Commentary on 2 Peter, Commentary on 2 Peter volume 1 · Chapter 2 · Verse 4 (2 of 3)
The Scripture ſpeakes ſometimes of hell figuratively; Gehinnon, Tophet. Which was a valley by the Fullers field neare to Aceldama, on the South-ſide of Si… Call'd Gehinnon, becauſe it was in the tenure of a man named Hinmom, Aret. Th… the Iewes, after the example of the Ammonites, ſacrificed their children to Mol… in the fire. An Idol which they worſhipped for Mercury, Montan. Others … for Saturne, whom the Poets faine a devourer of his owne children. It was of br… or coper, with hands ſtretched out to receive the Infants that were to be ſacrifice… His Prieſts were called Chemmarim, becauſe they were reeſed or ſmoked with t… Incenſe offered to the Idol. It was defaced and defiled by good King Ioſiah, 2 King 23.10. and made a draught or common ſewre for the filth of Ieruſalem. The Ca… deans caſt the ſlaine Iewes into that place, Ier. 7.32. Therefore it was called Os Inf… ni, the mouth of hell, that could not be filled. For further deſcription of hell, the Scripture uſeth three principall termes; the Worme, outer darkeneſſe, and unquench… fire, Mark. 9.44.
Firſt the Worme: this we muſt not underſtand a corporall Worme, which were terrible enough; for a man to live alwayes dying, and die alwayes living, with … adder ſucking and ſtinging his vitall parts. Eccl. 7.17. The vengeance of the ungodly fire and wormes. But we muſt know that after the worlds diſſolution, there ſhall remaine no mixt body, but only mans: no generation nor corruption in the revi… bodies. Therefore the worme cannot be corporall, but ſpirituall: the ſtinging o… a vexed conſcience. As from the corruption of dead bodies breed the worm… that devoure them: ſo from the corruption of ſin riſeth this worme of conſcience. Some underſtand it to be the memorie of paſt ſinnes; which ſhall ſo long gnaw their ſoules and bodies; like a vulture pr…ying on their hearts, as the remembrance of committed iniquities continues, which will be for ever. Ob. But if the memorie be ſo p… fected, then the recognition of former joyes ſhall be ſome eaſe. An old ſouldier after his exhauſted ſtrength, glories in the battells he hath wonne. Anſ. Nay this … rather be matter of ſorrow: to remember the evills they have done, bitter: the goo… they once had, more bitter: the good they might have had, moſt bitter.
Object. The torments of hell are farre beyond any paines of this world: … a man here, lying under ſome lethargicall and ſtupefying preſſure, cannot confide… thoſe intelligible concluſions, as he might being abſtracted from his paine. A… The ſoule is here joyned to a corruptible body, ſtraightned by the Organ: ſo th… while the body is afflicted, the conſideration of the ſoule is hindred. But there … ſoule cannot be inclined by an incorruptible body: but while the fleſh ſuffers according to the capableneſſe thereof, the ſoule is proſtrated to all the paines ſhe can … dure. Object. But the damned are the ſubjects of time, and time cauſeth forg…lneſſe. Anſw. Time is the cauſe of forgetting, but only by accident: becauſe moti… which is the meaſure of time, is the cauſe of tranſmutation. But after this … there ſhall bee no more motion of the heavens: and even the ſoule that is now ſ… parated, is not changed from her diſpoſition by the motion of heaven. Luk. 16.2… Sonne, remember: this is a gnawing worme: which if it hath made ſome ackno… ledge (Infernum in mundo, qualiter ſentient in inferno?) a hell on earth, what ſhall it …e to their ſenſe in hell it ſelfe? Oculos quos culpa claudit, paena aperiet, Greg. The eyes which ſin hath ſhut damnation ſhall open.
Therefore it is good counſell now; Praevidete mala futura, ne recordemini bona …aterita. Foreſee with feare the evill that ſhall be hereafter, leſt you remember with griefe the good that hath beene heretofore. O that our foreſight were but halfe …o ſharpe as our ſenſe? let us now conſider ſeriouſly the paines that ſhall be, that we …ever be put to remember grievouſly the joyes that have beene.
Secondly, Outer darkeneſſe, Matth. 22.13. Caſt him into outer darkeneſſe. But it … objected, that the ſight of their miſerie ſhall aggravate the ſenſe of their miſerie; …ut nothing can be ſeene without the light, therefore not outer darkeneſſe. Againe, …e damned ſhall have a viſory power after the reſumption of their bodies; which were ſuperfluous if they ſhould ſee nothing with it. They ſhall ſee, and without …ght they cannot ſee; how then, outer darkeneſſe? Anſw. Though that fire doe …ot ſhine to any comfort; tamen ut magis torqueat, ad aliquid lucet; yet for their ex…remer vexation, it ſhall give ſome light. So much, as to ſhew their fellowes their …orments, and them the torments of their fellowes, Greg. Baſil in Pſal. 29.7. The …oice of the Lord divideth the flames of fire. Gods power ſhall ſeparate the clarity of …re from the aduſtive vertue. Vt claritas ſit pijs in gaudium, & uſtivum damnatis in …rmentum. That the cleareneſſe may delight the righteous, and the ſharpeneſſe af…ict the wicked. So Theodor in Pſal. 96. The ſhining propertie ſhall be extracted to …omfort the Saints: the burning propertie remaine to puniſh reprobates. But then …nſion it ſelfe is ſome delight: as Ariſtot. in his Metaphyſ. Senſus oculorum maximè …iligibilis: the ſight of the eyes is pleaſant; and to the ſame purpoſe Salomon. Yet …y accident it becomes afflictive; as when men are forced to ſee what they would …ot ſee. In hell there ſhall be nothing diaphanous, perſpicuous, cleare; but a ſhady, …oggy viſion; like a diſtracted dreame. Erit quod videant, non erit quod videre cupi…nt They ſhall ſee that, which to avoid they would wiſh themſelves to have …o eyes.
Let us therefore decline the workes of darkeneſſe, as we deſire to eſcape the …lace of darkeneſſe. Interior darkeneſſe muſt be doomed to inferior darkeneſſe. What is more juſt, than that they who refuſed the light when they might have it, …hould be denyed the light when they deſire it? many now nuzle themſelves in ig…orance, as if they meant to make their owne beds in hell. Voluntary blindneſſe …all be confined to neceſſary blindneſſe: and they that might now ſee if they would …pen their eyes, ſhall there open their eyes and not ſee. Let us be children of the …ght, not of the night: and as we wiſh to ſee that glory without us which may make … happy: ſo let us ſtrive to ſee that grace within us which may make us holy. Now …e Father of lights defend us from that Prince and place of darkeneſſe.
Laſtly, fire, unquenchable fire. It hath beene much controverted, whether in hell be …ue ſubſtantiall fire, or only fire allegoricall. Calvin is only for the allegory; and … ſome others, that give this reaſon. There is mention of Wood and of Worme, as …ell as of fire: now theſe are allegoricall, why not therefore the fire? But in Scrip…re things ſpoken together are not alwayes taken in the ſame nature and manner. Chriſt is called the Rocke of our ſalvation: the rocke is allegoricall, is our ſalvation …erefore allegoricall?aLuk. 22.30. Yee ſhall eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome. Eating …d drinking is allegoricall, is therefore the kingdome allegoricall too? It is then … be concluded that there is true and ſubſtantiall fire in hell.bEſa. 66.15. The Lord will come …th fire, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. Si in igne dam…it reprobos, quare non in igne cruciabit damnatos? If he will judge them in fire, why …t condemne them to fire.
Grant it ſubſtantiall fire, then it is queſtioned whether it bee materiall, cor…rall, or ſpirituall. It is not materiall, that is fire nouriſhed with fewell. …na, and other places of the earth burne continually without fewell: much more that infernall fire. He that makes the damned live without food, is able to maintaine this fire without wood. Not ſpirituall; indeed Gregory calls it an Incorporeall f…; but it paſſeth the nature of fire to be ſpirituall: and he that makes it ſprituall onelyonly, goes about to make it no fire at all.
