Serm. CXI. An Argument firRepentance. in Scripture reprefented to us, by the moft grievous and intolerable Pains that in this World we are acquainted withal, as by the Pain of Burning. Hence the wicked are laid to be call into the Lake, rebieb burns with fire and brimflone, and in- to the fire which is not quenched; which whether it be literally to be undernoód or not is certainly intended to fignifie the molt fevere kind of Torment ; but what that is and in what manner it (hall be infli&ed, .none know but they that feel it and lie under it. The Scripture tells fo much in general of it, as is enough to warnmen to avoid it; that it is the effe&of a mighty Difpleafure, and ofAn- ger armed with omnipotence, and confequentlymutt needs be very terrible, more dreadful than we can now conceive, and probably greater than can be defcribed by any of thofe Pains and Sufferings which now we are acquainted withal; for who knows the power ofGods anger, and the utmoft of what Almighty Jpfticeecan do to Sinners? Who can comprehend the waft figni6cancyof thofe, Expreffrons, _Gear him, who after he bath killed eondeflray both body and foul in Hell? and again, It is afearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God ? One would think this were Mifery enough, and needed no farther Aggravation; and yet it hath.Twa terribleones, from the Confiderationof panPleafures which Sinners have enjoyed in this World, andfrom an utter Defpair of future Eafe and Remedy. r. From the Confideration of the park Pleafures whichSinners have enjoy'd in this Life. This will make their Sufferings much more (harp and fenfible for as nothing commends Pleafure more, and gives Happinefs a quicker tare and relifh, than precedent Sufferings and Pain, there is not perhapsa greater Pleafure in the World, than the ftrange and fudden Eafe which a Man finds after a (harp fit of theStone or Cholick, or after a Man is taken offtheFlack, and Nature whichwas in an Agony before is all at once fet at perfe& Eafe : So on theother hand, no- thing exafperates Suffering more, and fets a keener Edge upon Mifery, than to fkep into Afi&ions and Pain immediately out of a (fate of great Eafe and Plea- fure. This we find in the Parable was the great Aggravation of the rich Man's Torment, that he bad firft received his good things, and was afterwardsTormented. We may do well to confider this, that thofePleafures ofSin which have now fo much of Temptation in them, will in the next World be oneof the chief Aggra- vations ofour Torment. 2. The greaten Aggravationof this Mifery will be, that it is attended with the Defpair of any future Eafe; and when mifery.and defpair meet together, they make a Man compleatly miferable. The duration of this Mifery is expreft to us in Scripture, by fuch words as are us'd to fignifie the longer and mon intermina- ble duration. Depart ye turfed into everlaflingfire, Mat. 25. 41. Where the worm diethnot, and thefire is not quenched, Mark g. 43. And 2 Theff. r. 7. it is there faid, that thofe who know not God, and obey not the Gofpel ofhis Son, 'hall be pie- ni/ht with everlafiing deflrullion, from the pretence of the Lord, and from the glory ofhispower. Andin Rev. 20. ro. That the wicked /ball be tormented day and night for ever andever. And what can be imagined beyond this? This is the perfe&ion ofMifery, to lie under thegreateft Torment, and yet be indefpair of ever finding the leanEa fe. And thus I have done with the Firfl thing I propounded to (peak to from this Text, viz. The manifeft Inconveniences of a fioful and vicious Courfe of Life; that it brings no prefent Benefit or Advantage to us; that the refle&ion upon it caufeth Shame; and that it is fearful and miferable in the lati I.(fue and Confequence of it. What fruit had yore, &e. I fhould now have proceeded to the Second Partof the Text, which reprefents to us the manifold Advantages of an Holy and Virtuous Courfe of Life; 22. v. But now being made free from fin, and become thefirvants ofrighteoufnefs, ye have your fruit untoholinefs, there's the prefent Advantageof it; and theend everlafling life, there's the future Reward of it. But this is a large Argument, which will require a Difcourfe by it Pelf, and therefore I (hall not now enter upon it; but (hall only make fome refle&ions upon what bath been Paid concerning the mile- rabic Iffue and Confequence ofa wicked Life impenitentlyperfifted in. H And 49
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