in the promife to the Lord's people, as Ifa xxxv. 10. And the ranfomed of the Lord fhall return, and come to Zion, &c. relating both to the return from Babylon, and to the faints going to their eternal rest in heaven: even fo temporal and eternal miferies, on the enemies of God, are fometimes wrapt up under one and the fame expreffion in the threatning, as Ifa. xxx. 33. "For Tophet is ordained of old: yea, "for the King it is prepared, he hath made it deep and large; the "pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord, like a "ftream of brimftone, doth kindle it." Which relates both to the temporal and eternal destruction of the Affyrians, who fell by the hand of the angel before Jerufalem. See also Ifa. Ixvi. 24. What is that judicial blindness to which many are given up in whom the God of this world hath blinded their eyes, (2 Cor. iv. 4.) but the first fruits of hell and of the curfe? Their fun is going down at noon day; their darknefs increafing as if it would not ftop, till it iffue in utter darkness. Many a lath, in the dark, doth confcience give the wicked, which the world doth not hear of: and what is that, but that the never-dying worm is already begun to gnaw them? And there is not one of thefe, but they may call it Jofeph, for the Lord fhall add another; or rather Gad, for a troop cometh. Thefe drops of wrath are terrible forebodings of the full thower which is to follow. Sometimes they are given up to their vile affections, that they have no more command over them, Rom. i. 26. So their lufts grow up more and more towards perfection, if I may fo fpeak. As in heaven grace comes to its perfection, fo in hell fin arrives at its higeft pitch; and as fin is thus advancing upon the inan, he is the nearer and the liker to hell. There are three things that have a fearful afpect here. Firft, When every thing that might do good to mens fouls, is blafted to them; fo that their bleffings are curfed, (Mal. ii. 2.) fermons, prayers, admonitions, and reproofs, which are powerful towards others, are quite inefficacious to them. 2dly, When men go on finning ftill, in the face of plain rebukes from the Lord, in ordinances and providences: God meets them with rods in the way of their fin, as it were ftriking them back; yet they rufh forward. What can be more like hell, where the Lord is always fmiting, and the damned always finning against him? Laftly, When every thing in one's lot is turned into fuel to one's lufts. Thus adverfity and profperity, poverty and wealth, the want of ordinances and the enjoyment of them, do all but nourish the corruptions of many. Their vicious ftomachs corrupt whatfoever they receive, and all does but increase noxious humours. But the full harvest follows in that mifery which they fhall for ever ly under in hell; that wrath, which, by virtue of the curfe, fhall come upon them to the uttermoft: the which is the curfe fully executed. This black cloud opens upon them, and the terrible thunder-bolt (trikes them, by that dreadful voice from the throne, Depart from me, ye curfed, &c. Which will give the whole wicked world a difinal view of what is in the bofom of the curfe. It is, (1.) A voice of extreme indignation and wrath, a furious rebuke from the Lion of the tribe of Judah. His looks will be moft terrible to them: his eyes wilkcaft flames of fire on them: and his words 'will pierce their hearts, like envenomed arrows. When he will thus peak them out of his presence for ever, and by his word chafe them away from before the throne: They will fee how keenly wrath burns in his heart againft them for their fins. (2.) It is a voice of extreme difdain and contempt from the Lord. Time was, when they were pitied, befought to pity themfelves, and to be the Lord's; but they defpifed him, they would none of him: but now fhail they be buried out of his fight, under everlasting contempt. (3.) It is a voice of extreme hatred. Hereby the Lord fhuts them out of his bowels of love and mercy. Depart, ye curfed: q. d. [ cannot endure to look at you; there is not one purpose of good to you in mine heart; nor shall ye ever hear one word more of. hope from me. Laftly, It is a voice of eternal rejection from the Lord. He commands them to be gone, and fo calts them off for ever. Thus the doors of heaven are fhut against them; the gulf is fixed between them and it, and they are driven to the pit. Now fhould they cry with all poffible earnestnefs, Lord, Lord, open to us! they will hear nothing but depart, depart, ye curfed. Thus fhall the damned be fhut up under the curfe. USE Firft, Let all thefe who, being yet in their natural flate, are under the curfe, confider this, and flee to