Tormenting Tophet, Introduction – Part 1
¶ TORMENTING TOPHET, OR A terrible deſcription of Hell, able to breake the hardeſt heart, and cauſe it quake and tremble.
Eſay 30.33.
Tophet is prepared of old; it is euen prepared for the King: he hath made it deepe and large: the burning thereof is fire & much wood: the breath of the Lord like a Riuer of Brimstone doth kindle it.
ALbeit the Lord in the beginning created man in glorious manner, omninō ad imaginem ſui, ratione ſapientem, vita innocentem, dominio potentem, altogether after his own moſt glorious image, in purity, and in perfection of holineſſe both in ſoule and body : yet withall, he gaue him naturam flexibilem, a mutable and changeable nature, creating him inpoteſtate standi, ſeupoſſe cadendi: in power of ſtanding, and in poſſibilitie of falling: power of ſtanding, that he had from God his creatour, poſſibility of falling, that he had from himſelfe, being a creature.
Auguſt.A reaſon whereof S. Auguſtine giueth in his booke of Confeſſions: Becauſe the Lord created man ex nihilo: of nothing : therefore hee left in man poſſibility to returne in nihilum: into nothing, if he obey'd not the will of his Maker.
Baſil,And as Baſil ſayth, Si Deus dediſſet Adae naturam immutabilem, deos potius quàm homines condidiſſet: id eſt: If God had giuen Adam an immutable and vnchangeable nature hee had created a God, not a man: for this is a mayne trueth in Diuinity, immutabiliter eſſe bonum, proprium ſoliuseſt Dei: id est, to be immutably, and vnchangeablie good, onelyonly proper to God.
Adam therefore being thus created, that hee might eyther ſtand or fall, by the Diuels ſubtill ſuggeſtion, and by the abuſe of his owne free will, receyued a double downefall, the fall of ſinne by diſobedience, and the fall of death by ſinne, the laſt fall being the wages of the firſt fall, as ye may reade in the laſt verſe of the ſixt to the Romanes, The wages of ſinne is death.Rom. 6.
The Lord therefore hauing pitty vponupon this his miſerable eſtate, vouchſafed in his Sonne to ſhew mercy vponupon ſome by election to ſaluation: as to ſhew iuſtice vponupon other ſome by reprobation to damnation.
According to which irreuocable decree, the Lord hath prepared euen from the foundations of the earth, anſwerable places: a glorious habitation for the one, and a terrible dungeon for the other.
Which generall truth is confirmed in the words of my Text, hauing particular reference to the reprobat Aſſyrians. For as the Lord in his mercy doth promiſe in this Chapter to his people repenting them of their ſinnes, manifold bleſſings, ſpirituall and corporall, temporall and eternall: ſo doth he threaten in his iuſtice terrible vengeance to their enemies, the idolatrous Babylonians and Aſſyrians, not onelyonly temporall, but alſo eternall, not to the meane ſubiect alone, but to the King himſelfe, ſaying: Tophet is prepared of old, it is euen prepared for the King, &c.
Not to inſiſt therefore too long vponupon introductions, leſt it ſhould be ſayde to mee, as once a flowting Cynicke ſayde to the Citizens of Myndus, a little City with great Gates: Shut your Gates leſt your City runne out: I come to the Text it ſelfe, which containeth in it a terrible and lamentable deſcription of Hell, prepared of olde for the tormenting of all vngodly people of the world, of what eſtate or condition ſoeuer they be, euen for the King. For Tophet is prepared of olde, it is euen prepared for the King, &c.
In which terrible Deſcription of Hell, I obſerue ſo many ſeuerals, as the Beaſt had heads in the Reuelation,Reu. 13.1. that muſt be tormented in her.
Firſt, the certainety of this place of torment: Tophet is prepared of old.
Secondly, The parties for whom: for all vngodly wretches, yea euen for the King: It is euen prepared for the King.
Thirdly, the impoſſibility of getting out, once in: He hath made it deepe.
Fourthly, the great number that ſhall bee tormented in her: expreſſed in this word, Large.
Fiftly, the extremity and bitternes of the torments of Tophet: the burning there of is fire.
Sixtly, the eternity and euerlaſtingneſſe of the torments of Tophet: Much wood, ſo much as ſhall neuer be waſted.
Seuently, the Authour or inflictour of theſe fearefull tortures: & that is the Lord offended: in theſe words, The breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimſtone doth kindle it: wherein I note the ſeuerity of God againſt ſinne and ſinners.