It is therefore a corporall fire: but being ſo granted, there ariſe ſome exception, Object. If it be corporall, how can it diverſly torment diverſe reprobates? There i… but one fire in hel, but it doth not cruciate al after one manner and meaſure: as every one hath beene more wicked, he ſhall be more wretched. Anſw. But we muſt kn…w that this fire is the inſtrument of the Divine Iuſtice: now no inſtrument works onelyonly by it owne vertue, and after it owne meaſure; but is regulated by the vertue of the principall Mover. The fire in a furnace is encreaſed or quallified according to the will of the kindler: ſo is this diſpoſed by the power of God;cEſa 30.33. the breath of the Lord like a river of brimſtone doth kindle it. We know that one and the ſame fire do… otherwiſe burne iron, than wood or ſtraw. Secundum duritiem vel durationem … riae: according to the nature of the incenſed matter is the rage of the fire. All … on earth are under one Sunne, yet doe not all equally feele the burning of that S… one is hotter than another, a Moore than a Brittaine. So in that one fire there is … one manner of burning: Quod hic diverſitas corporum, illic agit diverſitas peccator…, Greg. dial. lib. 4. That which is here wrought by the diverſitie of bodies is there by the diverſity of ſinnes. There may be a ſeverall degree of paine to every one, and yet one common fire to all.
Object. But if it be corporall fire, it muſt be maintained with fewell, or el… will goe out: but there is no fewell in hell. Yes, the bodies and ſoules of the damned ſhall be Loco carbonum & lignorum, in ſtead of fewell. And becauſe th…ſe materials are everlaſting, therefore it followes that hell fire can never goe o…, for it is againſt the nature of fire to ceaſe, ſo long as it hath cumbuſtible matter to feed it. Object. But if it be corporeall, then is it of the ſame ſpecies with our fire, now man knowes the nature of this, but not of that. Anſw. Fire is found in two places and manners: vel in materia propria, vel in materia aliena. Either in the proper matter, as it is in the owne orbe or ſphere. Or in another matter, whether earthly as appeares in a coale, or airye as apppeares in the flame. But howſoever or whereſoever it is found, it is alwaies in reſpect of the nature in ſpecie, fire. In the bo… which are the matter of the fire there may be difference; as lignum igneum & ferr… ignitum, burning wood and burning iron differ. Still is it fire, though diverſe fro… ours in certaine proprieties which are unknowne to us, and may wee never know them.
Gregory upon Iob, 20.26. Ignis non ſuccenſus, a fire not blowne ſhall conſume … objects, that if it be corporall fire, it needs fomentation. Nec valet eſſe niſi ſucce…ſ…, nec ſubſiſtere niſi refotus. Indeed our elementary fire muſt bee kindled and nouriſhed, becauſe it is brought artificially and by violence upon the combuſtible ſubject. … hell fire needs not, becauſe it either ſubſiſts in the proper matter, or in an alien ſ… ject, not by violence, but by nature a principio intrinſeco. Flatus Domini ſicut to… ſulfuris ſuccendet eum: the wrath of God makes it unquenchable; ſo that it neither needs feeding, nor wants raging. But our fire is corruptible, that eternall, how … of the ſame nature? So are the reprobate bodies now corruptible, then made inc… ruptible: therefore the ſame nature of fire ſhall become everlaſting, to torment … ſame bodies become everlaſting. Object. But the nature of our fire is to ſhine … give light, which hell-fire doth not.dIob. 18.5. The light of the wicked ſhall be put out, and t… ſparke of his fire ſhall not ſhine. Anſw. The fire doth not ſhine in the proper ma… of exiſting: non lucet in propria ſpha…a, ſaith the Philoſopher; it ſhines not in the owne orbe. Beſides, groſſe and foggy ſmokes, and thicke darkneſſe may keepe … from giving luſtre; yet ſtill it remaines fire. The concluſion then is for corpo… fire in hell. 1 Becauſe there is not onelyonly the puniſhment of loſſe, which anſwers … the averſion from the Creator: but alſo the puniſhment of ſenſe, which anſwers … converſion to the creature. Now what plague ſo terrible to the ſenſe as fire? 2. … Wherewithall a man ſinneth, by the ſame ſhall he be puniſhed: but by ſenſible things …hey ſinned, therefore by ſenſible things puniſhed.
But laſtly, if it be corporall fire, then it torments onelyonly the body: for how can … corporall fire worke upon a ſpirituall ſubſtance? Bernard thus; there is a double …uniſhment, the Worme, and Fire. Altero roditur conſcientia, altero concremantur cor…ra. The one gnawes the conſcience, the other burnes the carcaſe. The one exte…us comburens, the other interius corrodens. And Meditat. cap. 4. In carne crucia…ntur per ignem, in ſpiritu per conſcientiae vermem. So Iſidor. de ſum. Bon. lib. 1. cap. 31. The paine of the damned is double: Mentem urit triſtitia, corpus flamma. So Bed. … Marc. 9. lib. 3. Ignis erit paena extrinſecus ſaeviens, vermis dolor interius accuſans. Theſe ſeeme to reſtraine that fire from working on the ſoule. But it is plain, Mat. 2.5.…1. The fire is prepared for the divell and his angels. But the divell hath no body, yet …e burnes in fire. Luk. 16.24. The rich man cried out, and ſhall cry for ever, I am …rmented in this flame. Yet was his body in the grave, and his ſoule onelyonly in hell; …either is that altogether a Parable: for then Tacuiſſet nomen, & ſolum poſuiſſet ex…plum. Chriſt would onelyonly have propounded the example, and concealed the …me. Hee that denyeth ſpirits to be tormented in fire, let him take heed leſt his …wne ſpirit feele it. But how this corporeall fire ſhall torment divels and damned …irits, who knowes? I do not doubt but that rich man was in the burning of paines, …d the poore man in the refreſhing of joyes: but how to apprehend that flame of …ell, that boſome of Abraham, that tongue of the rich, and finger of the poore; …la ſitis tormenti, illa ſtilla refrigerij; that thirſt of torment, that drop of comfort, …all hardly be found of them that ſeeke humbly, never of them that ſeek curiouſly. Melius eſt dubitare de ocultis, quàm litigare de incertis. It is more ſafe to doubt of …at is ſecret, than to diſpute of that is uncertaine. It is miſerable by ſeeking what …OD hath ſecreted, to loſe what GOD hath granted. Seeing then this is ſub…antiall and corporeall fire; wherein differs it from our elementary fire? In five …ſpects.
1. In regard of heate. The fire in a lantſchip which is Ignis pictus, or their …rgatory fire, which is Ignis fictus: is a better repreſentation of elementall fire, than …ementall is of eternall fire. That furnace whoſe heate was ſeptupled, and the …mes lick'd up them for whom it was not meant; was raging, but not a glow…g ſparke to hell.
2. In regard of light: our fire comforts in ſhining, that is oppreſſed with hor…ble darkeneſſe. Cremationem habet, lumen non habet, Greg. Vim comburendi reti…, illuminandi amiſit, Baſil. It retaines the property of burning, it hath loſt the …operty of ſhining. Therefore it is called Hades ſine ſole domus: Iude cals it the …ack darkeneſſe. The darkeneſſe of Aegypt was ſtrange and fearefull, ſo thick that it …as palpable: yet a meere holy day to hell. The Poets deſcribed it by Cimerian …kneſſe; an Italian territory betwixt Baiae and Cumae, where the Cimerij inhabite: …environed with hils, and over-ſhadowed with ſupercilious and hanging promon…ries, that the Sun never comes at it.
3. Elementall fire burnes the body onelyonly, eternall alſo the ſoule. The paſſion … the body, is but the body of paſſion; the ſoule of paine is the paine of the ſoule: …t if a conſumable body be not able to endure burning flames for a day; how will … unwaſtable ſoule endure them for ever.
4. Elementall fire as it burnes, ſo it conſumes: hell fire rageth more and wa…th leſſe. The reprobate ſhall have the puniſhment vri, to bee burned; not the …ppineſſe exuri, to be waſted. Poenae gehennales puniunt, non finiunt corpora, Pro…. Iron will hold burning long, yet conſumeth: in hell there is neither ceſſati… of fire burning nor of matter burned. It is a fire of conſummation, not of con…ption: Ignis abſolvens non diſolvens. If it were terminable, it might be tollerable: … being endleſſe, it muſt be eaſeleſſe.
5. Our elementall fire may be quenched, that never goes out. This is maintained with wood, and put out with water: that as it hath nothing to maintaine it, ſo nothing to extinguiſh it. There ſhall be weeping of eyes, no mitigation of flames: if there be any teares, they ſhall rather be like oile to feed and nouriſh it, than like water to put it out.
