the cup of Gods wrath, the dreadfulleft and moft aftonishing of all Scripture denunciations. This comprehends all that the nature of man is capable of fuffering. Divines diftinguifh it into the pain of fenfe, and of lofs: that of fenfe' is reprefented to us in Scripture by fire; and that accended, and render'd noisom as well as painful by brimftone, that afflicts the fmell as well as the touch; fometimes by outer darkness, wailing and gnashing of teeth, to grate the ears, and confume the eyes; by intolerable thirft, to torment the palate. Not that we are to think the fenfitive pains of Hell do not infinitely exceed all thefe; but because these are the highest measures our prefent capacities can make, and are adequate to thofe fenfes for whofe carnal fatisfactions we incur them. 70. THE pain of lofs is yet more difmal; as being feated in the Soul, whofe fpiritual nature will then ferve it only to render its torments more refin'd, and acute. With what anguifh will it then fee it felf banish'd from the prefence of God; and confequently from all that may give fatisfaction and blifs to the creature? But yet with how much deeper anguish will it reflect on it self as the Author of that deprivation? How will it recollect the many defpis'd tenders of grace, the cafie terms on which falvation might have bin had? And how fadly will conscience then revenge all its ftifled ftifled admonitions by an unfilenceable clamor, that worm which never dies, Mar. 9. 48., How wounding will it then be to fee Abraham, Ifaac and Jacob, and all the Saints in the Kingdom of God, Luk. 13. 28. (nay, that poor Lazarus whom here men turn'd over to the charity of their dogs) and it felf in the company of the devil and his angels, who will then upbraid what they once intic'd to? 71. NATURE abhors nothing more than to have our misery infulted over by those who drew us into it yet that no circumftance may be lacking to their torment, this must be the perpetual entertainment of danin'd fouls. And to all this, Eternity is the dismal adjunct; which is of all other circumftances the most disconfolate, as leaving not fo much as a glimpse of hopes; which here ufes ftill to be the reserve, and laft refort of the miferable. 72. THIS Eternity is that which gives an edge, infufes a new acrimony into the torments and is the highest ftrain, the vertical point of mifery. These are thofe terrors of the Lord, with which the Scripture acquaints us: and fure we cannot say that these are flat contemptible menaces; but fuch as fuit the dreadful Majefty of that God who is a confuming fire, Heb. 12. 29. So that these are as aptly accommodated for the exciting our dread, as the promises were of our love: O 2 both both jointly concur to awaken our induftry. 73. FOR God has bin fo good to mankind, as make the threats conditional as well as the promises: fo that we as well know the way to avoid the one, as we do to attain the other. Nor has he any other intendment or end in propofing them, but that we may do fo. See to this purpofe, with what folemnity he protefts it by Mofes; I call heaven and earth to record against you this day that I have fet before you life and death, bleffing and curfing; therefore chufe life, that both thou and thy feed may live, Deut. 30. 19. 74. I have now run thro' the feveral parts of Scripture I proposed to speak of. And tho' I have in each given rather fhort inftances and effay's than an exact defcription, yet even in these contracted lineaments the exquifit proportions may be difcern'd. And if the Reader fhall hence be incourag'd to extend his contemplations, and as he reads Holy Scripture, obferve it in all its graces, and full dimenfions; I doubt not he will pronounce from his experience, that the matter of the Divine Book is very correspondent to the Author: which is the higheft Eulogy imaginable. 75. IN the next place we are to confider the Holy Scripture in relation to its end and defign; in proportion to which every thing is more or lefs valuable. The most exquifit frame frame, and curious contrivance, that has no determinate end or ufe, is but a piece of induftrious folly, a Spiders web, as the Prophet fpeaks, I. 59. 5. Now thofe defigns have always been esteem'd the moft excellent that have had the most worthy fubjects, and bin of the greatest extent. Accordingly, those who have projected the obliging and benefiting of other men (tho' but within a private Sphere) have always bin lookt on as men of generous and noble defigns. Those who have taken their level higher, and directed their aim to a more publick good, tho' but of a City or Nation, have proportionably acquired a greater efteem. But those who have afpired to be univerfal benefactors, to do fomething for the common benefit of the world, their fame has commonly reach'd as far as their influence; men have reverenc'd, nay fometimes (according to the common exceffes of mans nature) ador'd them. Many of the Heathen deities (especially their demi-gods) having bin only thofe perfons, who by introducing fome ufeful Art, or other part of knowledge, had oblig'd mankind. So we fee what a natural gratitude men are apt to pay to worthy and generous defigns. And if we will be content but to ftand to this common award of our nature, the Scripture will have the faireft claim imaginable to our reverence and thankfulness, upon this very account of the excellency of its defigns. 76. NOR 76. NOR need we borrow the balance of the Sanctuary to weigh them in, we may do it in our own scales; for they exactly answer the two properties above mention'd, of profit and diffusiveness which in fecular concerns are the ftandard rules of good defigns. For first, it is the fole scope and aim of Scripture, the very end for which 'twas writ, to benefit and advantage men; and that fecondly, not only fome fmall felect number, fome little angle or corner of the world, but the whole race of mankind, the entire Universe; and he that can imagine a more diffufive defign, muft imagine more worlds alfo. 77. Now for the firft of thefe, that it is the defign of the Scripture to benefit men, we need appeal but to Scripture it felf; which furely can give the beft account to what ends 'tis directed; and that tells us, it is to make us wife unto Salvation, 2 Tim. 3. 15. In which is comprehended the greateft benefit that mans nature is capable of: the making us wife while we live here, and the faving us eternally. And this fure is the moft generous, the moft obliging defign, that 'tis poffible even for the Creator to have upon the creature and this is it which the Holy Scripture negotiates with us. 78. AND firft, the making us wife, is fo inviting a propofal to humanity, that we fee when that was much wiser than now it is, it caught 1 |