clear.

But before I undertake that, I shall premise a caution or two to prevent all mistake in this mat

ter.

First, That we are not to understand these words too strictly and rigorously, as if the thing were fimply and in itself impossible, that a man who is not convinced by hearing or reading Mofes and the Prophets, should be brought to repentance any other way. For it is very possible in the nature of the thing, yea, and likely enough, that a man who is not convinced by calm evidence and perfuafion, may yet be very much wrought upon by a strange and amazing accident; and if one, whom he had known when he was alive, should appear to him from the dead, and declare the certainty of a future state, and the condition of things in another world, there is little doubt to be made, but that this would more rouze and awaken him to confider his danger, than all the threatenings of God's word; and it is very possible that by the concurrence of God's grace, this might prove an effectual means to convince such a man, and to bring him to repentance. And yet for all this, it is not probable upon the whole matter, and if all circumstances be duly confidered, that this should generally have a permanent effect upon men, so as throughly to reclaim such persons as do obstinately resist the light and counsels of God's word.

men.

Secondly, Another caution I would give is this, that we are not to understand these words so, as to weaken the force of that argument from miracles for the proof and confirmation of a divine doctrine; as if our Saviour intended to infinuate, that miracles are not a proper and sufficient argument to convince For our Saviour does not here oppose Moses and the Prophets to a miraculous testimony; but he advanceth the publick evidence and testimony which Mofes and the Prophets had above the evidence of a fingle and private miracle; for Moses and the Prophets had their confirmation from miracles; and miracles are the great evidence and attestation which God hath always given to the divinity of any perfon or doctrine; and therefore Abraham cannot be thought to speak any thing to the prejudice of miracles, when he says, If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead. Nay, so far is he from that,

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that, that this reasoning of his is rather for the advantage of miracles. For Moses and the Prophets had the confirmation of many and great, of publick and unquestionable miracles; a credible relation whereof was conveyed down to after-ages. So that if rational means of conviction were the thing defired, it was not likely that those, who were not perfuaded by Moses and the Prophets, which were acknowledged by themselves to have had the confirmation of fo many undoubted miracles, should. in reason be convinced by a private and single miracle.

These considerations being premised by way of caution, I come now to make out the truth of what is here afferted in the text. And for the full clearing of this matter, I shall speak to these two propofitions:

First, That it is unreasonable to expect that God should do more for the conviction of men, than to afford them a standing revelation of his mind and will; such as that of the holy scriptures is. And if so, then,

Secondly, That upon the whole matter it is very improbable, that those who reject this publick revelation of God, should be effectually convinced, though one should speak to them from the dead.

First, That it is unreasonable to expect that God should do more for the conviction of men, than to afford them a standing revelation of his mind and will; fuch as that of the holy scriptures is. This is strongly implied in Abraham's first answer, They have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them; as if he had faid, having fuch means of conviction so near at hand, why should they defire and expect any other ? It is in this case of the scriptures as in that of God's providence ; God does not commonly prove his providence to men by extraordinary instances of his power, and by changing the course of nature, to convince every man in the world that he governs it: but by standing testimonies of his wisdom and power, and goodness; by these God does fufficiently fatisfy confiderate men of his go