Theſe are three principall expreſſions of hell; but is there nothing of paine beſides theſe? It ſeemes they ſuffer nothing elſe but fire, becauſe CHRIST doomes them only unto fire, Matth. 25.41. Indeed fire is the principall, but there are other acceſſaries and concomitances. Baſil. In the laſt purgation of the world there ſhall be a ſeparation made in the elements. Whatſoever is pure, refin'd, ſublim'd, and perfect, ſhall remaine above for the ſolace of the bleſſed. Whatſoever is feculent, ſordid, and ignoble, ſhall be caſt downe to the puniſhment of the damned. That as every creature becomes matter of the Saints joy; ſo every creature be made matter of the reprobates ſorrow.fWiſ. 5.17. God ſhall make the creature his weapon for the revenge of his enemies: and the world ſhall fight with him againſt the unwiſe. As they have departed from that one God, one good, by ſinne in many materiall thing… which are variae & vanae: ſo that one Iuſtice ſhall by many materiall things confound them. But Iob 24.19. Ad calorem nimium tranſibit ab aquis nivium; as the vulgar Latine reads. Now the varietie and viciſſitude of paſſions yields ſome refreſhing. As when a man paſſeth from extreme cold to extreme heate, there is a mediate intermiſſion: but there is no refreſhing admitted in hell. Anſw. The damned may paſſe from extremitie of cold to extremitie of heate, without any re… ſhing: becauſe the paſſure ſhall not be by any tranſmutation of the body from the former naturall diſpoſition, nor by reduction to any equalitie of temper: but … ble paines working upon the ſenſible parts; ſecundum eſſe ſpirituale, non ſecundum eſſ… materiale, in organum, Aquin. The ſumme is this; the torments of hell are compriſe… under fire, becauſe that is moſt violent, vehement, and ſharply afflictive. Wa… doth only kill: fire doth vexe alſo, and torment: yea which is worſe, this fire doth never kill. It ſhall be ſo extreme, that the damned ſhall prize a cup of cold wa… above ten thouſand worlds. The uſe.
As we deſire to eſcape the fire of hell, let us avoid the fire of ſin. Praeparant i… nita peccata in ignita ſupplicia. There be certaine fiery ſins, which ſhall find fiery puniſhments; as Nadab both offered and ſuffered ſtrange fire. There is Ignis nec ardeus … lucens: Ignis & ardens & lucens: ignis lucens non ardens: ignis ardens non lucens. The… fire is properly neither burning nor ſhining, but only ſtinkes and makes a ſmothe… ſin, a ſpirituall fire. There is fire both burning and ſhining; that we call elemen… fire. There is fire burning and not burning, as the Sun. There is fire burning and not ſhining, and that's the fire of hell. Thus Paul calls luſt a burning: It is better … marry than to burne. Who then would burne in luſt, that feares to burne in hell? … read of a man, that when he was tempted to luſt, would lay his hand on bur… coales, concluding; If I cannot endure this for a while, how ſhould I endure … fire for ever? Rage and malice are burning ſinnes. Iratus non vides legem, ſed lex … det iratum. The angry man beholds not the Law, but the Law beholds the a… man. Therefore is anger called Excandeſcentia. They that nouriſh that fire within them, are nouriſhed for a worſe fire without them. Blaſphemie is a burning … gIam. 3 6.The tongue is a fire, that fireth the whole courſe of nature, and is fired of hell. Let th… whoſe mouthes flame with oaths, feare theſe flaming torments. The rich … tongue was tormented in fire, becauſe it was uſed to ſpit fire againſt heaven. Drunkenneſſe is a burning ſinne: V…itur igreſuo. Eſa. 26.11.too much wine is the oile of hells owne Lampe. They inflame the reckoning, till they inflame their braines, inflame their blouds, infl… their bodies: buy as much ſickneſſe, as will make up a burning fever; and … much ſinne as will ſerve to inflame their owne hell. In the German p… verbe, Fire is of all the genders. Hic ignis, that's fire: Haec ignis, that's a… whore: Hoc ignis, that's wine. the firſt Chapter of Iohn Verſe 5. Mundus poſ… eſt in maligno, that is in igne malo: all the world is on fire with ſin, to make worke …or the fire of hell. Deut. 32.22. A fire is kindled in mine anger, and it ſhall burne …nto the loweſt hell. Pſal. 2.12. If his wrath bee kindled but a little, Bleſſed are all they …at truſt in him. Cant. 8.6. The Coales thereof are coales of fire, which have a moſt …chement flame. Wildfire may bee tamed, ſtreames of fire have beene quenched: …ely that fire can never be extinguiſhed in the ſubject it hath poſſeſſed. One thing …ely now can put it out; the water and bloud that came out of CHRISTS owne …de. OnelyOnly that water can quench the fire of luſt in us, and that bloud quench the …re of hell againſt us.
Downe into hell.] Let me a little further enlarge this diſcourſe of hell: wherein you do not finde a due method, know that the nature of the place denies it. Who …n ſpeake methodically and orderly of that; Quod nec modum nec methodum novit; …at knowes no method, no order. Ibi ordo nullus, horror ſempiternus. Hugo.If any expect … abſolute deſcription; I excuſe my ſelfe; Non mihi ſi c…ntum linguae. But as Pi…agoras gheſt at the ſtature and pitch of Hercules, by the length of his foote; and …e ſay in the proverbe, Ex ungue leonem: ſo by ſhaddow and reſemblance, we may …ittle conceive what it is in ſufferance. This is a cup of the deadlieſt wine that ever …as taſted: thoſe deepe graves in the Pſalme, from whence there is no riſing againe. The gates of that infernall priſon being kept from egreſſe, as the gates of Paradiſe …e rewarded from entrance: not by Cherubins with a flaming ſword, but by the …ngels of Satan, with all the inſtruments of death, and the ſeale of Gods eternall …ecree ſet upon them. This is that outer darkeneſſe, to comprehend and wrap up the …mned. Outer, becauſe in extremity, without the limits of any mercy to be exten…ed: where no light of Sun, Moone, or Starre, much leſſe the face of GOD ſhall …er ſhine. Where the eyes ſhall diſtill like fountaines, and the teeth clatter like ar…ed men, and the minde muſe on nothing but ſad deſperation. Many and fearefull agonies have wrung and wreſted the ſpirit of man, ſince the ſpirit of life was firſt …eathed into him: yet if all were put together, to anſwer the meaſure of hell tor…ents amongſt them; the hand of Tophet hath an unmeaſurable portion left be…nd to deſtribute to her children, and enleſſe patrimony of howling and gnaſhing … teeth. Balance them together, and the leaſt paine of hell is greater than the greateſt of this world, Aquin. Horrible torments have bin inflicted on mortall dilin…ents; they are all but ticklings to thoſe torturings. Rev. 8.13. There is a three…ld woe: Woe for the bitterneſſe; Woe for the multitude; Woe for the everlaſting…ſſe of thoſe paines.hMat. 26.34. It had beene better for that man never to have beene borne. A …e, ten thouſand times more than can be imagined by any heart as deep as the Sea. …heſe are thoſe waters of gall, viols of unmercifull plagues; peſtilence and bloud, …d huge haileſtones, fire and brimſtone. Not ſuch as fell upon Sodome, the wit…ſſes whereof, for many ſucceding ages, were heaps of aſhes, and clouds of pitch. … fire and brimſtone from a bottomeleſſe minde, which burneth in the lake of …ath, and ſhall never be quenced.
Of all theſe torments there are two dire and diſmall effects. Mat. 8.12. Wee…ng and gnaſhing of teeth. Fletus de ardore, ſtridor dentium de frigore. Raban, Fletus …gnem qui non extingitur, ſtridor ob vermem qui non moritur. Fletus ex dolore, Fletus a cauſa intrinſeca, ſtridor a cauſa ex trinſeca.ſtri… ex furore, Bern. They are caſt into darkeneſſe, for the inordinateneſſe of their …cupiſcible: weepe, for the inordinateneſſe of their Iraſcible? gnaſh their teeth, for … inordinateneſſe of their irrationall part, Corrh. This manifeſteth two extremi… in hell; incomparable cold, and intollerable heate, Greg. in Mat. 8.
