SECT. I. Concerning a Particular Iudgment at the Time of every Man's Death.
II. LET us now consider the Time of Judgment, God hath appointed • day, wherein he will judge the world i• righteousness. Now this plainly refers to that General Judgment, when all Man∣kind shall be summoned before the Tri∣bunal of CHRIST, to be judged accord∣ing to their Works. But before I speak to this, it will be necessary to take notice of what we commonly call a Particular Judgment, which is supposed to pass up∣on all Men, as soon as they go out of these Bodies.
The received Opinion is, That when any Man dies, he is immediately called to Judgment, and receives his Final Sentence, which is immediately executed on him; that a bad Man is sentenced to Hell, and sent immediately thither; that a good Page 209 Man is received into Heaven, and enjoys the Beatifick Vision, from the time of his going out of this Body.
But I must confess, this has always ap∣peared a great Difficulty to me; we live in such an inquisitive Age, as will not al∣low us to affirm, what we cannot prove, and indeed no honest Man ought to do so: for it forfeits any Man's Authority, and weakens the Credit of Religion, when that which has no proof, or at best is ve∣ry uncertain, is taught with as great as∣surance, as that which is most certain and unquestionable in Religion: and yet no wise Man will oppose and contradict a received Doctrine, though he were satis∣fied it were a Mistake, when there are no evil Consequences attend it: For my part I must honestly profess, that I neither dare affirm, nor deny this Particular Judgment in the sence in which it is commonly un∣derstood; for there are some Passages in Scripture, which seem to look both ways, and since I cannot decently avoid saying something of it, I shall fairly represent to you, what Intimations there are in Scri∣pture about this matter; for there is no other way of knowing this; and I dare teach no more than what the Scripture teaches.
Page 2101. Now in the first place, thus much is very plain in Scripture, that good Men when they die, are translated to a place of Ease, and Rest, and Happiness; and bad Men to a place of Misery and Punishment: which I suppose is what Men mean by a Particular Judgment: for this is a kind of Judgment, tho' it be not performed with all the pompous Solemnities of Judgment, to allot Men their different states of Life, according as they have behaved them∣selves in this World.
The Parable of Dives and Lazarus is very express to this purpose, 16 Luke 19, &c. There was a certain rich man, which was cloathed in purple and fine linnen, and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain begger named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate full of sores.— And it came to pass that the begger died, and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bo∣som: the rich man also died, and was bu∣ried. And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torment, and seeth Abraham afar off, and and Lazarus in his bosom. That this re∣lates to the state of good and bad Men im∣mediately after Death, is very evident, e∣specially from that Request which the rich Man made to Abraham, to send Lazarus to his Father's House, For, saith he, I have Page 211 five brethren; that he may testifie to them, lest they also come into this place of tor∣ment. Which shews, that Lazarus was in Abraham's Bosom, and Dives tormented in Hell, or Hades, while his Brethren were living and revelling on Earth; and there∣fore this can't relate to a General Judge∣ment, but signifies, that State they entred into, as soon as they died: and though what is generally said, that we must not argue from Parables, is very true, as to particular Circumstances of the Story, which are the Ornaments and Embellish∣ments of Parables; yet it is as true, that we must argue from the principal Scope and Design of them; and then we may certainly conclude from this Parable, that good and bad Men as soon as they die, are in a State of Happiness and Misery; otherwise there is no Foundation for this Parable: for why should one be sent from the Dead to inform the Living, what Pu∣nishments bad Men suffer in the next World, if they suffer nothing till the Day of Judgment, which is not yet: for in this case such a Messenger could not be an Eye witness of the Punishment of Sinners, which is the only thing that is supposed to give such Authority to his Testimo∣ny.
