:I be Jure 'Trial of VprightJJefs. ----,--T,-he-g-ui-lry-ac-cu-.,-fit-,g--,C::-o-nfcience begins rhe evcrlafling Hell ]-,e-re-. _O_u_r S- a-vio_u_r !~aith Tha~ a ~tJman when fhe is in trtroail, hat}; forrow. becauje ber hour is come; but as foon a; fhe IS delruered, .foe remembreth no more tbe anguijh, for j_oy that a Maa is born into tbe World ' But a Sumer, after he hath brought forth Ius Sm with Pleafitre, is flruck with horror at rh~ monfi:rous Birth. 'Vhcn Con1Cience is fl:rongly awakcn'd, it arraigns 311d t:ondcmns W1rhout partiality: _Th~ Sinner is the Executioner of rhc Senre_nce upon himfclf. The Torment of the Sp1tit 1s invifible to others, and in that rhe hker Hell and unavoidable. 'Tts as the cruel praCbce of the Tyrant, related by the Poet, who fahC'n'd a dead ~odY: and a Living rogerhcr, that the ~utrcfaction and Stench of rhc one, might caufe a hngnng Death in the other: this is a httle refemblance of the Effect of the guilty Confcience charg'd Wtth dead Works, and infeparablc from the Sinner. All the Plea. ihr~~ of the \Vorld cannot fiupifie the Senfe, or mitigate the Tormcms of the wounded . Sp~t~t . In the approaches of Death, the Sins Men have jndulgcnrly committed, rctuq1 to the Memory, and the ghafily Apparition !hikes them into conficmation: The ThoughtS arc fearfully transferr'd from the flck Body to the guilty Soul , from the confideration of the firfl: Death to the fecond, that immediately attends it. In vain they defire to live f~r Ti1.ne is irrevocably pafi, and ~he ~eafon of Mercy c~pir'd: In vain they defirc r~ dte cnnrely, and put an end to thetr Mtfery; for Immortality is the infeparable bur fatal Pririlegc of their Nature. If they look upward, revenging Juflice is ready to pals a hc:1vy Doom; 1f beneath, a fearful Depth is ready to fwallow them up. Who can cxprcfS the Agonies and Throws of the guilty Confi::icnce, the diiinal Degrees of the tormenting Paflions in the Wicked, under the apprchcnfions of Eternal Judgment ? Yet the mofl: fearful Apprehenfions arc not commenihratc to the prepared Plagues by vindiCtive Jufl:icc for impcnitcm Sinners. Wbo knows tbe Power of God's Wratb? The chofCn hprerrions in Scripture to repreienr it, will be verified in higher degrees, than can be in· Aided from the moO: vehement and terrible things in the World. Fire is fo tormenting to Senfe, that no Man can endure the point of the Flame of a Candle upon his Flcfit: Who t};en can dwell with devouring Fire, and wit}; everlafling burning? Befides, the Damned are not only paffive, but athvc in their wretched State: There is a Hell of Rancor and Indignation within, and of Fire and Brimfione without them: What furious Reflections will they make upon their votary Madnefs, that for the feeming Plcafures of Sin that were but for a feafon, they fl1ould continue their Rebellion a~ gainft: the Omnipotent Deity, and bring upon thcmfclvcs his fierce and unchangeable Dilplcafure. This infinjrcJy aggravates their Mifery: After a Million of Years, the intire Sum remains that revenging Juil:icc will cxatt for ever. The Righteous Judge will . never fo .f:1r be reconciled as to annihilate them. Perfection of Mifery ! Defperate Sor~ row! A Life in Torments that never dies, a Death that never ends. Now it is impoiTible for Men that have reafonable Minds to choofe the Pleafures of Sin, that arc like Bubbles on the Water that prefently break and vanifh, when attended with Mifery that admits no Eafc or End? Is there any poflible Comparifon between them? The lerious belief of Hell cannot confifl with the knowledge and purpolc of $jn, and the delightful Practice of it : Either the belief of it will infufc and imprels !itch efficacious V crrue into Mens Minds that will refirain them from Sin, or the habitual courfe of Sin will extinguifl1 or cclipfe the belief of the Punifhmem. 'Tis recorded of Cra:fits, when purfued by the Army of the Perfians, he fil[d a ~:::!~; ~:c~3r~d l~i:rR~~~e:~~~ ~~~~:~~~r:~~1 ~~~g!~ t~frJrtl~: ::~~ ~: ~~If~~~~:~~n3t1~~ Temptations of Sin and their Affections, it would be a fure defence from their Spirirual Enemies. But the Scene of Torments prepared for unrefom1'd Sinners , is little underflood and lcfs believed by Men whilfl they are in Profperity : Tho' the Saviour of the "World has in great Mercy revealed them in fuch Expreffions, as may terrific even fecurc ~:;~~~~u~~~\~;~~~~l.ro ii~[:~ is I~~te~i~d~1~ ~ ~:~~ ~~~o~:;s ~~dM:~~~~~e;l~:;:~~ fcnfihle of Djvine Mercies rill deprived of them, nor of Divine Judgments rill they feel them. But if right Reafon were attended to, they mufi be convinced of unfeen R.cwards and Punifl1menr to be difpenfed in the next Stare. For the Light of Nature d1f.. covers an efTenrial Difference between Moral Good and Evil : From hence proceeds rhe Reflections of Confcience either approving or condemning our own Actions, and ~aking a Judgment upon the Actions of ?thcrs by that common Rule, acco~ding to wluch ~la:~;C~O;h~e[d~\;e l~~~~ ~oeft ~~~~~dtsj~~ee;S, ;:~~~ ~d~t!~~~lr~~f ~;~!;ee;Ol~~:~: ~ll::~: Confciencc fo blind as not w fee, and flupid as nor to feel, yet cannot totally excl~~~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=