A Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures, Text (4 of 9)

A Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures · Text (4 of 9)

p. 129Fifthly: He ſhall ſee of the travel of his ſoul, Iſa. 53. 5Here the ſoul is taken properly, and the travel of Chriſts ſoul is his ſufferings; for it follows, And he ſhall bear their Iniquities. But

Sixthly: Chriſt gave himſelf for his peoples ſins, Gal. 1. 9. 6. Ephe. 5. 25. 1 Tim. 2. 6.Eph 5:251 Tim 2:6Who gave himſelf for our ſins, Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himſelf for us, that he might Redeem us from all Iniquities, &c. but the body only is not himſelf, ergo; The Apoſtle ſaith Phil. 2. 7. Chriſtus foreign, Exinanivit, Chriſt did empty or evacuate himſelf; or as Tertullian expounds it, Exhauſit, Te…t…llian, Con…ra Marcian. lib. 5.He drew out himſelf, or was exhauſt, which agrees with the Propheſis of Daniel, chap. 9. 26. M…ſſias ſhall have nothing, being brought to nothing by his death, without life, ſtrength, eſteem, honour, &c. Hence we conclude, that if Chriſt were exhauſt upon the Croſs, if nothing was left him; that he ſuffered in body and ſoul; that there was no part within or without free from the Croſs, but all was emptied and poured out for our Redemption.

Again: We read That Chriſt, through the eternal Spirit, Heb. 9. 14Heb 9:14offered himſelf to God; Whatſoever was in Chriſt, did either offer, or was offered; His eternal Spirit only did offer, ergo, His whole humane Nature, both Body and Soul was offered. Thus Origen witneſſeth in theſe words, Origen. …om. 9 in Levit.Vide quo modo verus pontifex Jeſus Chriſtus adſumpt… batillocarnis humanae, &c. See how our true Prieſt, Jeſus Chriſt, taking the cenſor of his humane fleſh, putting to the fire of the Altar; that is, His magnificent Soul; wherewith he was born in the fleſh; and adding Incenſe, that is, an p. 130immaculate Spirit, ſtood in the middeſt between the living and the dead. Thus you ſee that he makes Chriſts ſoul a part in the Sacrifice.

Seventhly and laſtly: Chriſts love unto man, in ſuffering for him, was in the higheſt degree, and greateſt meaſure that could be; as the Lord ſaith, What could I have done any more for my Vineyard, that I have not done unto it? But if Chriſt had given his Body only, and not his Soul for us, he had not done for us all he could, and ſo his love ſhould have been greatly empaired and diminiſhed; ergo, He gave his Soul alſo together with his Body, to be the full price of our Redemption; and certainly, the travail and labour of Chriſts Soul was moſt acceptable unto God, Iſa. 53. 12. Therefore I will give him a Portion with Iſa. 35. 12.Isa 35:12the great, becauſe he hath poured out his Soul unto death, &c. and bare the ſins of many. Doubtleſs, the ſufferings of Chriſt in his Soul (together with his Body) doth moſt fully and amply commend and ſet forth Gods great love to poor Sinners. Before I cloſe up this particular, take a few Teſtimonies of the Fathers, which do witneſs with us for the ſufferings of Chriſt, both in Soul and Body.

Chriſt hath taken off us, that which he ſhould offer as Ambroſe. de Incarnat. c. 6.proper for us, to Redeem us; and whatſoever Chriſt took off us, he offered; ergo, He offered Body and Soul, for he took both.

Another upon theſe words, My Soul is heavy; ſaith Anima Concil. Hiſpalens. 2. c. 13.paſſionibus obnoxia, divinitas libra; His Soul was ſubject to paſſions, his Divinity was free, &c. If nothing were free but his Divine Nature, than his Soul was ſubject to the proper and immediate paſſions thereof.

Perſpicuum eſt, ſicut corpus flagellatum, ita animam verè Hierom in 35. cap. Iſa.doluiſſe, &c. It is evident, that as his body was whipped, ſo his Soul was verily and truly grieved; leſt ſome part of Chriſts ſufferings ſhould be true, ſome part falſe; ergo, Chriſts Soul as properly and truly ſuffered, as his Body; the Soul had her proper grief, as the Body had whipping; p. 131the whipping then of the body, was not the proper grief of the ſoul: Whole Chriſt gave himſelf, and whole Chriſt offered himſelf; ergo, He offered his ſoul not only to ſuffer by way of compaſſion with his body, as it may be Fulgen…ius ad Th…a…maud. lib. 3.anſwered, but he offered it as a Sacrifice, and ſuffered all paſſions whatſoever incident to the ſoul: The ſame Author expounds himſelf further, thus, Becauſe this God took whole man, therefore he ſhewed in truth, in himſelf the paſſions of whole man; and having a reaſonable ſoul, what infirmities ſoever of the ſoul, without ſin, he took and bare. If Chriſt then did take and bare all the paſſions of the ſoul, without ſin, then the proper and immediate grief and anguiſh thereof, and not the compaſſion only with the body. To theſe let me add the conſent of the reformed Churches; French Confeſ. Chriſt did ſuffer Harm p. 59. Sect. 6.both in body and ſoul, and was made like unto us in all things, Sin only excepted.

Thomas granteth, that Chriſt, Secundum genus, paſſus eſt 3. Par. qu 46. Artic. 5.omnem paſſionem humanam, in general, ſuffered all humane ſufferings; as in his ſoul heavineſs, fear, &c.

Now the Teſtimonies of the Fathers, and the conſent of the reformed Churches, affirming the ſame, that Chriſt was Crucified in his ſoul, and that he gave his ſoul a price of Redemption for our ſouls: Who can then doubt of this, but that Chriſt verily, properly, immediately ſuffered in his ſoul, in all the proper paſſions thereof, as he endured pains and torments in his fleſh; and if you pleaſe, this may go for an eighth argument to prove that Chriſt ſuffered in his ſoul.

Secondly: That the ſufferings of Chriſt in his ſoul, were very high, and great, and wonderful, both as to the puniſhment of loſs, and as to the puniſhment of ſenſe; all which I ſhall make evident in theſe four particulars.

Firſt: That Jeſus Chriſt did ſuffer dereliction, of God really; that he was indeed deſerted & ††Forſaken, 1. By denying of protection. 2. By withdrawing of ſolace. Non ſolvit unionem, ſed ſubtraxit viſion…m. Leo. The Union was not deſolved, but the beams, the influence was reſtrained.forſaken of God, is moſt evident, Math. 27. 46. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me: But to prevent miſtakes in this high p. 132point, ſeriouſly conſider. 1. That I do not mean that there was nay ſuch deſertion of Chriſt, by God, as did deſolve the union of the Natures in the perſon of Chriſt. (For Chriſt in all his ſufferings ſtill remained God and Man.) Nor 2. Do I mean an abſolute deſertion in reſpect of the preſence of God. (For God was ſtill preſent with Chriſt in all his ſufferings, and the God-head did ſupport his Humanity in, and under his ſufferings) but that which I mean, is this. That as to the ſenſible and comforting manifeſtations of Gods preſence, thus he was for a time left and forſaken of God; God for a time had taken-away all ſenſible conſolation, and f…lt joy from Chriſts humane ſoul, that ſo divine juſtice might in his ſufferings be the more fully ſatisfied. In this deſertion, Chriſt is not to be looked upon ſimply, as he is in his own perſon the Son of the Father, in whom he is always well pleaſed, but as he ſtandeth in the room of Sinners, Surety and Cautioner, Math. 3. 17. Mark. 1. 11. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me. Chriſt ſpake theſe words, that thereby he might draw the Jews to a ſerious conſideration, and a nim adverſion of his death and paſſion, which he underwent, not for his own, but for our ſins. Pet. Gal. lib. 8. c. 18. pag 343.Matt 3:17Mark 1:11paying their debt; in which reſpect it concerned Chriſt to be dealt with, as one ſtanding in our ſtead, as one guilty, and paying the debt of being forſaken of God, which we were bound to ſuffer fully, and for ever, if he had not interpoſed for us. There is between Chriſt and God. 1. An eternal Union natural of the perſon. 2. Of the God-head and Man-hood. 3. Of Grace and Protection: In this laſt ſenſe, he means forſaken, according to his feeling: Hence he ſaid, Not my Father, my Father, but my God, my God; which words, are not words of complaining, but words expreſſing his grief and ſorrow. Our Lord Chriſt was forſaken, not only of all Creature comforts, but (that which was worſe than all) of his Fathers favour to his preſent apprehenſion, left forlorne and deſtitute for a time, that we might be received for ever. Chriſt was for a time left and forſaken of God, as David (who in this particular was a type of Chriſts ſuffering) cryed out, Pſal. 22. 1. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? why art thou ſo far from my help? He was indeed really forſaken of God; God did indeed leave him in reſpect of his ſenſe and ſeeling. So was Chriſt p. 133truly and really forſaken of God, and not in colour or ſhew, as ſome affirm. (Athanaſius ſpeaking of Gods forſaking of Chriſt, ſaith, All things were done naturally, and in truth, not in opinion or ſhew.) Though God did ſtill R li…qu…t De…s dum n…n p…, …a…h T…u…ncontinue a God to David, yet in Davids apprehenſion and feeling, he was forſaken of God. Though God was ſtill a God to Chriſt, yet as to his feeling, he was left of God, to wreſtle with God, and to bear the wrath of God, due unto us. Look as Chriſt was ſcourged, that we Ambroſe.might not be ſcourged, ſo Chriſt was forſaken, that we might not be forſaken. Chriſt was forſaken for a time, that we might not be forſaken for ever.

Fevardentius abſolutely denies that Chriſt did truly complain upon the Croſs, that he was forſaken of God; Fevarden. pag …73. Con….and therefore he thus objecteth and reaſoneth. If Chriſt were truly forſaken of God, it would follow that the Hypoſtatical Union was diſſolved, and that Chriſt was perſonally ſeparated from God, for otherwiſe he could not be forſaken.