Weeping: here are ſome queſtions moved, whether this be a corporall weeping. …me affirme it; becauſe the ſorrow which is in paine ſhall anſwer the pleaſure that … in ſinne.iRevel. 18.7. As ſhee hath lived deliciouſly, give her ſo much torment and ſorrow. But …robates in their ſinning had both an inward pleaſure, and an outward delighting: …efore they muſt have in puniſhment both an inward grief and an outward weeping. …uſu. But then damnation being eternall, this effuſion would alſo be eternall: and ſo the teares would make an inundation larger thn thae ocean, able in time to p… out the fire of hell. Therefore we muſt diſtinguiſh; In corporall weeping the… are two things: a reſolution of teares, and a commotion or perturbation of the … and eyes. This weeping is not the reſolution of teares, becauſe then the motion of the firſt mover ceaſing, there is no generation, nor corruption, nor alteration of the body. But there muſt bee a generation of that moiſture which diſtills it ſelfe … teares, if that weeping were corporall. Yet there ſhall remaine a weeping, which ariſeth from the perturbation of the ſoule, and anguiſh of the body. There … be here a howling like dragons, when as yet no teares fall. It is obſervable … the expence of teares outwardly mitigates the ſorrow within, and eaſeth the he… the burden of indigeſtible griefe emptying and venting it ſelfe at the eyes: but … eternall teares could never qualifie eternall paines.
It is further objected; weeping is the effect of ſorrowing, and ſorrow of reputing: therefore it ſeemes if the damned weepe in hell, that they repent in hell. W… 5.3, And they repenting, and groaning for anguiſh of ſpirit, So Ariſtot. They … be grieved for that wherein they were delighted. Anſw. To repent may bee underſtood two waies: either ratione peccati, or peccato adjuncti: in reſpect of ſinne, and the puniſhment annexed to ſinne. To repent of ſinne for it ſelfe, is to hate it for … other cauſe but becauſe it is ſinne and diſpleaſing to God: thus they doe not ſorrow. To repent of it for the puniſhment bound to it,Bern. is a ſorrow by accident; that ariſeth not from their evill doing, but from their evill ſuffering. The will of the dam… never bettered by their torment. To wiſh they had not ſinned, without further … lation, were a good will: but a good will and they are everlaſting ſtrangers. The will of the Devill is ſtill invertible: nor doth hee grieve for his pride, but for the puniſhment of his pride. Agains, there ſhall bee a greater perv erſneſſe of the damned in hell, than is of ſinners on earth: but diverſe ſinners here, through blindne… of minde, and hardneſſe of heart, doe not repent of their ſinnes: though the … ſavage beaſts through griefe and paine are reſtrained from their ſenſuall pleaſure. On earth there may be repenting without weeping, in hell there ſhall bee weeping, without repenting.
But is their no recoverie of originall good in hell? If the damned are ſorry for their ſinnes, this argues repentance. If they were re-admitted to life, they would … their life in obedience; this argues a will to goodneſſe. That rich man had … care of his living brethren; this argues charitie. No, there is no repentance, … rectified will, no charitie. Haply ſome remanents of naturall light, none of … naturall grace.
There is no repentance, Revel. 16.9. They are ſcorched with heate, and blaſpheme Gods name: but repent not to give him glory. Ver. 11. They curſe him for their paines and ſores, but repent not of their deeds. True repentance ariſeth fr… faith and hope: but there can be no faith of releaſement, where is certaine knowledge of eternall puniſhment: knowledge and ſenſe exclude faith. There can b… hope of termination, where be chaines of deſperation. There ſhall be a deſp… ſorrow for paine, no penitent ſorrow for ſinne. None are now ſaved but by the bloud of the Lambe: but when the world is ended, that fountaine is dried up. The worme of conſcience ſhall gnaw them with this remorſe, bringing to their … the cauſe of their preſent calamities. How often they have beene invited … heaven, how eaſily they might have eſcaped hell. They ſhall weepe for the loſſe of the one and gaine of the other, not for the cauſe of either, which were repentance.
There is no will to good, or at leaſt no good will. As the will of the bleſſ… wholly ſet upon good: ſo the will of the damned is wholly ſet upon evill. Neither can the Saints in heaven will that which is evill, nor the reprobates in hell will … which is good. This we perceive in the divels, who have bene ſo long damned, …eaven to this day their unchangeable will is totally bent to wickedneſſe. But … eſt omnio involuntarium, Dionyſ. Evill is altogether againſt the will: if therefore they will any thing, it is good either in exiſtence, or in appearance. Anſ. There is a double will in them: Naturall, which is not of themſelves, but of the founder of nature: Deliberative, that is of themſelves; which being wholly averted from the ſupreme end of goodneſſe, cannot be but evill. So that if naturally they could will good, yet the forme of that will being ſo corrupted, it muſt neceſſarily be bad. Indeed evill as it is properly evill, moves not the will: but as it is an eſtimative good. Such is their malice, that they never will any thing but evill, though they eſteeme it good. So that if they were now repealed againe to this world; they would neither repent their ſins, nor amend their lives, nor glorifie God, nor ſeeke IESUS. Let us now labour to rectifie our wills, and order them to the ſeeking of good: leſt we there loſe both the good it ſelfe, and the very will unto it. For In Inferno erit ſtimulus paenitudinis, nulla tamen correctio voluntatis: ita culpabitur iniquitas ſua, ut nullatenus poſsit diligi vel deſiderari Iuſtitia, Aug. They ſhall curſe their owne wickedneſſe, yet neither love nor deſire righteouſneſſe.
There is no charitie; not ſo much as any love to God, the infinite good; much leſſe to man. None to God. But Omnibus diligibile eſt pulchrum & bonum: goodneſſe and beautie is every ones love: therefore much more God, the cauſe and fountaine of it. Nay, they ſhall hate God, Pſ. 139.21. Doe not I hate them that hate thee? Indeed if God could be ſeene of them in his goodneſſe, merciemercy, bountie, they could not hate him: but they no further apprehend him but by the ſenſe of their owne torments, the effects of his Iuſtice, and ſo hate him, Revel. 16.9.11.21. They ſuffer, and they blaſpheme: there is in them a furious malice againſt him: being curſed of him, they recurſe him. They curſe him for making them, curſe him for condeming them, curſe him becauſe being adjudged to death, they can never find death. They curſe his puniſhments, becauſe they are ſo unſufferable: curſe his mercies, becauſe they may never taſt them: curſe the bloud of CHRIST ſhed on the Croſſe; becauſe it hath ſatisfied for thouſands, and done their unbeleeving ſoules no good: curſe the Angels and Saints in heaven, becauſe they ſee them in joy, and themſelves …n torment. Curſings ſhall be their ſins, blaſphemies their prayers, Lacrimae their …otes, lamentation all their harmonie. Theſe ſhall be their evening ſongs, their morning ſongs, their mourning ſongs for ever.
No charity to man, for they rather wiſh all damned with themſelves, than any …o be freed from their owne priſon. As in the bleſſed there is perfect charity, ſo in …he damned perfect envy. Now nothing is more repugnant to charity than malice and hatred. But it is objected, that inordinate affections are not taken away from …he damned: therefore they would not have them condemned in hell, whom they …nordinately affected upon earth. Anſ. The love that is grounded upon vertue, is conſtant and durable: ſuch charity we ſhall beare with us to heaven, and bee made …erfect in it. But the affection grounded upon luſt and ſinfull paſſion, a diſeaſe that …uns in the bloud, doth quickly vaniſh: like fire in wet ſtraw, that onelyonly makes a mother, and goes out in ſtench. Therefore the adulterer, though he ſo dotes on his Miſtris, that hee is content to venture his ſoule for her embraces: yet having loſt …hat ſoule, hee doth as heartily wiſh her in the ſame bed of torment: that as they …ave beene delighted together, ſo they might be afflicted together. Object. But as …y the multitude of participants the joyes of heaven are enlarged, ſo are the ſor…owes of hell encreaſed: how then will they deſire more company, when thereby …hey inhaunce their owne penalty? Anſ. Yet ſuch is their unchangeable malice, …at it contents them not to ſuffer their owne ſingular torments; but had rather en…ure more grievous miſery, to have a more numerous ſociety. And for the rich …ans prayer for his brethren, Luk. 16. It proceeded not from a charitable ſoule, but …om feare and horror of more torments to be multiplied on himſelfe. Non fratres …exit, fed ſeipſum reſpexit: he deſired not their ſalvation, but his owne leſſe dam…tion. He knew that being the elder brother, his vicious example might draw on their greater diſobedience: and as their ſins encreaſed, ſo he felt his owne tortures enlarged. Therefore no grace in hell but everlaſting ſin, no devotion, but extreame damnation.
