Ver. 4 i . xxvth Chapter of St. MATTHEW. z o 5 God, but through him, Luk. 16. 26.. Chrifi is the Ladder by which we afcend the Means of Intercourfe between God and us: When Man was driven out of Pa- radife, the Tree of Life was guarded by a Flaming Sword. There is no Coming to God, but by him ; And he is able to lave to the utmofl, Heb. 7. 25. 3. Avoyd Sin, t#at feparateth between God and you, 1fa. 59. 1, 2. How will you pray, when you cannot look God in the Face? Fear followeth Guilt. The //ratites, when they had finned, worfhipped at their Tent -Door. You cannot come to God with fisch Confidence. . 4. Let us often delight in Communion with God, and Acquaintance with him. 'Tis Heaven begun ; Heaven is for Gods Familiars : Strangers here will not be owned, and hereafter (Mat. 7. 23.) Chrifl will fay unto them, I know you not : But. Chrifl will take notice of his old Friends. Oh then ! love his pretence, make him of your Councel, your Bofome- Friend. 5. Live in -an holy Senfblenefs of his Acceffes, and Receffes. For bis Acceffes that you may be thankful ; for his Receffes, to be humble : 'Tis a Queftion which is worft, not to take notice of his Acceffes, or Receffes ; not to mourn for his Ab- fence, or rejoyce in his Prefence ; both are bad. Not to mourn for his Abfence, is the worft fin, becaufe Abfence is moll fenfible. In the prefent Life, when our en- joyment of him is loft, 'tis a temporary Hell ; yet 'tis foul Ingratitude not to take notice of his Pretence, when he counfelleth you in Doubts, guideth you in Straits : God will have his Afi s of Familiarity to be obferved ; 'tis his Complaint, Hofea 11. 3. I taught Ephraim alto to goe, taking them by their Arms ; but they knew not that I healed them. The one arguath little Feeling, the other little Gratitude ; only want of feeling is the worfer Sign, for that is a fign of Deadnefs. When God fufpends all Aéts of Familiarity, fome are flupid and infenfible ; fo they can take up with the comforts of the Creature, they never mind Spiritual Viers. Micha mourned for his Gods. Love is difcovered by Grief in Want, as well as Delight in Enjoyment : The main of Chriftia#lity lyeth in obTerving how 'tis between us and God. When aétual Influences are fufpended, either of Grace or Comfort; when Prayer finds not .fuch an Anfwer; and when we do not find fuch Excitation to holy Duties, and God hideth himfèlf from our Prayers. We have handled the Lofs.: Now we come, Secondly, To fpeak of the Pans. There are fad Gripes at the parting of the Soul and Body, what then will there be at the parting of the Soul and Chrifl, when the terrour of Chrifts face fhall ba- nifb them out of his Prefence ! Secondly, The Pant Senfaa : Here I fhall take notice of (e.) The Nature of the Torment, f Fire.] (a.) The Aggravation from the Duration, [ Everlafiing. ] (3.) The Compdny and Society, [Prepared for the Devil and his Angels.] Fill, The Nature of the Torment, [ Fire.] By Fire is not meant material or ordinary Fire, that cannot hurt Spirits. Now this is fuch a Fire as is prepared for the Devil and his Angels. All the other Expreffions are Metaphorical; the Wood, the Brimftone, the Lake, the Smoak, the Worm, the Chains, and why not this ? But obferve, though it' be not Fire, yet it noteth real and horrible Torments, fuch as are more painful than Fire : 'fis called Wrath to came, 1 Theft: n. to. becaufe there was never fuels Wrath before. The Holy Ghoft ufeth fuch Expreffions as we are acquainted with. 1. The Extremity of thefe Pains cannot be told us : Fire is an aftive, furious Ele- ment; the Pain moft fearching, and no Fire more fcalding than Brimftone ; to Senfe that's moll grievous and bitter : But the Pains of Hell furpafs all that is fpoken. Look, as when Heaven is let out by Gold, and Pearls, and precious Stones, the Joyes there are much above thefé fhadowes ; fo all Notions come fhort of Hell. 2. The, whole Man is under the Pains of it,i both body and foul Both are fellowes in Sin, and both are punned. It appeareth partly from Scripture : Matth. so. 28. Fear trst him that can kill the Body, but fear him that can defiroy both Bosby and Soul in
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