To what he objects, we thus reply firſt. If Chriſt had been totally and eternally forſaken, the perſonal union muſt have been diſſolved; but upon this temporal and partial rejection, or dereliction, there followeth not a perſonal diſſolution, or general dereliction: But ſecondly: As the Body of Chriſt, being without life, was ſtill Hypoſtatically united to the God-head, ſo was the ſoul of Chriſt, though for a time, without feeling of his favour; the dereliction of the one, doth no more diſſolve the Hypoſtatical Union, than the death of the other. If life went from the body, and yet the Deity was not ſeparated in the perſonal conſecration, but only ſuſpended in operation. So the feeling of Gods favour, which is the life of the ſoul, might be intermitted in Chriſt, and yet the Divine Union not diſſolved.

Thirdly: Auguſtine doth well ſhew how this may be Auguſt, lib de … divin.when he ſaith (Paſſio Chriſti dulcis fuit, divinitatis ſomnus,) That the paſſion of Chriſt was the ſweet ſleep of his Divinity; like as then in ſleep the ſoul is not departed, p. 134though the operation thereof be deferred; ſo in Chriſts ſleep upon the Croſs, the God-head was not ſeparated, though the working power thereof were for a time ſequeſtred. Look as the Elect Members of Chriſt may be forſaken, though not totally or finally; but ex parte in part, and for a time, and yet their Election remain firm ſtill; the ſame may be the caſe of our head, that he was ex parte de relictus; only in part forſaken, and for a time always beloved for his own Innocency, but for us and in our perſon, as our pledg and Surety, deſerted.

There are two kinds of dereliction, or forſaking; one is for a time, and in part, ſo the Elect may be, and ſo Chriſt was forſaken upon the Croſs; another which is total, final, and general; and ſo neither Chriſt nor his Members never was, nor never ſhall be forſaken. Chriſt in the deepeſt anguiſh of his ſoul is upheld and ſuſtained by his Faith, My God, my God; whereby he ſheweth his ſingular confidence and truſt in God, notwithſtanding the preſent ſenſe of his wrath.

But how can Chriſt be forſaken of God himſelf, being God; Queſt. for the Father, Son, and Holy-Ghoſt are all three but one and the ſame God? Yea, How can he be forſaken of God, ſeeing he is the Son of God? and if the Lord leave not his Children, which hope and truſt in him, how can he forſake Chriſt his only begotten Son, who depended upon him and his mighty power?

Firſt: By God, here we are to underſtand God the Father, Anſw. 1 the firſt perſon of the bleſſed Trinity; according to the vulgar and common rule, when God is compared with the Son or Holy-Ghoſt, then the Father is meant by this title God; not that the Father is more God than the Son, for in dignity all the Three Perſons are equal, but they are diſtinguiſhed in order only; and thus the Father is the firſt Perſon, the Son the Second, and the Holy-Ghoſt the Third.

Secondly: Our Saviours complaint, that he was forſaken, Anſw. 2 muſt be underſtood in regard of his humane Nature, and not of his God-head; although the God-head p. 135and Man-hood were never ſevered from the firſt time of his Incarnation, but the God-head of Chriſt; and ſo the God-head of the Father did not ſhew forth his power in his Man-hood, but did as it were lye a ſleep for a time, that the Man-hood might ſuffer.

Thirdly: Chriſt was not indeed utterly forſaken of Anſw. 3 God, in regard of his humane Nature, but only as it were forſaken; that is, Although there were ſome few minutes and moments, in which he received no ſenſible conſolations from the Deity; yet that he was not utterly forſaken, is moſt clear from this place, where he flees unto the Lord, as unto his God, My God, my God; as alſo from his Reſurrection the third day.

Fourthly: Divines ſay, that there are ſix kinds of dereliction Anſw. 4 or forſakings: 1. By diſ-union of perſon; and 2. By loſs of grace; and 3. By diminution and weaknings of grace: and 4. By want of aſſurance of future deliverance and preſent ſupport; and 5. By denial of Protection; and 6. By withdrawing of all ſolace and comfort. Now it is fooliſh and impious to think that Chriſt was forſaken any of the firſt four ways; for the unity of his perſon was never diſſolved, his graces were never either taken away, or diminiſhed; neither was it poſſible that he ſhould want Aſſurance of future deliverance and preſent ſupport, that was Eternal God, and Lord of Life; but the two laſt ways he may rightly be ſaid to have been forſaken, in that his Father denied to protect and keep him out of the hands of his cruel, bloody, and mercileſs Enemies; no ways reſtraining them, but ſuffering them to do the uttermoſt that their wicked hearts could imagine, and left him to endure the extremity of their fury and malice; and that nothing might be wanting to make his ſorrows beyond meaſure ſorrowful, withdrew from him that ſolace and comfort that he was wont to find in God; and removed far from him all things for a little time, that might any way leſſen and aſſwage the extremity of his pain.

p. 136Secondly: That Jeſus Chriſt did feel and ſuffer the wrath of God which was due unto us for our ſins. The Prophet Iſa. 53. 4. ſaith, That he was plagued and ſmitten of God; and ver. 5. The chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him. To be plagued and ſmitten of God, is to feel and ſuffer the ſtroak of his wrath: And ſo to be chaſtified of God, as to make peace with God, or to appeaſe him, is ſo to ſuffer the wrath of God, as to ſatisfie God, and to remove it. And truly, how Chriſt ſhould poſſibly eſcape the feeling of the wrath of God, incenſed againſt our ſins, he ſtanding as a Surety for us, with our ſins laid upon him, and for them fully to ſatisfie the juſtice of God, is not Chriſtianly, or rationally imaginable.

And whereas ſome do object, that Chriſt was always the beloved of his Father, and therefore could never be the object of Gods wrath.

I anſwer: By diſtinguiſhing of the perſon of Chriſt, Sol. whom his Father always loved, and as ſuſtaining our ſins, and in our room ſtanding to ſatisfie the juſtice of God; and as ſo, the wrath of God fell upon him, and he bore it, and ſo ſatisfied the juſtice of God, that we thereby are now delivered from wrath through him. So the Apoſtle, Rom. 5. 9. Much more being juſtified by his blood, we ſhall be ſaved from wrath by him: 1 Theſ. 1. 10. And to wait for his Son from Heaven, whom he raiſed from the dead, even Jeſus which deliverod us from the wrath to come.

It is a groundleſs conceit of ſome learned heads, who deny the cauſe of Chriſts Agony, to be the drinking of that Cup of wrath that was given to him by his Father; ſaying, That the ſight of it only, and of the peril he ſaw we were in, was the cauſe of his Agony; for the Cup was not Joh. 18. 11.John 18:11only ſhew'd unto him, and the great wrath, due to our ſins ſet before him, that he ſhould ſee it, and tremble at the apprehenſion of the danger we were in, but it was poured not only on him, but into him; that he for the ſins of his Redeemed Ones ſhould ſuffer it ſenſibly, and drink it, that the bitterneſs thereof might affect all the powers of his ſoul and body: for the Scripture do's ſufficiently p. 137teſtifie, that not only upon the ſight and apprehenſion of this wrath and curſe coming on him, the holy humane Heb. 5. 7.Heb 5:7Nature did holily abhor it; but alſo that he ſubmitted to receive it upon the conſideration of the divine decree and Math. 26. 38, 39, 42, 44. 1 Cor. 6. 20. cap. 7. 23.Matt 26:38Matt 26:39Matt 26:42Matt 26:441 Cor 6:20agreement made upon the price to be paid by him, and that upon the feeling of this wrath, this Agony in his ſoul, and bloody ſweat of his body was brought on.

But how could the pourings forth of the Fathers wrath, upon Queſt. on his innocent and dear Son, conſiſt with his Fatherly love to him, &c?

Even as the innocency and holineſs of Chriſt could well Anſw. conſiſt with his taking upon him the puniſhment of our ſins; for even the wrath of a juſt man, inflicting capital puniſhment on a condemned perſon, (put caſe it be his own Child) can well conſiſt with Fatherly affection towards his Child ſuffering puniſhment. Did you never ſee a Father weep over ſuch a Son that he has corrected moſt ſeverely? Did you never ſee a Judge ſhed tears for thoſe very perſons that he has Condemned? There is no doubt but wrath and love can well conſiſt in God, in whom affections do not war one with another, nor fight with reaſon, as it often falls among men; for the affections aſcribed unto God, are effects rather of his holy will towards us, than properly called affections in him; and theſe effects of Gods will about us, do always tend to our happineſs and bleſſedneſs at laſt, how-ever they are diverſe one from another in themſelves.

