Contemplative Pictures with Wholesome Precepts Part 1, Picture 10
The Picture of Hell.
HEll is the place for the impenitent, euerie ſuch perſon is the helliſh inhabitant. It is the priſon for thoſe that be ſeparate from Gods preſence, the dreadful dungeō of vtter darkenes, the fearefull Topheth, and deep pit bottomleſſe. It is the lake burning with brimſtone, the hollow caue and Chaos of confuſion. It is terrour with lamentation, it is dread with deſolation, and horrour with vtter deſtruction. There is death, there is euer dying, and yet nener without being. It is a gulph deuouring, a ſwallowing whirle pole, a flaming furnace: Gods iuſtice makes it, his power vpholds it, and it is blown with the bellowes of his wrath. There is ſcorching fire vnquenchable, and freezing cold intollerable. Stinking ſmoak is for the ſmell, loathſome filth for the ſtomacke: the eare ſhall heare a hideous noiſe, the eie ſhall ſee gaſtlie ſights, and horrible viſions: what not there to breed amazedment? what not there to cauſe fearefull aſtoniſhment? It is the valley of Gods vtmoſt vengeance, the fulneſſe of his wrath, & perfection of his plagus. The Lords gaole, the exilement of ſoules, the ſinck of ſinners, the foule harbour for infernall Hags. Oh what woe is there with wailing from hearts comfortleſſe; what riuers of teares, becauſe of torturing torments, and yet remedileſſe? Forlorne creatures, curſed caitifs; full of trauell, painefull wearines: ful of frightings, fearefull terrours endleſſe. They bee in themſelues helpeleſſe, of Gods mercy hopeleſſe. Oh the clamorous outcrying, the yelps and yelling, the ſighs and ſobbing, the mad rage that there is and roaring! No heart ſo hard, as can ſuffer a mortall eie to behold it, no eare to heare it, nor mind to muſe of it. The diuell there hath his full damnation, the fiends are outragious and filled with furie, the reſt fret and ſume, and are as in a wood frenſie. Their deſire is reuenge, their deuotion, curſing; their bleſſing, blaſpheming. The wicked there be ſo fagoted vp with the bands of Gods iuſtice; as bundles of ſticks ſo caſt into the fire, by the power of his might, ſo held in vndurable torment by his perpetuall diſpleaſure, as they blaſpheme Gods benignitie, for feeling his iuſtice in ſeueritie. They bee in a huge Sea of miſerie, in an Ocean of calamitie. Fire, flames, and flaſhing about them, the worme of conſcience gnawing within thē; rage, madneſſe, irefull indignation among thē: vgly viſages of blacke diuel saffrighting them, monſtrous apparitions, an vncomfortable companie about thē: Sulphure and hot burning cinders vnderunder them: the reuenging hand of God ouer them, and pouring forth the viols of his wrath, full of variety of plagues without ceaſing vponupon them. Egyptian plagues are there encreaſed, the tempeſts of lightening and thunder multiplied. They may remoue from place to place, ſo exchange in plagues, but neuer either be eaſed of pangs, or freed from paine. They are chained vp perpetually, to endure reall puniſhment vponupon body and ſoule eternally. They hauehave heauie hearts loadned with paſſion, they be wofully diſtreſſed with all Calamities, without any commiſeration. There is care, but no comfort; vexation, without conſolation; lamentation but none ſhew compaſſion. They weepe, they crie, they waile, & mourne, they houle, and pitiouſly bemone their euer-during miſerie. Ah, alas, ſaith one, in cold freezing, and yet extremely burning: Woe to mee, ſaith an other, in hote water-ſcalding, and yet ſo cold, as his teeth may bee hard chattering, his body may behold ſo to quak, and in eueryevery ioint to quiuer, as if bone from bone would fall a ſunder. Hence ſuch roaring, ſuch yelling, ſuch bitterneſſe in banning, ſuch ſcritching and outcries, at the ſudden renewing of torments, at the continual remouing into exchange of tortures, and yet remaining alwaies in contrarie plagues, as the eare neuer heard, the eie neuer ſaw nor minde of man able to apprehend: Wofull dolefull, horribly fearefull, inſufferably painefull. This ſtinking Sidde and dungpit crawles full of the venemous generation, bloodie Cainits, with ſorcerous Balaamites, perſecuting Saules, with craftie Achitophels, the Serpents ſeed, the reprobated race, and the accurſed workers of iniquity. There the rageous may rend and teare one an other, and none part them; the enuious gnaſh for anger, and gnaw one an other to the bone, and none regard them. Hee that heere ſinned for his pleaſures, will there ſinne more becauſe of his plagues. EueryEvery ſinne ſhall there bee puniſhed, accordingly as they were here committed. There is penurie for gluttonie; extreame drineſſe and thirſting, for exeſſiue drinking; burning, for lecherous luſting; outragious madneſſe, for blaſpheming; want, for ill gotten wealth; a fearefull agonie, for bloody crueltie; for oppreſſion vtter deſolation. Then is ſeene with ſorrow enough their time ſpent in vanitie, their childhood in fooliſhineſſe, their youth in luſtfulneſſe, their manhood in wickedneſſe, and their old age in couetouſneſſe, their firſt