THE VANITY of MAN, At his best Estate, AND THE Vanity of Dives, His Desire when at his Worst, VIZ. To have a PREACHER sent from the Dead to his Father's House.  
Discoursed of In Two SERMONS, the First before the University of Oxon, the other at Ayno in Northamptonshire, at the Anniversary for the Foundation of the Free-School there.  
By T. H. B. D. Sometime Rector of Souldern in Oxfordshire.  
July, 17. Imprimatur,  
G. Jane  
LONDON, Printed by J.B. for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and 3 Crowns in Cheapside near Mercer's Chapel, and at the Bible on London-Bridge, 1676.   

To the much Honoured Mrs MARY FANE.  
Madam,  
THe two following Sermons, here humbly presented into your hands, may have leave to beg if not pretend, a Title to your Patronage, The first having been made in a good measure, long since, upon occasion of the death of that excellent person Sir Roger Townshend Baronet, your Uncle; and now made seasonable, by the late loss of your dear Husband, that worthy and nobly descended Gentleman Mr Fane as also of your dear father Mr Cartwright, a great loss both to his Family and Country; your Husband deceasing in the morning, and your Father about the Noon of his age. The second Sermon, may plead for your acceptance also, upon this account, that it was not long since preached at Ayno, upon the Anniversary for the foundation of the Free-school there by your Grandmother and Godmother, Mrs Mary Cartwright, late Lady of that Manor: Madam, should I be censured for this Address to you, your birth at Soulderne when I was Minister there, my Obligations to your Husband's Family, as also to your Father, Mother, and Grandfather Cartwright, with other of your Relations shall be my Apology.  
So with my hearty prayers to God for you, that you may go on in the good ways of your educations, and that although you are left Husbandless, Fatherless, and Motherless, yet that neither you, nor yours, may ever be left Friendless, helpless, or comfortless, but that he would please to be a comforter, a Friend, a Father, a Husband to you, and that you may be the blessed of the Lord, and your offspring with you, I humbly take leave and remain.  
Madam, Your very humble servant Thomas Hodges, June, 27th. 1676.   

A SERMON Concerning the Vanity of man, even at his best estate.  Psalm 39.5. 
Verily, every man, at his best estate, is altogether Vanity, Selah.  
'TIs usual and useful, for Travellers to carry about them Maps or draughts of the Countries through which they travel. We are all pilgrims and strangers here (but travellers) as all our fathers were: For as they were, so are we in this world. Let me therefore commend unto you this Psalm, to carry along with you in your bosoms, to have often in your eyes; It is a little map of the lesser world, man; and, of the greater world, what it is or can be to man. 'Tis a true perfect map, drawn and coloured by the pen of the Royal prophet David, as his hand was held and guided by the Holy Ghost: 'Tis possible that it may (and my prayer is that it might) prove of singular use and benefit to us in this world; that we lose not our way, that we lose not ourselves, in this foreign country.  
T●… text, 'tis the marrow and quintessence, 'tis the great lesson of this Psalm, 'tis the sum of the whole book of Ecclesiastes; IT 〈…〉 and prophesy of Solomon's experience; 'Tis the 〈…〉 Prophet's text, upon which the son, the King-Preaent Solomon made after wards that Sermon or Comment, that excellent piece, the book of Ecclesiastes. Here's magnum in parvo, much in a little, a description of two Wordls in two or three Words; yea, here's the universe, All, as it were in Nothing, all briefly comprehended in this one word Vanity.  
'Tis thought, it was Absoloms' conspiracy that occasioned David's penning this Psalm. David, before this, (when the house of Saul was laid in the dust) thought, that surely his Mountain was so strong that it could never be moved, but behold on a sudden, a viper in his own bosom, an Absalon, that seeks the death of him, that gave him life: and after he had driven h●s father from his Royal palace and City, consults to assemble together all Israel, to whatsoever place or City wheresoever they could find him, even to bring ropes to that City and to draw it into the river until there should not be one small stone found there. 2. Sam. 17.12, 13.  
And, now, the sweet singer of Israel changes his tune to this sad note in the text, Verily every man, at his most fined (or settled) estate is altogether Vanity, Selah.  
And, although we should suppose or grant, as some do, that the prophet David uttered these words out of his impatience, yet the words, for the matter of them, hold forth the same truth with many other Scriptures, see Job. 14.1. and 16.22. and 34.20. Eccles. 9.12.1. Corinth. 7.29, 31. Psal. 89.48. and ' Psa. 90 10. and especially the 11th verse of this Psalm; where the same prophet repeats the same thing for substance, that he doth here; saying again, Surely every man is vanity, Selah.  
And, if Kings and Princes and great gallants of the world, should reply to the prophet some what like that of Festus to the Apostle Paul, Acts. 26.24.25. David, thou art beside thyself, much affliction hath made thee mad: the Prophet might return, in the like manner as the Apostle there did, I am not mad most noble Princes, but speak forth the words of truth and soberness: Surely man is vanity: Adam is Enosh or Abel, Abel, Enosh, Benoni are fit names for every son of Adam: Every man is vanity high and low together, Greek and Barbarian, wise and unwise, bond and free.  
Further, every man is altogether vanity. Every man, or all man, is all vanity. Man was a model and compendium of the world's creation, in its perfection and beauty; so he is now too, of it in its corruption and vanity: Cum inanimis, saith one, subjacet mutationi, corruptioni: cum animatis, alterationi, morti: cum sentientibus, laetitiae, moerori: cum Angelis, inconstantiae, etc. i. e. Man, like the inanimate creatures, or those creatures which are without life, is subject to change, and corruption; like animate or living creatures, he is subject to alteration, and death: like sensitive creatures, he is subject to joy, and sorrow; and like the Angels, (namely those that left their first station,) he is subject to inconstancy, and folly.  
Lastly, every man at his best estate, at his most fixed, most settled estate, when living, when most lively, lusty, healthy, rich, honourable, when most happy, permanent, (for the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very diversely rendered by translators) even, then, is he altogether vanity: omni ex parte, or quoad omnia, or modis omnibus, vanissimus est, as some interpret. men's lives are uncertain, their afflictions are unsatiable and disorderly, their enjoyments transitory. their beauty, their greatness, and glory, all fading and perishing: so vain a thing is man. Oh that he would consider it, Selah.  
I shall take my rise from these words to show you, 

1. The creatures vanity, and,  
2. The Lord of the creatures vanity: to show you your own faces, your own hearts, your all, in a true glass; only have patience a while to behold; come and see; and then, oh then, go not away and forget not presently what manner of men and women ye were.    
In the handling of this text I lay upon myself no other burden then these necessary things.  

1. To show you, what is, or may be imploed under this word Vanity.  
2. To prove, that every man is altogether Vanity.  
3. To discover the Original and foundation of this flood of vanity, which overflows the whole world, and from which not so much as eight persons, nay not one person since the fall, was ever saved: namely the cause of this vanity upon all flesh.  
4. To propound and point out to you the way and means of being delivered out of this vanity, wherein mankind is involved and plunged.   

I.  
First, of the first, what is or may be employed in the word Vanity.  
1. A thing is said to be vain or vanity, which hath but a little being, or which hath not long a being: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word for vanity, is used to signify a vapour; and so that in Ecclesiastes is by some translated, (instead of Vanit as Vanitatum, omnia vanitas,) vapour vaporum omnia vapour: and what is our life, faith the Apoicle James, cha: 4.14. It is even a vapour, which appeareth for a little time, soon vanisheth away. Our being is but a borrowed, a dependent being; and we are but of short continuance here in this world. The light of our lives, at best, is like the light of the Moon, a borrowed light; or like the light, or blaze of a fiery meteor fading and vanishing, which is soon our or extinct. And this worthlesness and great uncertainty, or fleeing and vanishing estate of man in this world, may seem to be particularly aimed at by the Prophet in this Psalm, and this place.  
2. A thing may be said to be vain, or vanity which is empty or void. And here emptiness is not opposed barely to entity and fullness, but to solidity and satisfaction: we say a versel is empty, although it be full of air; a bladder, blown full of wind, may be said to be empty and vain; such a vanity is man (since the fall by sin, and before he is raised again by grace, he is an empty vessel, void of any solid satisfying good: he is an earthen Pitcher, and an empty Pitcher: (indeed, once, he had a lamp in his pitcher:) he is a bladder, blown full of wind, full of vain conceits and imaginations; and so the more full, the more empty, and the more vanity. And as for man's life here, if is full of trouble, void of true satisfaction and happiness in our most flourishing, and in our best estate.  
3. A thing may be said vain, which is unprofitable, and which is not able to help: of little or no value, or weight; that's light upon the balance; lighter than vanity is the usual Scripture-phrase. And truly to every son of man in his best estate may be said, as to Belshazzar, Mene, Mene, Tekel,— Thou art weighed, and found too light. Thou art but as the dust of the balance compared with thy Lord and maker; and thou art to him an unprofitable servant when thou hast done thy best: yea thou art a broken-staff, a vain thing to be trusted unto. Hear what this Prophet David saith to this purpose, Psal. 62.9. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.   

