Matthew Poole and continuators on Luke 16:26

26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you, cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

We must still remember, that all these things are spoken in a Figure. The great Gulf here mentioned, to be fixed between Heaven and Hell, is to wide for Persons on opposite sides of it, to be heard communicating their Minds each to other. All that our Saviour designs to let us know, is, that the circumstances of Damne[illegible: 1 letter] Souls, are such, that if it were possible, they would beg the help and assistance of the meanest Saints, whom they have in this Life most scorned, despised, or abused, but as they will have no such opportunities as to crave any thing at their hands▪ so if they had, they could not receive the least relief from them, their state is determined, they are fixed for Eternity, and there can be no change of their condition for the better. Abraham is here brought in calling this Man Son, either as lineally descended from him, or being a Member of that Church of which he was the Father. It will add to the Torments of the Damned, to hear and consider the former means, and advantages they have been under for Salvation, if they have descended from Godly Parents, or have been Members of the Church of Christ. That in thy Life-time thou receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil. The good things which the Rich Man received, were no more the cause of his Damnation, than the evil things ▪ which Lazarus met with, were the cause of his Salvation, but the Rich Mans ill use of the former, and Lazarus his good improvement of the latter, through the Grace of God bestowed on him. Tho it be not ordinary with God, to give the same Persons the upper, and the nether Springs, yet he sometimes doth it, of which Abraham, and Lot, and Iob, and David, and Isaac, and Iacob, and Ioseph of Arimathea, are some instances; but the term, thy, signifies the error of this Rich Man; he look't upon the good things of this Life as his portion, those were the things which he set his heart upon, and let his heart run out to the neglecting the good things of another Life. Lazarus received Evil things, God gave him a mean afflicted portion in this Life, but he was found patient, and glorifying of God by a quiet and believing submission to his Will under them, now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. So then it seemeth that departed Souls do not Sleep, as some have Dreamed, if they did they could neither have been capable of Comfort or Torment. And besides all this, there is a great Gulf fixed, &c. the meaning of which is no more then, 1. That the state of Souls upon their separation from the Bodies of Men and Women, is determined and fixed. As the tree falls, so it lyeth: 2. That there is no Commerce or Intercourse, betwixt Glorified and Damned Souls. The Papists passage from Purgatory to Heaven, is a new found way, or rather a new fancyed one; if Purgatory be (as they pretend) a place where Souls are tormented, it may be admired how they should pass over this Gulf: it seemeth Abraham did not know the way, Saint Peter knew as little; this is one of his pretended Vicars new discoveries, but it is no Wisdom in any Souls to trust to this passage, of which Abraham knew as little, as he did of our Prayers passing to them, or to God for them, for there is [non-Latin text not transcribed]. A great Gulf established.