The certainety of this place of torment is here deſcribed by three:The firſt part. by the Name, by the Act, by the Antiquity.
Firſt, by the name: Tophet.
Secondly, by the Act: is prepared.
Thirdly, by the Antiquity: of olde.
Tophet is prepared of old.
Tophet.This Tophet was a valley neare vntounto Ieruſalem, iuxta piſcinam fullonis & agrum Acheldema, ad auſtrum Sion: that is, Neare to the Fullers poole and the field Acheldema, on the South ſide of Sion: Called alſo Gehinnom, the valley or dale of Hinnom: Quialoeus iſte in praedio erat viri cuiuſdam Hinnom dicti: Becauſe this place was in the poſſeſſion of a certaine man called Hinnom:Aretius. as ſayth Aretius: In which place the Iewes (following the curſed example of the Ammonites) did ſacrifice their children in the fire to the idol Moloch, Quempro Mercurio colebant: whom they worſhipped for Mercurie, as ſayth Montanus: Montan. in Eſai. Scultet. in Eſai.or rather, pro Saturno colebant, for Saturne, as ſayth Scultetus, Quena Poetae proprios fingunt deuoraſſe filios: whom the Poets fained to hauehave deuoured his owne children.
This Moloch was Idolum aereum, concauum, paſſis brachijs, ad excipiendos infantes ſacro nefario deſtinatos, Scultet. in Eſai.ſubiectis prunis torrendos: that is, A brazen Idoll, hollow within, his hands ſpred abroad, to receiue infants that were through their curſed Idolatry tortured in the fire, and ſacrificed to him: as writeth Scultetus. Snepfſius deſcribeth this Idoll on this manner:Snepfſius in Eſai. Idoli ſtatua erat cuprea (ſic enim annotarunt Hebraei) porrigens brachia ad excipiendos pueros: that is, This Idoll was made of Copper (ſo the Hebrewes hauehave obſerued) ſtretching forth his hands to receyue thoſe maſſacred children.
The Iewes more at large write of him, that hee was of a great ſtature,Deſcriptio Moloch. and hollow within, hauing ſeuen places or chambers within him: the firſt, to receiue meale offered: the ſecond, Turtle Doues: the third, a Sheepe: the fourth, a Ramme: the fift a Calfe: the ſixt, an Oxe: the ſeuenth, a Child: he was faced like a Calfe, imitating the idolatry of Egypt: his hands were euer ſtretched out to receyue bribes and gifts: his Prieſts were called Chemmarims, becauſe they were ſmoked with the incenſe offered to Idols, of whom yee may reade, 2. King. 23.5. Hoſ. 10.5. Sephan. 1.4.
2. Ki. 23.10This Tophet or valley of Hinnom was put downe by good King Ioſiah, and in contempt thereof, dead carrions and the of-ſcowrings of Ieruſalem commaunded to be caſt.
The Iewes report, that in Tophet there was a deepe ditch, which they called Os inferni, Iere. 7.32.the mouth of hell, which neuer could be filled: into which the Chaldeans hauing ſlain the Iſraelits, threw them.
For the deriuation of this word, ſome thinke that it is deriued à Tophis lapidibus pretioſis in modum Punicis, inter quos nutriebatur ignis: that is, Of the Topaze ſtone like the Punicke, in which fire was nouriſhed: but this deriuation is farre fetcht and faulty.
TophetBut for moſt certaine, Tophet is deriued of that Hebrew Toph, quod tympanum ſonat: which ſignifieth a Tabret, or a loude Inſtrument: becauſe when they ſacrificed their children to Moloch, they did tympana pulſare, Piſcat. in Eſay.ne exaudirent eiulatum liberorum qui comburebantur: that is, Smite vponupon the tabret, that they might not heare the lamentable ſcreeching of their children in the fire: as ſayth Piſcator.
So that by a certaine Simile, How Tophet taken for hell.the Spirite of God doth here compare hel to Tophet: for as in Tophet there was lamentable ſcreeching of the children in the fire: ſo in hell there ſhall be ſcreeching and ſcreaming, weeping & wayling for euermore.
Hell hath many names in like reſpects:foreign. as it is called foreign of foreign to terrifie: becauſe of the terrours thereof.
It is called foreign of the priuitiue particle foreign: and foreign not to ſee:foreign Chytreus in 20. ca. Apoc. numero 7 de poenis. impiorum Auernus. a place without light: which expreſſeth the dolour of hell: as ſayth Chitreus.