Page 212I do not remember any other such ex∣press Text for the immediate Punishment of Sinners, as soon as they go out of these Bodies, and one such Text as this is e∣nough; but there are many Texts to prove, that good Men when they die, go immediately into a State of Happiness; not only Lazarus was carried by the An∣gels into Abraham's Bosom, but Christ promised the Thief upon the Cross, that that day he should be with him in Para∣dise; and St. Paul tells us, That to be at home in the body, is to be absent from the Lord; but when they are absent from the body, they shall be present with the Lord: That is, when they die, when they go out of these Bodies, they shall go to Christ, 2 Cor. 5.6, 8. and this made it so difficult a Choice to St. Paul, whether he should desire to live or die; by living he might do great service to the Church; and therefore he was very well contented to live; but if he departed, he should be with Christ, which is best of all: For I am in a strait between two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh, is more needful for you, 1 Phil. 23, 24. And it is universally pronounced, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from Page 213 henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works follow them, 14 Revel. 13. This e∣vidently proves, that good Men shall be happy, as soon as they die, and besides the express Authority of our Saviour in the Parable of Dives and Lazarus, the rea∣son of the thing proves, that bad Men must be miserable, that as the Happiness of good Men commences with their death, so must the Miseries of the Wicked.
Bad Men indeed many times live very happily in this World, for this is the time of God's Patience, while he waits to be gracious, not being willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repen∣tance: but the Day of Grace ends with this Life; the next World is for Retribu∣tions; we must there receive according to our Works: and therefore though we should suppose that the perfect Rewards of good Men, and the perfect Miseries of the wicked, should be deferred till the Day of Judgment, when the final Sentence shall be pronounced, which shall bestow Heaven upon good Men, and condemn the wicked to Hell, yet the Punishment of bad Men must begin when they leave this World, because God's Patience is then at an end; and the Rewards of good Men must Page 214 begin too, because their Work and La∣bour is at an end. And this has been the universal Belief of Mankind, who have be∣lieved a future State; though they knew nothing of a General Judgment, when all Mankind should be summon'd before God's Tribunal, yet they all believed, that when bad Men died; they immediately went to a place of Punishment, and good Men to Elysium, a place of Rest and Happiness: for if we shall be rewarded and punished in the next World, for what we have done in this, it is natural and reasonable to think that our Rewards and Punishments shall begin as soon as we go into the next World.
2. And yet we read of no other for∣mal Judgment, but that great and general Judgment, when the Son of Man shall descend from Heaven, with a glorious Re∣tinue of Angels to Judge the World: if we examine all those express Declarations of Christ and his Apostles, concerning Judgment, or those Parables of our Sa∣viour which relate to it, we shall plainly find, that they concern the last and ge∣neral Judgment: It is in that day, which relates to a certain determined Day of Judgment, that many shall say unto him, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy Page 215 Name? 7 Matth. 22. It is at the end of the World, when the Angels shall separate between the Wheat and the Tares, be∣tween the good and bad Fish, which were taken in the same Net, 13 Matth. It is when the Son of man shall come in the glo∣ry of his Father, with his Angels, that he shall reward every man according to his works; 16 Matth. 27. that is, as St. Paul speaks, when the Lord Iesus shall be re∣vealed from heaven, with his mighty An∣gels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ, 2 Thess. 8, 9. God hath given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man. And when he must do this, he tells us, The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good, to the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of damnation, 5 John 27, 28, 29. And in his account of his Judging the World, he tells us, When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all his holy Angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory. And before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separateth his Page 216 sheep from the goats, 25 Matth. 31, 32. Then it is, when the Man who travelled into a far Country returns, and calls his Servants to an Account, how they have improved their Talents, v. 14, &c.
Christ is the only Judge of the World, for all Judgment is committed to the Son, and he does not judge the World till his second Appearance, till he returns in the Glory of his Father, with his Angels. The Apostle to the Hebrews indeed tells us, It is appointed unto men once to die, and af∣ter death the judgment; which might seem to intimate a particular Judgment of all Men, as soon as they die; but he adds when this Judgment shall be in the next Verse, So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; he died once for us, be∣cause we must once die; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation: That is, he shall appear the second time to judge the World; which shews that this Judge∣ment after Death, is the general Judge∣ment, 9 Heb. 27, 28.
