severities of his heavy difpleasure, to be lodged in i bed of flames, and have the devils and damned fpirits for perpetual companions, or rather for our rageous executioners; without hope of deliverance, tho' after ever so long a space; to be forfaken of all that is good, all that is happy, or might tend to make us fo; to be everlastingly condemned to darkness and horror, to weeping and wailing, and gnathing of teeth, to the never-dying worm, and fire unquenchable. This the damned in Hell know to their coft; and for this reafon fret and rage beyond measure. And what is it they would not give, or do, to recover fome of thofe happy opportunities of feeking after a better ftate, which we fo idly fquander away! Unhappy wretches! They find, by lamentable experience, what the loss of Heaven implies in it, and how much it was their real interest, to have taken warning, when they were called upon in their life-time, to be holy, wife, and happy. They are always in the agonies of death, and yet never fo dead, but that they are ftill to live in the most exquifite and moft lafting dolours. Their fire always burns, but never confumes them; their worm always gnaws, but never kills them. Whilft they were alive, they would never give over provoking Almighty God; and now God will never give over punishing them for their numerous provocations. There is no end or measure of their forrows, no intermiffion of their pains, no hope or comfort for them, no profpect of any thing, but inconceivable, intolerable, indeterminable grief, and mifery, and anguish. And can I think it too much to live regularly, and take thofe courfes which will make me happy in a good measure here, that I may efcape all this dire vengeance, and be completely and infinitely happy to all eternity hereafter? This were a far wifer courfe, than to gratify my own, worldly.or carnal inclinations, for a fhort, no one knows how very short a time, to the everlafting deftruction of myself, both soul and body, in Hell. Confider there fore, www fore, O my drowfy foul, and beftir thyself now in time, whereby to prevent thofe tortures, which thou =: mult otherwife be fure to undergo, and canft never hope to get rid of, when once thou comeft to feel the weight of them. Take warning whilft thou art yet on this fide the grave, and mayft have time and grace to fave thyself, if it be not through thy own neglect or obftinacy in finning. Imagine to thyfelf the doleful cafe of a condemned finner, already placed in the regions of darkness, thofe melancholick fhades of per: perual night, wirere no day ever dawns, no light ever breaks in; deprived of all the comforts and pleasures of life, and preserved in being, only to be punished; racked and tormented with a frightful remembrance of his own guilt and folly, piercing him like a dagger at the heart, and no room left for repentance. Imagine him beholding the glory and felicity of the blessed; raging with envy at their happiness, and tearing himfelf for anguifh and vexation, when he reflects upon what he has loft, purely for the fake of his brutish Jufts, and unreasonable paffions, for thofe pleasures of fin which were but for a moment, but for which he muft now pay dear for evermore. Imagine him farther lamenting the fharpnefs of his pains, the exceffive burnings of that fire and brimftone, wherein he inceffantly danguifhes, and the malice of the devils difcharging their fury upon him, and plaguing and tormenting him with the utmost violence. Imagine him once more cut off from all hope of redress, to as not only to be thus infinitely tortured at prefent, but to be affured beyond all doubt, that thefe his tortures fhall perpetually harrafs him through a long eternity. Imagine the finner, I fay, irrecoverably plunged in this excels of unspeakable mifery, and fee if all the glory of the world can tempt thee to change condition with him but for one hour. If not, what defperate phrenzy muft that be, that can with-hold thee from taking all the care that may be, to fave thy felf from fuch infupportable, and yet irreparable deftruc tion? Can I fuffer myfelf to be thoughtless and concerned, when upon the brink of this bottoml abyfs of pains and forrows, and each moment in dang of dropping into it? No. Far be it from me to be tray such an excess of the most unaccountable foll fuch an unpardonable inftance of the most deftruct enmity to my own foul. On the other hand, I begin to confider in time, and will ufe my utm diligence to guard against that place of torments, procure an inheritance among all them which are fantifies | I will make it my business to keep within that name. way that leadeth unto life; will strive to enter in s the freight gate, though I tug hard to get through will do or fuffer whatever it fhall please God require of me, or lay upon me; and will x highly thankful, if I can at laft be carried in Heaven, tho' it were in a chariot of fire. Welcom fighs and tears, welcome whatever penances my ligion can impofe upon me, whatever terrors th world can threaten me with, whatever pains I can te at in God's fervice! welcome all that can befal m: for my Saviour's fake, who endured the cross, and ifpifed the fhame, for me! I will watch and pray, wil deny myself, and mortify the flesh, and do my best to proceed from grace to grace. And may it please the good and gracious God, that grace may at laf have its completion in glory, through Jefus Chrift o Lord! To whom with the Father, and the Hol Ghost, be all honour and praise, world without end Amen. A COL To be used upon SEVERAL OCCASIONS, as he shall fee fit. My voice fhalt thou hear betimes, O Lord: Early in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. Pfal. v. 3. My hope bath been in thee, O Lord: I have faid, Thou art my God. Pfal. xxxi. 16. Hear me, O Lord; for thy loving-kindness is comfortable: turn thee unto me according to the multitude of thy mercies. Pfal. Ixix. 17. Dd |