Ver. 4r. xxvth. Chapter of St. MATTHEW. 199 Darkrcís then a molt aaive fenfe of the wrath and difplealure of God : Let no man plcafe himfelf in that he fiiflcrs afllie-Eon in this world ; thefè may be the be- ' ginnings of forrow, miferab)e here, and miferable hereafter : There are wicked Poor, and wicked Rich ; {òme have a double Hell, here and hereafter too. Do not think Death will be an cafe ; Son in thy life-time thou receivedit thy good things. There are Lan ir,u's in Hell as well as in Abrahams bofom. 1V. Origen's Charity was too large : Origen, and after him Gregory NUyffen and others, dreamed of .,.xpoov gip, a flaming River through which the wicked pats, and fo he happy, and that fo all are laved, even the Devils themfèlves ; abut-Mg Rom. 5. 18. and I Cor. 15. z. There is an incrcafe ofTorments, but no decay ; then 'twill be Paid, Go ye Curled into everlafting fire. Secondly, Let us now fpealc of the Perlons Sentenced : Here is a double Defcrip- riots of them. I. From their Poflure, On the left hand. 2. Their ,Q altty, in that Title and terrible Compellation, Te Curled. (1.) Their Pofl are, On the left hand : It noteth not only the more ignominious place, but bath refpeft to their Choice ; the Right hand is more honourable among all Nations : The Innocent were to plead their caufe on the right hand, the Guilty at the left : but it hath refpeF -to their own Choice, they feels after left -hand Mer- cies, PfaÌ, i6. 1 r. At thy right hand are Pleafnres fir evermore : Eternity, that is at Gods right hand : So Prov. 3.16. Length of dayer is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour: At the laft day wicked men have but their own choice : As Darius diflinguifhed between. his Followers ; Some love odPf,or, fòme oanra fo in the World there is a diflivaioti, fonte love the Gift better than the Giver ; make a finifler choice, choofe greatnefs, honour, worldly pleafùres : A man may know his future eftate, by his prelént choice : Wildom flandeth invi- ting with both her hands full ; In her right hand is length of dayes, here is Eter- nity of pleafure ; all the world runnedi to the left hand, Riches and Honour look more lovely than length of dayes in a carnal eye ; Which will you have ? here in the Church you will fay, Eternity by all means, but the courfe of your Lives faith, Riches and Honour, there take up your time, care and thoughts. (z.) Let us fèe the Title or terrible Compellation, [ Te Carfèd, ] not by Men, but by God : Many are Blefi'ed of God, that are Curled of men, Matth. s. 52. Bleffed are ye when men hall Curfe yon for riahteoufnefs fake : 'Tis no boot to have the worlds Ble6cngs ; yet ()Verve the difference, verf 34. he faith, Come ye bleffed of my Father ; but he doth not fay, Curfed of my Father : Partly, becaufe Curling is aliïnum opus, his ftrangc work, it doth not come fo freely and kindly as Mercy : The Blefling comets of its own accord ; without, and before the Merit of the, Crea- ture ; but not the Curfè, till we force it, and wrelt it out of Gods hands. Partly, becaule Chrift would pals his Sentence in a convincing way ; and therefore he dots not pitch Damnation upon the Decree and Council of God, as he doth Ele- &ion : 'Tis Bleffed of my Father, his Love is the only caufe ; but, Te Curfed . 'Tis good to obférve the tendernefs of the Scripture, when it fpeaketh of the executi- on of the Decree of Reprobation, that they may not cal} the blame upon God : Their Damnation is not calf upon his Decree, but their own defervings. You may fee the like difference, Rom. 9. zz. Endured with much long firferioog the veffels of wrath fitted to DefiruEion: But then, verf 23. The vefels of mercy which he hats aforehand prepared unto glory : He endureth the one, but he fitteth. and prepareth the other ; he created them, and permitted them to fall in Adam, juflly harden - eth them for refuting his will, but themfelves prepare their own Hell, by their natural corruption and voluntary depravation, following their Lulls with greedi- nefs: Speaking of the Elea, 'cis Paid, He 'lath prepared, but of the Reprobate, 'tis faid he is fitted ; the Reprobates bring fomething of their own to further their Dellru &ion, pravity and naughtinefs of their own ; every man is the caufe of the Curfè and Eternal Mifcry to himfelf, but God is the caufe and Author of the BletTing ; Thy Defiraclion is of thy felf, but in me is thy help found: The Elea have all from God, he prepareth them for Heaven, and Heaven for them, with- out any Merit of theirs : The Reprobate is notrDamned limply on Gods Pleafure, but their own defert: before he would execute his Decrees, there is an Interpo - Obje, fticn of their Sin and Folly. ll.
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