And the truth is, if all Men have a fi∣nal Sentence past on them, as soon as they go into the other World, it is very unac∣countable, why Christ at the last Day shall come with such a terrible Pomp and Page 217 Solemnity to Judge and Condemn those who are judged, and condemned, and ex∣ecuted already, as much as ever they can be.
And therefore in the Parable of Dives and Lazarus, we have no mention of their being judged; but Lazarus was carried by an Angel into Abraham's Bosom; the An∣gels being ministring spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of sal∣vation, 1 Heb. 14. Thus they minister to good Men in this World, and do a great many kind Offices for us, which we know not of; and thus they minister to us when we go out of this World, and conduct us to a place of Ease and Rest; carry us safe through the Crowds of evil Spirits which fill these lower Regions, into Abraham's bosom: but the rich man was dead and bu∣ried, and lift up his eyes in hell, or Hades, (not Gehennah,) which signifies the State of separate Souls, and it seems of wicked Souls, and was in Torment, but how he came thither▪ it is not said: there is no notice given us of any Judgment which sat on him, or who carried him thither; and therefore if we may guess by the A∣nalogy of the Parable, as Lazarus was car∣ried by an Angel into Abraham's Bosom, so Dives, having no good Angel to guard Page 218 him, fell into the hands of wicked Spi∣rits; for the Devil is the Prince of the Power of the Air; the great Tempter of Men while they live, and their Tormen∣ter when they die: whoever is so far re∣jected by God, as to be delivered up to the power of wicked Spirits, without any restraint on their Malice and Cruelty, as wicked Men are, when they die, need no other Punishment till the Day of Judge∣ment, when they together with the Devil and his Angels shall be cast into utter Dark∣ness, where there is weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of Teeth for ever more: We know what cruel Tyranny the Devil ex∣ercised upon the Pagan World, who so devoutly worshipped him; and what then must the Case be of those wretched Souls▪ who are delivered to him by God as their Jaylor and Tormentor, till the Day of Judgment: I will not say this is the Case, though it seems no improbable Account o• it; but if it be (and thus it may be, be∣fore Christ comes to judge the World,) you must all confess, that to have the De∣vil for our Tormentor, is the very next degree to being tormented with the De∣vil and his Angels.
But yet this is not a final Judgment, the last Sentence is not pronounced against Page 219 them; and though I doubt not, but most bad Men as certainly know what their Doom will be, as the Devils themselves do; yet there is reason to think, that some bad Men (as bad Men, we see, are very apt to flatter themselves with vain Hopes in this World, and may do so in the next, for ought we know,) are still in hopes of finding Mercy at the Day of Judgment, when Christ comes to judge the World: for if they knew themselves under a final and irreversible Sentence, there can be no account given, why at the last Day they should put in any Plea for themselves, or sue for Mercy, and yet thus our Saviour represents it: In that day many will say unto me, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name cast out devils? and in thy •ame done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniqui∣ty; Matth. 22, 23.
And thus in the Description of the last Judgment, when he shall say to them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the de∣vil and his angels. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a strang∣er, Page 220 and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they answer him, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or a thirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 25 Matth. 41, 42, 43, 44. Now it is not imaginable, that these Men at the last Day of Judgment, should make any of these Plea's, had they been judged, and condemned, and the final Sentence pas∣sed on them before.
The sum is this: That Mankind shall not be finally judged, till Christ comes to judge the World; but yet good Men are in a State of Happiness, and bad Men in a State of Punishment and Misery: that very good Men, as they are happy at pre∣sent, so they have the joyful Expectations of the Day of Judgment, when they shall be finally rewarded, and received into the immediate Presence of God in Heaven; and that very bad Men, besides the Miseries which they at present suffer, have the ter∣rible Prospect of a Future Judgment, when they know they shall be condemned to endless Miseries.
