The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. The fulneſs of wicked mens miſery, in that it's poſitive and privative, with ſome Cautions againſt it.
Ʋſe. LEarn hence the full miſery of the wicked in the other World. They ſhall not only be deprived of all good, in their baniſhment from the preſence of God, but alſo be afflicted with all evil, in their ſuffering the pains of Hell fire. The godly in the other World ſhall be perfectly bleſſed, in their freedom from all poenal and all moral evil, and their fruition of all that is truly good, for they ſhall ever be with the Lord, who is an univerſal good. So the Wicked in the World to come ſhall be perfectly curſed, in the abſence of what ever is comfortable, and in the preſence of whatſoever is dreadful, and may render them miſerable; Snares, Fire, Brimſtone, an horrible Tempeſt, ſhall be rained on them as their portion; woful are the fruits of Sin oftentimes in this World. It keeps good from men here, ſtrips them of their Eſtates, Relations, Liberties, Limbs, Health, Names; nay, of the Goſpel, Ordinances, and ſeaſons of Grace, and brings on them much evil here, Aches, Pains, Diſeaſes in their Bodies, Horrors and Terrors in their Souls. But theſe are nothing to the effects of Sin in the other World. Here in the midſt of Judgment, Mercy is remembred; there is no ſtate on Earth of mear or pure wrath. All good things are not removed, nor all evil things inflicted on any. In the worſt Eſtate there is Life, and that cloathed with ſome Favours. The pained have ſome intermiſſion, or at leaſt remiſſion of their pains. In the loweſt eſtate there is hope of better, and that is no ſmall Cordial to a poor Creature; there is no Condition ſo bad, but might have been worſe, both for its intention and duration. But now in the other World, the wicked have Judgment without a mite of Mercy, and Miſery without any Eaſe; either in regard of degree or intermiſſion: All good baniſhed from them, and all evil inflicted on them.
Ex. If the wicked ſhall be thus puniſhed with the loſs of Chriſt, and the pains of Hell fire; it exhorts us to flee from the wrath to come. Ah who would fry one hour in flames for a Kingdom! How dreadful is the hearing of fire; fire, in the night? How doth the very ſound of it fright men and women? Ah then what will the feeling of it be in utter darkneſs, in that black long night of eternity! Sinner, when thou art tempted to ſin, conſider whether the ſatisfaction of thy Luſt will make thee amends for, and ballance the loſs of God, and thy ſuffering the flames of Hell.
Alas, how little is the pleaſure of Sin, but how terrible, how intollerable is the pain of it! What wiſe man would be rack'd a day for a moments delight? much leſs ſuffer the wrath of an infinite God, for the dreggy pleaſures of a Beaſt. Doſt thou think thou canſt bear it? art thou able to endure it? Canſt thou ſuffer the pain of our fire? if not, how wilt thou endure the pain of that fire which the breath of a God kindleth, and keepeth burning? which tortures the Soul as well as the Body, and which was prepared of God for the afflicting and puniſhing his Creatures. O Friend, flie to Chriſt, if thou wouldſt flee from the wrath to come, 1 Theſſ. 1. ult. He is the only ſkreen between thee and the fire of Hell. Flie from ſin, if thou wouldſt flie from Hell fire. Flie the Cauſe, and thou flieſt the Effect: Take away Sin, and you take away Hell. Whatſoever thou ſoweſt now, thou ſhalt reap hereafter; Gal. 6.7. Sow Luſt, and reap the Lake that burns with fire and brimſtone for ever. Sow Holineſs, and reap Happineſs; They who ſow to the fleſh, ſhall of the fleſh reap Corruption: but they who ſow to the Spirit, ſhall of the Spirit reap life everlaſting, Gal. 6.8.