II.  
The second thing propounded to be showed is, that every man is vanity. And here I shall endeavour the discovery of this vanity four ways.  
1. I shall show that man is vanity simply and absolutely considered; without comparison, without relations.  
2. That man is vanity if he be compared with his maker; his age is nothing unto God, his being is nothing; laid in the balance, he is altogether lighter than vanity.  
3ly. That man is vanity considered relatively; or, that there is vanity in all relations betwixt man and man.  
4ly. That man is vanity causally; that is, that he is the cause of the vanity in the inferior creatures; the cause wherefore the creature is made subject unto vanity: I intent to insist more largely upon the first of these, and to touch more lightly upon the three latter.  
1. If we consider man simply and absolutely; he is a mass of vanity, since the fall: his Esse, his Operari, his Possidere, are all vanity: man, I say, in what he is, what he doth, what he hath, is vanity, or tempered and mixed with vanity; And of these in order.  
1. There is abundance of vanity in what he is; both in the faculties of his soul, and also in the perfections of his body.  
1. I shall begin with the faculties of his soul, and therein,  
1. With the understanding.  
1. There is vanity of vanity, or emptiness; a great want of knowledge, in the knowing part of man. In the understanding of man, little understanding of God; in Greece, ye know, the eye of the world, and in Athens the eye of Greece, there was an Altar to the unknown God; and if the eye of the soul be darkness, how great must needs the darkness of the soul be. And there is not only emptiness of the knowledge of God, and divine Mysteries, but likewise there's much ignorance of Nature's secrets: The world's grandees for wisdom are but like bats and moles, very blind to the discerning the mysteries of nature.  
2. Again, there is in man's understanding, the vanity of Mutability and inconstancy: the same understanding gives a different light at divers times; It's like a glass that represents things diversely, or contrarily, at several times, we judge of things variously in health, and in sickness; in prosperity, and adversity; in life, and when we are ready to die; before and after we have enjoyed them.  
3. There's the vanity of vanity in the understanding, i. e. a knowledge of vain things more than of those which can profit us: men drive a great trade of vanity; their heads are usually like some pedlars stalls, full of toys and trifles and vanities. Our understandings, before we are again enlightened from above, are busied about smaller matters, are tithing mint and cummin: but the great things of the law are accounted strange things, are strangers, are not known there.  
2. There is vanity in the will.  
1. It wills foolishly, it wills things not good, not convenient: instead of a fish a stone, instead of bread a scorpion, poison instead of food and Physic. If God will undo a man quickly, he lets him undo himself, lets him have his own will.  
2. Again, the will wills ineffectually. It wills many things contrary to the divine will, and so wills in vain; wills and cannot obtain.  
3. Further, it wills and wills not: it wills mutably; and that is its vanity and infirmity: We are like men in a fever, or like little children; now we will have one thing and anon another; we are not satisfied; we will we know not what. Our vain wills are blown about with every blast of vanity: Yet lastly, the will ofttimes wills wilfully, impetuously, violently: 'tis almost always in motion, though a kind of palsy motion which proceeds from its infirmity and vanity.  
3. There's vanity in the affections.  
1. They are always busyed, and yet always idle; like children, playing in the marketplace of the world, when they should be labouring in God's vineyard: like Martha, troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Our affections had rather, like the Israelites, be scattered all up and down the Egypt of the world, to gather straw and stubble, to make brick to build Cities for the great Pharach, the devil, then to follow Moses or Jesus, towards the heavenly Canaan  
Again 2. There is in our affections the vanity of mutability, they are constant only in inconstancy.  
4ly, There's vanity in the memory: our memories, like the stream, carry down with them light matters, but lets gold and silver, and the more precious things sink to the bottom; 'tis a sieve of vanity, it lets go the good corn, and returns the dross and chaff of vanity; 'tis a cracked cistern which lets out pure Crystal water, and retains only mud and dirt.  
5. Lastly, there's vanity in the Imagination: the fancy is the Arch limner of vain shadows, and disquiets itself in vain: this is the house and shop of vanity, here dwells, and here works vanity night and day; here many chambers of imagery worse and worse, are in every man's fancy before regeneration.  
2. And then as there is vanity in the powers of the mind, so in the perfections of the body: bodily health, strength, agility are not free from vanity: they are vanishing, perishing things; soon gone, of short continuance: God puts no trust in the legs of a man, neither in the strength nor swiftness of any man; so let not us lean too much upon these pillars; these strong men shall one day bow themselves, neither shall any man rescue himself or his brother, from the arrest of death: 'tis worth our taking notice of, that which is observed by learned Mr Mede in his Diatriba upon Prov. 21.16. that Hell is set out to us, in the Old Testament, by this expression, the place of the Giants.  
And as for our health, (set aside innumerable casualties and the principle of mortality within,) it hath 300 cremies, viz. so many diseases, to encounter it; and our liableness to be spoilt by these is part of our vanity. And thus much for the vanity of man in what he is, the vanity of his nature.  
2. As man is vain in his nature, (in the saculties of his soul, and perfections of his body,) so likewise in his operations.  
1. In his thoughts, those inward works of the soul: the soul is a mint, and an Exchange of vain thoughts. Man's heart in thinking, runs like a swift Dromedary up and down the world, and snuffeth up the wind, vanity, every where: oh what a storehouse of foolish, deceitful, sinful, and so of vain thoughts, is every one of our hearts! Oh, how long, how long shall vain thoughts be minded by us, be lodged in us, be hid within us, and the precious thoughts of God, and Jesus Christ, stand without and have not where to lay their heads!  
2. There's vanity in men's words, and communication: men's words are wind, and sometimes, like breath from corrupt lungs, they are rotten, putrid, unsavoury words our mouths are an open Sepulchre, which sends forth a stinking favour, we may say to every natural man, of his words, thou sayest, but they are but vain words, vain because useless;, not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not for use because not for edification: they are idle words, unprofitable words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not working words. God's word is sincere milk, profitable for nourishment: man's words are like foam and froth, vain and unprofitable, for the most part; and sometimes, we spit out our venom in one another's faces whilst we talk together.  
3. The Actions of a man whilst in his natural condition are vanity. His natural actions, his eating, drinking, sleeping, etc. are in vain, because not done to the glory of God. His moral actions, his acts of civil justice, etc. although they be good for the matter of them, yet they are done from a vain principle of inordinate self-love, or in a vain manner, and to a wrong end, for vainglory: and therefore called by the father, but— splendida peccata, glittering sins. And lastly, his religious actions, his fasting, praying, worshipping, are mixed with much vanity: God may say to them, bring no more vain oblations: to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrisices and services? The very Gods of the nations are Idols, are vanity, and lies, in Scripture account; and therefore their religion and worship must needs be  and vain. A natural man whether he eats or drinks, or whatsoever he does, I may say to him, he sows the wind, and shall reap the whirl wind; he conceives vanity and shall bring forth a lie, shall at last be disappointed of his expectation: Surely man walketh in a vain show or shadow, dum unum imaginatur & cogitat, & aliud succedit; whilst he designs one thing, another succeeds; so the next verse to the text is expounced.  
And thus much concerning the vanity of man's nature, and the vanity of actions or operations, his vanity in what he is and what he does.  
3. Lastly, there is a vanity also in what a man hath; the goods of this world which he hath in possession are also vanity. The Heathens used to call these outward good things, bona fortuna, goods of fortune: they thought them subject to change and vanity; as undable as a wheel, up and down; here now, and soon passed away in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Riches, Honours, Pleasures, all are vanity: great places, great palaces, delicious fare, gorgeous attire, a long train of attendants, all these are vanity, and will be found so in the using.  
1. These are vain things, which cannot profit them that have them, as they look to be benefited by them. R●ches are thorns, which are wounding, tearing things: they tear off the fleece, instead of affording shelter, many times; and not only the fleece, but skin and flesh; and our very hearts are rend and torn away after them.  
2. Honours, and great places, etc. they are vanity; these things are wind, apt to make men that have them to swell above their measure: hence so many quarrels for elbow-room in the world: the narrow way to heaven is not broad enough for many great ones; they must be allowed a greater latitude: and the great places many have, are not great enough for their spirits; and this is vanity.  
3. And as for pleasures, they are vain things which perish in the using; short sweets, and oft, bitter sweets: all pleasures are but t vanity, and sinful pleasures are, or one day will prove, vexation of spirit: Momentaneum est quod delectat, aeternum quod cruciat, what a hell is it to think, that a moment hath swallowed up that pleasure which can never return, and if not prevented of in time, will inevitably bring eternal damnation.  
4. All these outward good things are vain, there is no satisfying good in them; happiness is not to be found in these enjoyments. Can a man gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? no more can we gather happiness from the creatures. These whilst enjoyed, are not the souls good things. He was a fool that thought so: and this saying was his folly; and wherever the Gospel shall be preached, this his vanity and folly shall be remembered, Luke. 12. the soul cannot thrive on these husks; not on the wind, like Ephraim; or on the air, like the Chameleon. The heart of the wicked which feeds on wind or air, is little worth. It was well said by a Reverend Divine, that these things, 
Dr. Wh.  they are but halfprovision, provision (namely) for the body only, and that but for this state, for this life, after wards the body will have no use of them.  
5. Again, these things they are for use rather than enjoyment, even whilst we have them; and the time of our using them is but short, the time is but short, faith the Scriptures: God that wheels about the heavens, and spins out time for thee, (as is excellently expressed by a reverend Author,) ere long will out the thread of thy time, the thread of thy life (which is, for the most part, spun out in a thread of vanity) and at last will set fire on, and burn the wheel itself, yea, time shall be no more. And therefore as our life in relation to its comforts, is vanity, so in respect of its continuance also, 'tis a vapour, a bubble, a shadow, a tale, a dream. Childhood and youth are vanity and old-age often proves vexation of spirit.  
And thus we have showed you hitherto how vain a thing is man absolutely considered, in what he is, (his nature, the faculties of his soul, and the perfections of his body;) in what he doth, in what he hath, or can have of this world, so vain a thing is man taken absolutely.  
2. We are to consider him in the next place comparatively, with respect to his maker; and so the whole mass and lump of mankind, they are lighter than vanity, and less than nothing, Esai. 40 17.  
3. Nor can the sons of men combine together, by their relations, to secure themselves from vanity. Let them join hand in hand to build a Tower to reach to the skies, to keep themselves from being overflown with the deluge of vanity; alas! this their attempt and fancy would prove a vanity of vanities; there's a vanity in being alone, and there's a vanity in company, since sin came there: there's division now in our greatest union.  
The relation betwixt friends hath this vanity oft attending it; men will love, tanquam aliquando osuri: and the hatred wherewith they will hate afterwards, shall be greater than the love where with they loved us.  
In relation 'twixt man and wife, there's vanity; and, oftentimes, vexation of spirit. Yea, in the society and communion of Saints, whilst they are in the body, there are disgusts and differences; in judgement first, and then in affection: the society of the Saints, I acknowledge, is New Jerusalem, come down from heaven; yet not always a city: Uanity within itself is the best of all societies; yet vanity will attend Saints, wherever they go, till they are unclothed of these bodies; whilst they are in the body, vanity as a shadow waits on them.  
4. As man is vanity both considered absolutely, in himself, and comparatively to his maker, and also relatively considered in his several stations, so is he all vanity causally, that is, he is the cause or ground of that vanity, which is seen in the inferior creatures; According to that Gen. 3 17, 18. Cursed is the earth for thy sake, etc. Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, etc. And the like is employed, Rom. 8.19, 20, 21, 22. But of this I shall say no more in this place, because I have further occasion to say more of it in the third General.  
And thus having so far explained the main aim of the text, for further proof and amplification of the vanity in man, and the creatures vanity unto man, take but these 3 following De monstrations.  
1. Take the Judgement of God himself, Esai. 40.17. Hear what he saith there of all nations, all nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity, yea, the choicest pieces of the nations are no better, v. 23. he bringeth the princes to nothing, he maketh the Judges of the earth as vanity: and ch. 41 v. 29. Behold they are all vanity, their works are nothing, and so are their thoughts, Psal. 94.11. v. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.  
2. Take the Judgement of good men, great men, and Prophets, and wife men; of David, and Solomon: we have the prophet David's estimate, the man after Gods own heart in the text; and again, v. 11. of this Psalm; and a third time, Psalm. 62.9. Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie; they are lighter than vanity. And as for Solomon, he is a witness beyond all exception, one that had power, and wealth, and wit, and will, to extract the best spirits and the quintessence of all the good things in this world; and did actually make experiment of all; witness his Ecclesiastes: and lastly, he weighed all in God's balance, tried all by God's standard, hath Gods Probatum est to his trial, and the Holy Ghosts Imprimatur to his book; the sum of all which is briefly comprehended in this saying, vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. King Solomon was the great critick-Alchymist of the world, who spent many years to distil the world, but could not extract a drop of happiness out of it, but seas of vanity, boundless and bottomless, wherein he had been drowned, had not Jesus Christ lent him his hand, had not he walked on this sea, and trod under foot all these vanities, and come to Jesus his Saviour.  
3. Study your own experiences, read over the book of your lives that book of four leaves, childhood, youth, manhood, old age, 〈◊〉 you have lived so long) and you'll find it written 〈◊〉 and without, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. You may 〈◊〉 and read 〈◊〉 if God give you grace to open the book and look thereon. But if ye should altogether refuse to read now, although it might save your lives, yea, the life of your souls, yet know there are three days, wherein this truth will stare you in the face, and will be like the hand-writing on the wall to Belshazzar; the former two days are dark days, days of darkness and gloominess, spoken of by Joel, ch. 2. and by Solomon Eccles. 12. the day of distress and misery, and the day of death; and you'll read that in the dark, probably, which in the sunshine of prosperity you could not, or would not do; and this is your vanity: the third and last day is a day of thunder and lightning, the great day of Judgement, and then, if you were blind till then, (which yet you shall not be,) your eyes shall then be opened, and you shall see the world, yourself, your own Condition, all in their proper colours of vanity and vexation of spirit. Let this suffice to have been spoken of two of the main things propounded to be handled in the beginning.   

