The Sermons of Mr. Yorick (Volume 4)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1776. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... SERMON VIII. The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus considered. Luke xvi. 31. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one should rise from the dead. THESE words are the conclusion of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus; the design of which was to fliew us the necessity of conducting ourselves, by such lights as God had been pleased to give us: the fense and meaning of the patriarch's final determination in the text being Vol. IV. B this, That they who will not be persuaded to answer the great purposes of their being, upon such arguments as are offered to them in scripture, 'will never be persuaded to it by any other means, how extraordinary soever;--If they bear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they he persuaded, though one should rise from the dead ----Rise from the dead! To what purpose ? What could such a messenger propose or urge, which had not been proposed and urged already ? the novelty or surprise of such a visit might awaken the attention of a curious unthinking- people, who spent their time in nothing else, but to hear and tell some new thing; but ere the wonder was w, ell over, some new won-. dar would start up in its room, and then the man might return to the dead from whence he came, and not a foul make one inquiry about him. -This, I fear, would be the conclusion of the affair. But to bring this matter still closer to us, let us imagine, if there is nothing unworthy in it, that God, in compliance with a curious world, or from a better motive, -in compassion to a sinful one, should vouchsafe to send onefrom the dead, to call home our conscience and make us better Christians, better citizens, better men, and better servants to God than what we are. jfow bear with me, I beseech ...