WHO LOSE THE SAINT'S REST. 87 vived, what passionate sensibility ! what working affections ! what pangs of horror ! what depth of sorrows will there then be ! How violently will they fly in their own faces ! How will they rage against their former madness ! The lamentations of the most affectionate wife for the loss of lier husband, or of the tenderest mother for the loss of her children, will be nothing to theirs for the loss of heaven. O the self - accusing and self - tormenting fury of those forlorn creatures! How will they even tear their own hearts, and be God's executioners upon themselves ! As themselves were only the meritorious cause of their sufferings, so themselves will be the chief exe- cutioners. Even Satan, as he was not so great a caùse of their sinning as themselves, he will not be so great an instrument of their torment. How happy would they think themselves then, if they were turned into rocks, or any thing that had neither pas- sion nor sense! How happy, if they could then feel as lightly as they were wont to hear ! if they could sleep out the time of execution, as they did the time of the sermons that warned them of it ! But their 'stupidity is gone; it will not be. § 12. (5) Their memories will moreover be as laage and strong as their understanding and affections: Could they but lose the use of their memory, their loss of heaven being forgot, would little trouble them. Though they would account annihilation a singular mercy, they cannot lay aside any part of their being. Understanding, conscience, affections, memory, must all live to torment them, which should have helped to their happiness, As by these they should have fed . upon the love of God, and drawn forth perpetually the joys of his presence ; so by these must they feed upon his wrath, and draw forth continually the pains of his absence. Now they have no leisure to consider, nor any room in their memories for the things of another life: but then they shall have nothing else to do ; their memories shall have no other employ- ment. God would have had the doctrine of their
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=