§ 6. (4.) They shall be deprived of the blessed society of angels and glorified saints. Instead of being companions of those happy spirits, and numbered with those triumphant kings, they must be members of the corporation of hell, where they shall have companions of a far different nature and quality. Scorning and abusing the saints, hating them, and rejoicing in their calamities, was not the way to obtain their blessedness. Now you are shut out of that company, from which you first shut out yourselves; and are separated from them, with whom you would not be joined. You could not endure them in your houses, nor towns, nor scarce in the kingdom. You took them as Ahab did Elijah, for the _troublers of the land_; and, as the apostles were taken, for _men that turned the world upside down_. If any thing fell out amiss, you thought all was owing to them. When they were dead or banished, you were glad they were gone, and thought the country well rid of them. They molested you by faithfully reproving your sins. Their holy conversation troubled your consciences, to see them so far excel you. It was a vexation to you, to hear them pray or sing praises in their families. And is it any wonder if you be separated from them hereafter? The day is near when they will trouble you no more. _Betwixt them and you will a great gulf be fixed._ Even in this life, while the saints were _mocked_, _destitute_, _afflicted_, _tormented_, and while they had their personal imperfections; yet, in the judgment of the Holy Ghost, they were such _of whom the world was not worthy_.[248] Much more unworthy will the world be of their fellowship in glory.
[Footnote 248] Hebrews xi, 36-38.
§ 7. (11.) I know many will be ready to think, they could spare these things in this world well enough, and why may they not be without them in the world to come? Therefore to shew them that this loss of heaven will then be most tormenting, let them now consider—their understandings will be cleared to know their loss, and have more enlarged apprehensions concerning it—their consciences will make a closer application of it to themselves,—their affections will no longer be stupefied,—nor their memories be treacherous.
§ 8. (1.) The understandings of the ungodly will then be cleared, to know the worth of that which they have lost. Now they lament not their loss of God, because they never knew his excellence; nor the loss of that holy employment and society, for they were never sensible what they were worth. A man that has lost a jewel, and took it but for a common stone, is never troubled at his loss; but when he comes to know what he lost, then he laments it. Though the understandings of the damned will not be sanctified, yet they will be cleared from a multitude of errors. They now think that their honors, estates, pleasures, health, and life, are better worth their labor, than the things of another world; but when these things have left them in misery, when they experience the things which before they did but read and hear of, they will be of another mind. They would not believe that water would drown, till they were in the sea, nor the fire burn, till they were cast into it; but when they feel, they will easily believe. All that error of mind which made them set light by God, and abhor his worship, and vilify his people, will then be confuted and removed by experience. Their knowledge shall be increased, that their sorrows may be increased. Poor souls! they would comparatively be happy, if their understandings were wholly taken from them, if they had no more knowledge than ideots, or brute beasts; or if they knew no more in hell, than they did upon earth, their loss would be less trouble to them. How happy would they then think themselves, if they did not know there is such a place as heaven! Now, when their knowledge would help to prevent their misery, they will but know, or will not read and study that they may know; therefore, when their knowledge will but feed their consuming fire, they shall know whether they will or not. They are now in a dead sleep, and dream they are the happiest men in the world; but when death awakes them, how will their judgments be changed in a moment? and they that would not see, shall then see, and be ashamed.