III.  
3. And now if any ask me; if it be so, why is it thus? The great husbandman sowed good corn in his field, whence then hath it tares? whence hath it vanity? I answer, man may be said to be vanity causally, in regard of himself and also of the creature; that is, to be the Author of the vanity in the creatures, and in himself; I mean, of the sinful vanity of man; and of that vanity and deceitfulness which is in all the creatures, their frustrating man's expectations of satisfaction and happiness in them and from them, which indeed they never promised him. I may say (to allude to that other Scripture) why seek ye the living among the dead? why seek ye happiness below? It is not here it is risen: come to the paradise, and see the place where once it lay. It was sin bred bitterness in our greatest sweets, and discontent in our greatest contentments. We drew on vanity, on ours and the creatures heads, with cords of iniquity. Man when he sinned, became vain in his imagination: and it sufficeth the servant that he be●…s his master, that that likewife be in its kind subject unto vanity.  
It is true, there is a vanity which is not sinful which was not caused by sin; and that is the vanity of the greater and lesser world in comparison to him that made them both; they are so to him, vanity and lighter than vanity.   

iv  
As for the fourth and last general proposed, viz. How we may be freed out of this vanity; I refer you to the close of the application, and so I proceed directly to the Uses.   

Uses.  
Use. 1. I's every man, at his best and most flourishing estate, altogether vanity? Then, according as it is written, Jerem. 9.23. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in his riches; but rather (as it is written, and that again and again, 1 Cor. 1.31. 2 Cor. 10.27.) Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord. Let the poor and mean Christian, (in respect of parts, and place, and of his portion in the things of this life,) let him glory, in that by being a Christian, he is spiritually exalted: but the wise, and noble, and mighty and rich Christian, glory in this, that, by this Scripture, he is made low this day, and set upon the same level and plain ground with his poor brother. Let him consider the vanity and uncertainty, of all worldly enjoyments, and outward excellencies; it is a text or theme the prophet is commanded to preach upon, and that with a loud voice: Esa. 40 67. The spirit said, cry; and I said, what shall I cry? why, all flesh is grass, and the goodliness thereof as the flower of the grass; the grass withereth, and the flower fadeth, because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it. And the Apostle James gives this reason, why rich men should have low thoughts in their high condition, because, as the flower of the grass, they and their riches shall pass away. James, 1.10. You wise men, and noble men, and rich men; you seem gay and glorious flowers, the eyes of men are delighted with such beautiful objects; but alas at your best estate, you are altogether vanity: when you are flowering, you may be nearest to withering, you may die in your prime and flower, like as herbs, when they begin to spring and flourish, presently whither, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways, saith the Scripture, ver. 11. of that 1. of Janes.  
Couldst thou by power or policy, get into a throne, and exalt thy throne above the thrones of all the Kings upon the face of the whole earth; couldst thou proclaim thyself univerfal Lord and Monarch, and send yokes by thine Ambassadors, to all the Princes and States of the world, shouldest thou say in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the most high: yet the time will come, and it will not be long, when this text shall be like Belshazzars hand-writing upon the wall, behold thou art weighed, and art found too light, thou art light upon the balance, altogether vanity, and this kingdom is departed from thee.  
The Kings and great ones, who have gone down into the grave before thee, may take up this proverb against thee, may speak and say unto thee, art thou also become weak as we? art thou also become vanity like unto us? thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: Instead of thy golden and glorious carpets, and cover, behold now the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer son of the morning? O therefore when thou art in prosperity, in thy best estate, say not, I shall never be moved; Do not sing a requiem to thy Soul, with the rich fool, saying, soul, take thine ease, thou hast goods laid up for many years: lest it be said to thee, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be taken from thee. Say not, with Nabuchadnezzar, when thou lookest upon thy goodly buildings, Is not this great Babylon that I have built by the might of my power, and for the honour of my Majesty? lest whilst the word be yet in thy mouth, there fall a voice from heaven, saying, To thee it is spoken, thy kingdom is departed from thee,— thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; and the day cometh when there shall not be left one stone upon another, which shall not be thrown down. Say not with Eastern Babylon, Esa. 47.7, 8. I shall be a Lady for ever; I am and none else besides me, I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children; lest these two things come to thee in a moment, in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: lest desolation come upon thee suddenly which thou shalt not know. Say not, with Western Babylon, that is Rome, (so Austin calls her,) I sit a Queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow; Lest it be said, Therefore shall thy plagues come in one day; death and mourning and famine, etc. Revel. 18.7, 8. Trust not in uncertain riches, but in the living God. Set before your eyes always the vanity of this world, and of your condition here, be it never so flourishing. Let not your thoughts be as their thoughts are, (Psal. 49.11.) of whom the Psalmist witnesseth, their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling-places to all generations: they call their land after their own names; They think their family and name shall continue for ever: Thus they think, but they are but vain thoughts. The Jews have a saying, that Every King is the son of a beggar, and every beggar is the son of a King: Such mutability and vanity there is in humane affairs, and in worldly greatness. 'Tis God's work to humble high things, and to raise low things. He it is who sets up one, and pulls down another, who powers contempt upon Princes, and stains the pride of all their glory, and again, at the same time, raiseth the poor from the dunghill, to set him amongst the Princes of his people.  
Oh then, ye great men, ye Grandees of the world, ye Noblemen, ye rich men, whom God hath, in these respects, exalted above your Brethren, be not highminded, but fear; Let not your hearts be lifted up, to Judge yourselves therefore the only happy men, and to despise others: take heed your height make not your brethren below seem as dwarves, as little or as nothing, in your eyes. If the height you are in once make you dizzy and giddy (as we say) you are like to fall presently, and lay all your honour in the dust or dirt. Do not ye Idolise yourselves, and let not the world deify you; or do not ye deify yourselves, and let not the world Idolise you; for both these are vanity. To make you Gods (to give you that honour which belongs to God) is to make you Idols; and to make you Idols, is to make you vanities, and lies, and nothing, it is indeed quite to mar you, to undo you. This text, well studied, would be a good antidote against the swelling of the poison, or against the tympany of pride in mighty men; and a good Cordial against the pining-consumption of envy in mean men at the prosperity of others. The fashion, beauty, glory of the world passeth away: Every man at his best estate is altogether vanity, Selab.  
And here I shall back this lesson with these following considerations, let high and low, rich and poor, together consider.  
1. That in Adam, our common-Father we were all moulded out of the same red earth, we grew all from one root, we issued all from one fountain: the higher we derive our pedigree, the nearer we are all akin. We are all lines from one centre; and the nearer we go to the centre, the nearer we are one to another: God made of one blood all nations and families to dwell upon the earth, Acts. 17.26. All blood is of one colour, and runs in the like channels and vessels, and observes the same course and motion in all men. We had all one father Adam, and one maker, God. We are the sons and daughters of Adam, who was the son of God.  
2. We all live upon our fellow-Creatures; We all spend out of God's treasury, are maintained at his cost and charges. Those who received and spend most of God's bounty, are like greater and larger poor men's boxes: God of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, doth of his mere goodness, feed, and cloth, and harbour us all. We are, all of us, wholly beholden to him, and live upon his alms or contribution altogether: and the more delicious is our fair, the finer our apparel, the more stately our dwelling, the greater our train; the more are we indebted to his liberality. The whole world is God's Hospital or Almshouse; where the greatest and gayest are indeed but his Eleemosynaryes, his Almes-men.  
3. All men are alike, for almost half their times, viz. whilst both are asleep, only it is the sleep of the labouring man, ordinarily, is the sweetest; here in sleep, as in death, poor and rich meet together, and here the servant is free from his master.  
4. That greatness is not always, not very often, accompanied with goodness: a man may be advanced to worldly honour and more greatness, but not at all to be bettered thereby, or therewith. The same piece of money without any real change in the money, may by the supreme power, be advanced and made to pass at a higher rate: even so is honour, the raising the rate or value of a man in the account of the world, 
D. R.  without changing the man, in the least; for the better; on the other side, poverty and outward meanness, do not make men ordinarily the worse. Nay, those who by the world are accounted as the scum, and dung, and filth of the world; even they are Gods Jewels, they are they of whom the world is not worthy. It is well said by Dr. R. that mighty men and mean, differ but like great and small letters, in the same volume, great letters take up more room, make a braver show: It may be we are arrayed in scarlet, and so better seen, and more gazed on by vulgar eyes: but they put no more matter or worth, no more or better sense into the words which they compound, 〈◊〉 the volumes th●… are in. Great men make a more glorious show in the volume of this world; but this great book of the Universe is not substantially the better for them.  
