fuch thoughts of Gop, as we have been fpeak- SERM ing of; there is no avoiding the mifery threat- XXI, ned in the text; but there muft of neceffity be an expectation shortly of being turned into hell. That must certainly be the portion of those perfons that forget GOD. And is that a thing easy and tolerable to your thoughts? Is it easy, and tolerable to you to think of being fent into that place of torment, without remedy, and without hope? merely upon this account, because you would needs live without GOD in the world; and would never have your hearts brought towards him? Many deceive themselves with the opinion of a tolerable hell; and therefore fuch a confideration hath no force upon their fpirits in the leaft. But think upon it a little, think what hell is! Why, it is that place of torment, that GOD himself hath ordained for the punishment of wickednefs and tranfgreffion against him. He himself is the author of that ftate, and of that torment that doth belong unto it. It proceeds from almighty power, omnipotent wrath and juftice. And is that, think you, a tolerable thing? That Topbet (the hell which the text speaks of) is ordained of old the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the LORD, like a ftream of brimstone, doth kindle it. Is this, think you then, a flight matter, for a man thus to hurry and throw away his foul? thus to fuffer himself to run into this hell and deftruc Ifai. xxx. 33 VO L. deftruction, and merely because he would live II. without God; flight, despise, and turn GoD out of his heart and foul, while he is here in the world? Hell is appointed and prepared by GOD, in order to that juft revenge that he muft take; and will take upon all those wicked tranfgreffors, that have their hearts thus hardened, and fhut up againft him. Alas! that is a dreadful thing to think of. Revenge! the revenge of a God! that the eternal and almighty God should defign fuch a thing, as the avenging of himself in fuch a way upon wicked men! Q what heart, that is not made of stone or a rock, can choose but tremble! To think, I fhall fhortly be subject unto the wrath of GOD, because I have forgotten him, and have lived without him in the world; unlefs my heart be wrought upon, and turned to him as the GoD of my life; how dreadful is this! Let me then recommend to you in the close that one Scripture, partly touched on before, which is at the end of the fiftieth pfalm. Now confider this, ye that forget GOD, left I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver What! are thofe who forget GOD, wicked perfons? muft wicked perfons be turned into hell? is this hell, and is this place appointed for the torment of fuch wretches, by the eternal and almighty God; that he may take his revenge upon them, for their flighting and neglecting of him, or for what they have done 1 Pfal. L. 22 3 in |