The wicked in hell ſtill remaine ſinners. So Chriſt ſaith; All that came before me are theeves and robbers: Are; in propriety of ſpeech he ſhould have ſaid; Fu… runt, they were theeves: no, Sunt, they are ſtill, they remaine ſo. Luk. 13.27. Depart from mee all ye workers of iniquity: Operarij, & ab actu praeterito, & habitu preſenti, Chryſ. Workers, in reference both to the act paſt, and preſent habit. For he doth not ſay, yea that have wrought, but workers: quia iniqui nec poſt mortem deſ… nunt eſſe iniqui. They that dye ſinners, remaine ſinners even dead: although they cannot ſin, yet they retaine the deſire of ſinning: and he that is a lyer in purpoſe, ceaſeth not to be a lyer in practice. Mors ſeparat animam à carne, non peccatum … anima. Death ſeparates the ſoule from the fleſh, it ſeparates not ſin from the ſoule.
Seeing the effect of thoſe horrors is weeping, which ſhall never be comforted; let us prevent them, by weeping where we may be comforted. The time of living, is the time of repenting. If a man dies without repentance, repentance is dead to him forever. If we compare, Mat. 5.4. with Luke 6.25. we ſhall finde, that the decree of God hath diſpoſed, Flentes ad riſum, ridentes ad fletum; weepers to laughing, and laughers to weeping.
Gnaſhing of teeth;] This is the effect of an inexpreſſible ſorrow. A juſt and ſ… puniſhment, that they who once gnaſhed their teeth at others in contempt, ſhould gnaſh their teeth at themſelves in torment. The Pſalmiſt complaines; They gnaſhed their teeth at me; and the IeweskActs 7.54. gnaſhed on Stephen with their teeth. ThereforelRevel. 16.16. they ſhall gnaw their tongues for paine: their tongues gnawed their neighbours, now they ſhall gnaw their own tongues. They ſhewed their teeth in deriſion, they ſhall gnaſh their teeth in damnation. No part of the damned ſhall be free from anguiſh, the memory afflicted with pleaſures paſt, the apprehenſion with terrors preſent, the underſtanding with torments to come and continue, the eye with darkneſſe, the eare with hideous ſcriechings, the ſmell with killing ſtenches, the taſt with gall of bitterneſſe, the very teeth with ſuch an anguiſh, that the extreameſt tooth-ach here is but a pleaſure to it. Such is the extremity, univerſality, and eternity of thoſe paines: if they bee ſo univerſall in all parts, O that they were not ſo extreame! if ſo extreame; O that not ſo univerſall! if both ſo univerſall and extreame! O tha… not ſo everlaſting; each torment eaſeleſſe, endleſſe, remedileſſe! There be Ignit… lacrymae, and frigidi anhelitus. Therefore called Avernus; abſque vera temperatur… where the freezing cold ſhal not mitigate the ſcorching heate, nor the ſcorching he… qualifie the freezing cold. Avernus is a lake in Italy, that Caeſar purged; evaporating ſuch a mortall ſteame, that it killed the birds which flew over it. Therefore called Avernùs quaſi avibus adverſus. Auguſt:Profundus ſine fundo; full of incomparable heare, intollerable ſtench, innumerable griefes. Hugo, Vermis cum tenebris, flagellum, f… gus, & ignis; Daemonis aſpectus, ſcelerum confuſio, luctus. From all theſe muſt needs ariſe the gnaſhing of teeth. Two things would ſeeme to mitigate the terror of hell, Patience and Hope: this gnaſhing of teeth excludes them both.
For patience; many grievons extremities have the Saints of God digeſted o… earth by patience: that univerſall antidote againſt future evils, and qualification of preſent ſeverities. It hath blunted the edge of tyranny, and made the ſufferers ſm…le in the midſt of thoſe pangs, the very ſight whereof hath aſtoniſhed the beholders. Whatſoever the damned ſuffer, let them have but patience: nay, there ſhall bee … patience in hell: this gnaſhing of teeth, is the effect of a moſt impatient furie. M… commonly ſay, in neceſſitated ſufferings; what remedy but patience? Patience therefore is a confeſſed enemy, but all remedie is denyed to the reprobates the…; even that pooreſt ſuccour which the anguiſhed heart can imagine, Patience. O the univerſall privation in that diſmall place! where Omne aderit quod cruciet, om… … quod relevet. Everything is preſent that may vexe them, everything abſent th… may comfort them. Where they muſt ſuffer everlaſtingly, and cannot ſuffer pati…ntly.
For Hope, there is none. The proper object of hope is Arduum bonum, ſaith …e Schoole: a difficult good. A good of difficulty not of impoſſibility: where no poſſibility can be no hope. There nulla ſpes boni, nulla deſperatio mali, Hugo. …o hope of good, no deſpaire of evill. Men ſay in extreme paſſions; If it were …t for hope, the heart would burſt: there is no hope, yet the heart muſt hold: the …iſery is, that it cannot burſt; but lyes (like a tormented Malefactour) upon the …heele, ever dying, yet without all hope to dye. Diſſolutionem cupit, & diſſolutio…n non capit damnatus. There is no hope in hell, no hope with us on earth, for them …t are in hell. We cannot hope for the devills; they are condemned to hell, and …ſt hope: nor can we hope for the dead, becauſe there is no purgatory. Indeed …ncerning the dead, there may be hope of their happy condition, but none of their …rmutation. This is a double torment; neither deliverance, nor hope of delive…nce. Sad and heavy deſpaire abſolves their infelicity: comfort they neither feele, …r have hope to feele.
Seeing only hope is confined to this life, let us make much of it, that it may en…th us.mRom. 5.5. Hope makes not aſhamed, becauſe it is never diſappointed: for if it could illuded, it would be aſhamed. Spes vitae immortalis eſt vita vitae mortalis, Aug. …he hope of life immortall, is the life of our life mortall. The Poets faine, that all …e gods and goddeſſes, that is, vertues and graces, did once dwell upon the earth. … finding all things ſo corrupt, and men ſo bad company, they all went up to …aven with Iuſtice; Terras Aſtraea reliquit. All but onelyonly Hope, and ſhee ſtayed be…nd ſtill. But now if we hope well, we muſt doe well. Hee tempts God, does not …pe in God, that hoping doth nothing for himſelfe, Luk. 13.8.Aug. Though there be hope of the …ren figtree, yet ſtill the dreſſer labours in the manuring of it. It is in vaine for a …n to hope his children ſhall doe well, when he teacheth them ill. The meanes …uſt be uſed, where hope is nouriſhed. Hope is onelyonly for the preſent: the Saints in …aven have no hope, for they are in full poſſeſſion of joy: the damned in hell have … hope, for they are in full poſſeſſion of torment. OnelyOnly the living have hope, and the living GOD is their hope: which himſelfe bleſſe and anſwere in IESUS …HRIST.
The laſt queſtion is, ubi ſit, what is the place of hell, my text ſaies. It is Downe …rd. S… doth the Scrip…ure frequently. Let them be caſt into the Deepe pits, Pſal 110.10.that …y riſe not up againe. Bring them Downe into the pit of deſtruction.Prov. 9.18. They are in the …epth of hell. The way of life is above to the wiſe, that he may depart from hell …eath. So the termes declare it, and the word deſcribes it. Sheol, Prov. 15.24.which is taken … a pi…, grave, or hell,; all Downewards. Mercer. in Gen. 37. ſayes that Sheol ſig…es all places under the earth. It muſt be below, becauſe it is every where oppoſed heav…n which is higheſt of all. Abyſſus, which is a great deepe, a vaſt gulfe under …e earth, a bottomleſſe pit: the devills intreated Chriſt not to ſend them to that …ee. Luk. 8.31. Into the Abyſſe. The Apoſtles that preached to the Iewes, uſed …e word Gehenna, Iam. 3.6. It is ſet on fire of Gehenna Hell. They that preached the Gentiles, uſed Hades: which they tooke to be a place under the earth ordei…d for puniſhment. The word here uſed is Tartarus: Heſiod affirmes it to be ſo …re under the earth, as heaven is above it. So the Rabbines …eld; Sheol is abſolute below, the very center, Eſa. 14.9. Hell from Beneath is moved, Deut. 32.22. I …ll burne ad Infernum inferiorem to the loweſt hell. Nic. de Lyr. affirmes is Circa …trum terrae. Tertull. in Apologet. Hell is a ſubterrane treaſure of hidden fire. The …ets ſo tooke it; Facilis deſcenſus averni; Sed revocare gradum &c. Quicquid perit …ſum fertur. All things periſhing, ſinke downewards.