3. There is this farther to be added, That according to that account the Scri∣pture gives us of this matter, though bad Page 221 Men shall be miserable, and good Men happy, as soon as they go out of these Bo∣dies; yet bad Men shall not be condemn∣ed to Hell, nor good Men received into Heaven, till the Day of Judgment. There is no great difficulty in proving this, since the Rewards of good Men, and the Pu∣nishments of the wicked, that is, their fi∣nal Rewards and Punishments, or Heaven or Hell, are throughout the New Testament referred to the Day of Judgment: This our Saviour expresly tells us, 13 Matth. 41, 42, 43. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, (that is, at the end of the World, v. 39.) and they shall gather out of his king∣dom all things that offend, and them which work iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth like the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. But there is no need of a∣ny other Proof of this, but that at the Day of Judgment good Men shall be re∣ceived into Heaven, and bad Men con∣demned to Hell, 25 Matth. And if good Men were in Heaven before, it is very strange, that they should be brought out of Heaven to be judged, and to be recei∣ved into Heaven again, with greater Au∣thority and Solemnity; and if bad Men Page 222 were in Hell before, it seems as strange, that they should be fetched out of Hell, to be more solemnly condemned thither again: this would be thought a very odd kind of Proceeding among Men; and we have no reason to suspect this of GOD's Judgment.
As for bad Men, they are to be cast in∣to the Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels; and therefore it is not likely they should be cast into this Fire, before the Devil himself is; and yet the Scripture assures us, that at present he is the Prince of the Power of the Air, the Spirit that now worketh in the Children of Disobedi∣ence, 2 Eph. 2. And St. Peter tells us, That God spared, not these angels that sin∣ned, but cast them down into hell, and de∣livered them into the chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgment, 2 Pet. 2.4▪ which is very ill translated, for if they were cast down into Hell, how are they reserved for the Day of Judgment? for what worse Judgment can they undergo than to be cast into Hell? But the words are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, casting them down into Chains of Darkness, for so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies only to cast down; that is, those Angels who formerly inhabitated the AEthereal Regions, where there was Page 223 perpetual Light, were for their Sin cast down into this darksome Region of Air, where the clearest Light is Smoke and Darkness in comparison with those brigh∣ter Regions from whence they fell, (for the Devil is the Prince of the Power of the Air,) and they are called Chains of Darkness, because by the Decree of God, they can go no farther, cannot ascend higher to those Regions of Light again; and here they are reserved till the Judge∣ment of the last Day.
While our Saviour was on Earth, it is plain, that these evil Spirits were not con∣fined to Hell, for they possessed the Bo∣dies of Men, and very much complained that Christ came to torment them before their time, 8 Matth. 29. They knew it seems there was a time of Torment ap∣pointed for them, but it was not yet: and yet there was then some place of Con∣finement for them, which is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Deep, whatever that signifies, whither they were unwilling to go; and there∣fore when Christ cast them out of the Man, whom they had long, and furiously possessed, they beg of him, that he would not command them to go into the Deep, 8. Luke 31.
Page 224I shall only observe farther, That the Devils are said to believe and tremble: Now what is it they believe, and what is it they tremble at, but the last Judgment, and that terrible Condemnation, which they then expect? and therefore they are not under it yet; for Faith respects what is absent and future, and Fear does not re∣spect what we suffer at present, but what we expect.
But these are great Mysteries, which we cannot now understand; but thus much we do understand, that if these fallen and apostate Angels have not yet received their final Punishment, but are only reserved in Chains of Darkness, till the Judgment of the great Day; there is less reason to think, that wicked Men, who are to be punished with the Devil and his Angels, should immediately go to Hell, as soon as they go out of these Bo∣dies: and therefore whatever is meant by those Flames wherein Dives was tor∣mented, it is not the last Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels.
