The following sermon from John Wesley deals with what is taught in the
Bible
concerning the rich man and Lazarus.
May God bless,
Carl
my website -- http://www.nettally.com/saints/
my blog -- http://www.anniemayhem.com/cgi-bin/wordpress/
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The Rich Man And Lazarus
by John Wesley
"If they hear not Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded,
though one rose from the dead."
Luke 16:31
1. How strange a paradox is this! How contrary to the common apprehension
of
men! Who is so confirmed in unbelief as not to think, "If one came to me
from the dead, I should be effectually persuaded to repent?" But this
passage affords us a more strange saying: (Luke 16:13:) "Ye cannot serve
God
and mammon." "No! Why not? Why cannot we serve both?" will a true servant
of
mammon say. Accordingly, the Pharisees, who supposed they served God, and
did cordially serve mammon, derided him: exemykterizon. A word expressive
of
the deepest contempt. But he said, (Luke 16:15, ) "Ye are they who justify
yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: And that which is
highly
esteemed among men, is (very commonly) an abomination before God:" A
terrible proof of which our Lord subjoins in the remaining part of the
chapter.
2. But is the subsequent account merely a parable, or a real history? It
has
been believed by many, and roundly asserted, to be a mere parable, because
of one or two cir***stances therein, which are not easy to be accounted
for.
In particular, it is hard to conceive, how a person in hell could hold
conversation with one in paradise. But, admitting we cannot account for
this, will it overbalance an express assertion of our Lord: "There was,"
says our Lord, "a certain rich man." - Was there not? Did such a man never
exist? "And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus."- -Was there, or was
there not? Is it not bold enough, positively to deny what our blessed Lord
positively affirms? Therefore, we cannot reasonably doubt, but the whole
narration, with all its cir***stances, is exactly true. And Theophylact
(one
of the ancient commentators on the Scriptures) observes upon the text,
that,
"according to the tradition of the Jews, Lazarus lived at Jerusalem."
I purpose, with God's assistance, First, to explain this history;
Secondly,
to apply it; and, Thirdly, to prove the truth of that weighty sentence
with
which it is concluded, namely, "If they hear not Moses and the Prophets,
neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
I. 1. And, First, I will endeavour, with God's assistance, to explain this
history. "There was a certain rich man;" and, doubtless, on that very
account, highly esteemed among men, - "who was clothed in purple and fine
linen;" and, consequently, esteemed the more highly, both as appearing
suitably to his fortune, and as an encourager of trade; - "and fared
sumptuously every day." Here was another reason for his being highly
esteemed, - his hospitality and generosity, - both by those who frequently
sat at his table, and the tradesmen that furnished it.
2. "And there was a certain beggar;" one in the lowest line of human
infamy;
"named Lazarus," according to the Greek termination; in Hebrew, Eleazer.
From his name we may gather, that he was of no mean family, although this
branch of it was, at present, so reduced. It is probable he was well known
in the city; and it was no scandal to him to be named. - "Who was laid at
his gate;" although no pleasing spectacle; so that one might wonder he was
suffered to lie there; - "full of sores;" of running ulcers; - "and
desiring
to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table." So the
complicated affliction of poverty, pain, and want of bread, lay upon him
at
once! But it does not appear that any creature took the least notice of
the
despicable wretch! Only "the dogs came and licked his sores:" All the
comfort which this world afforded him!
3. But see the change! "The beggar died:" Here ended poverty and pain: -
"And was carried by angels;" nobler servants than any that attended the
rich
man; - "into Abraham's bosom:" - So the Jews commonly termed what our
blessed Lord styles paradise; the place "where the wicked cease from
troubling, and where the weary are at rest;" the receptacle of holy souls,
from death to the resurrection. It is, indeed, very generally supposed,
that
the souls of good men, as soon as they are discharged from the body, go
directly to heaven; but this opinion has not the least foundation in the
oracles of God: On the contrary, our Lord says to Mary, after the
resurrection, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father" in
heaven. But he had been in paradise, according to his promise to the
penitent thief: "This day shalt thou be with me in paradise." Hence, it is
plain, that paradise is not heaven. It is indeed (if we may be allowed the
expression) the antechamber of heaven, where the souls of the righteous
remain till, after the general judgment, they are received into glory.