5. Whilst we live together here in this world, there is no respect of persons with God: God accepts no man's person, or sacrifice, for his greatness: and, in Christ Jesus, 'tis not his being a mighty man, or mean man; a rich man, or poor man; not bound or free, which availeth any thing; but the being a good man, a good Christian, this is it which is accepted of him. All true Christians, rich and poor, are fellow-members of the same body; now, as in the body natural, one member doth not undervalue another, because it is not set in so high a place in the body, or is not so well clothed as another: so let Christians of high degree, not contemn them of low degree; and let not Christians of low degree, envy or repine at them that are exalted: they that are on high see a larger field of vanity, than you that stand on a lower ground.  
6. We shall all die alike; no difference in the natural deaths of men because Princes, or poor men, mighty or mean. Though some seem to have heads of gold, like Nebuchadnezars Image; yet they all stand but upon feet of clay; we must lie down in the dust together; and who can distinguish the King's dust from the beggars. We are all excellently well compared to a set of counters, which men use in casting of account: the counters are in themselves all alike, and differ only for a time, according to the place in which they are set; some stand for pounds, some for shillings, and some for pence; but in the conclusion all are alike jumbled into the box or bag together: so it is in the world, some stand in a higher place and a greater value is set on them for a time than others; but at last, at death, all shall be jumbled alike into the grave, Psal. 49.  
7. When we shall be awakened out of our sleep in the grave, and gathered together before the judgement seat of Christ; this distinction, of noble, and mean men shall cease. In the Resurrection, at the Coronation of the King of Kings, the Heralds of this world shall have no place to rank men according to the dignity of their houses and families. In that respect, the resurrection will make us all Peers, and those that shall wait on him on that day, he will make all and for ever Kings. Oh therefore, considering that after a while, all these artificial differences of coats and outward distances of place, shall cease; let us not, for this small pittance of time we have to live here, let us not despise or envy one another, let not the honourable person behold his inferior with a haughty, proud, disdainful eye and let not the mean man look on the noble man, or great man with an evil and envious eye. Neither let the great Scholars of the world, or the grandees for wisdom and knowledge, exalt themselves too much, and glory in their learning and wisdom, as if these were exempt and privileged from the touch of vanity. Let such know, that the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God; and that King Solomon, wiser than the wisest now upon the face of the earth, found a vanity in human knowledge, Eccles. 1.18.  
Besides, let the greatest Scholar the world has, see and know, that his line is too short to fathom the depths of nature; that there are many things there; which, as to the comprehensive knowledge of them, he must let them alone forever. Where is the wise man? where is the disputer of this world? where is the profound Philosopher? Give me, if thou canst, a Definition of thy own soul, Nay but the definition of a straw under thy foot. Tell me if thou canst, how the Remora, a fish no bigger than a carp, stays the ship? How the Loadstone draws Iron? Why the grass is green? Give us a satisfactory reason, if you can, why some Creatures are covered naturally with hair-cloath, others with rugs of the finest wool, and others walk up and down and fly abroad, as well as sleep, in feather beds of divers colours? Hen quantum est quod nescimus! and again, Maxima pars eorum quae scimus, est minima eorum quae nescimus: good Mottoes for the greatest Scholars. Oh therefore let the great Scholar glory in this, that he knows me, saith the Lord, Jerem 9 or in this, that he knows Jesus Christ and him crucified; and that he is able to comprehend, with all Saints, the height, and depth, and length and breadth of the love of God, and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge.  
Use. 2. Is every man at his best estate vanity? then, cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils, whose condition, when most flourishing, is but fading and vanishing, for wherein he is to be accounted of? Put not your trust in Princes, or in any son of man, Psal. 146.3.  
Men cannot preserve themselves alive, or in honour, cannot make themselves happy, or secure themselves from outward misery. Lean not too hard on these staves, they will break under you: to trust to these is to trust to a broken reed, 'tis to lean on a spear which will pierce you, they are staves of bands, and not of beauty. The rod of God is a staff; but the staff of man is a rod oft times, and will soon be turned into a Serpent, and by't you. Trust not in the favour of Princes, or great men: Consider the height and downfall of Haman, Sejanus, Cardinal Woolsey, and other Favourites. Trust not in the favour of the multitude or common-people, neither, versatilis turba.  
Now the multitude will cry Hosanna, and anon Crucisige now they will prepare Garlands, and be ready to sacrifice to you as a God; and anon they will stone you as a Malefactor, or one of the worst of men.  
Use. 3. Is there vanity in what thou art, and dost, and haste (considered without Christ)? then do not Idolise thyself for any endowments, nor bless thyself for any creature enjoyments: do not pride thyself for parts and gifts: If thy heart be lifted up within thee for these, thou hast but a vain mind, thou art become a fool in glorying, if any man might have stood upon their parts and abilities, surely Solomon much more.  
Be not too much enamoured with the perfections of thy body or outward man; thy strength, agility, health, beauty; all shall fade away, whither like the grass, and perish like the flower of the grass, when the blasting East wind, or the scorching Sunbeams comes upon it. The day will come when you shall say, they are vanity; when you shall say you have no pleasure in them.  
Do not place happiness in what thou hast, in great possessions, in Creature-comforts, and enjoyments, there's a vanity in delicious meats and drinks, in fine apparel, in sumptuous buildings, in a large train of attendants, in the multitude of friends and acquaintance; do not place happiness in these things, for you will never be able to find it here. In vain do you look for Canaan on this side Jordan, the Devil shown our Saviour all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and 'tis observed, that he did this in a moment, as it were in ictu oculi, in the twinkling of an eye, sic transit gloria mundi. But we have need to go up often, and to stay long with God in the mount, to see clearly all the kingdoms of the world and the vanity of them. The world is a world of vanity; yea, there's a world of vanity in every man. Behold I show you a mystery, the lesser world man is more comprehensive of vanity than the greater.  
Use. 4. Is the world a world of vanity unto man? are the good things of the world (as they are called) good for nothing, as to the making us happy? then let's not fall out, and make ourselves miserable by divisions, strifes, and contentions about them; 'tis for children and fools to wrangle and fall out for toys, and vanities. Fall not out for that which is not. It was Justus Lipsius his Epitaph of his own making, which he commanded to be written on his Sepulchre.  
Vis altiore voce me tecum loqui.  
Humana cunota sumus, umbra, vanitas,  
Et, verbout absolvam, nihil.  
Use. 5. Let us all make that use of this doctrine, which the Prophet David doth in this, Psal. v. 7. saying, And now, Lord, what wait we for? our hope is in thee. Seeing Every man is so vain, and seeing every thing is so unprofitable, why should we in vain seek to be happy by any thing short of thee? No, no, we do not; that be for ever far from us so to do. Our hearts were made by thee, and they are never fully at rest, till they come unto thee. Thy favour and grace we prise above all earthly happiness. Be thou our God, let us be thy Sons and daughters; and then we are sure, thou hast begun already, and wilt perfectly, in thy own time, redeem us from this bondage of corruption and vanity, to which we are now subject. As we are children of the first Adam, so we are indeed bondmen to vanity; but our hope is in the second Adam, to be by him delivered into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. Our present life is vanity, but the gift of God is eternal life, is immortality. All this world is a world of vanity; but we look for the world to come, wherein dwells blessedness and true felicity. Vanity groweth up out of the earth: we expect our happiness to come from heaven. We account all things here below, but as dung and dross and vanity in comparison of Christ and the grace and glory of Christ, those better things, those things above, all temporal good things are but as shadows; but our substance is with thee, substantia mea apud te est, so some render the 7th verse. All worldly hopes are but like the spider's web; but our hope in God and Christ our Saviour, is an Anchor firm and steadfast, cast surely within the veil, so that we can never sink. Our all, is nothing, compared to thee; Lord, thou art our all in all. Whom have our souls in heaven, but thee? and whom have we on earth that we can desire in comparison of thee? truly our lines are fallen in a pleasant place, we have a goodly inheritance: The Lord is our portion, our exceeding great reward, we will not be satisfied with any thing, with all things, besides thee; not with things present, nor things to come; not with things in the height or depth, visible or invisible, temporal or eternal; not with angels, principalities or powers, or earth or heaven; we esteem all as shadows, and vanities; only this is our happiness, we are Christ's, and Christ is Gods. We will no longer forsake our own mercies, that is, thou, the God of our mercies, to follow after lying vanities behold here is an answer to the last thing propounded in the beginning, viz. This is the way to be freed from vanity, and we will walk in it. Jesus Christ is our Captain, whom if we follow through the troublesome sea of this world, as the Israelites did Moses through the Red-sea; the waters shall stand as a wall on the right hand and on the left, and the proud waters shall not overwhelm us, shall not go over our souls. Jesus Christ is our Ark, into whom we will get by faith, and by him be saved, whilst the whole world, that are out of Christ, shall perish by this flood of vanity which comes upon all the earth. Thus will we make sure of this one thing necessary, that our faith and hope, being in God, shall not be in vain; that we shall not live and die in vain, but that our Lord Jesus Christ may be to us, both in life and death, gain and advantage; that, when we shall part with our corporal lives (which, in times of sickness and war, we carry daily in our hands, and are apt to lose; and which, in times of the greatest peace and prosperity, we cannot long hold; for at the best, they are fleeting, and fading, and vanity) we may be sure to lay fast hold on eternal life; so that vanity may no more have dominion over us; Amen.    

