Manton - BX8915 M26 1684 v1

136 SERMONS upon the S E R M. XVIL II. 'Tis .a doleful Place and State. Here are two Notions ; the one expreffing their Griefand Sorrow, The other their Vexation and Indignation... (s.) Their Grief and Sorrow. In Hill there is nothing but Sorrow and Fear ; over- whelming Sorrow, and defpairing Fear ; 'tis an helplefs and hopelefs Grief. Car: nal Men are prejudiced againft GodlySorrow ; but, that is ufeful and profitable, 2 Cor. 7. r0. Thefe Sorrows would prevent thofe that the damned fuffer in Nell. The Sor- rows of Repentance are Joyes in comparifon of thefe Sorrow§; the Sorrows of Re- pentance are full of Hope ; God will afford Comforts to his Mourners : but the Sor- rows of the Damned are heightned'by their own Defparations ; 'cis for ever and ever : Thefe are fmall, thole fwallow us up ; thefe are curing, thofe 'torment- ing : Here 'tis like pricking a Vein for Health, hereafter wounds to the Heart. Thefe are mixed with Love ; Luk. 7. She that loved much, wept much. The Cup ofWrath is unmixed, confounding and overwelming us with continual Amazement : Thefe are fhort, thofe endlefs. (a.) Their Vexation and Indignation. The grinding, and thegua/hing of the Teeth, is ulually in Pain ,ór Rage ; in pain of Body and Soul. But of that afterwards, when I come to fpealt of Hell under the Notion ofEverlafting Fire. Now, as 'tis a Token and Effea of Rage : Now the Damned are reprefented as full of Rage, Blafphemy and Indignation againft God, againft the Saints, and againft Themfelves. Firfl Againft God.; they have defpifed his Favour, and now feel the Power of his Juflice, and Difpleafure againft them ; and have Bill an implacable Hatred againft him. We fee in Revel. Chap. 16. q. when they were fiorched with great Heat, they blafphemed the Name of God, which had power over the/ Plagues ; and repented not, to give Glory to' God : They blafphemed the God of Heaven, becaufe of their Pains and Sores, and repented not of air Deeds. I know that this Prophefie doth not Concern the State of the Wicked in Hell ; but their Plagues and Difappointments in this World: However the Fafhion and Guife of the Reprobate is to be obferved here, when they will not repent, fo there when they cannot repent. Like Men diltraaed andmad, they gnaw their Tongues, and gnafh their Teeth ; like mad Dogs, that bite their Chains, or Wild Bulls in a Net or Toy!, that roar and foam. They will curie God that created, and fentenced them to this Death ; his Power, by which they are continu- ally tormented ; his Wifdom, by which he governeth the World ; his Goodnefs, that to them is turned into Fury ; his Sons Death and Blood, which hath profited fo many, and they have no Benefit by ir. Secondlj, Againft the Saints. They hated them, and have an Envy at all the Feli- city that betideth them in this World : Pfal. 37. 12. The Wicked plotteth againfi the yufl, and gnafbeth at him with his Teeth: So Pfd. 112. lo. The Horn of the Righte- ous'ball be exalted with Honour : The Wicked flag fee it, and be grieved ; he fballgnafb with his Teeth, and melt away. The Godly are their oppofite Party ; then their BIef- fednefs (hall be fo great, that they fhall envy their Happinefs, when they fee the Godly.in good Cafe, and themfelves miferable. At the great Day the Wicked (hall fee the Believers Joy, to the Increafe of their own Sorrow. Thirdly, Against Themfelves : Their own Hearts (hall reproach them. Hof. 13. 9. Thou hall defrayed thy [eelf. They (hall rave and vex at their own paff Folly, paft Negleas, and paff abufe of Grace, and paff refufal of that Happinefs which others enjoy, when they find their own Delights fatted with the prefent Curie : Little Com- fort and Satisfaaion (hall they have, when they remember they came thither to avoid the Tedioufnefs of a few bleffed Duties. V SE, Is to (lame us, that we make no more Preparation to efcape this dreadful Elate ; or, in the Languageof the Holy Ghoft, that we do not Flee from Wrath to come : No Motion can be earne[f and fpeedy enough. There are two things that are very great ,Wonders. (1.) That any Man fhould rejeti the Chrifiian Faith, fo clearly promifed in the Pre - diaions of the Prophets, before it was revealed, and confirm'd with fuch a number of Miracles, when it was firft let a foot, received among the Nations by fo uni- venal a Content, in the learned Part of the World, notwithftanding the Meannefs of the Inftruments imployed in it ; and perpetuated to us throughout fo.many Succef- fions of Ages, who have had experience of the Truth of it : And yet hill we have taufe to complain; Ifa. 53. 1. Lord, who bath believed our Report t Some cannot out - fee Time, and look beyond the Grave : 1 Pet. 1. 9. He that lacketh thefe things is blind,

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