Right Thoughts, Part 2 · Section 15
Sect. XV.
IN thinking of ETERNITY,Of Eternity, Right thoughts of it. as that which is ſo ſhortly approaching, and nearly concerning every one, that he thinks it ſtrange that any one ſhould almoſt think of any thing elſe, for thinking of Eternity; But that he thinks again of that World of Atheiſme that is in the World, never fully to be confuted, But by Death and Judgment; and oh, thinks he,Atheiſts in this world. what a ſad thing it is that they are foreign, we read, without God in the World, but the word is, Atheiſts in the World, Eph. 2.12. No Atheiſts to Eternity.yea but as ſoon as ever they go out of the World, they continue Atheiſts no longer. Thoſe that would not believe that there was a God, and a Chriſt, by his patience and providence, by his preſerving them, and proffering to ſave them,Shall ſee there is a God and Chriſt. Rev. 1.7. Mal. 3.19. ſhall then ſee that there is a God, and a Chriſt too (every Eye ſhall ſee him) and feel that there is a God by his terrours taking hold upon them; Then ſhall they return and diſcern (though they would not ſee the Lord when his hand was lifted up in his Word and Works in the World) they ſhall ſee God, and be aſhamed. Iſa. 26.11. Pſal. 58.11.So that a man ſhall ſay verily there is a GOD. And thoſe that would not believe that there was a Devil, by their daily converſing with him, and his influencing them, by his filling their hearts, becauſe they ſay they never ſaw him,Feel there i… a Devil. ſhall then certainly know they are with him, as he knows now that he is with them; for, as he ſhares ſtakes with them in ſin, they have their part, and he hath his part;In Hell ſhare ſtakes with him. ſo ſhall they be forc't to ſhare ſtakes with them in Hell, for they ſhall have their portion with the Devil and his Angels. Mat. 25.41. As he with them here in ſin.And Oh thinks he, how will the dainty Dives, and the careleſs and delicate Daughters do to ſpend that Eternity? That muſt have ſo many devices and divertiſements,Miſery of the wicked. Playes and Paſtimes, (Ah! wretched word that thinks he,) and all to wear out the tediouſneſs of a little time. To ſpend that Eternity, when the ſmoak of that bottomleſs pit, Rev. 14.10, 11.muſt be their only Air; to breath in Fire, their Food; Brimſtone, their Perfume; full Viols of Divine wrath, their Drink; Aſtoniſhment, their Wine; Bitter weeping, and flowing Fountains,Mat. 22.13. and ever Running Rivers of Tears, in ſtead of their Rich Baths, and pleaſant Springs,Luke 16.28. and artificial Fountains; And wailing, yelling, and howling, their only Muſick; And ſo other mens torments an acceſſion to their pains. As they had taken pleaſure in other mens ſins (which made Dives ſo loath of his Brethrens Company,Rom. 1.32. as we may well think.) The Books muſt be opened, in ſtead of their pleaſing Play-Books, and Romances, Gods Book, and the Book of their Conſciences, Rev. 20.12.(that they never could endure in all their lives to look into) muſt now be pored upon by them, by the Fire of Hell, without intermiſſion, recreation, or other diverſion; and the wanton Eye, that buſie and unſatisfied Gazer upon every thing (but the Bible) muſt be (otherwiſe) impriſoned in utter darkneſs for ever;Mat. 25.30. Pſalm. 12.4.And the Lordly tongue that muſt needs be their own, ſhall be their own to torment them; as formerly ſet on Fire of Hell with a world of wickedneſs, James 3.6.ſo now of woes; Red hot then with Rage againſt God, and revilings of his Saints, now burning with flames, and not receiving ſo much as one ſingle drop of cold water, Luke 16.24.that was wont to ſwim in Wine, and for that bewitching ſence of touch, its dalliances and delights, there ſhall only ſucceed thoſe hideous gnaſhings of teeth, and gnawings at Heart, in the woe that never ceaſeth, and by the worm that never dies. Joſh. 8.7, 16.And thus, Ah thinks he, as Joſhua taught the men of Succoth with the Thornes and Bryars in the wilderneſs,) The Hebrew is, He made them to know; to know who he was, and to know what they had done, jn deſpiſing his Meſſengers, in rejecting his motions, &c.) ſo will Jeſus teach the Atheiſtical world with tortures to Eternity,2 Chro. 36.16. Pſal. 50.17. Prov. 1.3. and make them to know who He is, whoſe Meſſengers they mocked, whoſe Laws they caſt behind their backs, whoſe Councels they hated, and would none of his Reproofs.
But thinks He on the other hand,Eternal happineſs of the Saints. of thoſe in whoſe Hearts are the wayes of them that are holy Pilgrims, the true Travailers, that declare plainly that they ſeek a Countrey, (viz.) an Heavenly, that can ſay of a good Sermon,John 6.34. Lord evermore give us of this Bread, of a lively ſtirring Sacrament, a Soul-humbling Confeſſion and Prayer, an Heart-raiſing Meditation, 'tis good to be here; that think the preſent time too ſhort, and their Hearts too narrow, to hold enough of God and Chriſt; what a bleſſed ſtate will they count that, when the perfecting of their holineſs, and ſo of their ſpirits, Heb. 12.23. Phil. 3.21.and the changing of their vile bodies, and the faſhioning them like unto Chriſts Glorious Body, ſhall widen them as much from the ſtraits of their hearts, as Eternity ſhall do from the ſtraits of time, And ſo they ſhall have as much of God and Chriſt as their heads and hearts can hold, and theſe ſhall hold as much as they can deſire, without Interruption, or Change,1 Theſ. 4.17. or fear of Change for ever, for they ſhall EVER be with the Lord.