JESUSCHRIST betimes," that they may be delivered from it. How can ye fleep in thas state, being wrapt up in the curfe! JESUS CHRIST is now faying unto you, Come, ye curfed; I will take the curfe from off you, and give you the bleffing. The waters of the fanctuary are now running, to heal the curfed ground; take heed to improve them for that end to your own fouls, and fear it as hell, to get no fpiritual advantage thereby. Remember that the miry places (which are neither fea, nor dry land, a fit emblem of hypocrites) and the marishes (that neither breed fishes, nor bear trees: but the waters of the fanctuary leave them as they find them, in their barrennefs) shall not be healed; (feeing they fpurn the only remedy) they fhall be given to fult, (left under eternal barrenness, fet up for the monuments of the wrath of God, and concluded for ever under the curfe), Ezek. xlvii. 11. 2dly, Let all curfers confider this, whofe mouths are filled with curfing themfelves and others. He who clothes himself with curfing, thall find the curfe "come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones," (Pfal. c'..... 18.) if repentance prevent it not. He fhall get all his imprecations. against him fully anfwered, in that day wherein he ftands before the tribunal of God: and fhall find the killing weight of the curfe of God, which he makes light of now. II. I proceed to fpeak of the mifery of the damned, under that curfe: a mifery which the tongues of men and angels cannot fuf in the promife to the Lord's people, as Ifa xxxv. 10. And the ranfomed of the Lord fhall return, and come to Zion, &c. relating both to the return from Babylon, and to the faints going to their eternal reft in heaven: even fo temporal and eternal miferies, on the enemies of God, are fometimes wrapt up under one and the fame expreflion in the threatning, as Ifa. xxx. 33. "For Tophet is ordained of old: yea, "for the King it is prepared, he hath made it deep and large; the ❝pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord, like a "ftream of brimftone, doth kindle it." Which relates both to the temporal and eternal destruction of the Affyrians, who fell by the hand of the angel before Jerufalem. See alfo Ifa. lxvi. 24. What is that judicial blindness to which many are given up in whom the God of this world hath blinded their eyes, (2 Cor. iv. 4.) but the first fruits of hell and of the curfe? Their fun is going down at noon day; their darknefs increafing as if it would not ftop, till it iffue in utter darkness. Many a lath, in the dark, doth confcience give the wicked, which the world doth not hear of: and what is that, but that the never-dying worm is already begun to gnaw them? And there is not one of thefe, but they may call it Jofeph, for the Lord fhall add another; or rather Gad, for a troop cometh. Thefe drops of wrath are terrible forebodings of the fall thower which is to follow. Sometimes they are given up to their vile affections, that they have no more command over them, Rom. i. 26. So their lufts grow up more and more towards perfection, if I may fo fpeak. As in heaven grace comes to its perfection, fo in hell in arrives at its higeft pitch; and as fin is thus advancing upon the man, he is the nearer and the liker to hell. There are three things that have a fearful afpect here. First, When every thing that might do good to mens fouls, is blafted to them; fo that their bleffings are curfed, (Mal. ii. 2.) fermons, prayers, admonitions, and reproofs, which are powerful towards others, are quite inefficacious to them. 2dly, When men go on finning ftill, in the face of plain rebukes from the Lord, in ordinances and providences: God meets them with rods in the way of their fin, as it were ftriking them back; yet they rufh forward. What can be more like hell, where the Lord is always miting, and the damned always finning against him? Laftly, When every thing in one's lot is turned into fuel to one's lufts. Thus adverfity and profperity, poverty and wealth, the want of ordinances. and the enjoyment of them, do all but nourish the corruptions of many. Their vicious ftomachs corrupt whatfoever they receive, and all does but increase noxious humours. But the full harvest follows in that mifery which they shall for ever ly under in hell; that wrath, which, by virtue of the curfe, fhall come upon them to the uttermoft: the which is the curfe fully executed. This black cloud opens upon them, and the terrible thunder-bolt (trikes them, by that dreadful voice from the throne, Depart from me, ye curfed, &c. Which will give the whole wicked world a difmal view of what is in the bofom of the curse. It is, (1.) A voice of extreme