in their very nature, fuch as Efteem, and Hope, and Joy, never vifit thefe dreary regions, but take up their abode in purer climes, and under the influence of a milder fky. But all thofe which fin hath debauched and made pregnant with woe, are banished to these inhofpitable realms, far from the dwellings of light and liberty, where they are continually employed in digging deep into mines of mifery, and forming of hellish metal inftruments of punishment, wherewith to torture damned fpirits. 7. Thus thofe unhappy creatures feel infatiable Defires after objects infinitely and eternally removed from them, while to objects ever prefent and before them, they have an unfpeakable Hatred, and an unconquerable Averfion. A deluge of remedilefs Sorrow perpetually overwhelms them on account of the torment they already fuffer; but as if they fuffered nothing in comparison of what was yet to come, they are ever terrified with the most dreadful Fear of unknown waves of woe, which they fee continually rifing in tremendous mountains, one behind another, and ready to burst upon their hopeless fouls with a fresh flood of affliction! 8. And, ah! what they fuffer from the mortification of their Pride, and the everlasting shame and contempt wherewith they are loaded! Proud as Lucifer, they deem themfelves worthy oft he highest dignity, when, behold! they are funk to the lowest point of degradation, and are only noticed to be hiffed and defpifed. Hence they fret, rave, and tear; they fwell with refentment and rage towards God and one another. The rancour which boils in their breafts vents itself in revengeful looks, horrid imprecations, and impotent efforts of difappointed cruelty. Difcontent, reftlefs and impatient; Anger, loud and boisterous; Envy, pale and ghaftly; Malice, implacable and fierce; in fhort, all the paffions (capable of mifery) like fo many G3 many dogs of hell, let loose and enraged, at the beck of the prince of darkness and his malicious crew, with infernal howlings and barking rage, furround, attack, and rend their wretched fouls, crying out for help in vain, with piteous wailings and loud laments! Such is "Woe's wide empire, where deep troubles tofs, Loud forrows howl, invenom'd paffions bite; Rav'nous calamities their vitals feize, And threat'ning fate wide opens to devour.” 5. What hath hitherto been faid, refers only to the mifery arifing from the abused and corrupted faculties of their fouls; but I must not forget to mention, on this occafion, the fufferings peculiar to the bodies, wherewith the wicked will be punished at the morning of the refurrection.-And here, to fay nothing of that fiery lake, to the bottom of which they will be chained by despised mercy, converted into inexorable wrath, and which furrounds their whole body with its fcorching flames, and infinuates itself like water into their bowels, and like oil into their bones." All their Senfes, which were formerly excitements to luft and inlets to fin, together with all their Members employed on earth as inftruments of iniquity, are now, by the appointment of infinite juftice, become inlets to mifery, and inftruments of punishment. Their Eyes accustomed to behold scenes of pleasure and objects of delight, are now terrified with the fight of hideous forms and frightful shapes. Their Ears, wont to be entertained with wanton fongs and melodious mufic, are now fhocked with doleful groans, lamentable fhricks, and horrible howlings. Their Noftrils, formerly revived with fragrant odours and rich perfumes, are now offended with the intolerable stench of fulphur, and rottennefs, while their Tafle, ufed to be regaled with the most generous wines wines and richest dainties, is now tormented with the naufeousness of brimstone and putrefaction. In the mean time, their hands, their feet, their heads, their hearts, their whole body, in fhort, with all its members, fhares in the woe, and contributes to the punishment of these miserable wretches. Thus "All thofe powers heaven gave them to fupply Their foul with pleasure, and bring in their joy, Rife up in arms against them, join the foe, Senfe, reafon, memory, encrease their woe; And there their voice, ordain'd on hymns to dwell, Corrupts to groans, and blows the flames of hell; There they must look with terror on their gain, And with exiftence, only measure pain." 10. Such is the destruction wherewith Christ, when he cometh, will recompence those who know not God, and obey not the gospel. I mean, this is a faint picture of it. For as to their mifery itself, fo far have I been, while attempting to describe it, from dipping my pencil in too deep colours, that the whole creation affords none deep enough to reprefent a thousandth part of its greatnefs. For as "6 eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive what God hath prepared for those who love him;" fo the fame may we affirm concerning the torments referved for thofe who hate him. "Eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive" these: our most enlarged conceptions fall far fhort of them. However, we fee enough of them, (one would fuppofe) to awaken our fear, and arm our fouls with watchful care to avoid them. This is the end I have had in view, in difcoursing on this difagreeable fubject. I mean hereby, thro' the grace of God, to prevent your ever sharing thefe unknown fufferings, and proving, to your eternal forrow, how vaftly my defcription falls G 4 fhort fhort of their reality. And that I may not miss my aim, I beg leave to addrefs you a moment by way of application and improvement, before I conclude. And ift, Let me intreat you to recollect what has been proved, and to remember, that while "you know not God, and obey not the gofpel," you are perpetually liable to all the unknown and unfathomable horrors of this mifery. Yes, this great gulph which Chrift and his apoftles have unvailed to your view, and advised you to cast a look towards, before you plunge headlong into it; this abyss of mifery, beneath your very feet, as it were, Expands its jaws, how dreadful to survey! Ah, my friends; be not fo childifh as to think the bare fhutting your eyes against its difmal gloom, pierced with fhafted lightening, and ftreaked with fpiry flames, will make it ceafe to exift, prevent your falling into it, or render it in any degree the more tolerable. As well might you think to extinguish the fun by clofing your eyes, or to avoid a cannon ball by looking another way. You may indeed turn away your fight from this perdition, fix your attention on fome more agreeable fubje, and fo avoid the present pain which fuch reflections might produce. But alas! you will gain little by this; for to fhun the confideration of this mifery now, is the way to continue in fin, and fuffer it eternally hereafter. 2. And wilt thou then fhut thine eyes, and leap wilfully and obftinately into ruin? Ah, finner, think what thou doft! And haft thou then counted the coft? Canft thou indeed bear this devouring fire which yet will not confume thee? Canft Can't thou dwell with thefe everlasting burnings, for which thou wilt be the everlasting fuel, where "Thy torment muft tranfcend The reach of time, defpair a distant end, Poor unhappy wretch! how infatuated muft thou be! If thy mind were not blinded by the god of this world, and thy very fenfes drenched in fenfuality, and ftupified by the opiates of fin, if thou hadst any power of difcerning or feeling left, I would ask thee how thou couldft bear to be fuddenly ftript of all thy earthly poffeffions, totally deferted of all thy friends, arrefted by merciless creditors, confined in a dark dungeon, loaded with heavy irons; and in this condition, ftarving with hunger and cold, and deftitute of every neceffary accommodation and attendance, to be vifited with torturing pain or fome loathfume difeafe? Sure thou haft love enough for thy money, thy credit, thy friends, thy liberty, thy health, and in fine, thy life, to fee that all thefe calamities befalling thee at once, would be indeed intolerable, to thee (at least) who haft no interest in God and heaven. But furely thou doft not think that all thefe calamities put together, and ten thousand times more and greater, can give an adequate reprefentation of that doleful place, which infinite wisdom hath contrived, almighty power prepared, and inexorable justice deftined for the punishment of incorrigible tranfgreffors? Believe me, all the evils thou haft ever beheld with thine eyes, heard with thine ears, or conceived in thy heart, nay, all that thou couldst ever conceive, if thou waft to spend an eternity in doing nothing else, but devifing forms of woe and changes G 5 |