But againſt this it is objected, that Dives in hell ſaw Abraham and Lazarus …ich he could not doe; if hell was ſo deepe and remote a bottom wherein he lay …er whelmed. And albeit hell is below and downeward in reſpect of heaven, yet happily it is not ſo in regard of earth, Rev. 12.12. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, for the Divell is come Downe amongſt you: yet hee was then caſt no lo… than the ſuperface of the earth. There be diverſe arguments on both ſides. Firſt … they that live, know not the ſtate of the dead: ſo the dead know not the ſtate of the living on earth, much leſſe of the Saints in heaven, Greg. So Auguſt. As the rich man had a care of his brethren living, yet he knew not what they did: ſo h… men a care of their dead friends, yet know not how they ſpeed. Againſt this is oppoſed, that if they in hell had not the ſight of heaven, their owne ſufferings wo…l… leſſe afflict them: for their moſt grievous torment ſhall ariſe from the viſion of wh… joyes they have loſt.Wiſd. 5. Wiſd. 5.2. When they ſhall ſee it, they ſhall bee troubled with … rible feare, and be amaſed at the Saints ſalvation. So Bern. The faithfull ſhall h… a ſight of hell, and the unfaithfull a ſight of heaven. Vt illi magis laetentur, vide… quid evaſerint: & hi gravius crucientur, videntes quid amiſerint. That the one … be rejoyced, by ſeeing what horrors they have eſcaped: and the other may be a… flicted, by ſeeing what comforts they have forfeited.nPſal. 112.10. The wicked ſhall ſee it, … grieved: he ſhall gnaſh with his teeth, and melt away. Barre the ſight of their e… and you eaſe the griefe of their hearts. Luk. 13.28. That weeping and gnaſhing … teeth proceeds from ſight; when you ſhall ſee Abraham &c. in the kingdome of God. … is the exile from the preſence of the Lambe, from the ſocietie of Saints and Angels from the felicitie and joyes they ſee; that moſt bitterly ſcourgeth them. The … knowing of earthly affaires never troubles them: but heaven they muſt in part … and know, elſe they cannot be tormented with the loſſe. But on the other ſide … ſaid, that the ſight of heaven is never afforded to Saints in the fleſh but as an in… mable favour. It was Pauls greateſt grace, and that which had like to have enda… ger'd him unto pride, to be wrapt up into the third heaven, and behold the life which the bleſſed live with God. But what extraordinary grace was this, if it be … granted to the reprobates? Anſw. Saint Paul ſaw it experiendo, by taſting it: … hoped againe to ſee it Participando, by poſſeſſing it: ſuch a ſight is not permitted … the children of perdition. They onelyonly ſee it to the griefe of their hearts, that they cannot enjoy it.
The Schoole gives this concluſive ſumme; that the damned ſhall behold … glory of heaven before the day of Iudgment, but not after. Neither ſhall they know it as it is in it ſelfe; but onelyonly by a kind of luſcous and glimmering ſight perceive i… be an invaluable glory. And this ſhall vex them, both that they can no better … it, and ſhall never taſt it. Afterwards they ſhall be deprived of that viſion, and … up in everlaſting night, neither ſhall the withdrawing of this viſion diminiſh … tortures: becauſe the remembrance of that once ſeene, ſhall for ever ſticke by th… Hence they ſhall continually grieve, finding themſelves unworthy, Gloriam t… videre, quam Sancti permittuntur habere: even to ſee thoſe pleaſures, which the go… are vouchſafed to inherite and inhabite for ever. But how could that rich m…, … can the damned ſpirits be ſaid to ſee the glory of heaven, when as they want th… luminary organs of the body, the diſpoſition of ſight; beſides the thicke interp… darkneſſe? Anſw. This is no reaſon, for even ſpirits ſee, and have the eyes of … ligence and apprehenſion, able to diſtinguiſh betweene light and darkeneſſe. T… apprehend this glory either univerſally or particularly. An univerſall appreh… ſion they have, whereby they perceive the Saints to be in great glory; in partic… what this glory is they know not. At a great feaſt, the beggar at the doore ſe…s … part the joy and cheare of the gueſts; but not ſo well as the gueſts themſelves … are banketing. And as this muſt needs grieve the beggar, to ſee it and not … taſt it: ſo ſhall the damned vex, Tam propter invidiam alienae faelicitatis, … propter carentiam illius qutetis; for envie both at others plenty, and their … want.
Thus if we grant that the damned ſhall ſee the glory of heaven, then it will … bably follow that hell is in the aire; onelyonly ſeparated with an unpaſſable gulfe. If … …e not ſee it, then is it likely to be in the bowels of the earth. Howſoever, it is be…, Downewards, in the inferior parts of Gods workemanſhip. But preciſely to … where; whether in the aire, water, on the face of the earth, or, in the center of …e worlds center; Tegitur, non legitur: periculoſè diſquiritur, tutò ignoratur: we may ſafely be ignorant of it, wee cannot but dangerouſly diſpute it. Only, as juſt …rits diſſolved from their bodyes, preſently aſcend to the Empyreall heaven: ſo …e ſoules of the loſt tarry below, confined to the inferior Elements, there to be …niſhed. If any aske further about the locall place of hell, I anſwere with Socrates, …ever was there my ſelfe, nor ſpoke with any that came from thence. When …e demanded what the gods did and loved, Euclides anſwered; whatſoever …ey doe or love, I am ſure they hate all curious examiners. Many doubt Vbt … where it is: none can deſcribe Quid ſit, what it is: but all agree Quod ſit, …at it is.
Seeing hell is a deſcent, and a bottome downewards, let us keepe our ſelves ſo …re as we can from it while we live, that it may never devoure us when we die. … doth naturally ſinke downeward, and ſeparate from God who is above. A ſin…r ever deſcendeth till he come to the loweſt that may be: his affections are downe…ards, and ſure his hope and inheritance is not above. But as we bury dead fleſh un…r the ground, ſo it is not unlikely of dead ſoules. And as the heavieſt bodies …aw to the center of the earth, ſo doe the ſaddeſt and heavieſt ſpirits which the …ercie of God hath forſaken, Luk. 13.11. We read of a woman bowed downe with a …rit of infirmitie 18 yeares, and could in no wiſe lift up her ſelfe. A wofull eſtate …ed by the Evangeliſt: Egritudinis manifeſtas, behold: aegrotantis fragilitas, a woman: …ſeriae acerbitas, it was a ſpirit of infirmitie: morbi diuturnitas, eighteene yeares: cor…is curvitas, bowed together: elevandi impoſsibilitas, could not lift up her ſelfe. Such the eſtate of wicked ſinners; that if their bodies were like their ſoules, incederunt …drupedes, they would grovell like beaſts. And indeed Beſtialior quàm ipſa beſtia …homo, ratione vigens, & non ratione vivens. They caſt themſelves downe, and …e but IESUS CHRIST can helpe them up, Luk. 10.30. A certaine man went …ne from Ieruſalem to Iericho, and fell among theeves. From Ieruſalem downe Iericho: hell is downe a hill. Iericho ſignifies the Moone, Ieron. He that walkes …er the Moone of this inconſtant world, muſt needs fall among theeves. Sin brings man eaſily downe to Iericho: Sed revocare gradum, ſuperáſque evadere ad auras, Hic …or, hoc opus eſt. The rule of Philoſophy is, that levia ſurgunt, light things a…nd upwards: yet is nothing lighter than vaine thoughts, and they ſinke downe…rds: ſinne is hells high way.oCol. 3.1. If ye be riſen with CHRIST, ſeeke thoſe things …t are above.
