Serm. CXI. An Argument forRepentance. That the last iffue and Confequence of a wicked Life will be very Miserable, the general Aprehenfion of Mankind concerning the fate of bad men in another World, and the fecret mifgivings of mens Confciences, gives men too much ground to fear. Befides that the Jufticeof Divine Providence, which is not ma- ny times in this World fo clear and manifest, does feem to require that there should be a time of Recompence, when the Virtue and Patience of good men fliould be rewarded, and the Infolence and Obflinacy of bad men should be pu- nifh'd. This cannot but appear very reafonable to any Man, that confiders the Nature of God, and is perfwaded that he governs the World, and bath given Laws to Mankind, by the obfervance whereof they may be happy, and by the negleft and contempt whereof they muff be miferable. But that there might remain no doubts upon the Minds of Men, concerning there matters, God bath been pleas'd to reveal this from Heaven, by a Perlon fent by him on purpofe todeclare it to the World; and to the truth of there Do- &rines concerninga futureState, and a day of Judgment, and Recompences, God bath given Teflimony by unqueftionableMiracles wrought for the Confirmation of them, and particularly by the Refurretlion of jests Chrifi from the Dead, whereby he bath given an a¡furance unto all Men, that he is the Perron ordained by God to judge the World in righteoufnefs, and to render to every Man according to his deeds ; to them, who by patient continuance in well doing fee%z for glory and honour and im- mortality, eternal Life ; but to them, who obey not the truth, but obey unrighteouf- nefs, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguifh upon every foul of Man that doeth evil. So that how quietly foever wicked Men may pafs through thisWorld, or out of it, (which they feldomdo) Mifery will certainly overtake their Sins at last ; un- fpeakable and intolerable Mifery, arifing from the anguifh ofa guilty Confcience, from a lively Apprehenfion of their fad Lofs, and froma quick fenfeof the(harp Pain which they labour under ; and all this aggravated and let off with the Con- sideration ofpaft Pleafure, and theDefpair offutureEafe. Each of there is Mi- fery enough, and all ofthem together do conflitute and make up that difmal and forlornState, which the Scripture calls Hell and Damnation. I (hall therefore briefly reprefent (for it is by no meansdefirable to dwell long upon fo melancholy and frightful an Argument) Fir/i, The principal Ingredients which constitute this miferable State. And, Secondly, The Aggravations of it. Firfl, The principal Ingredients which conftitutethis miferable State; and they are there three which 1 have mentioned. I. Zhe anguish of a guilty Mind. If. The lively Apprehenfions of the invaluable Happinefs which they have loft. III. A quick Senfe of the intolerable Pains which they lie under. I. The Anguish of a guilty Confcience. And this is natural; for there is a Worm that abides in a guilty Confcience, and is continually gnawing it. This is that our Saviour calls the Worm that dyes not. And tho' God should infli& no pofitive Punishment uponSinners, yet this is a Revenge which every Man'sMind would take upon him ; for things are fo order'd by God in the original Frame and Conftitution of our Minds, that on the one hand Peace and Pleafure, Contentment and Satisfa&iondo naturallyarife in our Minds from the Confcience of Well-doing, and fpring up in the Soul of every good Man: Andon the other hand, no Manknowingly does an evil A&ion, but his guilty Confcience galls him for it, and the remembranceofit is full of Bitternefs to him. And this the Sinner feels in this World; he difguifeth anddiffembleth his Trou- ble as much as he can, and fhiftsoff thereuneafie Thoughtsby all the Divertlons he can devife, and by this means palliates his Difeafe, and renders his Condition in fame fort tolerable unto himfelf: but when he is alone, or caft upon theBed of Sicknefs, and his Thoughts are let loofe uponhim, and hebath nothing togive them a Diverflon, how does his Guilt ferment and work ! and the Feaver, which lurkt before, does now (hew it felf, and is ready to burn himup; fo that nothing can appear more difmal and ghaftly, than fuch a Man does to himfelf. And 47
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