Four Treatises Dissuading from Four Heinous and Common Sins, Treatise 3 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. Of the eternall puniſhments which God inflicteth vponupon fornicators.
ANd theſe are the temporall puniſhments which the Lord inflicteth both vponupon priuate perſons,§. Sect. 1. 1 God depriueth them for this ſin of the ioyes of heauen. and whole common-wealthes, for this ſinne of whoredome; the which although they are many and grieuous, yet are they nothing in compariſon of thoſe eternall puniſhments which hee hath prepared for thoſe who are guiltie of this crime in the life to come. For firſt, whereas our chiefe happineſſe ſhall then principally conſiſt in the fruition of God, becauſe hee is infinite in all goodneſſe and perfection, and in an vnſpeakeable and vnmeaſurable degree, comprehendeth in himſelfe alone al that vertue, excellence, delight, comfort, and whatſoeuer good thing may be deſired, either for the inflaming of our louelove, or the perfecting of our ioy; with which if wee compare all the goodneſſe and excellence of the creatures which either hauehave beene, are, or ſhall bee, they are altogether incomparably leſſe, then the leaſt drop in reſpect of the maine ocean, and then the ſmalleſt graine of ſand in compariſon of the whole globe of the earth: this ſin of whordome doth exclude vsus for euer out of his preſence in which is fulnes of ioy, and caſteth vsus into an euerlaſting baniſhment out of his heauenly kingdome. So the Apoſtle telleth vsus: That neither fornicators, 1. Cor. 6.9.nor Idolaters, nor adulterers, nor wantons, nor buggerers, &c. ſhall inherit the kingdome of God. And that dogs, inchanters, whoremongers, Apoc. 22.15.murtherers and ſuch outragious ſinners, ſhall bee ſhut out of the gates of the new Ieruſalem. If therefore baniſhment out of our earthly countrie bee accounted ſuch a heauie puniſhment, that eueryevery one carefully auoideth ſuch faults as may deſerue it, the which in truth in compariſon, is but a temporarie changing of the place of our exile, the whole world being but a place of baniſhment from our heauenly countrie; how much more carefully ſhould we auoide theſe ſinnes of vncleannes, which will cauſe vsus to be eternally baniſhed out of our heauenly countrie, which containeth in it ſuch ioyes, that in reſpect thereof the moſt pleaſant princely palace on earth, is but an irkſome priſon and moſt vncomfortable dungeon, and the greateſt worldly ioyes that can be thought on, but like tedious griefes and bitter torments? If it be ſuch a grieuous puniſhment to bee exiled out of our natiue ſoile into a forraine countrie, where perhaps wee ſhall hauehave not much leſſe ioy and comfort, nor much more cauſe of griefe and ſorrow, and where we ſhall ſpend (when it is at the longeſt) a momentarie, and (when it is at the beſt) a wretched and miſerable life, and afterwards hauehave as readie and ſhort a paſſage into our heauenly countrie, where all ioy and happineſſe attend vsus, as if we ſtill remained at our natiue home: then how much more grieuous is it, to bee baniſhed out of our new Ieruſalem, where there is all comfort without mixture of diſcontent, and all bleſſednes without the leaſt griefe or miſerie, and that not for a momentanie life, but for euer and euer?
And yet this is but the one half of their miſerie which they ſhall then indure.§. Sect. 2. Fornicators ſhall be caſt into hell fire. For well were it with them, if they might become like the beaſts which periſh, and that hauing lead a brutiſh life, they might alſo die a beaſtly death, feeling neither weale nor woe after their departure; but their condition ſhall be much more miſerable; for as they ſhall loſe the comfort of Gods preſence, ſo they ſhall finde the horrour of the curſed fellowſhip with the diuels and damned ſpirits; as they ſhall be diſpoſſeſſed and depriued of the ioyes of heauen, and of all that bleſſedneſſe which is prepared for the Saints, who hauehave kept their veſſels in puritie and holineſſe; ſo ſhall they hauehave their portion in the helliſh torments, in vtter darkneſſe prepared for the diuell and his angels. For among many other wicked ſinners, whoremongers ſhall hauehave their portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone, which is the ſecond death, as the holie Ghoſt telleth vsus, Apoc. 21.8.Apoc. 21.8. And therefore as one naile driueth out another, ſo ſhould the remembrance of the fire of hell extinguiſh the flames of luſts kindled in mens hearts; and the conſideration of theſe intollerable and euerlaſting torments, ſhould reſtraine men from thoſe ſhort vaine and ſenſuall pleaſures, which are the cauſes and forerunners of them.Auguſt. de honeſt. mulier. Cap 3. Tom. 9. For as Auguſtine ſaith; Citò praeterit quod delectat, & permanet ſine fine quod eruciat: The pleaſure of luſt which for the time delighteth doth ſoone vaniſh, but the paines of hell into which they plunge vsus, doe continue for euermore.