Firſt, underſtand the things, then undertake the ſearch. Though we cannot …roughly ſee them, yet let us throughly ſeeke them. This is foreign, to be wiſe: but …udacious curioſitie to meaſure every foote in hell, and diſpoſe every cabinet and amber in heaven; this is foreign, to be wiſe beyond ſobrietie. Fidendo, non dendo apprehendimus. 2 Cor. 5.7. We walke by faith, not by ſight. pLam. 3.41.Let us lift up our …arts with our hands unto God in the heavens. The Lord in all our holy ſervices …ites the heart: in his Temple, at his Table, My Sonne give me thy heart, Pſal …1. VntoUnto thee ô Lord, doe I lift up my heart, Revel. 12. There was a woman clothed …th the Sun, and the Moone under her feete, and upon her head a Crowne of twelve …res. The head of the Church is wrapp'd in the ſtarres, and the world is under … feete. She forgets the land wherein ſhe was borne, and the home-ſtall wherein … was bred, and ſeekes Ieruſalem above, where Chriſt ſitteth on the right hand of …od.qPſal. 62.10. If riches encreaſe. Nolite cor apponere, ſet not your heart on them: they are …vy things, and will ſinke you downewards. Animus velut pondere, amore fertur, …qunque fertur, Aug. If our love be to things downeward, our ſoules canno…e to God upward. We never miniſter the bleſſed Sacrament, but we tell you of …rſum corda, lift up your hearts: you then anſwere us, we lift them up: but it is to be feared, that many hearts are ſo heavy that they cannot be lift up. The Philoſopher being asked which was the heavieſt part of the earth, anſwered; that which beares … ignorant perſon. How little a piece of fleſh ſo ever a wicked heart be, a talent of le… is light unto it.
The merry wanton that diſſolutely lives, being asked how he ſcapes ſickneſſe, lives ſo long and ſo joviall; anſwers I have a light heart. But when this man co… to feele the waight of his ſinnes, let him tell me then whether he be light hearted Naba could be drunke in his health; but when he is ſicke, his heart lies and … him like a ſtone: nothing in the world can lift it up. The heart cannot raiſe it ſelfe, it is the Lord thatrIoh. 6.44. drawes it up. Iohn 12.32. When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me. The Apothecary hath no drugs ſo cordiall, the ſy… phant no jeſt ſo joviall, the Vintner no Wine ſo ſprightly, the Muſician no ſtro…e… luſty; that it can lift up a ſinfull heart. Downe, downe it ſinkes without the ani… tion of Gods holy Spirit.
But if CHRIST be our delight, our hearts are with him. Dominus aſcend… … coelum, aſcendat cum illo cor noſtrum, Aug. His body doth not deſcend downe to …, we muſt aſcend up to it. Indeed if in ſo large a quantitie it be preſently reall in the Sacrament, as it was on the Croſſe, in full dimenſions; what need any man lift … his heart, to that he holds in his hand? No, he is above, contained in the heavens, … the time of reſtitution: and if he be our joy, thither we alſo aſpire: Vbi amor, … culus: ubi dolor, ibi digitus: ubi cor, ibi theſaurus. The finger points to the griefe, … eye followes the pleaſure, and the heart followes the treaſure. God hath given … both a face to looke, and a faith to climbe upwards. Si ſit ſurſumos, quare den… cor? Aug.Aſcendamus interim corde, ut ſequamur corpore. Let us ſend up our hearts before, that our ſoules may follow after. How prepoſterous and miſ-match'd is … erected countenance, and a groueling ſpirit.
Things neareſt heaven take leaſt care for earth: the foules of the aire nei… plow, nor ſow, nor carry into the barne. But men moſt love what they muſt le… and thinke ſeldome or never, of the place where they ſhould be for ever. Some … too preciſe for publike prayers, without a Sermon: as if God were only to ſe… them, and they not bound to ſerve God. Are there not many that will bef… more upon a licence to eate fleſh in Lent, than upon their ſoules all the yeare? … are their thoughts upward? the pooreſt piece of garment they weare; their has, their cuffes, their ſhooes, their ſhooties; coſt them more than their foules: and … not their thoughts downewards? They will rather loſe their inheritance in hea…, than let Chriſt have his inheritance on earth: and what, are their deſires upwards … Downe, downewards they ſinke, like the traſh that God bleſſeth not: their … buried in their coffers, as dead bodies are naild up in their coffins. And when t… have dejected themſelves ſo low as they can, then muſt this bottomleſſe bottome … ceive them, and overwhelme them with everlaſting preſſures. A materiall … ſtone hung about their neckes, cannot ſooner or ſurer carry them into the depth … the ſea. For us, let our hearts be upward, that our ſoules may never ſinke do… ward. Saint Bernard mentions foure degrees of aſcending. Primus ad cor, ſec… in corde, tertius de corde, quartus ſupra cor. The firſt aſcent is of knowledge, … ſecond of faith, the third of love, the laſt of glory. Let us know God, this … firſt ſtep to bleſſedneſſe: knowing, let us beleeve on him, that's the next: belee… let us louelove him, that's the third: and loving, we ſhall live with him, that's the … and perfection of eternall joy.
And delivered them into chaines of darkeneſſe, to be reſerved unto Iudgement. … are two things; the meaſure of their preſent confuſion, and the time of their … damnation. As a malefactor is firſt caſt into a dungeon, at the Aſſiles brought … to Iudgement and then led to execution. Now they are overwhelmed with … … ſertion of favour, then ſhall be confounded with impoſition of plenary tort…e. … be chained in a blacke and confuſed vault, ſeemes an unſufferable plague to the … quent: yet had he rather abide there ſtill, than come forth to the light when he is …ure to be puniſhed with death. Therefore theyſRevel. 6.16. cry to the mountaines and rockes, …o fall on them, and cover them: the reprobates rather deſire the loades of rockes, …nd preſſure of mountaines, for concealement, than be ſummoned unto judgement. Their puniſhment is juſt; theytPſal. 2.3. broke Gods bonds before, now they ſhall have chaines …o hold them. Ruperunt vincula gratiae, damnantur in vincula poena. Lucifers Ero ſi…ilis Altiſsimo, hath made him Inferiorem infimo. The higheſt ſeate in heaven could …ot content him, the loweſt bed in hell muſt containe him. Not pleaſed with the glo…ious light above, he is caſt into the hideous darkeneſſe below.
Tradidit in catenas caliginis. Where we muſt ſuppoſe God ſitting as a juſt Iudge …n his throne, and having ſummoned the revolting Angels before him, doth here …entence them to preſent ſufferings. Not but they ſhall alſo paſſe under another …riall, at that day of univerſall retribution. When Chriſt ſhall ſit on his Tribunall …dging quicke and dead. But as a Iuſticer finding a tranſgreſſor, makes his Mtiti…us, and ſends him to the Gaole, there to lie in chaines till the Seſſions. So we have …ere three anſwerable circumſtances. The Mittimus, He delivered them. The Gaole, …to chaines of darkeneſſe. The Seſſions. To be reſerved unto Iudgement.
He delivered them:] but into whoſe hands? Indeed he delivers guilty mortals …to the hands of guilty Angels. Matth. 18.34. He delivered him to the tormentors: …hat he might be their ſlave in ſuffering, whoſe ſubject he had beene in ſinning, Luk. 2.20. This night they ſhall fetch away thy ſoule: they to whom I have given com…iſſion to doe it; divells. They ſhall require it, that did defile it. This was part of …aint Pauls excommunication. Tradere Satanae, to deliver unto Satan: 1 Cor. 5.5. 1 Tim. 1.20.who is the hang…an. So he writes of Himeneus and Alexander. Whom I have delivered unto Satan that they may learne not to blaſpheme. To Satan, that executioner of condemned …oules. But Cui Satanam? to whom doth the Lord deliver Satan himſelfe? Some …ſwer, that themſelves are the Inſtruments to torture themſelves. Invicem torquent … torquentur. After a ſort, every tranſgreſſor is his owne tormenter: and wicked…eſſe is a vexation to it ſelfe. Ambitio angit ambientes: ambition rackes the aſpiring, …nvie eates the marrow of his bones that envieth: the covetouſneſſe which would be …oſt rich, keepes the affected with it moſt poore: ebrietie begets the head-ach, luſt …fflicts the body that nouriſheth it: and we ſay of the Prodigall, he is no mans foe …ut his owne; therefore we grant that he is his owne foe. It is a fooliſh powder, …at thinkes to blow up the houſe, and to ſcape it ſelfe from burning. If it were but …, that Se ſibi tradidit, he delivered him over to himſelfe: ſuch is the power of Gods …uſtice, that without the leaſt trouble to himſelfe, he can make an offender his owne …flicter. How many impious wretches; after obſtinate preſumptions againſt God, …ave wrought deſperate executions upon themſelves.