yeeres runne on in ignorance, the middle age conſumed in negligence, and the terme of life ended without repentance. They out of meaſure are vexed to conſider what they were, and might hauehave beene, what they are, and muſt be, what they would be, and cannot attaine to. They thinke of time paſt, but without thought of recouery, they taſte of the time preſent in vnſpeakeable miſerie, and doe looke to the time to come, without hope of deliuerie. One curſeth his birth, and bewailes his ignorance; an other curſeth his education, and parents negligence; a third, direfully bannes himſelfe for his irrepentance. Their owne ſenſes doe enlarge much their ſorrowes; they behold Heauen, and themſelues in Hell; the godly in gladneſſe, themſelues in griefe; Chriſts faithfull people in order, and honour, themſelues in confuſion and fearefull horrour; the Saints of God in glorious proſperitie, themſelues in ſhamefull infamie, and miſerable aduerſitie. They heare in heauen bleſſing, melodious ſinging; in hell curſing and lamentable mourning; before the eies are flaſhing flames, and a thicke ſmoake aſcending; for the noſe is prepared a noiſome ſmell euerlaſtinglie ſtincking. In ſteed of ſweetneſſe, there is gallie bitterneſſe; for delicate fare, farniſhment; for libertie, inthralement; fire brands, for beds; for ſoft lodging, pich and brimſtone with iuniper coales burning; in ſteed of muſick and pleaſant harmonie, a helliſh noiſe of diſcordancy. They feele torments vnſpeakable, paines intollerable, and the ſame alwaies durable. By impatience their plagues are increaſed, by their obſtinacy continued, and by Gods power and iuſtice maintained. Thus are their hearts in continuall heauineſſe, their pale countenance in dolefull ſadneſſe. To heauen they looke vp, bewailing their miſhap, in hel they looke downe with ſhame of face. If they would repent now they cannot: if they could, it is then to late; they were retchleſſe in the daies of amendment, and their caſe is remedileſſe, in the time of puniſhment. There is not any grant of the leaſt comfort to the greateſt torment, nor to the extreemeſt pange any kind of eaſement. They may crie, and cry againe, Lord, Lord; they may intreat for mercy, but neuer be heard: no grace, no peace, all paine, all plagues; none bleſſed, eueryevery one accurſed. Hee that is afflicted, ſhall bee more tormented; he that is condemned, ſhall euer be damned. Heauen hauehave they loſt, and not to bee purchaſed, Hell hauehave they duelie deſerued, and the place muſt needes bee endured. None among themſelues can helpe one another, and among the celeſtiall companie they ſhall not finde one comforter. If children ſhould call to parents, they will not pity them they hauehave loſt that naturall affection, they can hauehave no ſuch compaſſion. Though parents ſhould make petition & pray their children, they will not bee cared for. Tho they cry and call, ſaying ôh our bowels, and our blood. Oh once bone of our bone, and fleſh of our fleſh, ſpeake for your poore tormented parents: Is there no naturall louelove now left? What no compaſſion? Shall wee periſh? can you ſee vsus thus plagued, and ſhew no pitie? HaueHave mercy, deare children, on vsus ſo in miſerie, ſweet Babs, once louing and beloued, ſpeak, oh ſpeake one word for vsus; are wee not plunged in vnſpeakable paine? looke vponupon your now forlorne Father, who once fedde you with food: ah, alas, hauehave ſome remorſe of your mournefull mother: Oh for Gods ſake ſeeke this time our good: let ſome ſparkles of your louelove appeare. Can you be in pleaſure, and ſuffer vsus to lie in perpetuall paine? Wee ſpared no labour for your education, and can your eies behold vsus languiſhing in this place of deſtruction? If you did call, wee came ſpeedily to ſuccour: when we heard you cry, wee were in care for you; your miſerie was to vsus calamitie; your aduerſitie, the abatement of our proſperitie; and can you heare our pitious groning, and ſee the Diuels grinning as dogs vponupon vsus, your eares heare our bitter crying and they againe barbarouſly tormenting vsus and be ſilent? Oh, woe is vntounto vsus, fire, conſume vsus; vengeance, doe you vtterlie make an end of vsus. All this will not worke, words are but ſpent in vaine; natures force hath loſt the effect; there is no knowledge of kindred, or kinsfolke; the godly regard Gods glorie, and therein onelyonly reioice. To conclude, they now know, and to late beleeue, that the good doe dwell with God, hauehave Chriſts company and Angels glorie; but themſelues to be hated of God, neglected of the good: to bee with black diuels damned, with ſauage furies accompanied, with barking helhounds horribly affrighted, and with barbarous tormentors cruelly handled; ſo as they alwaies in this liueleſſe liuing, weepe, mourne, and lament for ſuch helliſh paines: and in this deathleſſe dying crie, yelp, howle, yell, for ſuch euer during plagues: from which (O Lord) deliuer thine, and ſhew them merciemercy (O God) that they decay not in goodnes, that ſo they neuer feele theſe puniſhments for their wickedneſſe. Amen.
