Tormenting Tophet, Part 4
The 4. part And large Oecolam. in Eſay. Obſeruat.The fourth part of the Deſcription of Tophet, mentioned in this word, Large.
As the Lord hath made Hell Deepe, ſo hath he made it Large, in regard of the great number that ſhall be tormented in her, as ſayeth Occolampadius.
Eſay 5.14.This word is vſed in the fift chapter of this propheſie, Hell hath inlarged her ſelfe, and hath opened her mouth without meaſure: It hath ſet open her mouth, as it were, with a gag, and all to receyue the great multitudes that ſhall deſcend into her.
It is called Lacus magnus in the Reuelation, 14.19. A great Lake.
That this doctrine is too true, witnes that of the Goſpell of Matt. 20.16. Multi vocati: Many are called, but few conuerted: Many called, but few choſen.
The moſt high made this world for many, 4. Eſd. 8.1but the world to come for verie few.
Obiect,But ſome man may obiect againſt theſe Scriptures other Scriptures to proue the great number of them that ſhall be ſaued, and ſo by conſequence, the ſmall number that ſhall be tormented in Tophet.
Saint Mathew ſayth,Math. 8.1… That many ſhall come from the Eaſt, and from the Weſt, and ſhall ſit downe with Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob in the Kingdom of God: many an innumerable company ſhall be ſaued.
Saint Iohn in Reuelat. 7.9. dooth point out that great number that ſhall bée ſaued, with that nota ſtellifera, that ſtarry note, Beholde, I ſaw a great multitude of all Nations and Kinreds, and People, and Tongues, that ſtoode before the Throne, & before the Lambe clothed in long white robes, & palmes in their hands: long white robes in token of purity, and palms in their hands in token of victory.
It may ſeeme by theſe Scriptures, that many ſhall bee ſaued, and not ſuch a multitude damned.
AnſwereI anſwere, That though the number of the Elect be great, by it ſelfe conſidered (to the prayſe of Gods mercy be it ſpoken) yet if it be compared to the number of thoſe that ſhal glorifie Gods iuſtice in hell, Alas then a remnant of Iſrael ſhall be ſaued: they are but a handful, and therfore hell muſt be made excéeding Large.
This great deſtruction of the damned in hell, is liuelily ſhadowed out vntounto vsus in the iudgements of God on earth, mingled with mercy; as in the deſtruction of the olde world by water, how few eſcaped there aliue?Gen. 7. only Noah with his Family: in the deſtruction of Sodome by fire,Gen. 19.16 how few eſcaped there aliue? only Lot vvith his daughters: in the deſtruction of Iericho by the ſword, how few eſcaped there aliue? only Rahab with her family, Ioſua. 6.22that intertained the Iſraeliticall Spies. To come to later times, in the deſtruction of Ieruſalem by Titus Veſpaſian, how few eſcaped there aliue? Many hundred thouſands of them were ſtarued to death, many hundred thouſands of them taken captiues to the Romane Empire, ſome put to one death, ſome to another, and few eſcaped aliue, and thoſe of the meaner ſort, agricolae vinitores, huſbandmen and labourers in vineyards.
If (beloued) in the iudgements of God in this world ſo few hauehave eſcaped aliue, how few (thinke you) ſhall ſcape at the dreadfull day of Iudgement, when of eueryevery idle word that men ſhal ſpeake, a great account muſt bee made for the ſame? yea,Mat. 12.36 when Inquiſition ſhall bee made for the very thoughts of the vngodly: Wiſd. 1.9.If the iuſt ſhall ſcarce be ſaued, where ſhall the ſinner appeare? Againe, that great is the number of thoſe that ſhall to Tophet, and therefore Tophet made large to giuegive them fiery intertainement, it appeareth in the very liues of men vponupon earth: for where there is one that commeth to the profeſſion of the truth, truly with the ſincere heart of Nathanael:Iohn 1. there are ten, yea twenty, yea more, that walke in the way of ſinne, in the roade to Tophet, without any checke of conſcience, remorſe for their ſinnes, or reclamation from their ſinnefull courſes in the world: ſome in the way of Atheiſme, ſome in Paganiſme, ſome in Epicuriſme, ſome in Brovvniſme, ſome in Anabaptiſme, ſom in Mahometiſme, ſome in Papiſme, yea ſome in Deuiliſme: a matter with many teares to be lamented.
But wouldeſt thou not be with this large company,Ʋſe. in this large place of torment: O then follovv not a multitude to doe euill! Reuelation, 18.4. Come out from amongſt them, for if thou beeſt partaker with them in their ſinnes, thou muſt bee partaker with them in their puniſhments: Faſhion not thy ſelfe after the wicked faſhion of this world: rather walke alone by thy ſelfe to heauen, than goe with the multitude to Hell: Walke in the narrow way of grace to ſaluation, ſhunne the broade and large way, for that will bring thee to Tophet, which (as thou heareſt) is made excéeding deepe and large.