Tormenting Tophet, Part 7
The ſe…enth and …ſt part. …he breath …f the lord … c.The ſeuenth and laſt part of the Deſcription of Tophet, ſet downe in theſe words: The breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimſtone doth kindle it. In which words there is not onelyonly a Proſopopeia in the breath, but a Topographia in the brimſtone vſed: both which figures doe notably expreſſe the furious indignation of the Author, and the fierce ſeuerity of the act: the Author or Inflictour of all theſe fearefull puniſhments is the Lord God offended, at whoſe anger the Heauens do melt, the Earth quakes, & the whole Creation trembles, into whoſe hands to fall, is moſt fearefull,Heb. 12.29 For the Lord our God is a conſuming fire.
The Lord is the decréer, appointer and commaunder of all theſe fearefull torments: and the Lord doth execute them vponupon the damned, both immediate, immediately from himſelfe: & mediate, mediately by his inſtruments, as by the deuils, fire, darkenes, ſtinch, and other creatures.
Feare therfore (in the feare of God) this fearefull and terrible name Iehouah: that at the day of néed, ye may find him a mild and gentle Lambe,Reuel. 5. and not A roaring Lion of Iudah.
The ſeuerity of puniſhment is ſet downe by a double allegory, Breath, & Brimſtone.
To expreſſe the rage and tyranny of Saul againſt the Lambes of IESVS, this word is vſed in the Actes: And Saul yet breathing out threatnings and ſlaughter againſt the Diſciples of the Lord, Act. 9.1.&c.
So here to expreſſe the furious indignation of the Lord againſt ſinners, the Breath of the Lord is vſed.
Like a riuer of Brimſtone.
The perplexing property of brimſtone is to burne, Darkely, to grieue the ſight: Sharply, to afflict the more: Loathſomly, to perplex the ſmell.
We reade in the Scriptures, that the Lord being much prouoked, puniſhed not onelyonly with fire, but with burning brimſtone, which is tenne to one more terrible.
Gē. 19.24.As vponupon Sodome, hee rained fire & brimſtone from heauen.
Ezec. 38.22. Pſal. 11.6.I will raine vponupon him a ſore raine, haile-ſtones, fire and brimſtone.
VponUpon the wicked God ſhall raine ſnares, fire and brimſtone, and ſtormy tempeſt, this ſhall bee their portion to drinke.
The beaſt, and the falſe Prophet, Apo. 1….20.both aliue, were caſt into the Lake of fire and brimſtone.
Oh who can expreſſe now the lamentation of Tophet, for the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimſtone doth kindle it!
As this ſhould bee of power to kéepe you from the leaſt iniquity: ſo it ſhould poſſeſſe you with the knowledge of the right nature of ſinne: that it is the moſt odious and loathſome thing in the world: A ſtinking carkaſe ſtinketh not ſo in the noſtrils of man, Auguſt.as a polluted ſinner ſtinketh in the noſtrils of almighty God.
As Plato ſayth of vertue: That if it could be ſeene with a bodily eye, Plato.it is ſo ſplendid and glorious a thing, as all the world would be rauiſhed with the louelove of her: So may I ſay the contrary of vice: That if ſinne could bee ſeene in his owne colours, and in his right Nature, all the world would loath, and vtterly deteſt it.
But miſerable man (the more is the pitty) conceiueth not aright of ſinne, one would thinke that Adam had committed but a ſmall ſinne in eating the forbidden fruit, at the intreaty of Eue, yet he and all his poſterity guilty of eternall death for the ſame: One would thinke that that poore man had committed but a ſmall fault, In gathering a few chippes on the Sabbaoth day: (wée hauehave fouler matters committed on our Sabbaoths, and goe vnpuniſhed) yet hee was ſtoned to death for his labour: one would thinke that Ananias detayning part of the money,Act. 5. and maintayning the contrary with a lie, had committed but a ſmall fault, yet hee was ſtrooke dead for the ſame at the féete of Peter: one would thinke that an idle word were but a ſmall ſinne, yet of eueryevery idle word that men ſhall ſpeake, a great account muſt bee made for the ſame.
And as men conceiue of ſinne, ſo they imagine of puniſhment, they thinke that the Lord will not deale ſo ſeuerely with them; and yet my Text ſayth, That the breath of the LORD like a riuer of brimſtone dooth kindle it: The terror of whoſe wrath is indurable.
Hearken here all you that make but a ſport of ſinne, looke vponupon your puniſhments preſcribed:Zach. 5 8. the leaſt ſinne that euer you hauehave committed (being weighty as lead) is able to ſinke your ſoules downe to damnation.
Ceaſe therefore from euill, and doe that which is good: Caſt away the workes of darkeneſſe, and put on the armour of light: hate the little ſinne as well as the great, an idle thought as well as blaſphemy: make much of offered grace to ſaluation: Chriſt now knocketh at the dore of your ſoules, and would gladly come in and dwell with you:Pro. 8. For it is his delight to dwell with the ſonnes of men: ſhut him not out as did the Bethleemites: Bid him not be gone, as did the Gadarens, but Bee yee open yee euerlaſting doores, that the King of glory may come in; yt you hauing giuen him entertainement héere, hee may do the like by you hereafter, placing you with the ſheepe on his right hand, and ſinging this bleſſed harueſt-ſong vntounto you, Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherite the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. To the which moſt bleſſed place of glory, the LORD bring eueryevery ſoule of vsus at the day of our death and diſſolution; and that for IESVS CHRIST his ſake, to whom with GOD the Father, and GOD the bleſſed Spirit, three glorious perſons, but one immortal GOD, be aſcribed all honour and glory, both in Heauen and Earth, this day and euer, Amen.
FINIS.