Thirdly: That Jeſus Chriſt did feel and ſuffer the very 3torments of Hell, though not after a Helliſh manner. I readily grant that Jeſus Chriſt did not locally deſcend into Hell, to ſuffer there amongſt the damned, neither did he ſuffer Helliſh darkneſs, nor the flames of Hell, nor the Worm that never dyes, nor final deſpair, nor guilt of Conſcience, nor gnaſhing of teeth, nor impatient indignation, nor eternal ſeparation from God; theſe things were abſolutely inconſiſtent with the holineſs, purity, and dignity of his perſon, and with the office of a Mediator and Redeemer. But yet I ſay that our Lord Jeſus Chriſt p. 138did ſuffer in his Soul for our ſins ſuch pain, horror, terror, agony, and conſternation, as amounted unto cruciatus infernales, and are in Scripture called The ſorrows of Hell. The ſorrows of Hell did compaſs me about, (or the Pſal. 18. 5.Ps 18:5cords of Hell did compaſs me about, ſuch as wherewith they bind Malefactors when they are led forth to Execution.) Now theſe ſorrows, theſe cords of Hell, were the things that extorted from him that paſſionate expoſtulation, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me. Math. 27. 46.Matt 27:46Chriſts ſufferings were unſpeakable, and ſomewhat anſwerable to the pains of Hell. Hence the Greek Letany, By thine unknown ſufferings, good Lord deliver us. Funinus an Italian Martyr, being asked by one, why he was ſo foreign. Rom. and Mon. fol. 853.merry at his death, ſith Chriſt himſelf was ſo ſorrowful; Chriſt, ſaid he, ſuſtained in his ſoul, all the ſorrows and conflicts with Hell and death due to us; by whoſe ſufferings we are delivered from ſorrow and the fear of them all. It was a great ſaying of a very learned man, that ſetting Iniquity and Eternity of puniſhment aſide (which Chriſt might not ſuſtain) Chriſt did more vehemently and ſharply feel the wrath of God, then ever any man did or ſhall, no not any perſon reprobated and damned excepted; and certainly, the reaſon annexed, to prove this expreſſion, is very weighty, becauſe all the wrath, that was due for all the ſins of the Elect (all whoſe ſins were laid on Chriſt) Iſa. 53. 6.Isa 53:6was greater than the wrath which belonged to any one ſinner, though damned for his perſonal ſinning: and beſides this, if you do ſeriouſly conſider thoſe ſufferings of Chriſt in his Agony, in the Garden, you may (by them) conjecture what helliſh torments Chriſt did ſuffer for us. In that Agony of his, he was afraid, and amazed, and fell Math. 14. 33. verſ. 34.Matt 14:33flat on the ground: He began to be ſore amazed, and to be very heavy; and ſaith unto them, My ſoul is exceeding ſorowful unto death; and his ſweat was as it were great Luk 22. 44.Luke 22:44drops of blood falling down to the ground: He did ſweat clotted blood, to ſuch abundance, that it ſtreamed through his apparel, and did wet the ground; which dreadful Agony of Chriſt, how it could ariſe from any other p. 139cauſe than the ſenſe of the wrath of God, parallel to that in Hell I know not.

Orthodox Divines do generally take Chriſts ſufferings in his ſoul, and the detaining his body in the grave (put in as the cloſe and laſt part of Chriſts ſufferings) as the true meaning of that expreſſion, He deſcended into Hell; not only becauſe theſe pains which Chriſt ſuffered both in body and ſoul, were due to us in full meaſure, but alſo, becauſe that which Chriſt in point of torment and vexation ſuffered was in ſome reſpect of the ſame kind with the torment of the damned. For the clearing of this, conſider, that in the puniſhment of the damned, there are theſe three things. 1 The perverſe diſpoſition of the mind of the damned in their ſufferings. 2. The duration and perpetuity of their puniſhment. And 3. The puniſhment it ſelf, tormenting ſoul and body: Of theſe three, the firſt two could have no place in Chriſt: Not the firſt, Becauſe Heb. 9. 14. Heb. 10. 5, 6, 7, 8. Act. 2. 24. 1 Pet. 2. 24. 1 Cor. 6. ult.Heb 9:14Heb 10:5Heb 10:6Heb 10:7Heb 10:8Acts 2:241 Pet 2:241 Cor 6he willingly offered himſelf a Sacrifice for our ſins, and upon agreement paid the Ranſom fully: Not the ſecond, Becauſe he could no longer be held under ſorrows and ſufferings, than he had ſatisfied Divine Juſtice, and paid the price that he was to lay down. And his infinit excellency and glory made his ſhort ſufferings to be of infinit worth, and equivalent to our everlaſting ſufferings. The third then only remaineth, which was the real and ſenſible torments of his ſoul and body, which he did really feel and experience when he was upon the Croſs. O Sirs, What need you queſtion Chriſts undergoing of Helliſh pains, when all the pains, torments, curſe, and wrath, which was due to the Elect, did fall on Chriſt, and lye on Chriſt, till Divine Juſtice was fully ſatisfied. Though Chriſt did not ſuffer eternal death for ſinners, yet he ſuffered that which was equivalent, and therefore the juſtice of God is by his death wholly appeaſed.

It is good ſeriouſly to ponder upon theſe Scriptures, Pſal. 18. 5. The ſorrows of Hell did compaſs me about, Pſal. 88. 3. My ſoul is filled with evil, and my life draweth near to Hell, Pſal. 86. 13. Thou haſt delivered my Soul from the p. 140nethermoſt Hell. In theſe places the Prophet ſpeaks in the perſon of Chriſt; and the Papiſts themſelves do confeſs that the Hebrew word Sheol, that is here uſed, is taken for Hell properly, and not for the Grave; therefore theſe places do ſtrongly conclude for the helliſh ſorrows or ſufferings of Chriſt. So Act. 2. 27. Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell. If Chriſts ſoul be not left or forſaken in Hell, yet it follows, it was in Hell; not that Chriſt did feel the ſorrows of Hell, after death, but that he did feel the very ſorrows of Hell in his ſoul while he lived. Certainly the whole puniſhment of body and ſoul which was due unto us, Chriſt our Redeemer was in general to ſuffer and ſatisfie for in his own perſon; but the torments and terrors of Hell, and the vehement ſenſe of Gods wrath, are that puniſhment which did belong to the ſoul; ergo, Chriſt did ſuffer the torments and terrors of Hell: By the whole puniſhment, you are to underſtand the whole kind or ſubſtance of the puniſhment, not all the circumſtances; and the very ſame manner, the whole puniſhment, then is the whole kind of puniſhment; that is, in body and ſoul, which Chriſt ought to have ſuffered, though not in the ſame manner and circumſtance. 1. neither for the place of Hell Locally: Nor 2. For the time Eternally: Nor 3. For the manner Sinfully. When we ſay Chriſt was to ſuffer our whole puniſhment, all ſuch puniſhments as cannot be ſuffered without ſin, as deſperation, final reprobation are manifeſtly excepted. Chriſt did bear all our puniſhment, though not as we ſhould have borne it; that is, 1. Sinfully. 2. Eternally. 3. Helliſhly: But he did ſo bear all our puniſhment, as to finiſh all upon the Croſs; and in ſuch ſort as Gods juſtice 2 Col 14. 15.was ſatisfied, his Perſon not diſgraced, nor his Holineſs defiled, and yet mans Salvation fully perfected. We H…b. 9. 4 cap. 10. 15.conſtantly affirm that Chriſt did ſuffer the pains of Hell in his Soul, with theſe three reſtrictions. 1. That there be neither indignity offered to his Royal Perſon. 2. Nor injury to his Holy Nature. 3. Nor impoſſibility to his glorious work: All ſuch pains of Hell then as Chriſt p. 141might have ſuffered: 1. His Perſon not diſhonoured. 2. His Nature with ſin not defiled. 3. His work of our Redemption not hindered, we do ſtedfaſtly believe were ſuſtained by our Bleſſed Saviour. Conſider a few things.

Firſt: Conſider the adjuncts of Hell, which are theſe 1four. 1. The place which is Infernal. 2. The time which is Perpetual. 3. The darkneſs which is unſpeakable. 4. The Miniſters and Torments; the Spirits and Devils which are irreconcileable. Now theſe adjuncts of Hell Chriſt is freed from, for the dignity of his perſon; it was not fit that the Son of God, the Heir of Heaven, ſhould be ſhut up in Hell, or that he ſhould for ever be tormented, who is never from Gods preſence ſequeſtred, or that the light of the world ſhould be cloſed up in darkneſs, or that he who bindeth the evil Spirits, ſhould be bound by them, &c.

Secondly: Conſider the effects (or rather the defects) 2of Hell, which are chiefly theſe two. Firſt: The deprivation of all vertue, grace, holineſs. Secondly: The real poſſeſſion of all Vice, Impiety, Blaſphemy, &c. Now the neceſſity of the work of Chriſt doth exempt him from theſe effects; for if he had been either void of grace, or poſſeſſed with vice, he could not have been the Redeemer of poor loſt ſouls; for the want of Vertue he could not have Redeemed others; for the preſence of ſin he ſhould have been Redeemed himſelf; and from fretting Indignation, and fearful Deſperation, the piety and ſanctity of his Nature doth preſerve him; who being without ſin, could neither by Indignation diſpleaſe his Father, nor by Deſperation deſtroy himſelf. So that if you conſider either the adjuncts of Hell, or the effects, then I ſay we do remove all them as far off from the holy ſoul of Chriſt, as Heaven is from Hell, or the Eaſt from the Weſt, or darkneſs from light, &c.