How ſhould this teach us to hate ſin: we thinke our ſelves certainely our owne …iends: No, by ſinne we become our owne enemies. That which makes us at en…itie with God, will make us at feud with our ſelves. Though the Lords hand …ould not touch us, nor were any malicious divell to racke us, nor any other crea…re to ſcourge us; Propriis lacerabimur armis, we ſhould thus puniſh our ſelves. If …od ſpeake the word, the hand ſhall rebell and ſtrike the head, the nailes teare the …inne, the teeth gnaw the fleſh, the feete precipitate the ſhoulders, the ſtomach fa…iſh the members. Theſe that are made to take one anothers part, and to aſſiſt the …hole in a peaceable communion, ſhall become mutinous like the Midianites, and …eath their ſwords in their fellowes bowels. It is a plague woful enough, when God …all deliver a man over to himſelfe.u1 Sam. 24.14. Let me not fall into the hand of man was Davids …ſire: No, as I am man, not into mine own hand. There is not leſſe merciemercy in all Ne…'s enemies, then in deſperate Nero's owne heart to himſelfe. But every man will …e good to himſelfe? Yes, Quamdiu ſuus; ſo long as he is his owne man: but …hen he becomes Gods Inſtrument, Timeat ſe, let him feare himſelfe. When the …rophet had told Hazael the tyrannous maſſacres he ſhould doe to Iſrael; he replies.
x2 King. 8.13.Am I a dog that I ſhould doe this? No, he was not yet a dogge: but afterwards God forſooke him, then he became a dogge, and did it. Libera me a malo homine; that, is as Auguſtine gloſſeth it; a meipſo. Deliver me from the evill man; O Lord: and becauſe I am an evill man, and there is no worſe, deliver me from my ſelfe. Such a deliverie ſhould have beene to us all, but for another deliverance that came betweene: a Liberavit, not a Tradidit. Luk. 1.74. He hath delivered us out of the h… of all our enemies. Tradidit daemones, Liberavit homines. He delivered his owne S… to death, that he might deliver us from death.
Into chaines of darkeneſſe.] Into darkeneſſe, there's their Miſerie. Into ch…s, there's their Slaverie. Darkeneſſe ſignifies the wrath of God, and is oppoſed to th… favour of his, which is called Lux vultus ſui; the light of his countenance, Pſal. 4.6. There is true light where the Father of lights ſhineth: and his abſence cauſeth dark… neſſe.aRev. 21 23. That Citie hath no need of the Sunne or Moone to ſhine in it: for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lambe is the light of it. Such a glorious light, that the very Sun is obſcuritie to it. Created lights, which now ſo comfort us, and whi… ſome worſhip for Deities, ſhall then reſigne their honours. Mat. 24.29. The Sun … be darkened, and the Moone ſhall not give her light. Shall not then the Sun ſhine at … day? Yes, it is not darkened Diminutione luminis, ſed comparatione majoris lu…i… not by loſſe of the owne light, but by the compariſon of a greater light: as a … is of ſmall benefite, when the Sunne appeareth. Otherwiſe,bEſa. 30.26. the Light of the M… ſhall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun ſhall be ſeven-fold, as the light … ſeven dayes. But then theſe lights ſhall be overſhined; as the Moone that rejoyc… travellers in the night, gives place when the Sun riſeth; and men doe not mi… Lord when the King appeareth. Therefore it is called Lumen inacceſsibile, c1 Tim. 6.16.a lig… which no man (in his mortalitie and ſin) can approch unto. In heaven there is all light and no darkeneſſe, in hell all darkeneſſe and no light. As the joy of the Saints … Angels in heaven, ſo the wretchedneſſe of the loſt in hell, is ſo great that is cannot enlarged.
This is an unſpeakable terror, to be coped up in everlaſting night. If D… calls the grave a tetricall place becauſe of this darkeneſſe, where the Organ of ſeeing is not yet excerciſed. Iob 10.23. A land of darkeneſſe and the ſhadow of death, where … light is as darkeneſſe: How intolerable is the darkeneſſe of hell! But how agreeth … with other Scriptures, that allow the divells vagari per orbem, & verſari per …, to wander about the world, and to be converſant in the aire? 1 King. 22.22. I… ….7. Luk. 8.31. Eph. 2.2. Rom. 16.20. Shortly, therefore not yet troden downe. H… then are they ſhut up under darkeneſſe? Anſw. It was the divells cenſure to be … into hell; yet ſo that before the day of Iudgement, the wiſedome of God hath … poſed a permiſſive egreſſe into the world; and that for ſome of them: that … great number of them are in hell, there tormenting the damned ſoules, ſo the … wander in the world to tempt ſinners. This is manifeſt, Revel. 9.3. Where the b… tomleſſe pit being opened, there came out of the ſmoke innumerable locuſts upon the … and the purpoſe of their comming is expreſſed, that they might hurt thoſe that … not the ſeale of God in their foreheads. So Revel. 20.2. Satan is bound for a thouſ… yeares, at the expiration whereof it followes that he be looſed. Vntill the Iudge… day God doth lengthen his chaines.
Let us love the light, that darkeneſſe may never ſwallow us. All ſinnes … therefore called the workes of darkeneſſe; not only becauſe the evill doer hates the … but alſo becauſe Satan the Prince of darkeneſſe is the founder, and ſhall be the … founder of them.d1 Theſ. 5.7. They that ſleepe, ſleepe in the night: and they that be dr…ke, … drunke in the night. This was wont to be the cuſtome, ſin durſt not ſhew her … face by day. But now men are growne ſo impudent, that they make opera … rum, the workes of darkeneſſe, become opera lucis, the workes of light; co… ting them in the ſun-ſhine. Soe2 Sam. 16.22. Abſalom had a Tent ſpred upon the top of the … and went in unto his fathers concubines, in the ſight of all Iſrael, Num. 25.6. Z… brought a whore to his tent in the ſight of all Iſrael, even when they were weeping before the Tabernacle. Vice was once like the Owle, only a night-bird: now proud of her borrowed feathers, ſhe dares out-face vertue at noone day. Theſe be the …trange Epiphanies of the time: as one obſerved on Matth. 2.2. We have ſeene his …arre, and are come to worſhip him: there were two bleſſed Epiphanies; a manifeſtati…n of CHRISTS ſtarre to them, and a manifeſtation of their pietie to him. In …tead of theſe, Pride ſtruts in pompe, homicide ſtands on termes of Iuſtification, …runkenneſſe reeles up and downe the ſtreets.fGal. 5.19. The workes of the fleſh are manifeſt. Theſe be monſtrous Epiphanies; yet ſtill the workes of darkeneſſe, and precipitate …nto the place of darkeneſſe, to the enlargement of Satans kingdome. The Pope …catters his Emiſſaries abroad, to augment Idolaters, and augment his Suprema…ie: the Turke amplifies his territories; and other Princes expatiate their dominions: …ll theſe kingdomes are extended, but the kingdome of darkeneſſe ſurmounteth them …ll. For, though never was more light in mens braines, never more univerſall dark…eſſe in their hearts.
The ſtreame of wickedneſſe is ſo violent, that many (who had ſome inceptions of …oodneſſe) are even content to run with it, rather than ſwim againſt it, or eſpecially …eprove it. Vſurie and Sacriledge ſcorne to be reprehended, and he is taxed of in…iſcretion that meddles with them: whereupon ſome let all alone, reſolving to ſit …owne and hold their peace. A Fryer that had beene for his boldneſſe decourted, …fterward admitted to preach to the King of Spaine, told this Fable. The Lion …as faulted by the Lioneſſe, that his breath ſtanke. Being mad angry with this im…utation, he traverſeth the forreſt, to be more certainely informed. The firſt ſub…ect beaſt he met withall was an Aſſe, and breathing upon him, he demanded the rel…ſh of his breath: the Aſſe plainely told him that it was very unſavory. Thou art …oo bitter, quoth the Lion, and tore him in pieces. Next he met with the hound, and …t the ſame queſtion to him: who anſwered, It is very ſweet. Thou art a flatterer, …uoth the Lion; and tore him in pieces. Laſt he lighted on the Foxe, and exami…ing him concerning his breath: the ſubtile villaine replied; Indeed I cannot tell whe…her it be ſweet or ſowre, for I have caught ſuch a cold that I cannot ſmell. If we …ould commend the times for devout and holy, you might juſtly condemne us for …wning flatterers. If we ſhould ſay, they are ſtarke naught, full of impietie and dark…eſſe: then we are held too cynicall and cenſorious. What then? ſhall we anſwere …e have caught a cold, and cannot ſmell or tell? No, we are bound to love our own …oules, better than you can love your owne ſinnes. In a word, let us receive the light …f grace, that the light of glory may receive us.