Serro. LXXIV. Rich Man and Lazarus. 5 5 3 vidence ; God does not commonly prove his Providence toMen by extraórdinary inftances of his Power, and by changing the Course of Nature, to convince eve- ry Man in the World that he governs it : but by ftanding Teftimonies of his Wifdom, and Power; and Goodnefs ; by thefe God does fufficiently fatisfycon- fiderate Men of his Government and Care of theWorld ; and tho' he do feldom manifest himfelf in fupernatural and extraordinaryways, yet he hath not left himfelf without a Witnefs,' by the confiant courfe of Nature, in the returns of Day,and Night, in the Revolutions of the Seafons of the Year, in thathegives us rain from Heaven and fruitful Seafons, fillingour Hearts with food andgladnefs. And these ftanding Arguments of his Providence, tho' they be not fo much taken notice of because they are fo common, yet are they daily Miracles, and we can hardly, imagine greater, and we fould be strangely amazed at them, but that they are fo very frequent and familiar. The cafe is the fame as to Divine Revelation. God hath not thought fit to gratify the perverfe Cariosity of Men, by affording to every Man a particular and immediate Revelation of his Mind and Will : but he hath given us a fiand- ing Revelation, which at firft had the greateft and molt miraculousConfirmation, and he hath ftill left us fufficient Means of being allured of the Truth of this Revelation, and of the Confirmation that was at' the first given to it ; and we tempt God, by demanding extraordinary Signs; when we may receive fo abun- dant Satifaétion in an ordinary way. This beingadmitted, I shall proceed in the Second Place to fhew, That it is upon the whole Matter and all Circumflan- ces confider'd, very improbable, that thofe who reject this publickRevelation from God, should be esfe&ually convinced, tho' one should fheak to them from the dead. And this is that which is exprefly afferted here in the Text, If they hear not Mofes and the Prophets, neither will they be perfuaded tho' one rote from the dead. Not but that any Man would be very much ftartled and amazed, if one should come from the dead to warn him of the Danger of his wicked Life ; but yet for all that, it is very unlikely that they who obftinately and perverfely refufe to be convinced by Mofes and the Prophets, would be effectually perfuaded; (that is, fo as to be brought to Repentance and Reformation of their Lives) tho' one should rife from the dead. And that for thefeReafoos. r. Because if fuch Miracles were frequent and familiar, it is very probable they would have but very little effe t and unless we fuppofe them common and ordinary, we have no reafon to expect them at all. z. Men have as great or greater Reafon to, believe the Threatnings of God's Word, as the Difcourfe of one that should speak to them from the dead. ;. The very fame reafon which makes Men to rejet the Councils of God fn his Word, would in all probability hinder them from being convinced by a par- ticular Miracle. '4. Experience does abundantly teftify, how ineffectual extraordinary Ways are to bonvince thofe who are obftinately-addiéted and wedded to their ',lifts. g. An of e&ualPerfuafion (that is, fuch a Belief as produceth Repentance and a good Life) is the Gift of God, and depends upon the Operation and Concur- rence of God's Grace, which there is no reafon to expect either in an extraordi- . nary way, or in an extraordinary degree, after Men have obftinately rejected the ordinary Means which God hath appointed to that end. r. If fuch Miracles, as a fpecial Meffenger from the dead to warn and admo- nils Men, were -frequent and familiar, it is very probable they would havebut very little effect upon Men, and unlefswe fuppofe them common and ordinary, We have no reafon to expé& them at all. For it is tünreafonable at firft light, that the worft and more obstinate fort of Sinners .fhould expeCt this, as a peculiar Fa- vour and Priviledge to themfelves, and that God should not do as much for others, who have deferved it more, and would probably makebetter ufe of it; and if these things were common, it is very probable that Ivten would not be mus=h moved by them. It may be, while the Appreheñfion of fuch a thing were fresh upon them, they would take up'fome good Resolutions ; as Sinners of ly do, while they ,are under prefeat'CoNfictions of Conlcience and the Had of Bbbb God,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=