Chap. 6.j SUFFER THE TORMENTS OF HELL. 85 ber of the great, noble, and learned, will be shut out from the presence of Christ ! They shall not find their magnifi- cent buildings, soft beds, and easy couches. They shall not view their curious gardens, their pleasant meadows, and plenteous harvests. Their tables will not be so fur- nished, nor attended. The rich man is there no more " clothed in purple and fine linen, nor fareth sumptuously every day." There is no expecting the admiration of be- holders. They shall spend their time in sadness, and not in sports and pastimes. What an alteration will they then lind ! The heat of their lust will be then abated. How will it even cut them to the heart, to look each other in the face ! What an interview will there then be, cursing the day that ever they saw one another ! O that sinners would now remember and say, " Will these delights ac- company us into the other world ? Will not the remem- brance of them be then our torment ? Shall we then take this partnership in vice for true friendship ? Why shouldwe sell such lasting, incomprehensible joys for a taste of seem- ing pleasure ? Come, as we have sinned together, let us pray together, that God would pardon us; and let us help one another toward heaven, instead of helping to deceive and destroy each other. 0 that men knew but what they desire, when they would so fain have all things suited to the desires of the flesh ! It is but to desire their tempta- tions to be increased and their snares strengthened. Secondly. As the loss of the saints' rest will be aggra- vated by losing the enjoyments of time, it will be much more so by suffering the torments of hell. The exceed- ing greatness of such torments may appear, by considering the principal Author of them, who is God himself the place or state of torment that these torments are the fruit of divine vengeance that the Almighty takes pleasure in them that Satan and sinners themselves shall be God's ex- ecutionersthat these torments shall be universal, with- out mitigation, and without end. 1. Theprincipal Author of hell-torments is God himself. As it was no less than God whom the sinners had offended, so it is no less than God who will punish them for their offences. He hath prepared those torments for his ene- mies. His continued anger will still be devouring them. His breath of indignation will kindle the flames. His wrath
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