Book I. of J B s U S C H R I s T. 63

thou know this^ and yet go on unconcerned how thou fhalt efcape the Terrors of that dreadful Day ? With- out thy own Care^, efcape thou canil: not : For This Judgment is univerfal ; All Mankind muft ftand upon their Deliverance^ every one mull bear his own Bur- den ; and every one's Burden is more than enough for himfelf ; fo that no Man will be in a Condition of Affifting another. To exped any Advantage , any Atonement then^ is mofl; fenflefs • Thou only canft prevent thy own Deftrudlion^ and this Life is the on- ly Time of preventing it. Thy holy Labours now will turn to good Account ; thy pious Mournings move Compaffion ^ thy Prayers and Groans enter the Ears of God, and melt him into Mercy. The Meek and Patient Man will then be confidered for his conftant Suffering and invincible Charity. The Grief he now conceives for Wrongs is more for the Wickednefs and Guilt of the Perfon who does them^ than for any In- convenience brought upon himfelf ,• and this Difpofi- tion will mitigate his own Offence ,• he heartily for- gives^ and prays that God would forgive his Enemies; and this entitles him to. the Forgivenefs of his own TrefpalTes. He is more eafily provoked to Pity, than to Anger : and (hall be dealt with accordingly, by a God Long-fuffering , flow to Wrath , and fparing when Men deferve Punifhment. lie often treats his Body with Severity and Violence^ and continues the rigorous Difcipline ^ till the Flefli be effectually fub- dued by the Spirit ; and therefore good amends fliaii be made him for thefe voluntary Sufferings, and the neg- leded Pleafures of Senfe be liberally recompenced by the abundance of Heavenly and Intelledual Joys. But then 'tis plain thefe good Qualities which minifter an Entrance into that Blifs^ muft be attained as foon as we can poflibly : This prefent State of Mortali- ty is the only Scene of Adion and Improvement ; and lince this Scene fo fuddenly may change^ we are
not

not Mq in the delay of one Moment. This is in truth our Cafe, but we are loth to underftand it : and fo inordinately fond of Senfual Delights^ that we even take a pleafure in impofing upon our felves ; and by the mod fatal of all Infatuations, cherifh and gratify our Bodies, at the Expence, and extreme Hazard of our Souls.
And what is the EfFe(5t of this , but heaping up n^ore Fewel forEverlafting Flames to feed upon? For our Sins and Lufts kindle and blow up thofe Fires, and the more heinous and impetuous thefe are, the fiercer and more furiouHy thofe will be fure to burn. For as the Torments of ungodly Wretches fliall there be exquifite for their Degree, fo fliall they for their Kind and Quality be fuited and proportioned to the Sins of each particular Perfon ; and fo contrived, as to be molt fenfibly afflicting and painful to the refpe- they have contraded, and the Appetites they have in- dulged. The L^zy and Stupid fliall be awakened and rouzed into Senfe by fharp Scourges and burning Stings. The Glutton and Drunkard gnawed with in- fuiable Hunger ; and parched with unquenchable Third. The Nice and Delicate, who propofed no Happinefs here to rhemfelves, but Luxury and Plea- fure, fliall then be itrangled with the noifom Vapours of flaming Pitch and (linking Sulphur. The Envious imd Difcontented fhall howl perpetually like Mad Dogs. The Proud and Vain-glorious fhall be con- founded with Shame and Contempt, The Covetous fhall pine away with extreani Penury and Want ; and no One Vice lliall efcape a Torture, exadly fitted to make its ladulger the mod miferable that it is pofli- ble for him to be. In a word. One fmgle Hour in thofe Difmal Pains and Horrors fhall be more infup- portable, than whole Ages of that Uneafmefs, which Wicked Men here have fo irreconcilable an Averfion
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