Tormenting Tophet, Part 6
The ſixt part of the Deſcription of Tophet, is ſet downe in theſe wordes,The 6. part And much wood. Obſeruat. Much wood.
Wherein is noted the eternity of the torments of Tophet.
The Perpetuity of theſe torments is eueryevery where mentioned in the booke of God.
The Prophet Daniel ſpeaking of the condemnation of the wicked,Dan. 12.2. addeth perpetuity to their ſhame: ſaying, Som ſhall awake to perpetuall ſhame and contempt.
Saint Marke ſpeaking of the vexing worme,Mar. 9.24. addeth Perpetuity to the gnawing of it: their worme neuer dyeth.
Saint Paul addeth to the perdition of the wicked Perpetuity alſo: Their perdition is euerlaſting, 2. Theſſ. 1.9.
Iude.Saint Iude addeth the like: That they ſuffer eternall fire.
Reu. 20.10And Saint Iohn doth adde vntounto the lake perpetuity: The Deuill was caſt into the lake, where he ſhall be tormented day and night for euermore.
Thus wee ſee that the torments of hell are infinite,Reu. 9.6. ratione finis: without end: and though they ſéeke death, yet find it they ſhall neuer.
Simile.Thus ſhall they be like a man that is to be preſſed to death, who calleth for more weight, more weight to diſpatch him of his paine: but alas, he muſt not hauehave it: So in hell they ſhall cry for death, and go without it.
As the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh of Gods mercy,Pſal. 136. That his mercy endureth for euer; ſo ye damned may ſay of his iuſtice, that his iuſtice endureth for euer.
There were ſome comfort to the damned ſoules, if theſe their torments might hauehave end, but that ſhal neuer be: that is that that breaketh the hearts of the damned: no torment in hell comparable to this of perpetuity: what, neuer hauehave end, neuer? O this is ſuch a torment, that the damned themſelues are not able to expreſſe.
It is a common ſaying;Adagium. But for hope the heart would burſt; but they are ſhut out of all hope: and therefore who can expreſſe their torments?
O (ſayth a heathen man) God ſhall once giuegive an end to theſe euils: but the damned ſhall neuer be able to ſay this. For, (as Gregory ſayth) Mors miſeris fit ſine morte: finis ſine fine: Gregor.defectus ſine defectu: quoniam mors ſemper viuit, & finis ſemper incipit, & defectus deficere neſcit: that is, The death of the damned is ſuch as ſhall neuer die; their end ſhal neuer end; and their deſtruction, a perpetuall confuſion.
No maruell therefore if Saint Bernard ſayth,Bern. de conſid. ad Eugen. li. 5. Horres in manus incidere mortis viuentis, & vitae morientis: that is, It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of liuing death, and dying life.
If there might be an end of theſe paines, it were ſomething, though it were after ſo many millions of yeares, as there are drops of water in the ſea, ſtarres in the firmament, motes of duſt vponupon the earth, and as there hauehave béen moments of time ſince time beganne: but this cannot be graunted: but when the Lord doth giuegive ouer his being, then and neuer before then ſhall the damned be diſcharged, though the blockiſh Catabaptiſt perſwadeth the contrary.
The reaſon of the perpetuity of theſe torments, is thréefold.
The firſt, Drawne from the Maieſty of God offended: an infinite Maieſty offended, an infinite torment impoſed.
The ſecond, Drawne from the ſtate and condition of the damned: For as long as they remayne ſinnefull, ſo long ſhall they remaine tormented for ſinne: but in hell they euer remayne ſinneful, therefore in hell they ſhall euer be tormented.
Sinne is like oyle, and the wrath of God like fire: as long as the oile laſteth ſo long the fire burneth: and ſo long as they are ſinnefull, ſo long for ſinne tormented; therefore for euer damned.
For moſt ſure it is, that in hell there is neyther grace nor deuotion: the wicked ſhall be caſt in exteriores tenebras extra limitem diuinae miſericordiae: They ſhal be caſt into outward darkeneſſe, out of the limits both of grace and mercy. Though their weeping in hell may ſéeme penitentiary, yet they doe but lugere poenas non peccata: they doe but mourne their ſorrowes, not lament their ſinnes.
And though Diues his prayer for his brethren may ſeem to proceed from a charitable ſoule, yet it was not for their good, but for his owne: for hee knew that if they ſhould come to hell, (his lewd and vicious example being part occaſion therof) his tormēts ſhould be doubled, nay centupled vponupon him.
In hell therfore, there being neither grace nor deuotion, but ſtill affected iniquity, their torments muſt bee euerlaſting.
The third reaſon, Drawne from that ſtinging attribute of Gods iuſtice: becauſe life was offered them here, and they would none, it is iuſt with God, that when in Hell they begge it, they ſhould goe without it: yea, that they ſhould ſéeke death, and neuer find it.
Once they were offered ſaluation, being gone in Adam, but that offer being neglected, let them neuer looke for another.
O if this long torment were alwaies thought vponupon, it would make vsus vſe this ſhort time of our life better: they are Spirituall Lunatikes, and worſe than mad Bedlomites, that will purchaſe an eternall torment for ſo ſhort a pleaſure.
I beſéech you therfore (beloued brethren) for your ſoules ſake, which ſhould bee more worth vntounto you than a thouſand worldes, let not theſe infinite torments be paſſed ouer with a ſhort or ſhallow conſideration, but write the remembrance of them in the inward parts of your ſoules with the Diamond of déepeſt meditation, that ſo this Tophet may neuer be your deſtruction.