The Christians Alphabet, Part 2 · Section 23
Y Of the execution of the sentence of damnation.
Q. Rehearse the letter Y?
A. YOu that are wicked, shall by the power of the voyce of Christ, goe away into hell: being separated from God, consorted with the Deuils, depriued of all comfort, punished with vnspeakable torments both in soule and body, according to your sinnes, and that eternally without ease or end.
For it is iust with God, so to punish the wicked, and that they who hauehave liued heere in the pleasures of sinne, should be recompenced with answe…able torment.
Q. Proue that there is a place of torment called Hell?
A. That there is a Hell,There is a Hell. or place of torment, so called, the word of God doth witnesse eueryevery where, we reade Math. 5.22. of the danger of hell fire, Math 18.9 Luk. 12.5.so verse 29.30. of the whole body cast into hell fire, so Math. 10.28. Feare him which is able to destroy both soule and body in hell, so Math. 23.33. How can ye escape the damnation of hell? This hell the Prophet resembleth by Topheth, which is in the valley of Hinnon, where the Israelites offered vp their children in fire to the Idoll Molech;2 Kin. 23, 10▪ see in Isa. 30.33. the description of it. Topheth is ordained of old; yea, for the King it is prepared, hee hath made it deepe and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone, doth kindle …t.
Q. Where is the place of Hell?
A. The situation or locall being, and place of hell,Where it is. cannot for any thing we reade in Scripture, be certainely determined; onelyonly this in generall is certaine, and out of all question; that Hell is in respect of the Heauen of the Blessed, (called the third or highest heauen) an inferiour or lower place, exceeding farre remote and distant from it; which may be gathered, by that which we reade of the damned rich man in Luk. 16.23. That in hell he lift vp his eyes being in torments, and s…eth Abraham a farre off, and verse 26. it is said to him, betweene vsus and you there is a great gulfe fixed. But it is better for vsus, leauing all curiositie, to learne to auoid hell, then by experience to finde where it is; remembring that in Pro. 15.24. The way of life is aboue to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.
Q. Proue that the wicked shall by the power of Christs voyce goe into hell?
A. The wicked,Christs voyce detrudeth the wicked into hell. that here in this life, will not heare the voyce of Christ, shall then be constrained, will they, nill they, by the power of that voyce, to goe away into hell, this is euident, Math. 25. if wee conferre together the 41. and 46. verses, where wee may see, that when Christ had said, Depart from me ye cursed, into euerlasting fire: it is added withall, And these shall goe away into euerlasting punishment.
Q. Proue that the wicked shall then bee separated from God?
They are separated from God.A. They that in this life say vntounto God, Depart from vsus, for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes:Iob 21.14. to them it shall be said at that day,Math. 7.23. I neuer knew you: depart from me ye that worke iniquitie:Luk. 13.27 for this must be one chiefe part of the punishment of the reprobate, to be excluded out of the glorious presence of God, and of his Angels and Saints, so wee reade, 2 Thes. 1.9. That they shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.
Q. Proue that they shall bee consorted with the deuils?
They are consorted with the deuils.A. In this life, wicked men doe preferre the deuill before God; for, as our Sauiour saith, Ioh. 8.44. They are of their Father the deuill, and the lusts of their Father they will doe: therefore as here they ioyne with the deuils in sinne, so there they shall be consorted with them in punishment, according to the sentence and iudgement giuen, Math. 25.41. Depart from mee yee cursed, into euerlasting fire, prepared for the deuill and his Angels.
Q. Proue that they shall be depriued of all comfort?
A. That the wicked being in hell,They are depriued of all ioy. shall be destitute of all ease and comfort, wee may see by the example of him,Luk. 16.24 who refusing to giuegive one crumme of refreshing, could not receiue so much as one drop of comfort. And indeed, what comfort can there bee, where there shall be not…ing but weeping and wailing, and gnashing of teeth; when the wicked shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Iacob, and all the Prophets in the kingdome of God, and themselues thrust out, Luk. 13.28.
Q. Proue that they shall bee punished with vnspeakeable torments?
A. The exceeding greatnesse of their torments,Their t…rmen…s intollerable. Reu. 21.8.may appeare in that they are said to be in the lake that burneth with fire & brimstone, Isa. 66.24.Reu. 19.20. where their worme dyeth not, and the fire is not quenched, Mark. 9.44. To bee cast out into vtter darkenesse, Math. 8.12. And into a furnace of fire, Math. 13.42. Which epithets or termes, the spirit of God doth vse to note how fearefull and intollerable the paines of the damned shall be.
Q. Proue that their punishment shall bee proportionable, and according to their sinne?
Their punishment proportionable to their sinne.A. The punishment of the damned reprobates, shall be proportioned according to the quality, degree, and measure of their sinnes: they that hauehave had the meanes of grace and repentance, the word of God, and hauehave neglected or contemned it▪ shal be more seuerely punished, then they that neuer heard it; therefore it is said, Math. 10.15. That it shall be more tollerable for Sodome and Gomorrha, and Math. 11.22. for Tyre and Sidon at the day of iudgement, then for such. Againe, sinnes of knowledge shall be punished with more stripes, then sinnes of ignorance, Luk. 12.47.48. and hypocrites receiue the greater damnation, Math. 23.14.
Q. Proue their torments shall be eternall without ease or end?
A. The torments of the wicked in hell,Eternall paine, easelesse, endlesse. shall continue without ease or end, to all eternitie, as the Salamander, burning in the middest of the fire, and not consuming; therefore hell torment is called, Math, 25.41.46. Euerlasting fire, and euerlasting punishment, and 2 Thes. 1, 9. euerlasting destruction, and it is said, R…u. 20.10, That they shall be tormented day and night for euer and euer. And it is agreeable to the rule of iustice, because the sinne committed is against an infinite and eternall Maiestie.
Q. Proue that it is iust with God, so to punish?
It is iust with God.A. The Apostle speaking of the day of iudgement, 2 Thes. 1.6. saith, it is a iust thing with God to recompence. And Ro. 2.5. that day is called, the day of the declaration of the righteous iudgement of God. Therefore it is said, Luk. 16.25. Remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasures, and likewise Lazarus paines: Now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented. And hence it is that Christ saith, Luk. 6.25. Woe vntounto you that now laugh: for ye shall mourne and weepe.