536 The Difficulties of a Vol, I. Arch-Angel, and the Devil, v. 9. Tet Michael the Archangel, when contendins will, the Devil, hedisputedabout the Body of Mgfes, durst not bring a railing Accufation, he durit not allow himfelf this, no not in the heat ofDifpute, when Perfons are mot apt to fly out into Pation, becaufe it was indecent, and would have been difpleafing to God ; this.I believe is the true reafon why it is said, he durst not bring a railing Accufation. And yet I may add another; which is not improper for our Confideration, I am sure it hath a good Moral; the Devil would have been tooheard for him at railing, hewas better skill'd at that Weapon,and more expert at that kind of Difpute. Which Confideration may be a good Argument tous against reviling any Man. If we revile the good, we are unjuft, becaufe they deferve it not; if we revile the bad, we are unwife, becaufe we (hall get nothing by it. I could almost en- vy the Charaéter which was given of one of theRomans ; Nefcivit quidejet male dicere. ; he knew not what it was togive bad Language. ' I proceed. Son, remember that thou in thy Life time receivedit thy good things. Thygood things, thofe which thou didit value and eteem fo highly, and dicta place thy chief Happiness in, as ifthey had been no othergood to be fought after. Thy good things, and indeed fo he ufed them, as ifthey had been the foieLord and Pro= praetor of them, and they had not been committed to him, as a Steward, to be difpenfed for his Matter's ufe, for the cloathing ofthe naked, and the feedingof the hungry, and the relieving ofthofe in,diftrefs. Ver..zy, z8, Then hefaid, Ipray thee therefore Father, that thou would) fend him to my Father's houfe : for I have five Brethren ; that he may teflifte unto them, left they elfo come into this place of torment: Here the Rich man, tho' in Hell, is reprefented as retaining fome tendernefs for his Relations, as folicitous left they should be involved in the fame Mifery with himfelf. The lull piece of that which commonly remains in Men, is natural AfFeétion, which is riot fo much a Virtue, as a natural Principle, and is common , to many brute Beats. When a Man puts offthis, we may give him up for lot to all, manner ofGoodnefs. To be without natural Affection, is the wort Chareter can be given ofa Man. Our Sa- viour reprefents this Rich man in Hell as not fo totally degenerateas tobe quite detituteofthis. I think fomeattribute this Motion of theRich Man concerning his Brethren to another Caufe ; as ifhe had desired it, not out of kindness to them, but out ofre- gard to himfelf, as being afraid that if his Brethren who probably were corrupt- ed by his Example, had perilht by that means, it would have been an Aggravati- onof his Torments.But this Conjeétureis too fubtile,andwithout any good ground; for every Mancarries his Burden of Guilt with hïm out of this World, and it is not encreafed by any Confequence of our aétions here. For the Crime of a bad Example is the fame whether Men follow it or not, becaufe he that gives bad Example to others, does what in him lies to draw them into Sin ; and if they do not follow k, that is no mitigation of his Fault. I have but one Obfervation more, and that is from themention of his Brethren as his nearet Relations, which is a great Aggravation of the Rich Man's Un- charitableness, becaufe he is reprefented as having no Children to take care for, and yet he would not confider the Poor. And thus I have, as briefly as I could, endeavour'd toexplain thisParable, and have made arch Obfervations from the Circumtances of it, as may be useful for our Intru&ion. But as I premifed at firft ; I will not warrant all thefe Ob- fervations to be certainly intended by our Saviour ; I know very well that every Circumtance of a Parable is not to be preft too far, the Moral Accommendation does chiefly belong to the main Scope of it, and many Circumtances are only brought in to fill up the Parable, and to make handfomer way for that which is mot material, and principally intended : But fo long as the Obfervationsare true and ufeful, and have a fair Colour and Occafion from the Circumtances, it is well enough ; tobe lure there is no harm done. I proceed to the fecond fort of Obfervations, namely, filch as are drawn from the main (cope andintent of the Parable, which I promifed to fpeak more largely to ; and they are Six, which I thall handle in order. Fin i, I
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