198 SERMONS upon thé S E R M. XXV. are ,difcuffed : They are athamnd, but God is cleared and vindicated. There is a Worm as well as a Fire : The Fire fignifieth God's Wrath, the Worm The gnawing of their own. Confcience : 'Tis hard to fay which tormented] them Mott, the Terri - blenefs, or the Righteoufnefs. To confider that God is righteous in ill that we feel, and we our laves have beenihe Caufes of our own Ruine ; this is a cutting thought to the Damned :It maketh them gnafh their Teeth, and though they hate God, they can dikharge the anger upon none but themfelves. $efides, their Companions are gathered together, thole that finned by their Inticement or Example ; which are as Fuel to kindle the Flames, bind them in Bundles, and fet Fire on one another. Objeéls reviving Guilt are very difpleafing here, when Confcience flieth in the face, as when Amiga hated Tamar : They cannot look upon the Devils, but they think ofTemptati- ons ; upon the Damned; but either they read their own Guilt by Refle &ion, ( they are the fame) or elk it bringeth to mind their former Example, they brought them to.this place. Agáin, Chrift's final Sentence is pall ; and therefore Wrath, dr , rte filch Wrath as they cannot have more ; for he will no more deal with them. I. V SE. Obferve how a Sinner-hafteneth to his own Mifery by peps and de- grees. In this life we are adding Sin to Sin, and in the next God will be adding Torment to Torment : Herd God beginneth with us, yoh. 3, 18. He that believeth not, is condemned already. Do not fày, 'cis a long time till the laft Judgment ; the Halter is about thy Neck, and there needed] nothing but turning over the Ladder. Men are not fenfible of it till they come to die, then there is an Hell in the Con- fcience, a Sip of the Cup of Wrath. The Horrours of the dying Wicked are the Suburbs of Hell ; then Yellings and Howlings begin., At Death the Bond of the old Covenant is put iii Suit, and at the Separation the Gaoler carryeth us away to Prifon ; there the Soul is detained in Chains of Darknefs, in a fearful Ex- peilation of more Judgment ; I am horribly tormented in this Flame : But after Chrift's coming to Judgment we are plunged into the depth of Hell, the whole Mast is Overwhelmed with Mifery. Well then, if you add Drunkennefs to Thirfi, Godtwill add to your Plagues, till Wrath come upon you to the uttermoft. II. Obferve the Patience of Cod ; he doth not take a full Revenge of his Creatures till the laft day : The molt miferable Creatures are fuflèred to enjoy' forne degree of Happinefs, or rather, do not feel the whole. Mifery at the fire. In the molt dreadful Executions of God's, Juftice you may read Patience : God is patient to the fal'n Angels, though prefently, upon their Sin, they were raft down into Hell, 2 Yet. 2. 5. but much more to finning Man: In the 'day that thou' easel? thereof thou (halt die, was the Sentence ; yet the Sentence is prorogued till the day of Judgment. To chofe whom he hath a mind to deftroy he is patient. The old World he bore with, firft an hundred and twenty Years, and then the Rain was forty dayes in coming; and Reprobates, is g-04 c.Keremwy.: Rom. 9. 22. He endureth them with much long fuffering ; Intermiffión of Wrath in this life, and Refpite to the Body till the great Day. How doth God bear with a company of Hell- hounds ? he fuffereth them to (land by, as a Dog, while the Bread of Life is diftributed to the Chil- dren. To bear with his Children is much, but to bear with his Enemies, who feek not his favour, and are the worfe becaufe forborn, and do provoke him daily, and do- not relent, and acknowledge their Offence, is much more ; yet all this while God holdeth his hands i Admire his Patience, but do not abufe it: We are apt fo to do, Ecclef. 8. r r. Becaufe Sentence againfi an evil Doer is not speedily exe- cuted, therefore the Hearts of the Sons of Men. are fully fit in them to do evil. Repro- bates .fare well for a time, live in plenty and eafe; and therefore. think Hell but a bream, and vain Scarecrow : But take heed, that which is kept off is not taken away : And when you fee wicked men endured, and not prefently cut off, be not offended, their day is coming, r Pet. z. 9. they are but referved ; Juftice (hall break forth, though the Cloud of Mercy long overfhadow it : Their Doom was long finci pall, God might ftrike them. dead in an inftant. II[. One yudgment maketh way for another. Our Anger is rafh, and therefore cool eth by degrees ; 'tis at the, heighth at firft : but it is not fa with God ; his . heated] by degrees, and is worft at laft. There is fire, Snares, then Chains of Dark- i
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