Thirdly: Conſider the puniſhment it ſelf. Now concerning 3this we ſay, That our bleſſed Saviour as in himſelf, he bare all the ſins of the Elect. So he alſo ſuffered p. 142the whole puniſhment of body and ſoul in general, that was due unto us, for the ſame which we ſhould have endured, if he had not ſatisfied for it; and ſo conſequently we affirm, that he felt the anguiſh of ſoul, and horror of Gods wrath, and ſo in ſoul entred into the torments of Hell for us, ſuſtained them, and vanquiſhed them: One ſpaking in honour of Chriſts paſſion, ſaith, Cum iram Dei Calvin, in Math. 2…. 39.Matt 2:39ſibi propoſitum videret, When he ſaw the wrath of God ſet before him, preſenting himſelf before Gods tribunal, loaden with the ſins of the whole world, it was neceſſary for him to fear the deep bottomleſs pit of death. Again Calvin, in Math. 27. 46.Matt 27:46ſaith the ſame Author, Cum ſpecies Chriſto objecla eſt, &c. Such an object being offered to Chriſts view, as though God being ſet againſt him, he were appointed to deſtruction; he was with horror affrighted, which was able an hundred times to have ſwallowed up all mortal Creatures; but he by the wonderful power of his ſpirit, eſcaped with Victory. What diſhonour was it to our Saviour Chriſt (ſaith another) to ſuffer that which was neceſſary for Fulk. in Act 2. Sect. 11.Acts 2our Redemption, namely, that torment of Hell which we had deſerved, and which the Juſtice of God required, that he ſhould endure for our Redemption: Or rather, what is more to the honour of Chriſt, then that he vouchſafed to deſcend into Hell for us, and to abide that bitter pain which we had deſerved to ſuffer Eternally; and what may rather be called Hell, then the anguiſh of ſoul which he ſuffered; when he being yet God, complained that he was forſaken of God. O Sirs, this we need not fear to confeſs, that Chriſt bearing our ſins in himſelf, upon the Croſs, did feel himſelf, during that combat, as rejected and forſaken of God, and accurſed for us, and the flames of his Fathers wrath burning within him; ſo that to the honour of Chriſts Paſſion, we confeſs that our bleſſed Redeemer refuſed no part of our puniſhment, but endured the very pains of Hell ſo far, as they tended not, neither to the derogation of his Perſon, deprivation of his Nature, deſtruction of his Office, &c.

p. 143Here it may be query'd whether the Lord Jeſus Chriſt underwent the idem, the very ſelf-ſame puniſhment that we ſhould have undergone? or only the tantundem, that which did amount, and was equivalent thereunto? To which, I Anſwer, That in different reſpects, both may be affirmed. The puniſhment which Chriſt indur'd, if it be conſidered in its ſubſtance, kind, or nature, ſo 'twas the ſame with that the Sinner himſelf ſhould have undergone; but if it be conſidered with reſpect to certain circumſtances, adjuncts, or accidents, which attend that puniſhment, (as inflicted upon the Sinner) ſo 'twas but equivalent and not the ſame. The puniſhment due to the Sinner, was death, the curſe of the Law (upon the breach of the firſt Covenant,) now this Chriſt underwent, For Gal. 3. 13.Gal 3:13he was made a Curſe for us. The adjuncts attending this death, were the Eternity of it, Deſperation going along with it, &c. Theſe Chriſt was freed from (the dignity of his Perſon ſupplying the former, the ſanctity of his Perſon, ſecuring him againſt the latter;) therefore in reference unto theſe (and to ſome other things already mentioned) it was but the tantundem, not the idem; but ſuppoſe there had been nothing of ſameneſs, nothing beyond equivalency in what Chriſt ſuffered; yet that was enough, for it was not required that Chriſt ſhould ſuffer every kind of Curſe, which is the effect of ſin, but in the general accurſed death. Look as in his fulfilling of the Law for us, it was not neceſſary that he ſhould perform every holy duty that the Law requireth; for he could not perform that obedience which Magiſtrates, or Married perſons are bound to do: Its enough that there was a fulfilling of it in the general for us. So here it was not neceſſary that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould undergo in every reſpect the ſame puniſhment which the offender himſelf was lyable unto; but if he ſhall undergoe ſo much as may ſatisfie the Laws threatnings, and vindicate the Law-giver in his Truth, Juſtice, and Righteous government, that was enough. Now that was unqueſtionably done by Chriſt.

p. 144But ſome may object, and ſay, How could Chriſt ſuffer Obj. 1 the pains of the ſecond death, without diſ-union of the Godhead from the Man-hood, for the God-head could not dye? Or what intereſt had Chriſts God-head in his humane ſufferings, to make them both ſo ſhort, and ſo precious, and ſatisfactory to Divine juſtice for the ſins of ſo many Sinners; eſpecially when we conſider that God cannot ſuffer?

I Anſwer: It followeth not, that becauſe Chriſt is United Anſw. 1 into one Perſon with God, that therefore he did not ſuffer the pains of Hell; for by the ſame reaſon, he ſhould not have ſuffered in his body, for the Union of his Perſon could have preſerved him from ſufferings in the one, as well as in the other, and neither God, Angels, nor Men compelled him to undertake this difficult and bloody work, but his own free and unſpeakable love to Man-kind, as himſelf declares, Joh. 10. 17. Therefore my Father Iſa 53. 12. Pſal. 40. 7, 8. Heb. 10. 9, 10.Isa 53:12Ps 40:7Ps 40:8Heb 10:9Heb 10:10loves me, becauſe I lay down my life, ver. 18. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my ſelf. If Chriſt had been conſtrained to ſuffer, then both men and Angels might fear and tremble; but as one ſaith well, Voluntas Bernardſponte morientis, placuit Deo; The willingneſs of him that dyed, pleaſed God, who offered himſelf to be the Redeemer of fallen man.

But ſecondly: I Anſwer from 1 Joh. 3. 16. Hereby Anſw. 2 perceive we the love of God, becauſe he laid down his life for us. The perſon dying was God, elſe his perſon could have done us no good. The Perſon ſuffering muſt be God as well as man, but the God-head ſuffered not: As if you ſhoot off a Cannon in the bright ayr, the ayr ſuffers, but the light of it ſuffers not: Actions and paſſions belong to perſons. Nothing leſs then that perſon, who is God-Man, could bear the brunt of the day, ſatisfie Divine juſtice, pacifie Divine wrath, bring in an everlaſting Righteouſneſs, and make us happy for ever. But

Thirdly: I anſwer thus; Albeit the paſſion of the humane 3Nature, could not ſo far reach the God-head of Chriſt, that it ſhould in a phyſical ſenſe ſuffer, (which indeed is impoſſible,) yet theſe ſufferings did ſo affect the p. 145Perſon, that it may truly be ſaid, that God ſuffered, and by his blood bought his people to himſelf; for albeit, the Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19, 20. 1 Cor. 6. 20. cap. 7. 23.Acts 20:281 Pet 1:181 Pet 1:191 Pet 1:201 Cor 6:20proper and formal ſubject of phyſical ſufferings, be only the humane Nature; yet the principal ſubject of ſufferings, both in a phyſical and moral ſenſe, is Chriſts Perſon, God and Man; from the dignity whereof, the worth and excellency of all ſorts of ſufferings, the merit and the ſatisfactory ſufficiency of the price did flow.

O Sirs, you muſt ſeriouſly conſider, that though Chriſt as God, in his God-head could not ſuffer in a phyſical ſenſe, yet in a moral ſenſe he might ſuffer, and did ſuffer: For he being in the form of God, thought it not robbery Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8.Phil 2:6Phil 2:7Phil 2:8to be equal with God, but made himſelf of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a Servant, and was made in the likeneſs of men; and being found in faſhion as a Man, he humbled himſelf, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Croſs. O! who can ſum up the contradictions, the railings, the revilings, the contempts, the deſpiſings and calumnies that Chriſt met with from Sinners, yea from the worſt of Sinners.

But how could ſo low a debaſing of the Son of man, or of the humane nature aſſumed by Chriſt, conſiſt with the Object. 2 Majeſty of the Perſon of the Son of God.

We muſt diſtinguiſh thoſe things in Chriſt, which are Anſw. proper to either of the two Natures, from thoſe things which are aſcribed to his Perſon, in reſpect of either of the Natures, or both the Natures; for infirmity, phyſical ſuffering, or mortality, are proper to the humane Nature. The glory of power, and grace, and mercy, and ſuper-excellent Majeſty, and ſuch like, are proper to the Diety; but the ſufferings of the humane Nature, are ſo far from diminiſhing the glory of the divine Nature, that they do manifeſt the ſame, and make it appear more clearly and gloriouſly, for by how much the humane Nature was weakned, depreſſed, and deſpiſed for our ſins, for our ſakes, by ſo much the more the love of Chriſt, God and Man in one perſon toward man, and his mercy, and power, and grace to man, do ſhine in the eyes of all that judiciouſly do look upon him.

p. 146Object. How could Chriſt indure Hell-fire, without Obj. 3 grievous ſins, as blaſphemy and deſpair, &c.

I Anſwer: That we may walk ſafely, and without offence, Anſw. theſe things muſt be premiſed. Firſt, That the 1ſorrows and ſufferings of Hell be no otherwiſe attributed to Chriſt, than as they may ſtand with the dignity and worthineſs of his Perſon, the holineſs of his Nature, and the performance of the office and work of our Redemption. Firſt then for the ſoul of Chriſt to ſuffer in the local place of Hell, to remain in the darkneſs thereof, and to be tormented with the material flames there, and eternally to be damned, was not for the dignity of his Perſon, to whom for his excellency and worthineſs, both the place, manner, and time of thoſe torments were diſpenſed with.

