SERM. And on the other hand, all the evils which are CLXV. confequent upon fin, especially the dreadful and last

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ing mifery of another world, are called by the name of death, "the end of these things is death." So the apostle, here in the text, and v. 23. "The wages of fin is death," not only a temporal death, but such a death as is opposed to eternal life; "The "wages of fin is death: but the gift of God is eter"nal life through JESUS CHRIST our LORD." So that death here in the text is plainly intended to comprehend in it all those fearful and astonishing miseries, wherewith the wrath of God will purfue and afflict finners in another world.

But what and how great this mifery is, I am not able to declare to you; "it hath" no more "en"tered into the heart of man," than those great and glorious things which "God hath laid up for them "that love him:" and as I would fain hope, that none of us here shall ever have the fad experience of it; fo none but those who have felt it, are able to give a tolerable defcription of the intolerableness of it.

But by what the fcripture hath faid of it in general, and in fuch metaphors as are most level to our prefent capacity, it appears fo full of terror, that I am loath to attempt the representation of it. There are so many other arguments, that are more human and natural, and more proper to work upon the reafon and ingenuity of men; as the great love and kindness of GOD to us; the grievous fufferings of his Son for us; the unreasonableness and fhamefulfulness of fin; the prefent benefit and advantage, the peace and pleasure of an holy and virtuous life; and the mighty rewards promised to it in another world, that one would think these should be abundantly fufficient to prevail with men to gain them to good

nefs,

nefs, and that they need not to be frighted into it, SERM. and to have the law laid to them, as it was once CLXV. given to the people of " Ifrael, in thunder and light

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ning, in blackness, in darkness and tempeft," fo as to make them "exceedingly to fear and tremble." And it seems a very hard case, that when we have to deal with men, fenfible enough of their interest in other cafes, and diligent enough to mind it, we cannot perfuade them to accept of happiness, without fetting before them the terrors of eternal darkness, and those amazing and endless miferies, which will certainly be the portion of those who refuse so great an happiness; this I fay feems very hard, that men must be carried to the gate of hell, before they can be brought to fet their faces towards heaven, and to think in good earnest of getting thither.

And yet it cannot be diffembled, that the nature of men is fo degenerate, as to ftand in need of this argument; and that men are fo far engaged in an evil course, that they are not to be reclaimed from it by any other confideration, but of the endless and unfpeakable mifery of impenitent finners in another world. And therefore GOD, knowing how neceffary this is, doth frequently make use of it; and our bleffed SAVIOUR, than whom none was ever more mild and gentle, doth often fet this confideration before men to take them off from fin, and to bring them to do better. And this St. Paul tells us, Rom. i. 18. is one principle thing which renders the gospel so powerful an inftrument for the reforming and faving of mankind, because "therein the wrath of "GOD is revealed from heaven, against all ungod"linefs and unrighteoufnefs of men."

So that how harsh and unpleasant foever this argument may be, the great ftupidity and folly of fome

CLXV.

SERM. men, and their inveterate obftinacy in an evil course makes it neceffary for us to press it home, that those who will not be moved, and made fenfible of the danger and inconvenience of fin by gentler arguments, may be roused and awakned by the terrors of eternal mifery.

That the last iffue and confequence of a wicked life will be very miferable, the general apprehenfion of mankind concerning the fate of bad men in another world, and the fecret mifgivings of mens consciences, gives men too much ground to fear. Befides that the juftice of divine providence, which is not many times in this world fo clear and manifeft, does feem to require that there fhould be a time of recompence, when the virtue and patience of good men fhould be rewarded, and the infolence and obftinacy of bad men fhould be punished. This cannot but appear very reasonable to any man, that confiders the nature of GoD, and is perfuaded that he governs the world, and hath given laws to mankind, by the obfervance whereof they may be happy, and by the neglect and contempt whereof they must be miferable.

But that there might remain no doubts upon the minds of men, concerning thefe matters, God hath been pleased to reveal this from heaven, by a perfon fent by him on purpose to declare it to the world; and to the truth of thefe doctrines concerning a future ftate and a day of judgment, and recompences, God hath given teftimony by unquestionable miracles wrought for the confirmation of them, and particularly by the refurrection of JESUS CHRIST "from the dead, whereby he hath given an affu"rance unto all men, that he is" the perfon "or"dained by GoD to judge the world in righteousness,

"and

"and to render to every man according to his deeds; SERM. "to them who by patient continuance in well-do- CLXV.

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ing feek for glory, and honour and immortality, "eternal life; but to them who obey not the truth, "but obey unrighteoufnefs, indignation and wrath, "tribulation and anguifh upon every foul of man "that doeth'evil,"

So that how quietly foever wicked men may pass through this world, or out of it, (which they feldom do) mifery will certainly overtake their fins at laft; unspeakable and intolerable mifery, arifing from the anguish of a guilty confcience, from a lively apprehenfion of their fad lofs, and from a quick sense of the sharp pain which they labour under; and all this aggravated and fet off with the confideration of past pleasure, and the despair of future ease. Each of these is mifery enough, and all of them together do cónftitute and make up that dismal and forlorn ftate, which the scripture calls hell and damnation.

I fhall therefore briefly reprefent (for it is by no means defirable to dwell long upon fo melancholy and frightful an argument)

First, The principal ingredients which constitute this miferable state. And,

Secondly, The aggravations of it.

Firft, The principal ingredients which conftitute this miserable state; and they are these three which I have mentioned,

I. The anguish of a guilty mind.

II. The lively apprehenfions of the invaluable happinefs which they have loft.

III. A quick fenfe of the intolerable pains which they lie under.

I. The anguish of a guilty conscience. And this is natural; for there is a worm that abides in a guilty

con

SERM. confcience, and is continually gnawing it. This is CLXV. that our SAVIOUR calls "the worm that dies not."

And though Gop fhould inflict no positive punish

ment upon finners, yet this is a revenge which every man's mind would take upon him; for things are so ordered by GoD, in the original frame and conftitution of our minds, that on the one hand peace and pleafure, contentment and fatisfaction do naturally arife in our minds from the confcience of well-doing, and fpring up in the foul of every good man: and on the other hand, no man knowingly does an evil action, but his guilty confcience galls him for it, and the remembrance of it is full of bitterness to him.

And this the finner feels in this world; he disguifeth and disembleth his trouble as much as he can, and shifts off these uneafy thoughts by all the diverfions he can devife, and by this means palliates his disease, and renders his condition in fome fort tolerable unto himself; but when he is alone, or caft upon the bed of fickness, and his thoughts are let loose upon him, and he hath nothing to give them a diverfion, how does his guilt ferment and work! and the fever, which lurked before, does now fhew itfelf, and is ready to burn him up: fo that nothing can appear more difmal and ghaftly, than fuch a man does to himself.

And much more, when finners come into the other world, and are entered into the regions of darkness, and the melancholy fhades, where evil spirits are continually wandering up and down; where they can meet with nothing either of employment or plea fure, to give the leaft diverfion to their penfive minds; where they shall find nothing to do, but to reflect upon, and bemoan themselves; where all the wicked actions that ever they committed fhall come fresh