As for good Men, those Expressions of Scripture, of their going to Paradise, e∣specially of their going to Christ, or be∣ing present with the Lord, seem to bid ve∣ry fair for their going directly to Hea∣ven, Page 225 where Christ is; but the Primitive Christians understood them otherwise: that Paradise and Abraham's Bosom was a place of Ease and Happiness, but not Hea∣ven; that no Man ascends into Heaven, till after the Resurrection, which Ireneus and Tertullian prove from the Example of Christ, to which we must be conform∣ed; for Christ himself did not ascend in∣to Heaven till after the Resurrection; but as his Body rested in the Grave, so his Soul went into the State of Souls depart∣ed, and when he arose again, then he a∣scended into Heaven; and thus they say we must do also. When we die, our Souls shall live in those places which God has prepared for separate Souls, and when we have re-assumed our Bodies, we shall be admitted into the highest Heavens, whither Christ is ascended: and this seems very reasonable, that we should not ascend into Heaven, into the immediate Presence. of God, which signifies our perfect Recon∣ciliation to him, without our Bodies; the want of which is an argument of our A∣postasie, and his Displeasure; and all the Marks of his Displeasure ought to be re∣moved, before we appear in his imme∣diate Presence. But is not Christ in Hea∣ven? and how then can good Men be pre∣sent Page 226 with the Lord after Death, if they do not immediately ascend into Heaven? Now as for this they tell us, That the Souls of just Men in Paradise, have the sight and conversation of Angels and Arch∣angels, and the Vision, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of our Saviour, which, they think, is what is meant by being present with the Lord: though they did not affirm, that no good Men did immediately ascend into Heaven when they died; but expressly taught, that all Martyrs did, who died for the Name and Religion of Christ: and this was the thing, which made them in that Age so fond of Martyrdom, that they thought all Martyrs ascended directly in∣to Heaven: And if they could have pro∣ved this, as it is plain they believed it, that Martyrs did immediately ascend in∣to Heaven, and that other Christians did not, who would not have coveted to die a Martyr?
Thus I have very fairly and truly re∣presented this Matter, and that no Man, who has not so carefully considered this, may take Offence at it: I shall 1. shew you, how useful this Doctrine is at this time. And 2. that it gives no discour∣agement to Vertue, nor any encourage∣ment to Vice.
Page 2271st, As for the first, we may consider, In the first place, That in such an Age as this, wherein we have to deal with so many Atheists and Infidels, we ought to take care to make Religion reasonable and intelligible; for if we do not, they expose it to Scorn and Ridicule, and both har∣den themselves in their own Infidelity, and corrupt others; and therefore we must take care of representing any thing ab∣surdly and inconsistently: Now to say, that Men, who are already judged, and either condemned or absolved, and actu∣ally sent to Hell or to Heaven, should be solemnly judged over again, and con∣demned again to Hell, or advanced to Heaven, sounds oddly to such Men; but if the Scripture does not expresly teach such a Doctrine, we are at liberty not to teach it, especially if we can give another Account of it, which seems as agreeable to Scripture, and more agreeable to the Reason and Understanding of Mankind.
2. Some there are, who observing, that Mankind shall not be judged till the Day of Judgment, conclude that there is no intermediate State, but that the Soul sleeps with the Body, till the Day of Judgment. A very Foolish and Unphilosophical Opi∣nion; Page 228 for we may as reasonably think, that the Soul dies, as that it sleeps in a state of Separation: if the Soul be a spi∣ritual Substance, distinct from the Body, it may live and act without it; and it is as easie and reasonable to defend the Mor∣tality of the Soul, as its sleeping; for if the Soul must sleep, when it is separated from the Body, it must sleep for ever, if it never be re-united to the Body again; that is, it must live and die with the Bo∣dy; for such a sleep as this, is not meerly an Image of Death, but Death it self. But from what I have now discoursed, it ap∣pears, that though there be a great di∣stance between Death and Judgment, yet the Soul does live and act is happy or mi∣serable in the mean time.
