SO MISERY OF THOSE WHO [Chap. 6, I cried out of the tedious way of godliness, and the painful course of self-denial; and yet I could be at a great deal more pains for Satan and for death. Had I loved Christ as strongly as I did my pleasures, and profits, and honors, and thought on him as often, and sought him as painfully, O how happy had I now been ! Howjustly do I suffer the flames of hell, for buying them so dear, rather than have heaven, when it was purchased to my hands !" O that God would persuade thee, reader, to take up these thoughts now, for preventing the inconceivable calamity of taking them up in hell as thy own tormentor ! Say not that they are only imaginary. Read what Dives thought, being in torments. As the joys of heaven are chiefly enjoyed by the rational soul in its rational actings, so must the pains of hell be suffered. As they will be men still, so will they I.G k feel and act as men. assamestazzans CHAPTER VI. THE MISERY OF THOSE, WHO, BESIDES LOSING THE SAINTS' REST, LOSE THE ENJOYMENTS OF TIME, AND SUFFER THE TORMENTS OF HELL. I. The enjoyments of time which the damned lose: 1. Their presump- tuous belief oftheir interest in God and Christ; 2. All their hopes; 3. All their peace of conscience; 4. All their carnal mirth; 5. All their sensual delights. II. The torments of the damned are exceeding great. 1. Theprincipal Author of them is God himself. 2. The place or state oftorment. 3. These torments are the effects ofdivine ven- geance. 4. God will takepleasure in executing them. 5. Satan and sinners themselves will be God's executioners. 6. These torments will be universal; 7. Without any mitigation; S. And eternal. The ob- stinate sinner convinced of his folly in venturing on these torments ; and entreated to fly for safety to Christ. As " godliness hath a promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come ;" and if we " seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," then all meaner " things shall be added unto us ;" so also are the ungodly threatened with the loss both of spiritual and temporal blessings; and because they sought nit first God's king- dom and righteousness, therefore shall they lose both it and that which they did seek, and there " shall be taken from them that little which they have." If they could but have kept their present enjoyments, they would not have much cared for the loss of heaven. If they had " lost and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=