The saints everlasting rest

5. And the greater by far will their torments be, because they shall have no comfort lest to mitigate them. In this life when a minister told them of hell, or conscience began to trouble their peace, they had comforts enough at hand to relieve them: their carnal friends were all ready to comfort them, but now they have not a word of comfort either for him or themselves. Formerly they had their business, their company, their mirth, to drive away their fears; they could drink away their sorrows, or play them away, or sleep them away, or at least, time did wear them away; but now all these remedies are vanished. They had a hard, a presumptuous unbelieving heart, which was a wall to defend them against troubles of mind; but now their experience bath banished these, and lest them naked to the fury of those flames. Yea, formerly Satan himself was their comforter, and would unsay all that the minister said against them, as he did to our first mother. Hath GOD said, Ye shall not eat? Ye shall not surely die. So doth he now: doth GOD tell you that you shall lie in hell? it is no such matter; ⟨p. 118⟩GOD is more merciful: he doth but tell you so to fright you from sinning: or if there be a hell, what need you fear it? are not you christians? and shall you not be saved by Christ? was not his blood shed for you? Ministers may tell you what they please, they would make men believe that they shall all be damned except they will fit themselves to their humour.—Thus as the Spirit of Christ is the comforter of the saints, so Satan is the comforter of the wicked; for he knows if he should now disquiet them, they would no longer serve him; or if fears or doubts should trouble them, they would bethink themselves of their danger. Never was a thief more careful lest he should awake the people, when he is robbing the house, than Satan is, not to awaken a sinner. But when the sinner is dead, and he hath his prey, then he hath done flattering and comforting them. While the sight of sin and misery might have helped to save them, he took all the pains he could to hide it from their eyes; but when it is too late, and there is no hope left, he will make them see and feel to the utmost. Oh, which way will the forlorn sinner then look for comfort! They that drew him into the snare, and promised him safety, now forsake him, and are forsaken themselves.

5. And the greater by far will their torments be, because they shall have no comfort lest to mitigate them. In this life when a minister told them of hell, or conscience began to trouble their peace, they had comforts enough at hand to relieve them: their carnal friends were all ready to comfort them, but now they have not a word of comfort either for him or themselves. Formerly they had their business, their company, their mirth, to drive away their fears; they could drink away their sorrows, or play them away, or sleep them away, or at least, time did wear them away; but now all these remedies are vanished. They had a hard, a presumptuous unbelieving heart, which was a wall to defend them against troubles of mind; but now their experience bath banished these, and lest them naked to the fury of those flames. Yea, formerly Satan himself was their comforter, and would unsay all that the minister said against them, as he did to our first mother. Hath GOD said, Ye shall not eal? Ye shall not surely die. So doth he now: doth GOD tell you that you shall lie in hell? it is no such matter;