4. But see the scene change again! "The rich man also died." - What! must
rich men also die? Must they fall "like one of the people?" Is there no
help? A rich man in London, some years ago, when the physician told him he
must die, gnashed his teeth, and clenched his fist, and cried out
vehemently, "God, God, I won't die!' But he died with the very words in
his
mouth. - "And was buried;" doubtless, with pomp enough, suitably to his
quality; although we do not find that there was then, in all the world,
that
exquisite instance of human folly, that senseless, cruel mockery of a poor
putrifying carcass, what we term lying in state!
5. And in hell he lifted up his eyes." - O, what a change! How is the
mighty
fallen! But the word which is here rendered hell does not always mean the
place of the damned. It is, literally, the invisible world; and is of very
wide extent, including the receptacle of separate spirits, whether good or
bad. But here it evidently means, that region of hades where the souls of
wicked men reside, as appears from the following words, "Being in
torment;" - "in order," say some, "to atone for the sins committed while
in
the body, as well as to purify the soul from all its inherent sin." Just
so,
the eminent heathen poet, near two thousand years ago: -
Necesse est
Multa diu concreta modis inolescere miris,
Ergo exercentur poenis -
- Aliae panduntur inanes
Suspensae ad ventos: Aliis sub gurgite vasto
Infectum eluitur scelus, aut exuritur igni.
[This quotation from Virgil (Aeneid vi.737-742) is thus translated by
Pitt:
"Ev'n when those bodies are to death resign'd,
Some old inherent spots are left behind;
A sullying tincture of cor****eal stains
Deep in the substance of the soul remains.
Thus are her splendours dimm'd, and crusted o'er
With those dark vices that she knew before.
For this the souls a various penance pay,
To purge the taint of former crimes away.
Some in the sweeping breezes are refined,
And hung on high to whiten in the wind:
Some cleanse their stains beneath the gu****ng streams,
And some rise glorious from the searching flames." - Edit.]
See the near resemblance between the ancient and the modern purgatory!
Only
in the ancient, the heathen purgatory, both fire, water, and air, were
employed in expiating sin, and purifying the soul; whereas in the mystic
purgatory, fire alone is supposed sufficient both to purge and expiate.
Vain
hope! No suffering, but that of Christ, has any power to expiate sin; and
no
fire, but that of love, can purify the soul, either in time or in
eternity.
6. "He seeth Abraham afar off." - Far, indeed! as far as from hell to
paradise! Perhaps, "ten-fold the length of this terrene." But how could
this
be? I cannot tell: But it is by no means incredible. For who knows "how
far
an angel kens," or a spirit divested of flesh and blood? - "And Lazarus in
his bosom." It is well known that, in the ancient feasts among the Jews,
as
well as the Romans, the guests did not sit down at the table, as it is now
the custom to do; but lay on couches, each having a pillow at his left
side,
on which he sup****ted his elbow; and he that sat next him, on the right
side, was said to lie in his bosom. It was in this sense that the Apostle
John lay in his Master's bosom. Accordingly, the expression of Lazarus
lying
in Abraham's bosom implies that he was in the highest place of honour and
happiness.
7. "And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me." - Thou
fool!
what can Abraham do? What can any creature, yea, all the creation do, to
break the bars of the bottomless pit? Whoever would escape from the place
of
torment, let him cry to God, the Father of mercy! Nay, but the time is
past!
Justice now takes place, and rejoices over mercy! - "And send Lazarus,
that
he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am
tormented in this flame!" How exceeding modest a request is this! He does
not say, "That he may take me out of this flame." He does not ask, "That
he
may bring me a cup of water, or as much as he might hold in the palm of
his
hand;" but barely, "That he may dip" were it but "the tip of his finger in
water, and cool my tongue." No! It cannot be! No mercy can enter within
the
shades of hell!
8. "But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst
thy
good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted,
and
thou art tormented." Perhaps these words may supply us with an answer to
an
im****tant question: How came this rich man to be in hell? It does not
appear
that he was a wicked man, in the common sense of the word; that he was a
drunkard, a common swearer, a Sabbath-breaker, or that he lived in any
known
sin. It is probable he was a Pharisee; and as such was, in all the outward
parts of religion, blameless. How then did he come into "the place of
torment?" If there was no other reason to be assigned, there is a
sufficient
one implied in those words, ("he that hath ears to hear, let him hear!")
"Thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things;" - the things which thou
hadst chosen for thy happiness. Thou hadst set thy affection on things
beneath: And thou hadst thy reward: Thou didst receive the ****tion which
thou hadst chosen, and canst have no ****tion above. "And likewise Lazarus
evil things." Not his evil things; for he did not choose them. But they
were
chosen for him by the wise providence of God: And "now he is comforted,
while thou art tormented."