indignation and wrath, a furious rebuke USE Firft, Let all thefe who, being yet in their natural flate, are under the curfe, confider this, and flee to JESUS CHRIST betimes," that they may be delivered from it. How can ye fleep in that ftate, being wrapt up in the curfe! JESUS CARIST is now faying unto you, Come, ye curfed; I will take the curfe from off you, and give you the bleffing. The waters of the fanctuary are now running, to heal the curfed ground; take heed to improve them for that end to your own fouls, and fear it as hell, to get no fpiritual advantage thereby. Remember that the miry places (which are neither fea, nor dry land, a fit emblem of hypocrites) and the marishes (that neither breed fishes, nor bear trees: but the waters of the fanctuary leave them as they find them, in their barrennels) fhall not be healed ; (seeing they spurn the only remedy) they fhall be given to fult, (left under eternal barrenness, fet up for the monuments of the wrath of God, and concluded for ever under the curfe), Ezek. xlvii. 11. 2dly, Let all curfers confider this, whofe mouths are filled with curfing themfelves and others. He who clothes himself with curfing, thall find the curfe "come into his "bowels like water, and like oil into his bones," (Pfal. c. 18.) if repentance prevent it not. He fhall get all his imprecations. against him fully anfwered, in that day wherein he ftands before the tribunal of God: and fhall find the killing weight of the curfe of God, which he makes light of now. II. I proceed to fpeak of the mifery of the damned, under that curfe: a mifery which the tongues of men and angels cannot fuf. S$ 2 ficient 1 Staté IV. The Punishment of Lofs in Hell. ficiently exprefs. God always acts like himself; no favours can be equal to his, and his wrath and terrors, are without a parallel. As the faints in heaven are advanced to the highest pitch of happinefs, fo the damned in hell arrive at the height of mifery. Twothings here I fhall foberly inquire into, the punishment of lofs, and the punishment of fenfe in hell. But fince these alfo are fuch things as eye has not feen, nor ear heard, we muft (as Geographers do) leave a large void for the unknown land, which the day will difcover. Firt, The punishment of lofs, which the damned fhall undergo, is feparation from the Lord, as we learn from the text, Depart from me, ye curfed This will be a ftone upon their grave's mouth, as the talent of lead, Zech. v. 7, 8. that will hold them down for ever. They fhall be eternally separated from God and Christ. Chrift is the way to the Father: but the way as to them, fhall be everlastingly blocked up, the bridge fhall be drawn, and the great gulf fixed; fo fhall they be fhut up in a ftate of eternal feparation from God the Father, Son, and the holy Ghoft. They will be locally separated from the Man Chrift, and fhall never come into the feat of the bleffed, where he appears in his glory, but be call out into utter darkness, Matth. xxii. 13. They cannot indeed be locally Separated from God, they cannot be in a place where he is not, fince he is, and will be present every-where: "If I make my bed "in hell," fays the Pfalmift, "behold thou art there," Pfal. cxxxix. 8. But they fhall be miferable beyond expreffion, in a relative feparation from God. Though he will be present in the very center of their fouls, (if I may fo express it) while they are wrapt up in fiery flames, in utter darkness, it fhall not only be to feed them with the vinegar of his wrath, to entertain them with the emanations of his revenging juftice; but they shall never tafte more of his goodness and bounty, nor have the leaft glimpse of hope from him. They will fee his heart to be abfolutely alienated from them, and that it cannot be towards them; but that they are the party against whom the Lord will have an indignation for ever. They fhall be deprived of the glorious prefence and enjoy. ment of God: they fhall have no part in the beatifick vifion; nor fee any thing in God towards them, but one wave of wrath rolling at the back of another. This will bring upon them overwhelming floods of forrows for evermore. They fhall never tafte of the rivers of pleasures the faints in heaven enjoy; but fhall have an everlasting winter, and a perpetual night, because the Sun of righteoufnefs has departed from them, and fo they are left in utter darkness. So great as heaven's happiness is, fo great will their lofs be; for they can have none of it for ever. This feparation of the wicked from God will be, (1.) an invo luntary feparation. Now they depart from him, they will not come to him, though they are called, intreated, and obtefted to come: |