S'erin. LXXIV. Rich Man, and Lazarus. It is evident then, that our Saviour, according to the Reafoning of this Para- ble, takes it for granted, that the Holy Scriptures are the (landing and ordinary means of bringing Men to Faith and Repentance, and that the People are tò have the free ufe of them. But fence our Saviour's time, the Church of Rome bath found a mighty inconvenience in this, and therefore hath taken the Scriptures out of the Hands of the People. They will not now let them haveMofes and the Prophets, the Gofpel of our Blefled Saviour, and the Writings of his Apoflles, becaufe they are really afraid they should hear them, and by hearing of them, be convinced and perfuaded of the Errors and Corruptions of their Church ; but in- Read of the Scriptures of the Old and New Teftament, they have put into their Hands a Legend of famous Apparitions of Men from the Dead, teJlifying unto them concerning Purgatory and Tranfubfiantiation, and the Worship of the Bier- fed Virgin and the Saints, and the great benefit and refrefhment which Souls in Purgatory have by the Indulgences of the Pope, and the Prayers of the living put up to Saints and Angels on their behalf ; fo that in the Church of Rome, quite contrary to our Saviour's method, Men areperfuaded of their Religion, of their New Articles of Faith, and Ways of Worfhip, not by Mofes and the Pro- phets, not by the Dodtrine of theHoly Scriptures (for they every where teflify againa them) butby abfurd Romances, and ill contriv'd Fiûions of Apparitions from the Dead. I will difmifs this matter with this one Obfervation, that how- ever interefted and confident Men may fet a bold face uponany thing, yet it cannot to conliderate Men but feem a very hard cafe, that there fhould be no Salvation to be had out of the Church of Rome ; and yet the ordinary, and (in our Saviour's Judgment) the moll effeaual Means of Salvation are not to be had in it. 13ut I pafs from this, to that which does more immediately concerti our Practice. .dly, Let us hear and obey that publick Revelation of God's Will, which in fo much Mercy to Mankind, he bathbeen pleafed to afford tous. This is an ine- flimable Privilege and Advantage which the World in many Ages was deflitute of, having no other Guide to condudl them to eternal Happinefs but the Light of Nature, and fome particular Revelations, which now and then God was pleafed tomake of his Will toMen : But now God hath let up a great and (landingLight in. the World, the Dodrine of the Holy Scriptures ; and by theGofpei of his $leffed Son, hath given theknowledge of Salvation to all Men, for the rernijion of their Sins, through the tender Mercies of God, whereby the day-fpring from on high bath vifrted us, to give light to them that fat in darknefs, and in the /badow ofdeath, and to guide our feet into the way ofpeace, to convince us of the Error ofour ways, and to diredl us in our Duty. We, upon whom the Ends of the World are come, do enjoy all the Advantáges of Divine Revelation which the World ;ever had, and as great as the World everfhall have. God in thefe laß Days bath fpoken unto us by his Son, and if we will not hear him, God will employ no other extraordi- nary Prophet and Meffenger to us. If the Wrath of God fo clearly revealed from Heaven by the Gofpel of our bleffedSaviour, againft all ungodlinefs and unrighteouf- nefs of Men ; if the Terror of the great, Day, and the feàr of eternal Torment ; if the dreadful Sufferings of the Son of God for our Sins, and the merciful offers of Pardon and Reconciliation in his Blood, and the glorious Hopes of eternal Life and Happinefs will not prevail with us to leave our Sins, and toamend our Lives, we have no reafon to expe t that God fhould ufe any farther means to re- claim us ; that he fhould ever make any more Attempts for our Recovery. And therefore, 3 dly, and daftly, Thofe who are not brought to Repentance, and.effèaually per fuadedby this clear and publick Revelation which God hath made of his Will to Men in the Holy Scriptures, have reafon to look upon their Cafe as defperate. Methinks it fhould not be adeferable thing to any of us to be convinced by an Apparition, the thing is fo dreadful and full ofTerror ; befides that it argues Men to be ftrangely hardened in a bad Courfe, and obftinately bent upon their evil ways, when nothing will affright them from their Sins, but what will almoft 557 , 130
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