9. "But beside all this, there is a great gulf fixed:" - A great chasm, a
vast vacuity Can any tell us what this is? What is the nature, what are
the
bounds, of it? Nay, none of the children of men; none but an inhabitant of
the invisible world. - "So that they who would pass from hence to you
cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence."
Undoubtedly a disembodied spirit could pass through any space whatever.
But
the will of God, determining that none should go across that gulf, is a
bound which no creature can pass.
10. Then he said, "I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldst send
him
to my father's house; for I have five brethren; that he may testify unto
them, lest they also come into this place of torment." (Luke 16:27, 28.)
Two
entirely different motives have been assigned for this extraordinary
request. Some ascribe it wholly to self-love, to a fear of the bitter
reproaches which, he might easily suppose, his brethren would pour upon
him,
if, in consequence of his example, and perhaps advice, they came to the
same
place of torment. Others have imputed it to a nobler motive. They suppose,
as the misery of the wicked will not be complete till the day of judgment,
so neither will their wickedness. Consequently, they believe that, till
that
time, they may retain some sparks of natural affection; and they, not
improbably, imagine that this may have occasioned his desire to prevent
their sharing his own torment.
11. "Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the Prophets: let them
hear
them." (Luke 16:29.) "And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one went to
them from the dead, they will repent." Who would not be of the same
opinion?
Might not any one reasonably suppose that a message solemnly delivered by
one that came from the dead must have an irresistible force? Who would not
think, "I myself could not possibly withstand such a preacher of
repentance?"
II. This I conceive to be the meaning of the words. I will now endeavour,
with the help of God, to apply them. And I beseech you, brethren. while I
am
doing this, "to suffer the word of exhortation." The more closely these
things are applied to your souls, the more ye may profit thereby.
1. "There was a certain rich man:" - And it is no more sinful to be rich
than to be poor. But it is dangerous beyond expression. Therefore, I
remind
all of you that are of this number, that have the conveniences of life,
and
something over that ye walk upon slippery ground. Ye continually tread on
snares and deaths. Ye are every moment on the verge of hell! "It is easier
for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for you to enter in
the
kingdom of heaven." - "Who was clothed in purple and fine linen." And some
may have a plea for this. Our Lord mentions them that "dwell in kings'
houses," as wearing gorgeous, that is, splendid, apparel, and does not
blame
them for it. But certainly this is no plea for any that do not dwell in
kings' houses. Let all of them, therefore, beware how they follow his
example who is "lifting up his eyes in hell!" Let us follow the advice of
the Apostle, being "adorned with good works, and with the ornament of a
meek
and quiet spirit."
2. "He fared sumptuously every day." - Reconcile this with religion who
can.
I know how plausibly the prophets of smooth things can talk in favour of
hospitality; of making our friends welcome: of keeping a handsome table,
to
do honour to religion; of promoting trade, and the like. But God is not
mocked: He will not be put off with such pretences as these. Whoever thou
art that sharest in the sin of this rich man, were it no other than
"faring
sumptuously every day," thou shalt as surely be a sharer in his
punishment,
except thou repent, as if thou wert already crying for a drop of water to
cool thy tongue!
3. "And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, who was laid at his
gate,
full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the
rich man's table." (Luke 16:20, 21.) But it seems both the rich man and
his
guests were too religious to relieve common beggars! - a sin of which
pious
Mr. H. so earnestly warns his readers; and an admonition of the same kind
I
have read on the gate of the good city of Winchester! I wish the gentlemen
who placed it there had seen a little cir***stance which occurred some
years
since. At Epworth, in Lincoln****re, the town where I was born, a beggar
came
to a house in the market-place, and begged a morsel of bread, saying she
was
very hungry. The master bid her be gone, for a lazy jade. She called at a
second, and begged a little small beer, saying she was very thirsty. She
had
much the same answer. At a third door she begged a little water; saying
she
was very faint. But this man also was too conscientious to encourage
common
beggars. The boys, seeing a ragged creature turned from door to door,
began
to pelt her with snow-balls. She looked up, lay down, and died! Would you
wish to be the man who refused that poor wretch a morsel of bread, or a
cup
of water? - "Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores:" Being more
compassionate than their master. - "And it came to pass, that the beggar
died, and was carried of angels into Abraham's bosom." Hear this, all ye
that are poor in this world. Ye that, many times, have not food to eat, or
raiment to put on; ye that have not a place where to lay your head, unless
it be a cold garret, or a foul and damp cellar! Ye are now reduced to
"solicit the cold hand of charity." Yet lift up your load; it shall not
always be thus. I love you, I pity you, I admire you, when "in patience ye
possess your souls." Yet I cannot help you. But there is One that can, -
the
Father of the fatherless, and the Husband of the widow. "The poor crieth
unto the Lord; and he heareth him, and delivereth him out of all his
troubles." Yet a little while, if ye truly turn to him, his angels shall
carry you into Abraham's bosom. There ye shall "hunger no more, and thirst
no more;" ye shall feel no more sorrow or pain; but "the Lamb shall wipe
away all tears from your eyes, and lead you forth beside fountains of
living
waters."
