Christian ethics -- Fiction; Christian fiction; Conduct of life -- Fiction
2. The second thing that I take notice of from these words is, That
this is a dispensation and manifestation of Gods anger against a man
for his sin. When God is angry with men, I mean, when he is so angry
with them, this among many is one of the Judgments that he giveth them
up unto, to wit, to blindness of mind, and hardness of heart, which
he also suffereth to accompany them till they enter in at the gates
of death. And then, and there, and not short of then and there, their
eyes come to be opened. Hence it is said of the rich man mentioned in
Luke, He dyed, and in Hell he lifted up his eyes: {174a} Implying that
he did not lift them up before: He neither saw what he had done, nor
whither he was going, till he came to the place of execution, even into
Hell. He died asleep in his soul; he dyed bespotted, stupified, and so
consequently for quietness, like a Child or Lamb, even as Mr. Badman
did: this was a sign of Gods anger; he had a mind to damn him for his
sins, and therefore would not let him see nor have an heart to repent
for them, lest he should convert, and his damnation, which God had
appointed, should be frustrate: lest they should be converted, and I
should heal them.
3. The third thing that I take notice of from hence, is, That a
sinfull life and a quiet death annexed to it, is the ready, the open,
the beaten, the common high-way to Hell: there is no surer sign of
Damnation, than for a man to dye quietly after a sinfull life. I do
not say that all wicked men, that are molested at their death with a
sence of sin and fears of Hell, do therefore goe to Heaven, (for some
are also made to see, and are left to despair (not converted by seeing)
that they might go roaring out of this world to their place:) But I
say, there is no surer sign of a mans Damnation, than to dye quietly
after a sinful life; than to sin, and dye with his eyes shut; than to
sin, and dye with an heart that cannot repent. He hath blinded their
eyes and hardened their heart, that they should not see with their
eyes, nor understand with their heart; (no, not so long as they are in
this world) lest they should see with their eyes, and understand with
their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. {174b}
God has a Judgment for wicked men; God will be even with wicked men:
God knows how to reserve the ungodly to the day of Judgment to be
punished: {174c} And this is one of his wayes by which he doth it. Thus
it was with Mr. Badman.
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