Secondly: Final Rejection and Deſperation, Blaſphemy, 2and the worm of Conſcience agreeth not with the holineſs of his Nature, Who was a Lamb without a ſpot, and therefore we do not, we dare not aſcribe them to him. Heb. 9. 14. 1 Pet. 1. 19.Heb 9:141 Pet 1:19But

Thirdly: Deſtruction of body and ſoul, which is the 3ſecond death, could not fall upon Chriſt; for this were to have deſtroyed the work of our Redemption, if he had been ſubject to deſtruction. But

Fourthly and laſtly: Blaſphemy and Deſpair are no 4parts of the pains of the damned, but the conſequents, and follow the ſenſe of Gods wrath in a ſinful Creature that is overcome by it. But Chriſt had no ſin of his own, neither was he overcome of wrath, and therefore he always Rev. 16. 9. 11.Rev 16:9Rev 16:11held faſt his integrity and innocency. Deſpair is an unavoidable Companion, attending the pains of the ſecond death, as all Reprobates do experience. Deſperation is an utter hopeleſneſs of any good, and a certain expectation and waiting on the worſt that can befall; and this is the lot and portion of the damned in Hell. The wretched ſinner in Hell, ſeeing the ſentence paſſed againſt him, Gods purpoſe fulfilled, never to be reverſed, the gates of Hell made faſt upon him, and a great Gulf fixt p. 147Luk. 16. 26.Luke 16:26betwixt Hell and Heaven, which renders his eſcape impoſſible; He now gives up all, and reckons on nothing but uttermoſt miſery. Now, mark this deſpair is not an eſſential part of the ſecond death, but only a conſequent, or (at the moſt) an effect occaſioned by the ſinners view, of his irremedileſs woful condition; but this neither did, nor could poſſibly befall the Lord Jeſus; He was able by the power of his God-head, both to ſuffer, and to ſatisfie, and to overcome, therefore he expected a good iſſue, and Pſal. 16. 9, 10. Act. 2. 26, 27, 28, 31.Ps 16:9Ps 16:10Acts 2:26Acts 2:27Acts 2:28Acts 2:31knew that the end ſhould be happy, and that he ſhould not be aſhamed, Iſa. 5. 6, 7. &c. Though a very ſhallow ſtream would eaſily drown a little Child, there being no hope of eſcape for it, unleſs one or another ſhould ſtep in ſeaſonably to prevent it. Yet a man that is grown up, may groundedly hope to eſcape out of a far more deep and dangerous place, becauſe by reaſon of his ſtature, ſtrength, and skill, he could wade or ſwim out. Surely, the wrath of the Almighty manifeſted in Hell, is like the vaſt Ocean, or ſome broad, deep River; and therefore when the ſinful Sons and Daughters of Adam (which are Rom. 5. 6.Rom 5:6without ſtrength) are hurl'd into the mid'ſt of it, they muſt needs lye down in their confuſion, as altogether hopeleſs of deliverance, or eſcaping; but this deſpair could not ſeize upon Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe (although his Father took Iſa. 63. 1, 2, 3.Isa 63:1Isa 63:2Isa 63:3him, & caſt him into the Sea of his wrath, ſo that all the billows of it went over him, yet) being the mighty God, with whom nothing is impoſſible, he was very able to paſs through that Sea of wrath and ſorrow which would have drowned all the world, and come ſafe to ſhore.

Object. But when did Chriſt ſuffer Helliſh Torments; Obj. 4 they are inflicted after death, not uſually before it; but Chriſts ſoul went ſtrait after death into Paradiſe; how elſe could he ſay to the penitent Thief, This day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe. Now to this Objection I ſhall give theſe following Anſwers.

Firſt: That Chriſts ſoul, after his Paſſion upon the 1Croſs did not really and locally deſcend into the place of the damned, may be thus made evident.

p. 148Firſt: All the Evangeliſts; and ſo Luke among the reſt, 1. Luk. 1. 3.Luke 1:3intending to make an exact Narrative of the life and death of Chriſt, hath ſet down at large his Paſſion, Death, Burial, Reſurrection, and Aſcenſion; and beſides, they make rehearſal of very ſmall circumſtances; therefore we may ſafely conclude, that they would never have omitted Chriſts local deſcent into the place of the damned, if there had been any ſuch things; beſides the great end, why they penned this Hiſtory, was, That we might believe that Jeſus Chriſt is the Son of God; and that thus believing, J…h. 20. 31.we might have life everlaſting. Now there could not have been a greater matter for the confirmation of our Faith, than this, that Jeſus, the Son of Mary, who went down to the place of the damned, returned thence to live in all happineſs and bleſſedneſs for ever. But

Secondly: If Chriſt did go into the place of the damned, 2then he went either in ſoul, or in body, or in his Godhead; not in his God-head, for that could not deſcend, becauſe it is every where, and his body was in the grave; and as for his ſoul, it went not to Hell, but immediatly after his death, it went to Paradiſe, that is the third Heaven, a place of joy and happineſs; This day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe; which words of Chriſt muſt be underſtood Luk. 23. 43.Luke 23:43of his Man-hood or Soul, and not of his Godhead, for they are an anſwer to a demand, and therefore unto it they muſt be ſutable. The Thief makes his requeſt, Lord, remember me when thou comeſt into thy Kingdom; verſ. 42.to which, Chriſt Anſwers, Verily, I ſay unto thee, to day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe; I ſhall (ſaith Chriſt) this day enter into Paradiſe, and there ſhalt thou be with me. Now there is no entrance, but in regard of his Soul or Man-hood, for the God-head, which is at all times in all Pſal. 139 7 13. Jer 23. 23, 24.Ps 139:7Jer 23:23Jer 23:24places, cannot be properly ſaid to entertain into a place. But

Thirdly: When Chriſt ſaith, To day ſhalt thou be with 3me in Paradiſe, He doth intimate (as ſome obſerve) a reſemblance which is between the firſt and ſecond Adam. The firſt Adam quickly ſinned againſt God, and was as p. 149Gen. 3.Gen 3quickly caſt out of Paradiſe by God. Chriſt the ſecond Adam, having made a perfect and compleat ſatisfaction Heb 9. 26, 28 cap. 10. 14.Heb 9:26Heb 9:28to the juſtice of God, and the Law of God, for mans ſin muſt immediately enter into Paradiſe. Now to ſay that Chriſt, in Soul, deſcended locally into Hell, is to aboliſh this Analogy between the firſt and ſecond Adam. But

Secondly: 'Tis not impoſſible that the pains of the ſecond 2death ſhould be ſuffered in this life, time, and place, are but circumſtances; the main ſubſtance of the ſecond death, is the bearing of Gods fierce wrath and indignation. Divine favour ſhining upon a man in Hell, would turn Hell into a Heaven; all ſober, ſeeing, ſerious Chriſtians will grant, that the true, though not the full joys of Heaven may be felt and experienced in this life, 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not ſeen ye love, in whom though now ye ſee him not, yet believing, ye rejoyce with joy unſpeakable, and full of glory, or glorious; either becauſe this their rejoycing was a taſt of their future glory, or becauſe it made them glorious in the eyes of men; the original word foreign, is glorified already; a piece of Gods Kingdom, and Heavens happineſs afore-hand: Ah, how many precious Saints, both living and dying, have cryed out, O the joy! the joy! the inexpreſſible joy that I find in my Soul, Ephe. 2, 6. He hath made us ſit together in Heavenly places, in Chriſt Jeſus. What is this elſe, but even while we live, by Faith to poſſeſs the very joys of Heaven on this ſide Heaven. Now, look as the true joys of Heaven may be felt on this ſide Heaven, ſo the true, though not the full pains of Hell, may be felt on this ſide Hell; and doubtleſs, Cain, Judas, Julian, Spira, and others have found it ſo. That Father hit the mark, who Gen. 4. 13.Gen 4:13ſaid, Judicis in mente tua, ſedet ibi Deus, ad eſt accuſator conſcientia, tortor timor; The Judges Tribunal ſeat is in Auguſtin. in Pſal. 57.Ps 57thy ſoul, God ſitteth there as Judge, thy Conſcience is the Accuſer, and fear is the tormentor. Now if there be in the ſoul a Judg, an Accuſer, and a Tormentor, then certainly there is a true taſt of the torments of Hell, on this ſide Hell.

p. 150Thirdly: The place Hell is no part of the payment; the laying down of the price makes the ſatisfaction; this is all that is ſpoken and threatned to Adam, Thou ſhalt dye Gen. 2. 1…. Peter ſaith, the Devils are caſt down to Hell, and kept in chains of darkneſs. 2 Pet. 2. 4: And Paul calls the Devil, the Prince that ruleth in the Ayr. Ephe. 2. 2. The Ayr then is the Devils Hell; well then, ſeeing this ayr is the Devils preſent Hell, we may ſafely conclude, that Hell may be in this preſent world; and therefore it is neither impoſſible, nor improbable? that the Croſs was Chriſts Hell.Gen 2:12 Pet 2:4Eph 2:2the death, and this may be ſuffered here. The wicked go to Hell as their Priſon, becauſe they can never pay their debts, otherwiſe the debt may as well be paid in the Market, as the Goal. Now Chriſt did diſcharge all his peoples debts in the days of his fleſh, when he offered up ſtrong crys and tears, Heb. 5 7. and not after death. Look as a King entring into Priſon to looſe the Priſoners Chains, and to pay their debts, is ſaid to have been in Priſon; ſo our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by his ſouls ſufferings, which is the Hell he entred into, hath releaſed us of our pains and chains, and paid our debts, and in this ſenſe he may be ſaid to have entred into Hell, though he never actually entred into the local place of the damned, which is properly called Hell; for in that place there is neither vertue nor goodneſs, holineſs nor happineſs, and therefore the holineſs of Chriſts perſon would never ſuffer him to deſcend into ſuch a place, in the local place of Heaven and Hell. It is not poſſible for any neither to be at once, nor yet at ſundry times ſucceſſively, for there is no paſſing from Heaven to Hell, or from Hell to Heaven, Luk. 16. 26. The place of ſuffering, is but a circumſtance in the buſineſs; Hell (the place of the damned) is no part of the debt, therefore neither is ſuffering there locally any part of the payment of it, no more than a Priſon is any part of an earthly debt, or of the payment of it. The Surety may ſatisfie the Creditor in the place appointed for payment, or in the open Court, which being done, the Debtor and Surety both are acquitted, that they need not go to Priſon; if either of them go to Priſon, it is becauſe they do not, or cannot pay the debt; for all that Juſtice requires, is to ſatisfie the debt, to the which, the Priſon is meerly extrinſical: Even ſo the Juſtice of God cannot be ſatisfied for the tranſgreſſion of the Law, but by the death of the Sinner; but it doth not require that this ſhould be done in the place of the damned. The p. 151wicked go to Priſon, becauſe they do not, they cannot make ſatisfaction; otherwiſe Chriſt having fully diſcharged the debt, needed not go to Priſon.

Object. But the pains and torments that are due to mans Obj. 5 ſins, are to be everlaſting; and how then can Chriſts ſhort ſufferings countervail them?