4. But see, the scene is changed! "The rich man also died." What? In spite
of his riches? Probably sooner than he desired. For how just is that word,
"O death, how bitter art thou to a man that is at rest in the midst of his
possessions!" However, if that would be a comfort, "he was buried." But
how
little did it signify, whether he was laid under a lofty monument, or
among
Graves with bending osier bound,
That nameless heave the crumbled ground!
And what followed? "In hell he lifted his eyes." This, it is certain, ye
need not do. God does not require it of you: "He willeth not that any
should
perish." Ye cannot, unless by your own wilful choice, - intruding into
those
regions of woe, which God did not prepare for you, but for "the devil and
his angels."
5. See the scene change again! "He seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in
his bosom." And he knew him; although, perhaps, he had only cast a glance
at
him while he "lay at his gates." Is any of you in doubt whether we shall
know one another in the other world? Here your doubts may receive a full
solution. If a soul in hell knew Lazarus in paradise, as far off as he
was,
certainly those that are together in paradise will perfectly know each
other.
6. "And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy upon me!" - I do
not
remember, in all the Bible, any prayer made to a saint, but this. And if
we
observe who made it, - a man in hell, - and with what success, we shall
hardly wish to follow the precedent. O let us cry for mercy to God, not to
man! And it is our wisdom to cry now, while we are in the land of mercy;
otherwise it will be too late! - "I am tormented in this flame!"
Tormented,
observe, not purified. Vain hope, that fire can purify a spirit! As well
might you expect water to cleanse the soul, as fire. God forbid that you
or
I should make the trial!
7. And "Abraham said, Son, remember:" - Mark, how Abraham accosts a damned
spirit: And shall we behave with less tenderness to any of the children of
God, "because they are not of our opinion?" - "Thou in thy lifetime
receivedst thy good things." O, beware it be not your case! Are not the
things of the world "thy good things?" - the chief objects of thy desire
and
pursuit? Are they not thy chief joy? If so, thou art in a very dangerous
state; in the very condition which Dives was in upon earth! Do not then
dream that all is well, because thou art "highly esteemed among men;"
because thou doest no harm, or doest much good, or attendest all the
ordinances of God. What is all this, if thy soul cleaves to the dust; if
thy
heart is in the world; if thou lovest the creature more than the Creator?
8. How striking are the next words! "Beside all this, between us and you
there is a great gulf fixed; so that they who would pass from us to you
cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence." This
was
the text which occasioned the epitaph on a right honourable infidel and
gamester: -
Here lies a dicer; long in doubt
If death could kill the soul, or not:
Here ends his doubtfulness; at last
Convinced; - but,ah! the die is cast!
But, blessed be God, your die is not cast yet. You are not passed the
great
gulf, but have it still in your power to choose whether you will be
attended
by angels or fiends when your soul quits its earthly mansion. Now stretch
out your hand to eternal life or eternal death! And God says, "Be it unto
thee even as thou wilt!"
9. Being repulsed in this, he makes another request: "I pray thee, send
him
to my father's house; for I have five brethren; that he may testify to
them." It is not impossible that other unhappy spirits may wish well to
the
relations they have left behind them. But this is the accepted time for
them, as well as for us. Let us then address them ourselves; and let us
beg
our living friends to give us all the help they can, without waiting for
assistance from the inhabitants of another world. Let us earnestly exhort
them to use the helps they have; to "hear Moses and the Prophets." We are
indeed apt to think, like that unhappy spirit, "If one went to them from
the
dead, they will repent." "But Abraham said, If they hear not Moses and the
Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead."
III. 1. I am, in the Third place, to prove the truth of this weighty
sentence; which I will do, First, briefly, and then more at large.