It is called Auernus: abſ que vera temperatura: without true temperature: for there the freezing cold ſhall not mitigate the ſcorching heat, nor the ſcorching heat the freezing cold.
And here it is compared to Tophet, in regard of the terrible tortures, and pittious outcries of the condemned.
Simile.Ʋt per hortum voluptatis, Paradiſi ſcilicet, ſedes beatorum figuratur: ita per hunc locum terroris, Tophet, ſcilicet, infernus deſcribitur: that is: As by the garden of pleaſure, namely Paradiſe, the place of the bleſſed is figured: So by this place of terrour, namely, Tophet, the dungeon of hell is deſcribed.
Obſeru.From which fearefull Metaphor we may iuſtly make this our obſeruation: namely, that Hell is a moſt lamentable and wofull place of torment, where (in regard of the extremity of torments impoſed vponupon the damned) there ſhall bee ſcréeching and ſcreaming, weeping, wayling, and gnaſhing of teeth for euermore: and this is Tophet.
Where torment ſhall bee vponupon torment, each torment eaſeleſſe, endleſſe, remedileſſe; where the worme ſhall be immortall, colde intolerable, ſtinch indurable, fire vnquenchable, darkeneſſe palpable, ſcourges of Deuilles terrible, and ſcreeching and ſcreaming continuall: and this is Hell.
In hell (ſayth S. Auſtine) there is vermis conſcientiae, ignitae lachrymae, August.and dolor ſine remedio: that is, The gnawing worme, the burning teares, and ſorrow that can neuer be eaſed.
And againe, hee ſayth in his third Tom. de Spiritu & Anima: Aug. 3. tom. de Spiritu & Anima.Ibi erit metus, & moeror: luctus & dolor: tunc verè nihil lugere erit niſi flere, quia poenitere tunc nullipoterit valere: ibi erit tortor caedens, vermis corrodens, ignis conſumens: that is, In hell there is howling and horrour, ſobbing and terrour: where weeping helpes not, and repentance bootes not: where is paine killing, worme gnawing, and fire conſuming. Ʋermis & tenebrae flagellū, frigus & ignis: Daemonisaſpectus, ſcelerum, confuſio, luctus.
Tertullian in Apologetico, Poeta Tertul. in Apologet.ſpeaking of Hell, ſayth thus: Gehenna eſt ignis arcani ſubterraneus ad poenam theſaurus: that is, Hell is a treaſure of ſecret fire kept vnderunder the earth to puniſh withall. The truth of this heauy report Diues with the reſidue of the damned, doe finde by wofull experience, who ſtill cries out, I am tormented in this flame.
This is miſerable Tophet, prepared for all vngodly people of the world.
Ʋſe. 1 The meditation of theſe torments ſhould breake our ſtony hearts in peeces, and ſtrike vsus into ſuch a diſmall dumpe,Dan. 5.5. as was Baltazar, when hee ſaw the hand writing on the wall againſt him: theſe ſhould be of an extractiue force and power, to draw grones from our hearts, teares from our eyes, and ſinnes from our ſoules: Grauia peccata grauia deſiderant lamenta: Great ſinnes require great lamentations: Sweet meat muſt hauehave ſowre ſawce: ſinne muſt hauehave mourning, eyther here by attrition Legall and contrition Euangelicall, or elſe hereafter wee ſhall be caſt into Tophet, where wee ſhall lie ſcreeching and ſcreaming continually.
Gregor.Plangite igitur plangenda: Bewayle your ſinnes therefore that ought to be lamented: …ſiodor.Eſtote tam proni ad lamenta, ſicut fuiſtis ad peccata: Bee as prone to lamentation, as euer you were to tranſgreſſion, as prone to lament them, as euer yee were to commit them.
In a booke inſcribed De natura rerum, I read of a Byrd called Auis Paradiſi: the Birde of Paradiſe: which is ſo called in regard of her ſplendid and excellent beauty: which Birde being taken in the ſnare of the Fowler,Lib. de nat. rerum doth ingemiſcere ac lachrymare dies nocteſ que , mourne and lament night and day, vntill ſhee be reſtored to liberty: So we that were once Aues Paradiſi, Simile.Birdes of Paradiſe, but now captiuated in the thraldome of ſinne and Sathan, and lyable to this tormenting Tophet, ſhould neuer ceaſe mourning & wayling, vntill wee bee reſtored to Grace againe.
Bleſſed are you that hauehave grace thus to mourne, yee ſhall bee comforted: the Lord will wipe away, as all ſinnes from your ſoules, ſo all teares from your eyes in the kingdome of ſaluation.