An Epitaph on Sir Roger Townshend, who died at Geneva in his travail towards Rome, aged 19 years and a half, in the year 1648.  

Lo here lies dust and ashes Oar,  
More prec'ous than the golden shore;  
One Jewel precious in this tomb,  
Far more than all i'th' Sea of Rome.  
Geneva now a Saint may vie  
With Rome, and with all Italy:  
Lo there the Painters are divines  
In Colours, and their Saints are shrines;  
But here doth sleep are all Saint,  
Here is no Sepulchre in paint.  
Piedmont to Townshend Pisgah was,  
Nigh which to Canaan he doth pass,  
And when men thought h'had been at Rome,  
To Heaven the Traveller was come:  
To England how should he return,  
When all's on fire and Seas do burn:  
Had he seen Rome, he knew't would farn  
Then make a Saint him rather mar:  
In peace had's English home 'gain seen,  
H'had still a Ward and Pilgrim been.  
Heaven is a home which rest give can,  
And under Twenty make him Man.   T. H.  

Another.  

HEre aye Geneva Lake let weep  
Cause death a Gourt of Guard did keep;  
Echo ye Alps for aye alas!  
'Cause Travellers' have for death no pass:  
Our tears let recompense the Lake,  
And ever after full-sea make;  
Let's thus requite the hills, let's all  
Henceforth them Townshends Pyramids call.    

On Occasion of the Narrative sent over by M. Diodati in which house he died.  

ARe ye prevented Poets? what too late  
His life and death to blazo'n? Diodate  
Has done't in Prose, he that the Sacred Text  
First Commented upon, his life is next:  
And 'twas a sacred story, short it was;  
Upon the Bible call't a Paraplorase,  
A Paraphrase Incarnate of the last  
And best edition much corrected was't,  
Reformed eve'ry way, Translated so,  
He now speaks seventy languages and moe;  
HE Interprets Babel, Pentecost and all,  
And is translated to's Original.  
In this small work divinity is more  
Than in the great Tostatus half a score.  
Yea, now one Tome of this short volume man  
Contains more learning than the Vatican,  
Set by Inspired Authors, th' rest i●le call  
Compared to this, one Ignoramus all:  
Worms may devour th' book cover, leaves may fade  
Though green and florid, or with gold over laid;  
Worms can't corrupt the text, and the Angel's blast  
Shall blow ' way worms, and dust, and death at last.   T. H.  

