Two discourses I. of the punishment of sin in hell, demonstrating the wrath of…

But although Men thus live without God here, they shall not live (I might say [not die] rather, for it is a Death,) without God in the World to come. I beseech you think with your selves, how that your Converse with this Great God in this World is (I express it by that of Men with a Lion, comparatively,) but as through a Grate, (as that of the Spouse's with him is said to be but through a Lettuce, Cant. 2. 9.) And he keeps to the Laws of his ordinary Providence: he breaks not forth immediately, but lies still and quiet; and through his patience suffereth and permitteth Men to walk by him, and do all their Hearts desire, and lets them alone. But, Brethren, when you come to die; it is as if one were turned in unto that Lion with the Grate open; and those Repagula of his Patience removed, your poor Souls, your naked Souls, are upon him immediately, and must (in a clean contrary way to what the Saints do) dwell with him for ever.—The Consideration of this struck dread and ⟨p. 223⟩horror into the Hearts of the Sinners of Zion, (as it may well do in any Soul that hath not Communion with God.) Isa. 33. 14. The Sinners in Zion are afraid, fearfulness hath surprised the Hypocrites; [who among us shall dwell] with the devouring Fire? Who amongst us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? (I opened that place afore, and showed that this devouring Fire was God himself:) These speak one to another as Men affrighted use to do, and as struck on the sudden with apprehensions of the greatness of that God, whom their Consciences (now awakened) told them they had to do withal for ever. And they look trembling one on the other, and the common cry and voice among them thereupon is, Whose Portion will this prove to be? For it will be the Portion of some: or, Who of us, or all Creatures, is able to bear it or endure it? And upon this Conference (as I may term it) and inquisition among themselves, God by the Prophet steps out and answers them, but in a clean contrary way, and to their further confusion, and tells them: There are those that shall dwell with me thus immediately, unto whom I will be Glory and Happiness, who shall walk in the comfort of this Fire which you thus dread; and who (like the ⟨p. 224⟩three Children in that fiery Furnace) shall be refreshed therein. So it follows, He that walks righteously, and speaks uprightly, he shall dwell on high. And therefore it further follows, 1.