[2.] For the soul ; the soul's evils arise from a lively and effectual sense of the wrath of God, and the gnawings of conscience. There is a fire and a worm, Mark ix. 44, the wrath of God and the horrors of
96 SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. [SeR, XXVI.
conscience. There is an allusion to the worms that breed in dead bodies, and the fire wherewith they were burned.
First, Let us speak a Httle of the worm that breedeth. The worm of conscience consisteth in three things. There is — (1.) Memoria prceteri- torum ; (2.) Sensus jprasentium ; (3.) Metus futurorum. All the periods and distinctions of time yield matter of sorrow and anguish to them, past, present, and to come.
1. Conscience worketh on what is past, the remembrance of their former enjoyments. Iliser^im est dixisse, ft.nsse heatos. It is the miserablest thing that can be to outlive our happiness ; to think of what we once enjoyed, but now Avant : Luke xvi. 25, ' Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedest thy good things.' Thy day is past, now no more pleasures, now all thy carnal delights are spent. The riches of God's goodness that I despised, I shall enjoy no more. The reflec- tion on past comforts : I was thus and thus, but where hath sin brought me ! The very remembrance will aggravate their present misery, especially when the memory shall be quickened by conscience to consider their ingratitude ; their carnal confidence, how they neglected God in the abundance of all things, and nothing remaineth but the sin of their comforts and the curse. Where now are all your stately houses, pleasant gardens, costly tables, furnished with delicious meats ? your gorgeous and pompous apparel, your merry meetings ? These things I have enjoyed, but now they are come to their full and final period.
2. The time wasted ; this is a commodity never valued till it be lost, and then it cannot be recovered. In hell they see the folly of it ; the misspense of time is a killing circumstance. Experience maketh us value time. The horrors of the damned may be guessed at by the complaints of the dying. Oh ! for a little time ! If they had but one year, one month more. Here men are prodigal of nothing so much as time, as if they had more than they could tell what to do with ; but when they come to die, Oh ! if God would spare them a little longer !
3. Especially opportunities of grace slighted. God reckoneth to a day, how long, how often, he hath warned them : Luke xiii. 7, ' These three years came I seeking fruit from this fig-tree, but behold I find none; cut it down.' Here is Christ's righteous expectation, 'These three years came I seeking fruit ; ' their ungrateful frustration, ' But I find none ;' and then his final denunciation, 'Cut it down." When- ever God reckoneth with a people, he reckoneth with them for time and opportunities of grace. Did not I warn you ? What means we have had, and offers of grace, God's drawing nigh to us in an accept- able time ! Every sermon will sting our conscience. There was a fair advantage ; it is good to feel the worm while it may be killed, to take notice of checks of conscience for the present, and the motions of God's Spirit ; this is a spark that will not be quenched.
4. The folly of their own choice. Men will not see now, but they shall see : Isa. xxvi. 11, ' Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not see ; but they shall see, and be ashamed.' Their understandings are cleared to know the worth of things, and their eyes opened, when it is too late : Jer. xvii. 11, 'At his latter end he shall be a fool.' lie
VeR. 41.] SERMONS UPON MATTHEW XXV. 97
was a fool all his lifetime to neglect God for a trifle, but now he is a fool in the judgment of his own heart. If I had been as active for God as for my lusts, it would have been otherwise with me. Tempta- tions are gone, lusts are gone : 'The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof.' There is no relish of pleasures in hell, if they could have them ; they have now the bitter experience of the cost they have been at, therefore sadly reflect upon their folly. Conviction heightens their torment : Jer. ii. 17-19, ' Hast thou not procured this unto thy- self, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way ? And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor ? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: Know therefore and see, that it is an evil thing and a bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God.' This is your way in the valley ; as when children burn, and feel the gripes of a disease, we upbraid them, This is your eating of raw fruit. Experience maketli them feel the smart of it.