The Second Sermon.  Luke 16.30.31. 
And he said, nay father Abraham, but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent.  
And he said unto them, if they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one risen from the dead.  
THe Relation concerning Dives and Lazarus from the 19th verse to the end of this Chapter, some will have to be an History, others a Parable; I concur with the latter: for what tongue could Dives have in hell, whose body was in the grave? And what finger could Lazarus have, whose soul only was now in Paradise or heaven?  
In parables what is set down as spoken, signifies only what was fit to be said; if any words were to be made of such matters. Parables (saith one) are Vocal Hieroglyphics, 
Dr. Ing.  lively images of useful truths fitted for instruction: Christ made fescues of known earthly resemblances, to point out to us spiritual and heavenly Doctrines.  
In this parable Dives in Hell makes two requests to Abraham in heaven.  
First, for himself, that he would send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool his tongue: But he that would not give a crumb of bread, could not obtain a drop of water.  
Being denied for himself, his second request is for his brethren, viz. that Abraham, would send Lazarus to his father's house, to testify unto his brethren, lest they also should come unto that place of torment: But he speeds no better in this then in the former: Abraham lets him know, 'tis needless: They have Moses and the prophets, i. e. the writings of Moses and the prophets; let them hear them; believe and obey them: by them they may sooner and better be persuaded to repent, then if Lazarus or any other like him should arise from the dead to warn them, and to testify to them that they should repent.  
Again, in Parables the end and scope of them is mainly to be attended unto; now the scope and design of this parable is to teach rich men pity and compassion to the poor, and to teach all men to read and meditate on the holy Scriptures, to hear and to obey them, that so they may attain eternal life; for the right way to escape hell torments, and to be made partakers of Heaven's happiness, is to follow the guidance and direction of the Holy Scriptures. If it be asked, how came Abraham to know that the Jews had the writings of Moses and the prophets? I answer, he might be informed of this, by Moses and the prophets, when they came to heaven: or he might know it by revelation: probably, God would not hid from Abraham, a matter of so great concernment to his seed: however, certain it is, the Jews had the Holy Scriptures, which were able to make them wise unto Salvation: and they had no need that any should rise from the dead to teach them.  
'Tis true indeed, men are apt to fancy, by other ways and means to get good, and to do good, and to please God, than what God hath prescribed: men are apt to say in their hearts, who shall ascend into heaven, to bring them the mind of God in such and such things? or wherewithal shall I come before God to make atonement for my sins? shall I give the first born of my body for the sin of my soul? when Naaman the Syrian came to be cured of his leprosy, 2 King 5.11. he verily thought, that the prophet would have come out to him, and would have stroked his hand over the place, and have called upon the name of his God, and when he saw he was disappointed of his expectation in these particulars he grew very angry and would hardly be persuaded by his servants to go and wash seven times in Jordan, as the prophet had sent unto him to do; saying, are not Abanah and Pharpor, Rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them and be clean? the same Naaman, after he was cured of his leprofy, had a fancy, that the earth of the land of Canaan, was better to build an Altar to God withal, then of any other land; and therefore, he begged of the prophet Elisha, that there might two Mules burden of earth be given him: (I suppose, for the purpose aforesaid, because it immediately follows) for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offerings nor sacrifice unto any other gods, but unto the Lord, 2 Kin. 5.17. The Jews, they imagined, that Messiah should be a temporal Prince, and set up a temporal Kingdom, and therefore, because our Saviour Christ, came not in such outward pomp, state, and glory, they rejected him: hence it is I suppose also, that the papists are not contented with Christ's naked institutions but presume to add of their own inventions, to make them more gaudy, and more efficatious: to Baptism with water, they add Cream, Oil, spittle, exsufflation. The Lord's supper they have turned from a Sacrament for the living, to a sacrifice for the quick and dead: they will not presume to go directly or immediately to God the King of Heaven, or by the mediation only of his own son whom he hath made Master of requests there, but they must make use of the mediation of the Courtiers of Heaven, Saints and Angels: they fancy 'tis not good manners to do otherwise: they think Christ crucified, not sufficiently represented, in the preaching of the word, and administration of the Sacraments except they have also before their eyes, crucifixes, Images, or pictures of him hanging on the Cross. The Idolaters of old offered their sons and daughters in sacrifice, to appease their offended Gods. And Gods own people, imitated the Idolaters of the nations: which thing yet, God tells them, it never came into his heart, to require at their hands; those Idolaters, the worshippers of Baal, cut and lanced themselves to procure more compassion and audience of their prayers: and amongst the papists, some whip themselves, to make thereby satisfaction for their sins, Mat. 6.7. We read of some that thought they should be heard for their much-speaking: and such are our papists also who think to prevail, by such a number of Ave-maries', and Pater-nosters; as if God regarded and answered prayers, according to their number, rather than according to the faith and devotion, of the souls that made them. And here Dives had a persuasion, that though his brethren were not converted by the ordinary means, Moses and the Prophets, yet they would certainly repent, if an extraordinary messenger, one from the dead, should be sent to them, to warn them, lest they came into the same place of torment where he was. And truly at the first view, this request of Dives, to send Lazarus from the other world, from the bosom of Abraham to his brethren the children of Abraham according to the flesh, to warn them to repent, seems not unreasonable.  
For first, the apparition of a dead man's Ghost, we may easily imagine, would affright a sinner in the midst of his sins, and make him smite on his thigh, and say, what have I done? or what do I? Moses and the Prophets tell us of our duties, of the punishment due to us, if we fail of it, but one that comes from the other world, could testify, that all that Moses and the prophets have said, is true; so that their words should not seem any more (as they do too too often, to many) but as idle tales: such a one could tell, that there is another life after this, that there is a future estate of happiness or misery; that when a man dies, his soul doth not die with his body, doth not sleep; doth not cease to be. It would be happy for Atheists, Epicures, Gluttons, Drunkards, Blasphemers, and unclean persons; for oppressors, for covetous and unmerciful Dives' if there was no life, no world after this; but that as they have lived like beasts, or worse than beasts, so they may die like beasts also; But if there had been neither Moses nor the prophets to testify the contrary, yet needed not any to come from the dead to do it: heathen poets, and philosophers, have had knowledge of a future estate; witness their Elysian fields, a kind of paradise for the virtuous; and their Phlegethons', a river of fire, a kind of hell for the wicked.  
But 2dly, If a Ghost should appear to us, we should be apt to think, that we should die shortly; and that the Ghost of a dead man, did come to call or summon us, to the state and place of separate souls; such an apparition would be like the Messenger to Hezekiah, set thy house in order for thou shalt die: and probably would put us into Bellshazzars posture, when he saw the hand-writing upon the Wall, would make our countenance change, would make the joints of our loins to be loosed, and our knees to smite one against another. And one would think, that such a fear, terror and consternation, might reasonably mind us, of what we had done, namely, to undo ourselves: and what we should do to escape the wrath to come, or the damnation of hell.  
And 3dly, All this probably might prove more effectual, if that one that came from the dead, should be Lazarus, a good man, whose soul, came from the bosom of Abraham; Lazarus, one who likely might be known, to Dives his brethren, to have been a poor miserable and contemptible person whilst he lived in this world; when they should see him come from heaven, from one of the highest places there, from Abraham's bosom, and probably, in a glorious manner, make his appearance; this might teach them, and mind them, that 'tis possible, that poor men may be happy in the other world; and besides, when he should tell them, as he might be well able to do, how happy he was there, though he had been never so poor here, and how miserable, Dives their brother was in hell, not withstanding all his great riches in this world; this, one would think, should be, an effectual means, to warn, to persuade, and to bring them to repentance: I say when he should tell them, that poor Lazarus was comforted, and rich Dives was tormented, how he was advanced to heaven, and their brother Dives thrown down to hell; when he should tell them, the glorious visions and fruitions of heaven, and that there was no comparison betwixt earth and heaven; betwixt the fading riches of this world, and the durable riches of the other, 'twixt sensible pleasures, and heavenly joys; 'twixt the honour from men here, and the glory that is to be had from God hereafter; 'twixt the company of men though never so great, and rich here, and the society of God and his holy Angels in heaven; And that Dives his palace was but a dungeon, or dunghill, to the palace of the great king of heaven and earth; that riches either hoarded up, or Epicurean-like, laid out upon ourselves, our back and our belly, would not avail in the day of wrath; and would only be able to aggravate our misery, and to increase our torment there; further, when he should tell them, that money though it answers all things here, yet in the other world it is of no use at all; Saints and Angels above, slight it, as much as worldlings overvalue it below: behold, in the other world Dives and all his riches, were weighed and sound too light: that Dives his greatness, Riches and Honours and delicates were momentary, and all vanished; and that in place and room thereof, how he is tormented. How that he saw him in hell torments, instead of delicious fare, and delightful music, behold weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth: Instead of purple and fine linen, behold fire and Brimstone, and the smoke of the Bottomless pit, compassing him as a garment. And on the other side, for his own part, he had no cause at all to repent him, of all his poverty, hardship, and misery he went through or underwent in this life, for that now heaven makes amends for all. That his light afflictions, which were but for a moment, are now recompensed with a far more, exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And if after all this and a great deal more which he might say, he should tell them, that if they did continue in their sins and die in them, they should have their portion in hell, with their brother Dives, yea, with the Devil and his angels for ever; but if they would now forsake their fins, if they would break off their sins by repentance, and their iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; if they would cease to do evil, and learn to do well; if they would be open hearted and openhanded to their poor brethren; when they died, God would send his Angels, to carry their souls into the bosom of Abraham, from whence he came out, sent by their father Abraham, and at the request of their brother Dives. If all this had been said and done, one would be ready to think, that here had been enough and more then enough, to have persuaded the worst and most hardhearted sinner to repentance; But so is it, that a great deal more effectual means then all this, prove insufficient to turn sinners from the errors of their ways.  
1. The Jews had Moses and the prophets amongst them, who being dead, yet spoke unto them in their writings. They received the law by the disposition of Angels; yea God himself preached unto them in thunder and lightnings, and flames of fire at Sinai; the Jews had more signs, wonders and miracles wrought amongst them, or for them, than the whole world besides: they had three raised from the dead under the Old Testament-dispensation; our Saviour when he came he raised three from the dead, one newly dead Jairus his daughter: one carried out to be buried as the widow of Naim her son, and one that lay four days in the grave, viz. Lazarus; and yet the Jews, the body of the nation, were ofttimes hardhearted and impenitent sinners; even when Christ came in the flesh, and manifested forth his glory amongst them, in working more miracles, than Moses and the prophets that went before him: yet they would not repent, that they might believe, that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, and that believing they might have life, through his name: yea, they sought to put Lazarus to death, whom Christ raised from the dead; and at last put Christ himself to death who brought him from the dead: so far were they from being wrought upon, to repent once unto life by this miracle.  
2. Yea, Christ himself afterward raised himself from the dead, and confirmed his doctrine and his mission, that he was sent of God, that he came out of the bosom of God the father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that he came to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins, and yet the gross of the Jewish Nation would not be persuaded to repent and believe on him: behold one greater than Moses, and all the prophets; and therefore one greater than Lazarus, and he too from the dead, his soul from paradise, and his body was raised out of the grave: and he was one who could tell them of the joys of heaven, and of the torments of hell more, and better than Lazarus: he could tell them, that for to procure pardon to sinners, he himself had suffered the pain of sense in the garden, when he said, his soul was exceeding sorrowful unto the death, and when he sweat great drops of blood, trickling down to the ground; and the pain of loss when he hung on the Cross, and cried out, my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me? he could tell them that for their sakes he had endured the pains of hell, to the end, that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem: yet how few in comparison, amongst the Jews believed on him.  
3. 'Tis observable, what we read of Herod, that he heard John Baptist gladly, and did many things at his preaching though John wrought no miracles: and when he heard of the same of Jesus Christ, and the mighty works done by him, and imagined that it was John the Baptist or some old prophets risen from the dead, but for all that, did not repent and amend his life, that ever was heard of.  
4. There are to be found many, too too many amongst us, that call themselves Christians, 
D. All.  and profess to believe in Christ crucified, dead and buried, descended into hell, that he arose from the dead the third day, ascended into heaven, and from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead, and for all this are impenitent and unbelieving.  