Againe, the conſideration of this Ʋſe 2 terrible Tophet ſhould cauſe vsus willingly to embrace the counſell of the Pſalmiſt:Pſal. 4.4 To ſtand in awe and ſinne not: And worke in our hearts that feare ſpoken of in the Goſpel of Matthew, Feare him that is able to deſtroy both body and ſoule in hell: Mat. 10.28.This terrible report ſhould ſtrike vsus into a threefold feare.
Feare to be depriued of the grace of God.
Feare to be excluded the louing preſence of God.
Feare to be tormented in the Lake vnquenchable.
ExemplumIt was the practiſe of an holy man, who ſayth: I feare him that is able to damne both body and ſoule: I tremble at hell: I tremble at the Iudges countenance, which is able to make all the Angells and powers of Heauen to temble: I tremble at the voyce of the Archangell: I tremble at the roaring deuils: I am afraid of the gnawing worme, the ſmoake, the vapour, the brimſtone, the darkneſſe, the burning: Ah woe is me that am the ſonne of bitterneſſe, indignation, and eternall weeping.
Act. 24.16This made Paul indeuour to keepe a cleare conſcience both towards God and man.
This made Ierome afraid to offend: Whether I eate or drinke (ſaith hee) or whatſoeuer I doe elſe, me thinkes I heare this ſaying ſounding in mine eares, Ariſe yee dead and come to Iudgement, Ariſe yee dead and come to iudgement: Which when I conſider, it makes me quake and ſhake, and not dare to commit ſinne, which otherwiſe I ſhould hauehave committed.
And what is the cauſe (I pray) that wicked wretches runne into al exceſſe and riot of ſinne as they do? Is it not becauſe they lay not to heart this tormenting Tophet? witneſſe elſe the prophet Amos, who ſayth,Amos. 6.3 That they put off from them the euill day, and boldly approach to the ſeates of iniquity: If putting off the remembrance of the vengeance to come, will make men diſſolute and retchleſſe, then ſurely laying to heart the inutterable torments of Tophet, will bee a notable meane to reclayme men from all vngodlineſſe.
But if men will harden their hearts aboue the hardnes of an Adamant, and will not be moued, neyther by mercies nor iudgement: let all ſuch know that Tophet groaneth for them, where they ſhall howle and yell in fiery torments for euermore.
Thus much in a word for the word Tophet.
The ſecond, obſeruable for the certainety of this place of torment, is the Act or thing done, in theſe words: Is prepared. Is prepar'dParata Tophet, non paranda: It is not ſayd, That Tophet ſhall bee hereafter prepared, or it is now preparing; but it is already prepared: Tophet is prepared.
The malicious deuil laboureth nothing more then to perſwade men that there is no ſuch place of torment, that ſo the more eaſily hee may leade them thither,Simile. as the thiefe is led to execution with a vayle before his eyes. But for the trueth hereof, let theſe things following duely be obſerued.
Simile.As a princely magnificence requireth that a King hauehave a beautifull pallace for the beſt ſort of men, and a diſmall priſon for the rebellious: So the King of kings hath a glorious pallace wherein are many manſions for his Saints, & a darke and loathſome dungeon for the Diuell and his Angels.
The law of nations requireth that malefactors for their offences bee baniſhed for euer: ſo the Lord doth baniſh from his gracious preſence all the vngodly of the earth into the fearefull Iland of hell.
The Cicilian Aetna called at this day Gibillo Monte, Actua.where roarings are heard, and flames of fire are ſéene: the flaſhing of Veſuuius: the cracking, as it were, of fire in a furnace, in the Marine Rocke of Barry: what doe all theſe preſage, but aſſure all thoſe that feare the Lord (beſides his counſel reuealed in his word) that Tophet is already prepared.
Againe, in all things naturall and ſupernaturall, there is an oppoſition, there is a contrariety: there is good, there is euill: there is light, there is darkenes: there is ioy, there is ſorrow: there is a Heauen, and therefore there muſt be a Hell, into which the ſoules of the reprobate ſhall be carried when they die, by the blacke and griſly angels.
Againe, the Scripture ſpeaketh eueryevery where of this place of torment: Whoſoeuer ſhall ſay, Mat. 5.22.Foole, ſhall bee worthy to be puniſhed with hell fire.
Mar. 9.43.35.47.Againe, It is better for thee to goe into the Kingdome of God, with one foot, with one hand, with one eye, then hauing two feet, two hands, and two eyes, to bee caſt into Hell fire.