Anſw. That Chriſts ſufferings in his ſoul and body Anſw. were equivalent to it; although to ſpeak properly, Eternity is not of the eſſence of death, which is the reward of ſin, and threatned by God; but its accidental, becauſe man thus dying, is never able to ſatisfie God; therefore ſeeing he cannot pay the laſt farthing, he is for Math. 18 28. 35.Matt 18:28Matt 18:35ever kept in Priſon. Look as eternal death hath in it eternity & deſpair neceſſarily in all thoſe that ſo die, ſo Chriſt could not ſuffer, but what was wanting in duration was ſupplyed; 1. By the immenſity of his ſorrows conflicting with the ſenſe of Gods wrath, becauſe of our ſins imputed to him; ſo that he ſuffered more grief, then if the ſorrows of all men were put together. Chriſts Hell, ſorrows on the Croſs were meritorious and fully ſatisfactory Iſa. 53.Isa 53for our everlaſting puniſhment; and therefore in greatneſs were to exceed all other mens ſorrows, as being anſwerable to Gods juſtice. 2. By the dignity and worth of him that did ſuffer; Therefore the Scripture calls it the blood of God. The damned muſt bear the wrath of God to all Eternity, becauſe they can never ſatisfie the juſtice of God for ſin; therefore they muſt lye by it world without end: but Chriſt hath made an infinit ſatisfaction in a finit time, by undergoing that fierce battel with the wrath of God, and getting the Victory in a few hours, which is equivalent to the Creatures bearing it, and grapling with it everlaſtingly. This length, or ſhortneſs of durance, is but a circumſtance not of any neceſſary conſideration in this caſe. Suppoſe a man indebted a 100 l. and likely to lye in Priſon till he ſhall pay it, yet utterly unable; if another man comes, and lays down the money on two hours warning, is not this as well, or better done; that which may be done to as good or better purpoſe, p. 152in a ſhort time, what need is there to draw it out at length? The juſtice of the Law did not require that either the Sinner, or his Surety ſhould ſuffer the Eternity of Hells torments, but only their extremity; it doth abundantly counterpoiſe the eternity of the puniſhment, that the perſon which ſuffered was the eternal God. Beſides, it was impoſſible that he ſhould be detained under the ſorrows of death, Act. 2. 24. And if he had been ſo detained, Then he had not ſpoiled principalities and powers, nor triumphed over them, Col. 2. 15. but had been overcome, and ſo had not attained his end. But

Secondly: The pains of Hell which Chriſt ſuffered, 2though they were not infinit in time, yet were they of an infinite price and value, for the dignity of the perſon that ſuffered them. Chriſts temporal enduring of Helliſh ſorrows, was as effectual and meritorious, as if they had been perpetual; the dignity of Chriſts perſon did bear him out in that which was not meet for him to ſuffer, nor fit in reſpect of our Redemption; for if he ſhould have ſuffered Eternally, our Redemption could never have been accompliſhed; but for him to ſuffer in ſoul, as he did in body, was neither derogatory to his perſon, nor prejudicial to his work: Infinitly in time Chriſt was not to ſuffer, as one well obſerves, Chriſt dyed ſecundum tempus, Ambroſe in 5. ad Rom. 6.Rom 6in time, or according to time; Tempora in mundo ſunt, &c. Times are in the world where the Sun riſeth and ſetteth; unto this time he dyed; but where there is no time, there he was found, not only living, but conquering. Chriſt, God-Man, ſuffered puniſhment in meaſure infinit, and therefore there is no ground why he ſhould endure it eternally; and indeed it was impoſſible that Chriſt ſhould be Act. 2. 24.Acts 2:24holden of Death, becauſe he was both the Lord of life, and the Lords holy One, 1 Cor. 2. 8. Act. 2. 27. But

Thirdly: If the meaſure of a mans puniſhment were infinit, 3the duration needs not be infinit; ſinful mans meaſure of puniſhment is finit, and therefore the duration of his puniſhment muſt be infinit, becauſe the puniſhment muſt be anſwerable to the infinit evil of ſin committed againſt p. 153an infinit God. O Sirs, continual impriſonment in Hell, ariſes from mans not being able to pay the price; for could he pay the debt in one year, he needs not lye two years in Priſon. Now the debt is the firſt and ſecond death, and becauſe ſinful man cannot pay it in any time, he muſt endure it eternally; but now Chriſt has laid down ready pay upon the nail, to the full for all his choſen Ones; and therefore it is not re…uired of him that he ſhould ſuffer for ever neither can it ſtand with the holineſs or juſtice of God to hold him under the ſecond death, he having paid the debt to the utmoſt Farthing. Now that he hath fully paid the debt himſelf, witneſſeth Joh. 19. 30. ſaying, when he had received the Vinegar, It is finiſhed; ſo verſ. 28. After this, Jeſus knowing that all things were accompliſhed. Though there are many interpretations given of this place by Auguſtine, Chryſoſtom, Janſenu…, and others; yet doubtleſs, this alone will hold water, viz. That the heavy wrath of the Lord which did purſue Chriſt, and the ſecond death which filled him with grievous terrors, is now over and paſt, and mans Redemption finiſhed; he ſpeaketh here of that which preſently ſhould be, and in the yielding up his Ghoſt was accompliſhed.

And thus you ſee that Jeſus Chriſt did feel and ſuffer the very torments of Hell, though not after a Helliſh manner; and you ſee alſo that Chriſt did not locally deſcend into Hell: Shall we make a few inferences from hence.

Firſt then: O! how ſhould theſe ſad ſufferings of 1Chriſt for us, endear Chriſt to us. O! what precious thoughts ſhould we have of him; O! how ſhould we Pſal. 136. 17, 18.Ps 136:17Ps 136:18prize him; how ſhould we honour him; how ſhould we love him; and how ſhould we be ſwallowed up in the admiration of him? as his love to us has been matchleſs, ſo his ſufferings for us has been matchleſs. I have read of Nero, that he had a Shirt made of a Salamanders skin, ſo that if he did walk through the fire in it, it would keep him from burning. So Chriſt is the true Salamanders p. 154skin that will keep the ſoul from everlaſting burnings; Iſa. 33. 14.Isa 33:14and therefore well may Chriſtians cry out with that Martyr, None but Chriſt, none but Chriſt. Tigranes in Zenophon, Lambert.coming to Redeem his Father and Friends, with his Wife, that were taken Priſoners by Cyrus, was asked among other things, what Ranſom he would give for his Wife; he anſwered, He would Redeem her liberty with his own life; but having prevailed, as they returned together, every one commended Cyrus for a goodly man; and Tygranes would needs know of his Wife, What ſhe thought of him; Truly, ſaid ſhe, I cannot tell, for I did not ſo much as look on him, or ſee him; whom then, ſaid he, (wondring) did you look upon? Whom ſhould I look upon, replyed ſhe, but him that would have Redeemed my liberty with his own life. So every Believer ſhould eſteem nothing 1 Cor. 6. 20. Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. Plutarch in vita Tit. Flam1 Cor 6:20Acts 20:281 Pet 1:181 Pet 1:19worth a looking on, but that Jeſus who hath Redeemed him with his own blood. Plutarch tells us, That when Titus Flaminius had freed the poor Graecians from the bondage with which they had been long ground by their oppreſſions, and the Herald was to proclaim in their Audience the Articles of peace he had concluded for them; they ſo preſſed upon him (not being half of them able to hear) that he was in great danger to have loſt his life in the preſs; at laſt reading them a ſecond time, when they came to underſtand diſtinctly how that their caſe ſtood, they ſo ſhooted for joy, crying foreign, a Saviour, a Saviour, that they made the very Heavens ring again with their acclamations, and the very Birds fall down aſtoniſht. And all that night the poor Graecians with Inſtruments of Muſick, and Songs of praiſe, danced and ſang about his Tent, extolling him as a God that had delivered them: But O then what infinite cauſe have we to exalt and cry up our dear Lord Jeſus, who by the Helliſh ſorrows that he ſuffered for us, hath freed us from that more dreadful bondage of ſin, Satan, and wrath that we lay under. O! prize that Jeſus; O! exalt that Chriſt; O! extol that Saviour, who has ſaved you from that eternal wrath that all the Angels in Heaven, and all the men on Earth could never have ſaved p. 155you from. The name of Jeſus (ſaith one) hath a thouſand Chryſoſtom. Dulce namen ChriſtiTreaſures of joy and comfort in it, and is therefore uſed by Paul five hundred times as ſome have obſerved. The name of a Saviour (ſaith another) is Hony in the Mouth, and Muſick in the Ears, and a Jubile in the Heart. Were Bernard.Chriſt in your boſom as a flower of delight, for he is a whole Paradiſe of delight (ſaith one.) I had rather (ſaith Juſtin Martyr. L…ther.another) be in Hell with Chriſt, than in Heaven without him, for Chriſt is the Crown of Crowns, the glory of glorys, and the Heaven of Heaven. One ſaith, That he Auſtin.would willingly go thorow Hell to Chriſt: Another ſaith, He Bernard.had rather be in his Chimny corner with Chriſt, than in Heaven without him. One cryed out, I had rather have one Chriſt than a thouſand worlds. Jeſus in the China tongue, ſignifies the riſing Sun, and ſuch a riſing Sun was he to Julius Palmer, that when all concluded that he was dead, Mal. 4 2.Mal 4:2being turned as black as a coal in the fire, at laſt he moved his ſcorched lips, and was heard to ſay Sweet Jeſus. It was an excellent anſwer of one of the Martyrs, when he was offered riches and honours if he would recant; Do but (ſaid he) offer me ſomwhat that is better than my Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and you ſhall ſee what I will ſay to you. Now, O! that the Helliſh ſorrows and ſufferings of Chriſt for us, might raiſe in all our hearts ſuch a high eſtemation, and ſuch a deep admiration, as hath been raiſed in thoſe worthies laſt mentioned. It was a ſweet prayer of him who thus prayed, Lord make thy Son dear, very dear, exceeding dear, and only dear and precious to me. When ever we ſeriouſly think of the great and ſore ſufferings of 2. All the Hell Socinians grant is Annihilation, by reaſon it is ſaid, they ſhall be deſtroyed, vide. Socinus, Racoucat. Crellius. Bidle, Richardſon, &c.Chriſt, it will be good to pray as he prayed. But

