Ver. 20, xx-Jb. Chapter of MAT x H E W: '33 !hall be weeping, andgnafhing of Teeth. .'Tis notable, that is the Punilhment of the Luxurious Servant, that did eat and drink with the Drunken, and beat his Fellow-Ser vants ; and here theVnprofitable Servant is threarned with the fame, though he was not riotous, but negligent. Sometimes by both together, as Matth. 8. r r; 12. The Children of the Kingdom !hall be call into utter Darknefs ; ,there !hall be weeping, and gnafh'- . sag of Teeth : And Matth. 22. 13. 7ake him away, and colt him into utter Darknef there !hall be weeping, and pnafhing of Teeth. Now, let us Firfl confider the Punifhment, as 'tis d fmal ; Cafl him into utter Darknefs. There are two Terms to be explained ; Darknefs, and utter Darknefs. r. Darknefs. Heaven is fee forth by Light, and Hell by Darknefs. The Inheritance of the Saints is called an Inheritance in Light, Col. r. a z, becaufe that is an Efface full of Knowledge ; for there we fee God face to face, r Cor. r 3. 52. an Eftate full of Joy and Comfort, Pfal. 16. a 1. an Efface full of Brightnefs and Glory : Dan. s 2. 3. T hey !hall fhine as the Brightne fs of the Firmament, and as the Stars for, ever and ever. Matth. r 3.4 ;. The Righteous /hall Thine na the Sun in the Kingdom of Heaven. How bate foever the Children of God appear in this World, in the World to come they fhàll be wonderful Glorious. Now the oppofite State of this, is let forth by Dark- nefs ; as the fallen Angels are faid to be held in Chains of Darknefs, z Pet. z. 4. or as Jade hath it, in Chains under Darknefs, 7ude ¢. Hell is compared to a Prifon, or Dungeon, r Pet. 3.'9. So Chrifi fpeaketh of Hell, as the Prifon wherein damned Spirits are held, in a wretched and comfortlefs Eftate, in a State moll remote from. Joy and Bleffednefs: 2. 'Tis called utter Darknefs ; either becaufe their Prifons or Dungeons were out of the City, as appeareth, Act. 12. 1 o. or becaufe they !hall be Phut from the Feaff, or Rooms of Entertainment : Their Feaffs were ufually kept by Night, Suppers, and not Dinners ; and then celebrated with a great many Lamps, and Candles or Torches. Now, thofe that were not only Phut out from thofe Rooms' of Entertainment, but call into Dungeons, were left in a comfortlefs Condition. That 'tis oppofite to the Feaft, thefe two Places (Matth..8. 12. and. Matth. 22. 13.) fhew. And here, when the good Servants enter into theMailers yoy, or fit down and feaft with him, then is the naughty Servant call into utter Darknefs ; that is, /hut out of the Communion of the blelfed Spirits, (who in the Place of Happinefs have Eternal Joy) and calf into the Dungeon of Hell. Secbridly, Let us .confider it as 'tis doleful ; Where /hall be weeping, and gnafhing of Teeth : Their Elate fhall be fad, and they fhall have a bitter Apprehenfion of it. Their Apprehenfion is expreffed by two things ; their Sorow, and Indignation. (a.) Their defperate tormenting Sorrow, i rrw8,u4, Weeping. This Dolour !hall arife from the inexplicable Torments of Body and Soul. (z.) Their Indignaoion or Vexation, Gnafhing of Teeth : 'Tis a Token of Indig, nation and Impatience ; as A47. y. 54. When they heard thefe things, they were cut at the Heart, and gnafhed on him with their Teeth. I [hall explain it more by and by. Two Points will a rife hence : a. Doll. That Hell is a Place,and State of unexpreJJtble Torments. 2. Doil., That Vnprofitablenefs is a damning Sin. The Dnproftable Servant is condemned, though he did not wake his Maker's Goods, yet becaufe he did not increafe them. There is no Treachery laid to his Charge, no Riot and wakeful Profufion, no Oppofition to his Fellow Servants, to vex or hinder them in their Work : We hear nothing of this laid to his Charge; but he neglelled to do that which is good. For the firff Point ; That Hell is a Place and State of unexpre/ftble Torment. The Argument may feem harlh and ingrate ; but this is part of the Dotprine that we mull unfold. See the Commiffion of the. Minifters of the Gofpel Mark t6. a6. He that believeth, ¡hall be Paved ; and he that believeth not, (hall be damned. 'Tis Gofpel-
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