But the wretched man, in the agony of his own feelings, and the earnest desire to preserve his family from such woe, still pursues his request. “Nay, father Abraham;” but, though they have neglected the ordinary calls of heaven, assuredly, if so astonishing an admonition were granted to them, as that of one risen from the dead, they would be thereby persuaded to repent. Then follows the answer of the text, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” And thus the conference ended. From this conclusion of the parables two important observations may be drawn _first_, that if men fail to be convinced and converted, to be led to their God and their duty, by those sufficient means of grace which are already vouchsafed to them, they would not be likely to yield to any extraordinary means; and, _secondly_, that no such additional means are to be expected. 1. In all cases of spiritual and practical unbelief, in all cases where the declarations of the Almighty are disregarded, the fault lies not so much in the understanding as in the heart. The revelations of heaven are at variance with those interests and pursuits, which the heart is inclined and resolved to retain; and on this account, and by this means, the mind is prejudiced and set against such revelations, and they are not fully and implicitly believed. They call men to the love and practice of holiness, to which our degenerate nature is averse; the pleasures of sin are preferred, and the voice of God is unheeded: they teach us, that all earthly objects and possessions, in themselves, are vain, and call us to prepare for an everlasting inheritance above; the sensual and worldly-minded think and feel, that “it is good for them to be here,” and are not disposed to place their affections upon the promise of an hereafter. We none of us professedly disbelieve the revelation of heaven, any more than the brethren of the rich man did; and therefore I need not stay to argue the point on that ground. The doctrine before us is this, that men, professing to believe, to have received abundant evidence of the truth, and yet refusing to act upon that belief, would not be induced so to act, by any violent appeal to their senses or natural powers, even though it were the work of a divine interposition in their behalf.