5. Pass we to the Church of Rome, and see whether it be better there, they tell us of the obambulation of spirits, of the apparitions of dead men, whose souls have come out of the fire of purgatory, a temporary hell; and yet how few amongst them are brought to true repentance and amendment of life.  
6. How often do men come from the beds of dying men and women, from the last words perhaps of good men and women, telling them, they are as full of joy as they can hold, that they desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ; or from the beds and last words of wicked men, who would if it was possible, call time again, or desire to live, though it was but the life of a toad, rather than die; and yet how few are thereby wrought upon to repentance unto life? to a repentance never to be repent of?  
7. Come we to ourselves, and as a Reverend and learned Author observes; 
D. Allest.  we, divers of us, have been in our own apprehension at death's door, and have had the prospect of the other world before our eyes, as it were, and God hath said to us at such a time by his providence, return, return, thou shalt not die, and then our good purposes and resolutions, of dying to our former sins, die presently, and we mend into, and live unto our old fins again: And how then should another man's coming from the dead make us repent, when we ourselves have come, as it were from the dead, and have not repent?  
Are these things so? let's learn then to attend to Moses and the Prophets, i. e. to the holy Scriptures; and that they are more likely and effectual means to bring sinners to repentance, then if one came unto them from the dead; and that now we are not to expect Messengers or preachers to be sent unto us from the dead, nor any signs, wonders, or Miracles to be wrought, to bring or persuade us to repent; or to warn us to fly from the wrath to come. Let none be found amongst you that asketh counsel of the dead, for all that do such things are an abomination to the Lord, Deuter. 1811. To the law, and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this Rule, it is because there is no light in them: men must not seek or ask counsel for the living of the dead, Isa. 8 19.20. When King Saul in his distress, went to the witch of Endor to raise up Samuel from the dead, to inquire of him; the devil appeared to him in samuel's mantle, and sad was the issue of that enquiry: and should we desire and have an apparition from the dead, how should we be assured that it was not a cheat put upon us by the devil? and that it was not the devil appeared to us in the likeness of our friend, or of the party we had a mind to consult withal: Angels, even evil Angels can assume bodies for a time, and move them, or else make to themselves aerial bodies, and move them though not inform them, as the soul the body. We read, that Satan can transform himself into an Angel of light: if so, then surely into the likeness of a dead man, yea of a dead saint.  
Again, we might probably be more affrighted then edified, by such an apparition; and when the fright was over, we might question, whether there was any such thing or no: whether it was not a dream of our own brain, or a cheat or trick put upon us, by others, or whether there was not some mist cast before our eyes, and some juggle or trick used to make us think we saw what we did not see.  
Further, the holy Scriptures teach us, that God hath magnified his word above all his name, above his creatures and the works of his creation; above his providences, ordinary and extraordinary; in plain english, above miracles, signs and wonders: Here in this parable we are taught rather to attend to the holy Scriptures then to one that should come to us from the dead. In the first Chapter of the 2d Epist. of Peter, 17, 18, 19 verses, the holy Apostle teaches us, to attend unto the word of prophecy, as more sure, than a voice from heaven, from the excellent glory, when our blessed Saviour was transfigured, upon the holy mount, and had conference with Moses from the dead, and with Elijah from heaven, concerning his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or departure out of this world; and truly this is the only instance, in all the Scriptures, of the matter of the discourse of any one that arose from the dead, our blessed Saviour himself excepted: if God had ever intended that we should be taught by men from the dead, surely we should have had some directions, or instructions from those whom the prophets, our Saviour, or the holy Apostles raised from the dead, but behold Altum Silentium! not a word to this purpose.  
And this deep silence in this matter, speaks aloud to us, not to make enquiry of the dead, either what we are to do in this, or to expect in the other world. I shall add one testimony more in this matter, and that is of St Paul, Galath. 1.8, 9 where he saith, that if we or any Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you, then that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed: where he prefers the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ, preached by him, and which was taken out of, and proved by Moses and the prophets, before the testimony of an Angel from heaven. And if so, then surely; the Testimony of Moses and the Prophets, is more to be attended unto, then that of one that should rise from the dead: And here we may appeal to our own reason, and to the reason of other men, and say, Whether it be more reasonable to believe God or man judge ye? God, The living God, speaking to us in his holy word by Moses and the prophets, or to a man, suppose it was Lazarus from the dead? Before God gave his people his mind and will in writing, he taught them by dreams and visions of the night, by the ministry of Angels, by signs and wonders, but now he hath revealed his whole counsel, necessary to our salvation and committed it to writing; now that he hath sealed up the Canon of the Old Testarnent by Ezra, and of the New by Saint John's Revelation; and now that he hath ratifyed the truth of both, by his broad seal of miracles, let not the Church nor any particular person look after one from the dead, or for signs, wonders and miracles. His holy word teacheth us, that now God commandeth every man, every where to repent, because he hath appointed a day to judge the world in righteousness by Jesus Christ, whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given sufficient proof, or evidence to all men, in that he raised him from the dead, Acts. 17.30, 31. I confess it hath been the guise and fashion of the world to look after, and long for Miracles. Show us a sign, and what sign showest thou? said the Jews to Christ: notwithstanding all the wonders and miracles that he had wrought amongst them, yea, the devil himself, tempted our blessed Saviour in the wilderness to show a sign, to work a miracle, if thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread. But our Lord and Saviour would not gratify the devil's curiosity, nor work a wonder at his beck or desire; he would not cast such a pearl before such a swine; besides, had our Saviour wrought that miracle in that place, and at that time, the devil might have denied it; or if not, our Saviour's enemies possibly might have been tempted by the devil to blaspheme, as some times they did afterwards, and to say, he had done it by the power of the devil.  
We are apt to think, that if one came from the dead, or that we saw signs and wonders, than we should believe, than we should repent; but alas! alas! how often hath God showed signs, and wrought wonders for nations and persons, and yet they have remained impenitent and disobedient.  
Pharaoh, and the Egyptians had many signs and wonders wrought before their eyes; and yet their foolish hearts were hardened; yea, such madness was in their hearts, that they pursued Israel into the Red sea, and were drowned in the sea. The Israelites for whose sake God wrought such wonders in Egypt and in the Red-sea, and whom God led and fed by a Miracle in the Wilderness with Angel's food, bread from heaven, and with water out of the rock forty years, yet they murmured, and tempted God, and many a time rebelled they against his word; so that six hundred thousand of them, their carcases fell in the wilderness, and they could not enter into the Land of Canaan, because of unbelief: Well, come we to their children whom God Miraculously preserved; brought into and settled in the good land of Canaan; and we shall find, that they or their children, soon forget God their Saviour; whereas God, the Lord of hosts, did several times fight for Israel with his hosts; his Angels; his stars, his clouds, against their enemies; yet ever and anon we find them even fight against God: when our Saviour Christ came into the world, entered upon his public Ministry and office of Mediator, he manifested forth his glory many ways, in sundry miracles wrought by him, in the sight of the Jews, and were they kindly and savingly wrought upon? were they warned? were they persuaded? did they, the body of them, all repent? do we not rather find, that when our Saviour raised Lazarus from the dead, and by reason thereof, many believed on him, that therefore their chief priests an Rulers, the pharisees, sought to kill Christ, and Lazarus both? yea, when they had crucified the Lord of glory, and he arose from the dead, the third day, the greatest Miracle, that ever the sun saw, did they thereupon believe and repent? no, no, they seek to hid this miracle, and they give money to the soldiers to say, his disciples came by night and stole him away. Of old, Balaam was stopped by an Angel from heaven, and God opened the mouth of his Ass, so that he spoke with man's voice, and reproved the madness of the prophet, yet Balaam was not converted King Jeroboams hand was withered, and restored, by a miracle, and yet he continued his false worship at Dan and Bethel, and would not suffer the people to worship at Jerusalem. King Ahab saw that great wonder, fire came from heaven to consume the sacrifice, at the prayers of Elijah; and yet for aught we know, was never savingly wrought upon: Yea, that which is a wonder to think of it, good men who have seen wonders and miracles, have not been so good as they should be, but after those things have for a time turned afide, like a broken bow. Good King Hezekiah, that was cured of the plague, by direction of the Prophet, after he had received the sentence of death in himself, yet his heart was lifted up, and he did not render unto the Lord answerable to what he had received. jonah the prophet was miraculously preserved in the belly of the whale, three days and three nights, and yet afterwards was so peevish and passionate as to tell God to his face, that he did well to be angry even unto death. Go we higher, Noah was saved by Miracle in an Ark, without sails, Rudders, Anchors or Pilot, when the world was drowned, and yet was overtaken soon after, with drunkenness. Lut was saved miraculously from fire, when Sodons and Gomorrah and the other Cities were burned, and yet it was not long, before he became guilty of drunkenness and incest. By these instances national and personal, we may conclude, that signs wonders and miracles are not always, such certain, powerful, and effectual means, to bring sinners to repentance, or to make bad men good, or good men better, as men are apt to imagine.  
But what shall we say then to that of our Saviour, Obj. Matth. 11.21.23. woe to thee Corazin, woe unto thee Fethsaida, for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Zidon they would have repent long ago in sackcloth and ashes?  
Grotius will have all these things to be said by our Saviour not Ans. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is to say, it is reasonable to think, that those miracles would have been sufficient, to produce such effects, even repentance, and that in sackcloth and ashes, as Jonahs' preaching did among the Ninevites: again, although miracles might probably have been efficatious to bring gentile sinners to repentance; yet the Jews were so perverse, obstinate, and rebellious, they had Moses and the Prophets, and therein sufficient motives to repentance, (namely Gods commands, his promises, and threaten, even heaven and hell set before them, and those things ratifyed formerly by miracles) so that if they would not be wrought upon by all this, it would be in vain to send unto them a messenger, or preacher from the dead: miracles (saith the Apostle) are for them that believe not, and not for them that believe, when there is no prophecy, there miracles probably may prevail, but those within the Church who have had Moses and the prophets, and prophecy confirmed by miracles long ago, if they believe not, if they repent not, they themselves are to be looked upon us prodigies and wonders; so far are they from reasonably expecting of miracles, to turn and convert them: If Moses and the prophets be not of credit with Dives his brethren, being Jews, to persuade them to amend and repent, neither could one, and that one Lazarus, if he went unto them from the dead.  
The Uses or inferences from the premises may be either for direction or information of ourselves, or for confutation of others, that are in error, and for exhortation.  
1st. Use, Hence we may be informed, 
1 Use.  that if we must attend to Moses and the prophets, and that those believed and obeyed, are means sufficient to bring us to repentance and salvation, that then by those, as the wife men by a Star, we may be directed unto Christ: our blessed Saviour testified as much, John. 5.46.47. Hadye believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of we; but if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? Moses wrote of Christ, Gen. 3.15. Namely, that the seed of the woman should break the scrpents' head; and Deut. 18.15.18. the Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren like unto me, unto him ye shall hearken: This was so well known, that Philip finding Nathanael, saith unto him, as we read, John. 1.45. We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth; the son of Joseph: As for the prophets, they foretold him, as the Branch of the Lord, Isa. 4.2. as the prince of peace; so Isaiah, chap. 9.6. as the destre of all nations, Haggai Chap. 2.7. As Messiah the prince, so Daniel, Chap. 9.25. as the sun of righteousness with healing in his wings, so Malachi Chap. 4. ver. the 2d: the two Testaments are joint witnesses of one and the same great truth; namely, that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour that was to come into the world.  
2. Use, hence we may learn to make the written word of God, 
2 Use. Of Inform.  (as David did) a light unto our feet, and a lantern to our paths; and not to leave Moses and the Prophets, pretending to follow the light within us, as some do; the light within us, our own reason; that's a dim and imperfect light, without revelation; by this light, we should never have discovered the mysteries of the holy Trinity, the Mystery of the two natures in Christ, nor, our salvation by Faith in him: by this we could not have discovered all sins, nor have known all necessary truths; nor have been convinced of all duties: yea, it might come to pass, that leaving the holy Scriptures, Moses and the Prophets; and the writings of the holy Evangelists, and Apostles, to follow the dictates of our own erroneous consciences, we might be led, as those are, they say, that follow an ignis fatuus, out of our right way into bogs and precipices; Thus, they that shall kill you, (saith our Saviour) shall think they do God good service: And the holy Apostle Paul tells us; I verily thought, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of jesus of Nazareth; which things I also did in jerusalem, Acts. 26.9, 10. 'Tis true, that we are to follow the guidance of our consciences, but our consciences are to be enlightened and guided by the directions of God in his word: Our consciences are but God's deputyes and Lieutenants, and whether it be fit to observe the servant or Deputy rather than to obey the will of the supreme or sovereign Lord, judge ye.  