Secondly: If Jeſus Chriſt did feel and ſuffer the very torments of Hell, though not after a Helliſh manner, then let me infer, that certainly there is a Hell, a place of torment provided and prepared for all wicked and ungodly perſons. Danaeus reckons up no leſs than nineteen ſeveral ſorts of Hereticks that denyed it; and are there not many erronious and deluded perſons that ſtoutly, and daily aſſert that there is no Hell but what men feel in p. 156their own Conſciences: Ah how many are there that rejoyce Jer. 11. 15. Prov. 2. 14. Iſa. 65. 3. 2 Theſ. 2. 11. Math. 25. 41. Iſa. 30. 33.Jer 11:15Prov 2:14Isa 65:32 Thess 2:11Matt 25:41Isa 30:33to do evil, and delight in their abominations, and take pleaſure in unrighteouſneſs: But could men do thus, durſt men do thus, did they really believe that Hell was prepared and fitted for them, and that the fiery Lake was but a little before them. Heaven is a place where all is joyful; and Hell is a place where all is doleful; in Heaven there is nothing but happineſs; and in Hell there is nothing but heavineſs, nothing but endleſs, eaſeleſs, and remedileſs torments. Did men believe this, how could they go ſo merrily on in the way to Hell? Cato once ſaid to Caeſar, (credo quae deniferis dicuntur falſa eſſe exiſtimas.) I believe that thou thinkeſt all that is ſaid of Hell to be falſe and fabulous. So I may ſay to many in this day, Surely you think that all that is ſpoken, and written of Hell, is but a ſtory. Don't you look upon the people of God to be of all men the moſt miſerable, and your ſelves of all men the moſt happy. Yes; O! but how can this be? did you really believe that there was a Heaven for the Righteous, and a Hell for the Wicked. 'Tis an Italian Proverb, (Qui venetias non vidit, non credit, &c. He who hath not ſeen Ʋenice, will not believe; and he who hath not lived ſome time there, doth not underſtand what a City it is; this in a ſenſe is true of Hell: But now for the Q…d ſit, that there is a Hell, that there is ſuch a place of miſery prepared and appointed for the wicked I ſhall briefly demonſtrate againſt the high Atheiſts and Socinians of this day, and therefore thus,

Firſt: God Created Angels and Men after his own Image. 1Man muſt be ſo much honoured, as to be made like God; and no Creature muſt be ſo much honoured as to be made like man. The pattern after which man was made, is ſomtimes called Image alon… So God Created Gen. 1. 27.Gen 1:27man in his own Image, in the Image of God Created he him. Somtimes likeneſs alone; In the day that God created man, in the holineſs of God made he him, ſometimes Gen. 5. 1.Gen 5:1both Let us make man in our Image, after our likeneſs; p. 157Gen. 1. 26.Gen 1:26which makes a prudent Interpreter think, that when they are joyned, it is by Hendiadys, and that the Andr. Rivet, in Gen. Exer…. Nihil eſt in macrocoſm… num praeter microcoſmum. …avo…inus. There is nothing in the vaſt world of Creatures truly great, except the little world of manHoly Ghoſt meaneth an Image moſt like his own. It is exceeding much for mans honour, that he is an Epitomy of the world, an abridgement of other Creatures, partaking with the ſtones in being, with the Stars in motion, with the Plants in growing, with the Beaſts in ſenſe, and with Angels in ſcience. But his being made after Gods Image is far more. You know, when great men erect a ſtately building, they cauſe their own picture to be hung upon it, that ſpectators may know who was the chief founder of it. So when God had created the Fabrick of this world, the laſt thing he did, was the ſetting up his own Picture in it, Creating man after his own Image. When the great Creator went about that noble work, that prime piece of making of man, He doth as it were call a ſolemn Counſel of the ſacred perſons in the Trinity; And God ſaid, Let us make Man in our Image, Gen 1. 26. Man (ſaith one) in his Creation, is Angelical; in his Corruption Diabolical; in his Renovation Theological; in his Tranſlation, Majeſtical; an Angel in Eden, a Devil in the World, a Saint in the Church, a King in Heaven.Gen 1:26&c. Man before his Fall was the beſt of Creatures, but ſince his Fall, he is become the worſt of Creatures: He that was once the Image of God, the glory of Paradiſe, the worlds Lord, and the Lords darling, is now become an abomination to God, a burden to Heaven, a Plague to the World, and a ſlave to Satan. When Man firſt came out of Gods Mint, he did ſhine moſt gloriouſly, as being beſpangled with Holineſs, and clad with the royal Robe of Righteouſneſs; his Underſtanding was filled with knowledge; his Will with uprightneſs; his Affections with holineſs, &c. But yet being a mutable Creature, and ſubject to temptations, Satan quickly ſtript him of his happineſs, and cheated, and couſened him of his Imperial Crown (as we uſe to do Children) with an Apple. If God had created Angels and men immutable, he had created them Gods, and not Creatures; but being made mutable, we know they did fall from their primitive purity and glory; and we know that out of the whole Hoſt of Angels, he kept ſome from falling; and when all mankind was fallen, he Redeemed ſome by his Son. Now p. 158mark, as he ſhews mercy upon ſome in their Salvation, Rom. 7. 21, 22, 23.Rom 7:21Rom 7:22Rom 7:23ſo it is meet that he ſhould glorifie his juſtice upon others in their Condemnation: And becauſe there muſt be diſtinct places for the exerciſe of the one, and for the execution of the other, which are in God equally infinit by an irrecoverable decree from the foundation of the world; a glorious habitation was prepared for the one, and a moſt hideous Dungeon for the other. Theſe ſhall go into everlaſting puniſhment, and the Righteous into Math. 25. 6.Matt 25:6life Eternal; yea, ſo certain are both theſe places, that they were of old prepared for that very purpoſe. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; and ſo, Depart ye Curſed into everlaſting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels. Look as God foreſaw verſ. 41.the different eſtates and conditions of Men and Angels, ſo he provided for them diſtinct and different places. Doubtleſs Hell was conſtituted before Angels or or Men fell; Hell was framed before ſin was hatched, as Heaven was formed and fitted before any of the Inhabitants were produced. But