But that of the 25. of Matthew is very pregnant for this purpoſe, where the word it ſelfe is vſed:Matth. 25. Goe from me yee curſed into euerlaſting fire, which is prepared for the Deuill and his Angels.
This doctrine méeteth with all Atheiſts that ſay, There is no heauen, no hell,Refut. Atheist. Pſal. 14.1. no God, no deuill: As that noted foole, that ſaid in his heart, There is no God.
Epicure.With all Epicures, that think there is neyther time nor place, either of heauen or hell after death: that ſung that curſed Epitaph of Sardanapalus.Eſa. 22.13. Poet.
Ede, bibe, lude: charum praeſentibus exple Delitijs animum, poſt mortem nulla voluptas Eate, drinke, and be merry: for after death there is no pleaſure: They ſay true, for after death they ſhal find ſmal pleaſure in Tophet.
This Doctrine conuinceth alſo all heretikes that deny both Reſurrection and Iudgement,Heretike. nineteene ſeuerall ſorts whereof are reckoned vp together all on a row by that learned writer Danaeus: the Appellites, Danaeus.Archontikes, Baſilidians, Bardeſaniſts, Caians, Carpocratians, Cerdonians, Heraclites, Hermians, Marcites, Marcionites, Ophites, Proclians, Symonians, Saturninians, Sethians, Seuerians, Seleucians, & Valentinians.
Seeing then that Hell is already prepared, and ſtandeth ready to receiue Ʋſe 1 to torment all that worke iniquity: ſeing there is but a twine threed betwixt the ſoule of a ſinner, and this ſcorching flame: O how ſhould this prepare vsus for the kingdom of heauen? Paratis patet ianua, imparatis clauditur: this is ſayd for Heauen: The prepared Virgins enter in, the imprepared, not.
Imparatis patet ianua, & paratis clauditur: and this is ſayde for Hell: The imprepared enter, the prepared, not.
But, alas the preſumptuous ſecurity of this our age: mē liue as though there were no Hell; or if there be, as though it were afarre off, and yet notwithſtanding it followeth them as neere as the ſhadow doth the body:Reuel. Death and Hell both follow cloſe the perſon of eueryevery ſinner: Death to deuoure the body, and Hell to ſwallow vp the ſoule.
Yet for all this, the wicked wil ſport themſelues in their ſinnes, and iouiall be in their iniquities: but marke the end, Nouiſſima illarum eſt mors: the end of theſe wayes is death: as wel noteth that iuſt and vpright man Iob: Iob. 21.12.13.they reioyce in the ſound of Organs, and in a moment they goe downe into Tophet: they ſay, Peace, peace, when Tophet is prepared to take away their ſoules.
O that careleſſe people would conſider this: it would make them liue ſo preciſely, as though it were the laſt moment they had to liue: it would make them cry out in the terrors of their ſoules with the Iaylor,Act. 16. O what muſt I doe to bee ſaued from the damnation of Tophet?
The third thing obſeruable for the certainety of this place of torment, is the antiquity of the ſame: Of olde.Of olde.
Non caſu aut fortuna parata erat Tophet, ſed certo iudicio omnipotentis definita: id eſt; Tophet was not caſually prepared, but in the determined counſell, and decreed purpoſe of God: not lately founded, but from the foundations of the earth, before man or Angell was created.
For Hells antiquity, I referre you to the ſecond of Peter, 2. Pet. 2.4the ſecond chapter and fourth verſe; where it is ſayd: If God ſpared not the Angels that fell, but caſt them downe to hell: now they could not be caſt into that which was not: therefore Hell was ordayned before the fall of Angelles: for the Lord (who beholdeth all things, paſt, preſent, and to come, vno actu, vno ictu, ſimul, & ſemel, at one and the ſelfe ſame preſent) foreſéeing what would become of angels and men, pre-ordayned anſwerable places: for thoſe whom hée hath elected in CHRIST, heauen he hath created of olde: and for thoſe whom he hath left to glorifie his iuſtice, Tophet is prepared of olde.
Note.Where wee plainely ſée, that the Lord hath irreuocably decréede of the ſtate of Angells and men, before all worlds, for Heauen, and for Hell: as there are but two wayes, ſo there are but two ends, Saluation and Damnation, Heauen and Hell.
Error Romae.Idle is the opinion of Rome, concerning their inter media loca, middle places, twixt heauen and hell.
The peruerting Papiſt hath added to Tophet thrée ſubterreſtriall places more: Purgatory, Lymbus Infantum, Lymbus Patrum.