And, First, to express the matter briefly: It is certain that no human
spirit, while it is in the body, can persuade another to repent; can work
in
him an entire change, both of heart and life; a change from universal
wickedness, to universal holiness. And suppose that spirit discharged from
the body, it is no more able to do this than it was before: No power less
than that which created it at first can create any soul anew. No angel,
much
less any human spirit, whether in the body or out of the body, can bring
one
soul "from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God." It
might very possibly fright him to death, or to the belief of any
speculative
truth; but it could not frighten him into spiritual life. God alone can
raise those that are "dead in tresp***** and sins."
2. In order to prove more at large, that if men "hear not Moses and the
Prophets, neither will they be" effectually "persuaded" to repent, "though
one rose from the dead," I will propose a case of this kind, with all the
advantages that can be conceived. Suppose, then, one that does not "hear
Moses and the Prophets," that does not believe the Scripture to be of God,
to be fast asleep in his bed, and suddenly to awake while the clock was
just
striking one. He is surprised to observe the chamber as light as if it
were
noon-day. He looks up, and sees one whom he perfectly knew standing at his
bed-side. Though a little surprised at first, he quickly recollects
himself,
and has the courage to ask, "Are not you my friend, who died at such a
time?" He answers, "I am. I am come from God, with a message to you. You
have often wished you could see one risen from the dead; and said, then
you
would repent. You have your wish; and I am ordered to inform you, you are
seeking death in the error of your life. If you die in the state you are
in
now, you will die eternally. I warn you, in His name, that the Scriptures
are the real word of God; that from the moment you die, you will be
remarkably happy, or unspeakably miserable; that you cannot be happy
hereafter, unless you are holy here; which cannot be, unless you are born
again. Receive this call from God! Eternity is at hand. Repent, and
believe
the gospel!" Having spoken these words, he vanishes away; and the room is
dark as it was before.
3. One may easily believe, it would be impossible for him not to be
convinced for the present. He would sleep no more that night; and would,
as
soon as possible, tell his family what he had seen and heard. Not content
with this, he would be impatient to tell it to his former companions. And,
probably, observing the earnestness with which he spoke, they would not
then
contradict him. They would say to each other, "Give him time to cool; then
he will be a reasonable man again."
4. Now, it is constantly found, that impressions made on the memory
gradually decay; that they grow weaker and weaker in process of time, and
the traces of them fainter and fainter. So it must be in this case; which
his companions observing, would not fail to seize the op****tunity. They
would speak to this effect: "It was a strange account you gave us some
time
since; the more so,because we know you to be a sensible man, and not
inclined to enthusiasm. But, perhaps, you have not fully considered, how
difficult it is, in some cases, to distinguish our dreams from our waking
thoughts. Has anyone yet been able to find out an infallible criterion
between them? Is it not then possible, that you may have been asleep when
this lively impression was made on your mind?" When he had been brought to
think, possibly it might be a dream; they would soon persuade him,
probably
it was so; and not long after, to believe, it certainly was a dream. So
little would it avail, that one came from the dead!
5. It could not be expected to be otherwise. For what was the effect which
was wrought upon him? (1.) He was exceedingly frightened: (2.) This fright
made way for a deeper conviction of the truth then declared: But (3.) his
heart was not changed. None but the Almighty could effect this. Therefore
(4.) the bias of his soul was still set the wrong way; he still loved the
world, and, consequently, wished that the Scripture was not true. How
easily
then, as the fright wore off, would he again believe what he wished! The
conclusion then is plain and undeniable. If men "hear not Moses and the
Prophets, neither will they be persuaded" to repent and believe the
gospel,
"though one rose from the dead."
6. We may add one consideration more, which brings the matter to a full
issue. Before, or about the same time, that Lazarus was carried into
Abraham's
bosom, another Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, was actually
raised
from the dead. But were even those who believed the fact persuaded to
repent? So far from it, that "they took counsel to kill Lazarus," as well
as
his Master! Away then with the fond imagination, that those who "hear not
Moses and the Prophets, would be persuaded, though on from the dead!"
7. From the whole we may draw this general conclusion. That standing
revelation is the best means of rational conviction; far preferable to any
of those extraordinary means which some imagine would be more effectual.
It
is therefore our wisdom to avail ourselves of this; to make full use of
it;
so that it may be a lantern to our feet, and a light in all our paths. Let
us take care that our whole heart and life be conformable thereto; that it
be the constant rule of all our tempers, all our words, and all our
actions.
So shall we preserve in all things the testimony of a good conscience
toward
God; and when our course is finished, we too shall be "carried by angels
into Abraham's bosom."
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