Seim. LXXII. Rich Man and Lazarus. 539 zd, That it is fueh a Sin,, as alone, and without any other Guilt, is fufficient to ruin a Man for ever. The Parable lays the Rich Man's Condemnation upon this ; it was the guilt of this Sin that tormented him when he was in Hell. The Scripture is full of fevere Threatnings againft this Sin. Prov. as. 13. Whofo floppeth his Ears at the cry of the Poor, he alfo'hall cry himfelf, but (hall not be heard. God will have no regard or pity for the Man that regardeth not the Poor. That is a Terrible Text, lam. z. 53. He (hall have the judgment with- out Mercy, that hath (hewed no Mercy, Our Saviour hath two Parables to reprefent to us the Danger of this Sin ; this here in the Text, and that in Luke s z. concerning the Covetous Man that enlarged his Barns, and was hill laying up, but laid nothing out upon the Poor ; upon which our Saviour makes this Obfervation, which is the Moral of the Parable, v. z1. So is he that layeth up Treafure for himfelf, and is not rich towards God ; So fhall he be, inch an iffueofhis Folly may every one expect, who layeth upTrea- fure for himfelf, but does not lay up Riches with God. How is that ? The Scripture tells us, byWorks of Mercy and Charity ; this our Saviour calls laying up for our felves rreafures in Heaven, Matth. 6. zo. And Luke as. 33. He calls, giving of Alms, providing for our felves Bags that wax not old, a Treafure in Hea- ven that faileth not. There is no particular Grace and Virtue to which the Promife of eternal Life is fo frequently made in Scripture, as to this of Mercy and Charity to the Poor. Matth. g. 7. BleJJ'edare themerciful, for they 'ball find Mercy. Which Promife, as it does not exclude aReward in this World, fo it feems principally to refpe t the Mercyof God at the great Day. Luke iq.. 12,, 13, 14. When thou makefl a Feafi, invite not the Rich, for they will recompence thee again : but invite the Poor, and the maimed, and the lame and the blind, for they cannot recompence thee ; but thou 'halt be recompenced at the Refurreílion of the loll. Luke 16. 9. Make therefore to your felves friends' of the Mammon of Unrighteoufnefs, that when ye (ball fail, they may receive you into everlafling habitations. a Tim. 6. 17,18, 59. Charge themtbat are rich in this world, that they do good, that they be rich in goodworks, ready todi- firibute, willing to communicate, laying up'in flarefor themfelves a good Foundation, as the word 3 1.dÀas is fometimes ufed,, agood Treafure againfi the timewhich is to come, that they may lay holdof eternal Life. But the molt confiderable Text of all other to this purpofe, is in Matth. 2.5'; where our Saviour gives us a defcription of the Judgment of the Great Day : And if that be a true and proper reprefentation of the procefs of.that Day, then the grand enquiry will be, what Works of Charity have been done or neglected by us, and accordingly Sentence fhall be pall: upon us. The proper refult from all this Difcourfe is to perfwade Men to this necefi'ary Duty. Our eternal Happinefs does not fo much depend upon the exercife ofany one fingle Grace or Virtue, as this of Charity and Mercy. Faith and Repen- tance are more general and fundamental Graces, and as it were the Parents of all the reft : But of all fingle Virtues the Scripture lays the greateft weight upon this of Charity ; and if we do truly believe the Precepts of the Gofpel, and the Promifes and Threatnings of it, we cannot but have a principal regard to it. I know how averle Men generally are to this Duty, which makes them fofull of Excufes and ObjeEtions againft it. r. They have Children to provide for. This is not the cafe of all, and they whofe cafe it is, may do well to confider, that it will not be amifs to leave aBlef- fing, as well as an Inheritance to their Children. z. They tell us, they intend to do fomething when they die. I doubt that ve- ry much ; but granting their Intention to be real, why fhould Men chufe to fpoil a good Work, and to take away the Grace and Acceptablenefs of it, by the man- ner of doing ? It Thews a great backwardnefs to the Work, when we defer it as long as we can. He that will not do good, till he be enforced by the laft ne- ceffity, diu noluit, was long unwilling. It is one of the worft Complementswe can put upon God, to give a thing to him whenwe can:keep it no longer. Z. z z z 3. Others 1
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