Purgatory.Purgatorie, for thoſe that die in their veniall ſinnes,Bellar. lib. 2. de Purgatorio. c. 1. and light tranſgreſſions: and for thoſe which hauehave their ſinnes remitted, but not ſatiſfied for the puniſhment.
And they place this next to Tophet, where there is both poena damni, and poena ſenſus, puniſhment of loſſe, and puniſhment of feeling; this laſteth not euer, but for a time: for it ſhall be diſſolued at the comming of CHRIST to iudgement.
Lymbus Infantum, Lymbus Infantumwhere children remayne dying without Baptiſme.
And this they place next to Purgatory; where there is poena damni, but not ſenſus, the puniſhment of loſſe, but not of féeling: and this laſteth for euerlaſting.
Lymbus Patrum, Lymbus Patrumwhere the Fathers were before CHRISTS comming.
And this they place vppermoſt: where there was poena damni, but not ſenſus, the puniſhment of loſſe, but not of féeling: but this was diſſolued long ago, by CHRISTS deſcenſion into Hell.
Thus you ſee how the Pope by theſe his lies and fopperies, thorowly proueth himſelfe the moſt deare childe of the deuill, the author & founder of all lies.Iohn 8.44 But let eueryevery Chriſtian take this for an inalterable truth, that there is but Election and Reprobation, grace and ſinne, the narrow gate, and the broade way: but two ends, Heauen and Hell; to one of theſe muſt all fleſh goe.
Athanaſ. de incarnat. Chriſti.Athanaſius ſpeaking to this point, ſayth: Impius in duas partes diſcerpitur, & vt ad duo loca diſcedat, condemnatur: that is, A wicked man is diſtracted in two parts, and condemned to two places, his body to the Graue, and his ſoule to foreign that is, to Hell.
Séeing then that the Lord hath prepared Tophet of olde, and the Decree of God is gone out vponupon all fleſh, eyther for heauen or for hell: this ſhould haſten vsus carefully to worke out our ſaluation with feare and trembling, and to make ſure our Election: For what if we hauehave all the world, and be caſt into Tophet? what ſhall become of vsus? it had been better for vsus neuer to hauehave béene borne.
Obſerue (I beſéech you) the carriage of the Apoſtles in the Goſpell, when they heard that one of them ſhould betray their Lord and Maſter CHRIST, & woe worth that party that ſhould doe that curſed act: it had béene good for that party neuer to hauehave béene borne: they were all amazed and aſtonied, and could not bee at quiet, till they knew who ſhould doe that damnable déed: they came therefore to our Sauiour, ſaying:Mar. 14.19 Numquid ego Domine? Is it I, Lord ? Another, Is it I, Lord? So we hearing, that Hell is prepared of old, and the greateſt part of mankind (as ſhall bee ſhewen hereafter,) ſhall bee ſwallowed vp of her: Oh this ſhould make vsus carefull,Math. 6. firſt, and aboue all things to ſeeke the kingdome of God, and the righteouſneſſe thereof, that wee may ſee our ſelues in the number of thoſe few, whoſe names are written in the booke of Election, and not in the number of thoſe that ſhall be tormented in Tophet.
Pſal. 132.3.Let vsus reſolue with the Pſalmiſt, not to ſuffer our eyes to ſléepe, nor our eye-liddes to ſlumber, nor the temples of our head to take any reſt, till wee hauehave found the ſaluation of our God, our ſoules ſealed to the day of redemption, and freed from the damnation of Tophet. But where is this religious care and godly reſolution? O the diſſolute and deſperate courſe of this our ſinnefull age: men put their ſaluation to a hazard with Ludouike, Ludouic.Si ſaluabor, ſaluabor, Si damnabor, damnabor: that is, If I be ſaued, I bee ſaued: If I bee damned, I bee damned, there is the care that I take.
In the feare of God, I earneſtly beſéech you,Rom. 8. aboue al things to make ſure your Election, and that by your Vocation: your Vocation by your Iuſtification: your Iuſtification by your Sanctification, the reward whereof will be eternall glorification.
Ioyne Vertue with your Faith: with Vertue Knowledge:2. Pet. 1.5. with knowledge Temperance: with Temperance Patience: with Patience Godlineſſe: with Godlineſſe brotherly Kindneſſe: and with brotherly Kindneſſe LoueLove: Labour hereby to make your calling and election ſure, for if yée doe theſe things, yee ſhall neuer fall into the vengeance of Tophet.