3. This Notion does very great Ser∣vice also against Popery: For, 1. it gives an account of a middle State, without Pur∣gatory. This has greatly imposed upon unlearned Men, that the Advocates of Po∣pery have proved from the Ancient Fa∣thers, that they owned a middle State, which was neither Heaven nor Hell; and then presently conclude, that this must be Purgatory. Now it is very true, the An∣cient Christians did own a middle State between Death and Judgment, which was Page 229 neither Heaven, nor Hell, but yet never dreamt of a Popish Purgatory: they be∣lieved bad Men were in a State of Pu∣nishment, as soon as they left these Bo∣dies, but not in Hell; and that good Men were in a State of Rest and Happiness, but not in Heaven; but they never thought of a place of Torment to expiate the Temporal Punishment due to Sin, when the Eternal Punishment is remitted, which is the Popish Purgatory, and the most barbarous Representation of the Christian Religion, though the most profitable too, to the Church of Rome, that ever was in∣vented.
2. This utterly overthrows the Wor∣ship of Saints in the Church of Rome; at least of all Saints, who were not Martyrs; for Saint-worship is founded on this Be∣lief, that these Saints when they die, are received into Heaven, into the immediate Presence of God, and therefore can there powerfully intercede for us; but if these Saints are not yet received into Heaven, nor shall be, till the Resurrection, which was the Faith of the Primitive Christians, and seems very agreeable to the Doctrine of theGospel, as I have now shewn you, then there is an end of the Worship and Inter∣•ession of Saints.
Page 2302dly, This Doctrine neither discour∣ages Vertue, nor encourages Vice: I can∣not indeed say, but that Heaven is a much happier place then Paradise, and therefore it is more desirable for good Men, when they die, to go directly to Heaven then to Paradise: but yet it is a sufficient en∣couragement to the exercise of the most perfect Vertues, that as soon as we die, we shall be carried by Angels into Abra∣ham's Bosom, or into Paradise; a place of perfect Ease and Rest, and as perfect Hap∣piness as can be enjoyed out of Heaven: such a Paradise, where holy Souls dwell, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, and Confessors, with Heaven at the end of it, is a sufficient, an abundant, Reward, for all the most difficult and laborious Ser∣vices of this Life: that Heaven is not yet, is no greater Discouragement, then that we shall not rise from the Dead till the Day of Judgment, that we shall not have our Bodies again till they are awakened by the last Trumpet; Bodies which will be bright and glorious as the Sun, which will rise with eternal Youth, and Strength, and Beauty: this is a much greater Hap∣piness, then to live either in Paradise or in Heaven, without our Bodies; but this Page 231 we must stay for, and so we may for Hea∣ven, and we may be very well contented to wait for Heaven, and for the Resurre∣ction of our Bodies, in Paradise: when we are as happy as Paradise can make us, we may very patiently expect the full Completion of our Happiness in the Re∣surrection of our Bodies, and our Admis∣sion into the highest Heavens, to the im∣mediate Throne and Presence of God.
Thus though Hell is a place of the most perfect Torment and Misery, for it is the Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels; and therefore it is much more formidable for Sinners to drop immediate∣ly into Hell when they die, then to suffer any other State of Punishment, between Death and Judgment; yet he is a very unreasonable Man, who does not think the Day of Judgment time enough to be condemned to Hell, and who does not think it Misery enough to fall under the Power of evil Spirits in the mean time: If God thinks this Punishment enough, methinks Sinners should; and those who cannot fear Hell at the distance of the Day of Judgment, will not fear Hell, tho' it were no farther off than Death: those who are not afraid of being tormented as Dives was, when they go out of these Page 232 Bodies will not fear Hell, though we al∣low Hell to be a State of more perfect Misery. I am sure Dives thought those Torments so great, that they were suffi∣cient to have made his Brethren true Pe∣nitents, had they known what they must suffer for their Sins, as soon as they die: and those who will not allow, that bad Men are immediately condemned to Hell, as soon as they die, yet must allow, that they may be tormented as Dives was: In short, if wicked Men do not drop in∣to Hell as soon as they die, yet they shall be condemned to Hell at the Day of Judgment, and in the intermediate State between Death and Judgment, shall suf∣fer all those unknown Miseries which are prepared for wicked Souls, till the Day of Judgment: and those who will not be perswaded by this, will live and die in their Sins, though you could convince them, that they shall drop into Hell as soon as they die.