Again, hence we may learn to study, and follow the directions of the holy Scriptures of the old and New Testarnent, rather than pretend to impulses, providences, visions and Revelations for what we do: to the law to the testimony; by this our opinions, and practices yea, our persons shall be justified, and by this word they shall be condemned: heaven and earth shall pass away (saith our Saviour) but not aniota or tittle of the law shall perish.  
3. Use, 
3 Use of Informat.  Hence learn not to be seduced or not to be drawn away from the true Protestant Religion founded upon the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets, (i. e. the holy Scriptures) unto the Romish Religion, upon pretence of Miracles, which they say are wrought amongst them, for,  
1. Our blessed Saviour foretold, Math. 24.24. that men should arise doing such great wonders in imitation of himself, that they should deceive, if it were possible, the very elect. And St. Paul tells us in his 2d Epistle to the Thessalonians the 2d Chap. verse the 9th. that the son of perdition should arise, should appear with all power, signs and lying wonders: So that Antichrist does pretend to nothing but what our Saviour Christ and his Apostle foretold.  
2. The protended Miracles of the Church of Rome are wrought and brought to confirm a Doctrine contrary to Moses and the prophets, that is, to the holy Scriptures, and they being already ratified by many and great Miracles, true Miracles, 'tis certain, that these pretended miracles brought to confirm a lie, are delusions and impostures.  
3. The Ancient fathers and some of the most learned men of the Church of Rome of latter times, deny the continuance of the power of Miracles in the Church after that the Christian Religion had been so generally received, believed and embraced in the world: for this the Reverend Dr Stilling fleet in a late piece against the Papists, quoted St. chrysostom, St. Austin, Tostatus upon Leviticus, chap. 9.9.14. Stella upon Luke, Chap. 11 v. 29. and Erasmus upon the first Epistle to the Corinthians the 13, Chap. and 13 verse.  
4. If the power of Miracles should be continued in the Church, most probably it would be exerted for the conversion of infidels, and consequently the gift of languages should be given to them, now a days who are sent to preach to the Indians, or other heathens; but we have no sufficient or credible witness, or testimony, that those preachers of late times, or for many years have had or ever have been endued with the gift of languages.  
Again, doth Abraham in heaven direct, to Moses and the prophets as abovesaid; 
2 Use of Confutat. Coufut. 1. Of the doctrine of the Papists.  then this may serve to confute the Doctrine and practice of the Church of Rome, their Doctrine in exalting the testimony of the present Church above the Authority of the holy Scriptures, the judge and touchstone of the Church. Our Saviour said to the Jews; you have one that accuseth you, even Moses in whom ye trust, John. 5.45. 'tis observable, that Abraham takes no notice of any infallible judge or interpreter of Moses and the Prophets: In this the Papists, out-wit the scribes and Pharisees, when they disputed with Christ, yea, they outdo and go beyond the devil himself; that old subtle serpent, when he tempted our Saviour: for when our Saviour quoted Scripture, neither the pharisees, nor the devil, ever thought of replying: I, but who must interpret the Scripture? who must be judge? it belongs not to thee to read them, much less to interpret Scripture; this belongs to the Jewish Church; who is the only supreme judge of Scriptures and of controversies.  
Again, hence we may see, 
Confut. 2. Of the practice of the Papists.  that the Papists err in withholding the Scriptures from the Laity: what an unreasonable and unrighteous thing is it, that God's children must not be permitted to read their father's will, without the licence of man first had and obtained for their so doing? Abraham saith, they have Moses and the Prophets let them bear them.  
3. Hence than we may be exhorted greatly to prize and value the Scriptures, the Bible, as the book of books, 
3 Use, Of Exhortat. Exhort. 1.  as a cabinet of most rich and precious jewels, as a fountain of water of life, as a fiery pillar to lead us through this wilderness to Canaan.  
2. And let us bless and praise God for his word; 
Exhor. 2.  how highly did David esteem the holy Scriptures? how doth he magnify them? and yet he had but a third part of what we have now: and if Moses applauded the Jews happiness, when he had finished his Pentateuch, if he accounted the law, as the inheritance of the congregation of Israel; and as 'tis in the Psalm, he hath not dealt so with any Nation, neither hath the heathen the knowledge of his law; how should we prise, and praise and bless God for the law and Gospel, the whole Canon of the Old and New Testament: and let's know this, that our best way of praising. God for the Scriptures, will be to read, study, meditate on them, but above all to conform our hearts, lips, lives, to the rules and precepts contained in them; doubtless obedience to the law is the best way to honour both the lawgiver, and the law.  
To draw towards a conclusion; From the text and context, the parable of Dives and Lazarus, we may learn many useful and profitable lessons such as these.  
1. That rich men must give an account how they have laid out their riches: rich men are stewards, and it is requisite in stewards, that they be found faithful; they must not lay out their Lord's money upon themselves, their own backs, and bellies; and let the poor, such as Lazarus, their fellow-creatures, and fellow-servants, and their own brethren to starve at their gates, manus pauperis the saurus Christi. And rich men must cast into Christ's treasury of their abundance.  
2. That rich men must be careful, not only not to hurt the poor, but to relieve them: they must not be Dives', to do good to themselves only, but like the good Samaritan, do good unto them that are in necessity and in extremities. Dives is blamed and condemned, not for taking away from the poor, by oppression or injustice; but for not communicating to poor Lazarus in his necessity, in his extremity.  
3. That men may sin in the misuse of lawful things, of outward comforts and enjoyments; purple, fine linen, delicate fare, Music, were all lawful to be used, but Dives did not use them lawfully, In licitis perimus omnes: we must not use our lawful enjoyments, unseasonably nor excessively, nor make every day a Feast-day. We must not forget the afflictions of Joseph in the prison, nor themiseries and necessities of Lazarus at our Gates.  
4. That good men may have evil things in this life, and evil men good things: Dives had his good things here, and Lazarus his evil things: I know this is a bard saying, who can bear it? This is it that hath troubled heathen philosophers; Jewish Rabbis, and the Doctors of the Christian Church, yea, that it was malis bene and bonis male, hath been a trouble to some of the best men in the Scriptures, to Job, to Jeremy, to David, to Habakkuk; but let's not judge of God's works till he hath finished them; wait but a while and thou shalt see a Dives in hell, and a Lazarus in Abraham's bosom, and then God will be cleared and justified, and all the world will become silent before God.  
5. That some men are more kind to their dogs then to the poor; some there are who take the children's bread, and give it to the dogs, but grudge to give the dog's portion to the children; to such I should commend the Example of Amideus Duke of Savoy, sometimes chosen Pope, but too good a man for so bad an office, who shown a hall full of poor people fed by him daily, when it was expected, he should have showed his hounds, and said, these are the hounds, wherewith I hunt, after the Kingdom of Heaven.  
6. That Lazarus received more kindness from Dives his dogs, then from himself: Humaniores (saith one) fuerunt canes hominibus. The dogs were more hospitable than the master or his servants: and yet (saith one) Canis est latrare, peregrinos mordere, abigere Hospites, 'tis the property of dogs to bark at, to by't strangers, and to drive them away; not to sawn on guests that are strangers.  
7. That like master, like servants; no man gave unto him; the master would not give him a bit from his table, and the servants would none of them give him a crumb that fell from the table.  
8. That even Dives in hell seems to have more Charity and kindness to his brethren, especially to their souls, than many men on earth and in the bosom of the Church; he would have used means to save his brethren's souls, and now many, do what they can, in a manner, to damn their own and their brethren's fouls also.  
9 That there are rewards and punishments after this life; there's a future Estate of happiness or misery, for rich and poor; there's an Abraham's bosom for some, and hell-torments for others; those that have done good and suffered evil things here, shall be comforted, and those who have done evil things, and enjoyed good things here, they shall be tormented.  
10. That some of the Children of Abraham find no place in the bosom of Abraham: Dives called Abraham father, and Abraham called Dives son, but yet Dives had his place and portion in hell.  
11. That rich men must expect mercy in the other world according as they have showed mercy to the poor in this: he that giveth to the poor dareth unto the Lord, and the Lord will repay him his own again with usury: Giving to the poor is but sowing of feed, and in due time they that sow plentifully shall reap plentifully, shall I say, thirty or sixty, yea, I dare say an hundred-fold, even in the world to come life everlasting.  
12. That the way to escape hell, and attain heaven, is to hearken to, to obey the holy Scriptures: these are they that show unto us the way of salvation, the only way of peace and reconciliation with God, and remission of sins, namely, repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. These, these are they that are as a voice behind us, or within us, saying, this is the way walk in it, when that which is holy, just and good, is proposed to us: But when we are tempted unto evil, these are unto us as the Angel to St. John, saying, see thou do it not; Let us not in the least question the divine authority of the holy Scriptures, either of the Old or New testament; both are confirmed by the exerting of supernatural power in miracles, and of supernatural wisdom and knowledge in fulfilling of prophecies: and forasmuch as Abraham in heaven sends us to Moses and the Prophets, and even Christ himself a greater then. Abraham appeals to Scripture, proves by Scripture, (though he received the spirit without measure,) and resolves as it were his own authority into the divine authority of the Old Testament.  
13. And again, that if one of the Testaments be true, neither of them can be false; let's know and believe all that is written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning Christ; and all that is written in the Gospel in the Acts, in the Epistles and the Revelation concerning Christ, and Christians, our Saviour, or ourselves; and let's not only hear the Scriptures but do them, so that we may be blessed in the deed. And when we hear any new or strange doctrines, let's be noble, like the Bereans, and search the Scriptures to see, whether things be so or no as these men teach. Let's try opinions; doctrines and actions; our own and others, by this touchstone: Let's weigh them in this balance of the sanctuary, and accordingly judge them. And that I may speak a word in season, both as to the text and the occasion, and that some good account may be given of this days concourse, let's all of us labour to show forth our faith by our works, and as we hold, that our faith justifies our persons before God; so let our good works justify our faith before men. They are like the hand on the dial of a Clock; which shows how it goes, although it doth not cause it to move. Let's feed the Hungry, Cloth the Naked, make ourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness: that when we fail, we may be received into everlasting habitations. Let's be confident that our cruse of Oil, shall never fail so long as we pour it out in these empty vessels; and that one penny laid out upon God's poor, upon Christ's brethren, will redound more to our account at the great day, than many thousands laid up in our Coffers, or laid out upon our vain delights, and pleasures; and should the Lady of this Manor arise from the dead, this day, I dare say, she could testify, that the widow's mite, so (as I take it) she called the donation and benefaction we now commemorate, was of more avail and advantage to her then the thousands she laid up in her treasury; therefore whilst we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially to them who are of the household of Faith, to the brothers of Christ: and what soever good we find in our hearts to do, let's do it with all our might, for there is no wisdom nor counsel in the grave, whither we are going.  
Let's beg of God, that we may not have our good things in this life, and our evil in the other, that we may not be like Dives, of the number of those worldlings, who have their portion in this life, as the Psalmist speaks. Or as those fools who lay up for themselves treasures on earth and are not rich towards God.  
And let's manifest that our treasures are in heaven, because there are our hearts also: let's set our affections on things above, and not on things on the earth, considering God has made the earth to set our feet upon, not to set our hearts upon: let us not be like blind Moles, ever rooting, digging in the Earth, living here, as in our proper Element: for when a few years, perhaps weeks or days are gone and death comes, our eyes shall be opened, as the Naturalists say, the eyes of the Moles are when they come to die; and then we shall see clearly, that we have laboured in vain; in vain have we risen early, gone to bed late, eaten the bread of care. fullness, for Riches Miser-like hoarded up, or Epicure-like laid out upon ourselves, profit not in the day of death.  
To conclude all, let's not suffer any poor Lazarus to starve at our gates, for want of crumbs; and let none of us, that are ministers, suffer any poor soul for whom Christ died, to starve at the gates of the Temple for want of our breaking to them the bread of life: we are all by our profession children of Abraham: now then let us do the work of Abraham: let's walk in the steps of Abraham; let's be rich in faith, full of self-denial, full of good works, chariry, Hospitality; let's go out, and invite strangers on occasion, as he did, and then he will not be ashamed to be called our father, nor unwilling to take our soul into his bosom: yea, let's imitate Lazarus, let's make God our help, our trust, so he did; and so his name (as the name Eleazar) imports. And let's patiently bear all the evils that God lays on us himself, or suffers man to lay on us in this world: and then when we die, God will send his Angels to do the like office for us, which they did for Lazarus, even to carry our souls into Abraham's bosom.   

Errata.  
PAge. 3. line 12. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. p. 8. l. 1. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 20. l. 6. for sumus r. fumus. p. 25. l. 2. for which r. who p. 15. l. 8. for powers r. pours. p. 27. l. 3. for them r. him. p. 3● l. 32. for any r. an. p. 37. l. 22. for an r. and.  
FINIS.