On G E N• xXXIX, 9: gravarions, ~rid coticeals rj1e Divine Mercy, the on lY Lenitive a~d healing Bal!n ~o the_ wounded fp1rir. What Vtftons of Horror, what SpeCtacles ot Fear, \Vhat SceneS o1 Sorrow are pre!i-rited· to the diflracted Mind by the Prince cif Darknefs I Anti which l1eigh tens the. Mifery, Man .is a w >rfe Enemy to himfelf than Satan : he falls Upon his own ?word, and defi~oys htmfelf. :-"hatever .he fees or hears, z~iCl: s htm ; whareve~ he rhmks, rorments hm1 The gud_ry C~nfcrence turnS the Sun mto Darkiufi, and tbe Moon into Blood: the precious Pronufes ot the Gofpel, that aifure Favour and Pardon to returning and relenting Sinners, are turn' cl into ArgutnCrits of f?efp~ir~ by refl_ccting , upon the abufe and provocation of Mercy, and that the Advocate m Gael's Bofom is become the Accufer. Doleful State! beyond the Conceptibn of all, but thole whb are phmg'd into it. How often do they run to the Grave fot Sanctuary, and feek for Death as a Deliverance ? Yet all the{e Anxieties and Terrors are but the beginning of Sorrows: for the full and terrible Recompcnces of Sin fl1all follow the Eternal Judgment pronounc'd againft t he Wicked at the lafl Day. 'Tis true, the Sentence of the Law is pall again(\ the SiNner in this prefent {la re, and Temporal Evils are the Effects of it; b~t that _ Sehrenc~ is revo!<ab le: at Death the Sentence is ratified by the Judg upon every impenitent Sinner; 'tis decifive of his State, and involves him under Purtifhincn"t fOr ever : But the full Execution of Judgment !hall not be till the puhlick general Sentence pro~ nounc'd by the Everlafling Judg, before the whole World. ' It exceeds the compafs of created Thoughts to underfland fully the direful EffeCts of Sin in the Eternal State 1 For 1Vho knows tbe Power of God's Wrath? The Scripture reprefents the Punifhment in Expreffions, that may infirud the Mind, and terrify the Imagination : that may work upon the Principles of Reafon and Senfe, by which Men are naturally and firongly moved. . 1. Si nners !hall be excluded from Communion with the blelfed God iri Heaven, in JVhofo Prefence is Fuln-/S of Joy, and at JVho{e Riy,ht.hand are Pl.afures for e'Vermore. In the dear and rransrorming ViCion of his Glory, and the mtimate and md .!folvable Uniori with him by Love, confifls the Perfection and Satisfaction of the immortal Soul. The Felicity refulting from it, is fo entire ari~ eternal, as God is gr~at and true, who has (o often promis'd it to his Saints. Now Sm feparates lofl: Souls Jor ever from the rqvi.- vin!; Pre[encc of God. Who can d<clare the Extent and Degrees of that Evil? for ari Evil riles in proportion to the Good of wluch it deprives us : it mufl therefote follow, ~~~~~ ,c~~~i:! ~:~~~~:~Yb;;~r,:rs~i~;sn~:Pu~~s t~~t~·&~~o;h[r:;~eg ~~Je~~~~rt~rn~~Z ven, and from comparifon with the contrary State : fo the MiferJ of the Damned arifes, both from the Thoughts of lofl Happine!s, and from the Iafling Pain that tor• mentsthem. But it may be replied, If this be the utmofl Evil that is confequent to Siri, the threat-· ning of it is not likely to deter but few lrom plea!ing their corrupt Appetites: to~ car~ nal Men have fuch grofs Apprehenfions, and vitiated AffeCtions, that they are carelefS of Spiritual Glory and Joy. They cannot taj/e andfoe ho1v good the Lord is: nay, rhe Divine Prefence would be a Torment to them : For as Light is the mofl pleafant Qu•lity in the World to. t~e found Eye, fo 'tis very afflicting and pawlul to the Eye when corrupted by a SuAui Jon ot Humours. ' To this a clear Anf\ver may be given : ln the next State where the Wicked !hall for ever be without thole fenfual Objects which here deceive and delight them, their Ap• prehenu?ns wil l be changed ; they !hall underiland what a HappwefS the Fruition of the blelled God IS, and what a M1fery. to be uocapable of enjoying him, and expell'd from the CeleflJa! Parad1fe. Our Savwur tells the Infidel Jews, There jha/1 h 1veeping i.uk.• s. ,8; and gnajhi11g of Teeth, whtn ye jha/1 foe Abraham, and Ifaac, andjacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom ofGod, andyou your felves jhut out. How will they pine wi th Envy at the light of that Triumphant Felicity of which they OJOII never be Partakers? De• part from me, will be as ternble a part of the Judgment, tu Eurnal Fire. _ >. God's Juflice is not fatisfied in depriving them of Heaven, but inAicts the mofl heavy Punifl1ment upon Senfe and Confcience in the Damned : for as the Soul and Body in thetr State of Union 1~ this L~f~, were both gutlty,_ the one as the Guide, the oJher as the Inilrument of Sm ; fo tls equal, when re-umted, they fl10uld feel the Penal Effects of it, The Scripture reprefenrs both to our Capacity, ty the Worm that ne• ~:'Jf:~s,Fi~;~ t~i:;:~~stl~~~ft:~e~~~t!~~';;:~ ~h~~et~ t:;:e;ej/:~:;g:a:0tel7~{,r~d; they. fl1all be invefled with thole Objects, that will caufe the mofl dolorous Pe~cepti• ons m thelt fen[ItlVe hculnes. The Lake of Fue and Brimflone, the B/"clmefS Qf DarkVvvv> 1 nej!
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