Precepts.
O Miſerable Sinner, now doe thou ſeriouſlie conſider: heere in this life, ſee to thy ſelfe. Who would endure, but awhile theſe paines, for all worldly pleaſure? Who would goe to this dolefull place of Diuels, for wicked gaine? What is there in this pleaſure heere, profit, and honour, that for it thou ſhouldſt aduenture infernall paines for euer? Oh breake the caul of thine heart with ſorrow, rather then to fall into ſuch plagues, for delight in ſinne. Bruſt into teares, to eſcape theſe torments. Liue not ſecurelie; ſtoope hautie heart, that thou maieſt not for pride bee ſent packing to this place of paines. Grow leane cheekt thou Glutton, and pale faced thou Drunkard, ere thou beeſt euerlaſtinglie famiſhed with penurie, or be ſcorched in a burning flame, and euer be kept drie and thirſtie. Thou mincing creature Peacock-like, neglect thy pride i… apparell, that thou maieſt betime in time auoid this perill. Prophane Miſcreant, ſeeke an attonement, labour for peace, fall downe before the throne of grace. Let (O wicked liuer) thy head be a fountaine of water, and cauſe thy eies to trickle downe teares, yea to runne as riuers for thy tranſgreſſions, that thou maieſt eſcape theſe helliſh vexations. Looke on the ground whereon thou goeſt, and thinke vponupon thy graue: behold the heauens, and conſider whence is grace. Awfullie regard the accuſation of conſcience, and ſet euer thy ſelfe before Gods preſence. Read letters of diſcomfort ſometime from the Law, leſt thou preſume by promiſes of the Gospell. Draw neere to God, whileſt he doth ſay, Come; ſtretching out his hands to embrace the penitent: before he ſaie, Goe, ſitting as Iudge to condemne the diſobedient. There is a time for thee before thou die to obtaine ſaluation; but in time after death there is no redemption. Therfore craue pardon of God earneſtly, aſſociate thy ſelf to the godlie ſpeedilie. Fall groueling vponupon the ground, and aske forgiueneſſe: grieue heartily, ſpeake paſſionately. Smite thy breaſt, ſtrike on thy thigh, ſhake thy head, wring thy hands, ſhead teares, powre, powre out thy ſoul vntounto God, and crie aloud, aloud, I ſaie, cry, oh ſpare ſpare me good Lord, whom thou (O God) haſt redeemed with Chriſts precious blood. Oh forgiue me, I confeſſe I hauehave offended thee: let thy patience forbeare mee, let thy great merciemercy acquite mee. He that doth repent betime, the Lord will heare him in time: Gods gracious compaſſion, is neuer without pitifull commiſeration: neither the prouoking of his iuſtice to wrath, without dreadfull and certaine deſtruction. Preſume not, yet despaire not; liue to die, yet die to liue; thinke of heauen, yet forget not, that there is a hell: be ſo comforted in thy iuſtification, as thou euer get a certaintie of glorie by thy ſanctification. Liue in the fleſhes mortification, in hatred of the world, in the ſpirits viuification; vſe the meanes of thy effectuall vocation: claime nought of merit, craue all of merciemercy, liue in true humilitie, and practiſe alway the works of charitie, and thou ſhalt aſſuredly eſcape Hels
End of the text · Richard Bernard, Contemplative Pictures with Wholesome Precepts Part 1 (1610)