Chap. 5.] LOSE THE SAINTS' REST. 75 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 employment. God would have had the doctrine of their eternal state " written on the posts of their doors, on their hands and hearts :" hewould have had themmind it, a and mention it when they lay down and rose up, when they sat in their houses, and when they walked by the way ;" and seeing they rejected this counsel of the Lord, therefore it shall be written always before them in the place of their thraldom, that, which way soever they look, they may still behold it. It will torment them to thir:k of the greatness of the glory they have lost. If it had been what they could have spared, or a loss to be repaired with any thing else, it had been a smaller matter. If it had been health, or wealth, or friends, or life, it had been no- thing. But, O ! to lose that exceeding eternal weight of glory ! It will also torment them to think of the possibil- ity they once had of obtaining it. Then they will remem- ber, " Time was, when I was as fair for the kingdom as others. I was set upon the stage of the world; if I had believed in Christ, I might now have hadpossession of the inheritance. Iwho am now tormented with these damned fiends, might have been among yonder blessed saints. The Lord did set before me life and death; and having cho- sen death, I deserve to suffer it. The prize was held out before me; if I had run well, I might have obtained it; if I had striven, I might have had the victory; if I had fought valiantly, I had been crowned." It will yet more torment them to remember, that their obtaining the crown was not only possible, but very probable. It will wound them to think, "I had once the gales of the Spirit ready to have assisted me. I was proposing to be another man, to have cleaved to Christ, and forsake the world. I was almost resolved to have been wholly for God. I was once even turning from my base, seducing lusts. I had cast off my old companions, and was associating with the godly. Yet I turned back, lost my hold, and broke my promises. I was almost persuaded to be a real Christian, yet I con-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=