DISC. xn.I THE NATURE Or THE YUNISI-IMÈNTS IN HE'LL.. 585 appetite they seize those fair appearances to allay their thirst and hunger, instead of fruit they chew nothing but bitter ashes, and reject'the hateful taste with spattering noise ; and still they repeat their attempts with shameful disappointment, till they are vexed, and tormented, and torri with meagre' famine; and. then are permitted to re- sume the shape of devils again. And 7why May we not suppose that the crimes, of which the wicked children of men have.been guilty in the present life, may be punished with some such kind of pairs and confusion, both of body and soul, as is here represented in this poetic, emblem or parable ? VII. Another misery of damned creatures is, that " vexing envy which arises against the saints in glory, and which shall never be appeased or gratified. The blessed in heaven shall be for ever blessed, and the envy of devils and of damned souls shall never hurt their felicity, nor see their joys diminished. This vile passion of those cursed spirits therefore against the blessed inhabitants of heaven, though it rage ever so high, is only preying upon their own hearts, and increasing their own inward an- guish. Let us imagine howmany thousand holy souls are ar- rived safe at paradise, who were surrounded with mean and low circumstances here upon earth, while their haughty lords, and their rich insolent neighbours, have sinned themselves into hell: And do you think those children of pride can ever bear this sight without envy? Howmany martyrs have ascended to glory from racks, and tortures, and fires, here upon earth, while their bloody and cruel persecutors have been working out their own datnuatio,n by these inhuman acts of murder and cruelty ? And will not these wretches, under their righteous sufferings and punishments in hell, envy the creatures whom they have scorned, and oppressed, and murdered here on earth, when they shall see them placed on high seats in the kingdom of heaven; and themselves cast into utter darkness? And what does all this envy do but increase their own wretchedness ? They are distracted with pride and rage to think of these high favours of the blessed God bestow- ed on creatures, whom they treated once with the utmost disdain. But their envy, like a viper, preys upon their
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