In6 SERMONS upon the Serra. XVII. irorketh for ua a tar more exceeding, and Eternal weight of Glory. Cannot we fuller with him for one hour, deny our felves a little contentmentin the World ? Shall we begrudge the labours of a few duties, when, affoon as the vail and curtain of the fleth is drawn, we )(hall enter into Eternal Life and Joy. 2. The Punifhment is Everlafling. The wicked are everlaflingly deprived of the fa- vour of God, and of the light of his Countenance. When Abfolom could not fee his Fa- thers Face, kill me,faith he, rather than let it be always thus, z Sam. 4. 3z. The wicked; are never more to be admitted into the pretence ofGod, who is the fountain of all peace, and joy. And therefore how miferable will their Condition be ? Befides, the pain will be Eternal, as well as the lots ; not one kind of mifery only !hall light upon wicked men: The Scripture reprefenteth it by every thing which is terrible, fometimes by Death, which is fo much feared, fometimes by Fire and &imflone, which are fo terrible in burning, fometimes by Chains, and Darknefs, and Prifbns, and Dungeons. Becaufe men in extremity ofpain, and mifery, do ufe to weep and wail, and gnalh their teeth, fomee times by that. All thefe dreadful expreflions, give us fome crevife light into the flate of the other World. Now thefe things !hall be without ceafing, for neither Heaven, nor Hell, haveany period there is no time fet, when the fire !hall go opt, or thefe Chains be tooted, or thefe wailings ceafe. But how can it fland with the Juf}ice of God, for a momentany ae`tion, to caft men into Everlafting Torment? I Anfwer, I. God will govern the World by his own reafons, and not by our fapcies, for we are told, he giveth no account of his matters,he path made an Holy Law, and that Law bath a Sanelion, 'tis eftablifhedby penalties and rewards. Now if God make good his threat- flings, and bring the mifery upon the Creature,which he hath foretold, where lyeth the injuftice? What part of the punifhment would you have relaxed, the lofs or the pain ? The lofs is double; of Gods favour, and of his natural comforts; would you have God admit thofe to the light and fruition of himfelf, who never cared for him ? Or to return to their natural comforts, that they may again, run riot with them, and abufe them to an occafion of the deli;, and to quiet and beguile his Confcience, with the injoyments of the World; that he may the better bear the lofs of thefe, or toleffen the pain, when thefin, and impenitency, obßinatly dothftill continue. z. 'Tis meet for the Government of the World, that the penalties Ihould be thus fisted, to give us the more powerful argument againft flelhly lulls, which being more pleating, and fuitable to corrupt Nature, need to be checked by a fevere cotemination. . Man is a very flave to fenfitive pleafure ; which being born, and bred with him, is not eafily renounced; therefore God bath told us aforehand, that if we live after. the flefh, me )(hall die. The pleating of the dells will colt us dear, the finners Paradife is guarded with a flaming Sword, and delight ballanced with fear, that by fetting Eternal pains againft momentan pleafures, we may thebetter efcape the Temptation. The pleafures of frx, which are for a feafon, Ha. a r. z;. bring Torments, which are EverlaJling. The fear_ ful end of this delightful courfe, may deter us from it, Rom. 8. 13. If _ye live after the f/efh, ye jhall die. God hath fo proportioned the difpenfation of joy andyforrow, pleafuro and pain, that 'tis left to our own choice, whether we will have it here or hereafter; whether we will injoy pleafure as the fruit of fin,or as the reward of obedience ; both we cannot have. And'tis agreeable to the wifdom of our lawgiver, that things to come fhouldhave fome advantage, in the propofal, above things prefent, that the joy and pain of the other World, which is a matter of Faith, lhould be greater than the joy, and pain of this World, which is a matter of fence. Things at hand, will certainly more prevail with us, than things to come, if they be not confiderablygreater. Therefore here the pain is (fort, and fo is the pleafure, but there it is Eternal. Well then, it becometh the Wifdom of God, that thofe who would have ,their pleafure here, fhould have their pain hereafter, and that Eternally. And thofe that will work out their Salvation, with fear and trembling, and pats through the difficulties of Religion, fhould have pleafures at his Right Hand, for evermore, lam. ç. ç. Te have lived in pleafure upon earth. And Luke i 6. zç. Remember that thou in tby life time, receivedfl thy good things. You muff not think to pars from Dalilahs lap to Á'brahams Bofom. 3. No Law obferveththis,that the mara pana,the continuanceo fthepunilltment,fhould be no longer then the mora culpx,than the time ofadingthe offence.Amongß all the pundit, ments,which Humane Laws infliä,thereisno punifhment,but is longer : Lofs, flume exile, bondage,imprifonment, may be for Life, for a Fait done in a day or hour; punifhment doth not repair fo eafily, as offènce doth pervert, publick right and good. Therefore the punifte ment may continue longer then the time a herein the crime was committed. tit. There
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