Secondly: That there is a Hell, both the Old and New 2Teſtament doth clearly and fully teſtifie; take ſome inſtances, Pſal. 9. 17. The wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, Sheol is often put for the Grave, Pſal. 16. 10. but not always.Ps 16:10and all the Nations that forget God; in the Hebrew, there are two into's, into, into Hell; that is, The Wicked ſhall certainly be turned into the nethermoſt Hell; yea, they ſhall forcibly be turned into the loweſt and darkeſt place in Hell. God will, as it were, with both hands thruſt him In tenebras ex tenebris infelicit ex excluſi in felicius, excludendi. Auguſt.into Hell. If Sheol here ſignifie the Grave only, what puniſhment is here threatned to the Wicked, which the Righteous is not equally liable to. Doubtleſs Sheol here, is to be taken for that priſon or place of torment where Divine juſtice detayns all thoſe in hold, that have all their days rebelled againſt him, ſcorned his Son, deſpiſed the means of Grace, and dyed in open Rebellion againſt him. The Pſalmiſt, ſaith my Author, declares the miſerable Mollerus.condition of all thoſe who live and dye in their ſins. Aeternis punientur paenis, They ſhall be everlaſtingly puniſhed. p. 159And Maſculus reads the place thus, Animi impiorum cruciatibus, debitis apud inferos punientur. The ſouls of the ungodly ſhall be puniſhed in Hell with deſerved torments: Certainly, the very place in which the wicked ſhall lodge, and be tormented to all Eternity, viz. Hell, the bottomleſs Pit, a Dungeon of darkneſs, a Lake of fire and brimſtone, a fiery Furnace will extreamly aggravate the dolefulneſs of their condition. O Sirs, were all Vide Bellarm. de Eter. Fael….the Water in the Sea, Ink, and every pile of Graſs, a Pen, and every hair on all the mens heads in the world, the hand of a ready Writer, all would be too ſhort graphically to delincate the nature of this Dungeon, where all loſt ſouls muſt lodge for ever. Where is the man, who to gain a world, would lodge one night in a Room that's haunted with Devils; and is it nothing to dwell in Hell with them for ever. So Solomon, Prov. 5. 5. ſaith By death and Hell, is in this place meant not only temporal death, and the viſible grave, but alſo eternal death, and hell it ſelf, even the place of the damned. The Dutch Annotations.of the Harlot, That her feet go down to death, her ſteps take hold on Hell; here Sheol is tranſlated Hell, and in the judgment of Lavator is well tranſlated to. Foveam vel infernum paſſus ejus, tenebunt; which (ſaith he) is ſpoken not ſo much of natural death, as of ſpiritual, and that eternal deſtruction which followeth thereupon; and he gives this for a reaſon, why we ſhould underſtand the place ſo, Becauſe Whordom being an abominable ſin defiling the Members of the Body of Chriſt, diſſolving and making void the Covenant between God and Man, muſt needs be accompanied with an equivalent judgment; even excluding thoſe that are guilty thereof, without Repentance, 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. Gal. 5. 19, 20, 21. Rev. 21. 27. Heb: 13. 4.1 Cor 6:91 Cor 6:10Gal 5:19Gal 5:20Gal 5:21Rev 21:27the Kingdom of Heaven, into which pure and undefiled place no unclean thing can enter: And mark thoſe words of the Apoſtle, Whore-mongers and Adulterers God will judge. If men will not judge them, God himſelf will, and give them a portion of miſery anſwerable to their tranſgreſſion. Though the Magiſtrate be negliligent in puniſhing them, yet God will judg them: Somtimes he judges them in this life, by pouring forth of his wrath upon their Bodys, Souls, Conſciences, Names and Eſtates; but if he don't thus judge them in this life, yet p. 160he will be ſure to judge them in the life to come, which Biſhop Latimer well underſtood, when he preſented to Henry the Eighth for a New-years-gift, a New-Teſtament Act. and Mon. 1594.with a Napkin, having this Poſie about it, Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge; yea, he has already adjudged them to the Lake that burneth with fire and brimſtone, which is the ſecond death, Rev. 21. 8. ver. Nothing (ſaith one) hath ſo much enriched Hell as beautiful fa…es. The Germans have a Proverb, That the pavement of Hell is made of the skulls of ſhaved Prieſts, and the glorious … of Gallants; their meaning is, that theſe ſorts of perſons being moſt given up to fleſhly Luſts and pleaſures, they ſhall be ſure to have the loweſt place in Hell. ††Tis a Carachreſtical Metaphor, they are ſure to bring her thither, as a man hath that in poſſeſſion on which with much delight he takes faſt hold. Rev. 2. 22.Rev 2:22The Harlots feet go down to death, and her ſteps take hold on Hell…: Wantonneſs brings men to Hell: Whoremongers ſhall have their part in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone, Revel. 21. 8. For Fornication and Ʋncleanneſs, the Wrath of God cometh on the Children of diſobedience, Col. 3. 5, 6. The Adulterer her ſelf goes thither, & is it not fit that her Companions in ſin, ſhould be her Companions in miſery? I will caſt her into a bed, and them that commit Adultery with her into great tribulation; She haſtens with Sails and Oars to Hell, and draws her Lovers with her; all her courſes tend towards Hell; Strumpets are the foundations and upholders of Hell, they are the Devils beſt Cuſtomers. O the thouſands of men and women that are ſent to Hell for Wantonneſs; Hell would be very thin and empty, were it not for theſe; other ſins are toilſome and troubleſome, but Wantonneſs is pleaſant, and ſends men and women merrily to Hell. I have read a ſtory, that one asking the Devil, which were the greateſt ſins? he anſwered, Covetouſneſs and Luſt; the other asking again, whether Perjury and Blaſphemy were not greater ſins? the Devil replyed, that in the Schooles of Divinity, they were the greater ſins, but for the increaſe of his Revenews, the Beda in Prov. c. 30.Prov 30other were the greater. Beda therefore ſtileth Luſt, Filiamdiaboli, the Daughter of the Devil, which bringeth p. 161forth many Children to him. O that all Wantons would take that Counſel of Bernard. Ardor gehennae extinguat Bern. Serm. 23. ad ſoror.in te ardorem luxuriae, major ardor minorem ſuperet; let the fire of Hell extinguiſh the fire of Luſt in thee; let the greater burning overcome the leſſer, ponder upon that, Prov. 9. 18. But he knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her Gueſts are in the depths of Hell. To wit, thoſe that 1 Tim. 5. 6.1 Tim 5:6are ſpiritually dead, and that are in the high way to be cut off, either by filthy diſeaſes, or by the rage of the jealous Husband, or by the Sword of the Magiſtrate, or by ſome quarrels ariſing amongſt thoſe that are Rivals in the Harlots love, and are as ſure to be damn'd as if they were in Hell already. A Metaphor from a Dungeon. He knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her gueſts are in the depths of Hell, Aben Ezra will have the original word foreign ibi, Aben Ezra. in hunc vers.there to be referred to Hell; & the meaning of the whole verſe to be more plainly thus, he knoweth not, that her gueſts being dead are in the depth of Hell. But the Hebrew word here uſed and tranſlated, dead, is Rephaim, which word (Rephaim) properly ſignifies Gyants, and to that ſenſe is always rendred by the ſeventy foreign. The meaning of this place, ſeems to be no other, but that the ſtrange Woman will bring them who are her Gueſts to Hell, to keep the Apoſtate Gyants company. Thoſe mighty men of renown of the old world, whoſe wickedneſs Gen. 6. 4. 5.Gen 6:4Gen 6:5was ſo great in the Earth, that it repented and grieved God that he had made man, and to take Vengeance on whom he brought the general Deluge upon the Earth, and deſtroyed both Man and Beaſt from the face thereof. Theſe Gyants are called in Hebrew Nephilim, ſuch as being fallen from God, fell upon men, and by force and violence, made others fall before them, even as the Beaſts of the Field do fall before the roaring Lyons. Theſe great oppreſſors were firſt drown'd, and then damn'd, and ſent to that accurſed place which was appointed for them: Now to that place and condition, in which they are, the Harlot will bring all her wanton Lovers. Take one Scripture p. 162more, Prov. 15. 11. Hell and deſtruction are before the Deſtruction is put as a… adjunct or Epithite of Hell.Lord; how much more then the hearts of the Children of men? Some think the latter is exegetical of the former; ſome by Sheol underſtand the Grave, & by Abaddon Hell. There is nothing ſo deep, or ſecret, that can be hid from the eyes of God; He knows the ſouls in Hell, and the bodys in the Grave, and much more mens thoughts here in this place, Prov. 15. 11. The Jews take the word Abaddon, which we render deſtruction, for Gehenna, that is, Elliptically for Beth-Abaddon, the houſe of deſtruction. Though we know not where Hell is, nor what is done there; though we know not what is become of thoſe that are deſtroyed, nor what they ſuffer, yet God doth; and if the ſecrets of Hell and Devils are known to him, then much more the ſecrets of the hearts of the Children of men. The Devil who is the great Executioner of the wrath of God, is expreſt by this word; as Hell is called deſtruction in the abſtract, ſo the Devil is called a deſtroyer in the concrete. And they had a King over them, which is the Angel of the bottomleſs pit, (or Hell,) whoſe name in Rev. 9. 11.Rev 9:11the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon, both the one and the other; the Hebrew and the Greek ſignifie the ſame thing, a deſtroyer. The Devil, who is the Jaylor of Hell, is called a deſtroyer, as Hell it ſelf is called deſtruction. O Sirs, Hell is deſtruction; they that are once there are loſt, yea, loſt for ever. The reaſon why Hell is called deſtruction, is becauſe they that are caſt to Hell, are undone to all Eternity. Rev. 14. 11.Rev 14:11If Hell (ſaid one) were to be endured a thouſand years, me-thinks I could bear it, but for ever, that amazeth me. Bellarmin out of Barocius, tells us of a learned man, De arte bene mo…iendi.who after his death, appeared to his Friend, complaining that he was adjudged to Hell-torments, which (ſaith he) were they to laſt but a thouſand thouſand years, I ſhould think it tollerable, but alaſs they are eternal. The fire in Hell is like that ſtone in Arcadia I have read of, which being once kindled, could not be quenched. There is no Eſtate on Earth ſo miſerable, but a man may be delivered p. 163out of it; but out of Hell there is no deliverance. It is not the prayer, no not of a Gregory, though never ſo great (what ever they fable) that can reſcue any that is once become Hells Priſoner. I might add other Scriptures out of the old Teſtament, but let theſe ſuffice.

That there is ſuch a place as Hell is, prepared for the torment of the bodys & ſouls of wicked & impenitent Siners, is moſt clear & evident in the New Teſtament, as well as in the Old: Amongſt the many that might be produced, take theſe for a taſt, Mat. 5. 22. But I ſay unto you, that whoſoever is angry with his Brother, without a cauſe (raſhly, vainly, and unreaſonably) ſhall be in danger of the Judgment; & whoſoever ſhall ſay to his Brother, Raca, ſhall be in danger of the Councel; but whoſoever ſhall ſay, thou Fool, ſhall be in danger of Hell-fire. Gr to, or in the Gehenna of fire.

In this Scripture our Lord Jeſus doth allude to the cuſtom of puniſhing Offenders, uſed among the Jews; now there were three degrees of puniſhments that were uſed among the Jews.

Firſt: In every Town where there were a hundred and twenty Inhabitants, there was a little Councel of three, which judged ſmaller matters, for which, whipping, or ſome pecuniary mulct was impoſed.

Secondly; There was a Councel conſiſting of three and twenty; ſeven of theſe were Judges, fourteen Aſſeſſors, Joſephus.who were moſtly of the Levites; and to theſe were added two ſupernumeraries which made the twenty-three, which the Hebrews generally ſay, was the number that made up this ſecond Councel. Now this Councel ſate in the Gates of the City, and did judge of civil matters, having alſo power of life and death.

Thirdly: There was the great Synedrion, or High-Court 3of Judicatory, which conſiſted of ſeventy and two, ſix choſen of every Tribe. Now this Councel ſate in the Court of the Temple, and had all matters of greateſt moment brought before them, as Hereſie, Idolatry, Apoſtacy. Beza.Somtimes they convented before them the High-Prieſt, and ſomtimes falſe Prophets, yea, ſomtimes a p. 164whole Tribe, as my Reverend Author thinks. Now look as there is a gradation of ſin, ſo there is a gradation of puniſhment pointed at in this Scripture; for the opening of which, conſider you have here three degrees of ſecret murder, or of inward heart-murder. And

1. The firſt is Raſh anger: Now this brings a man in danger of the Judgment. By the judgment, he means not the judgment of the three, who judged of mony-matters; but by judgment, he means the Counſel of the three and twenty men: Now they are called the Judgment, becauſe they judged of Murthers, and inflicted death, &c. Now he that ſhall raſhly, vainly, cauſeleſly, unſeaſonably be angry with his Brother, he ſhall be liable to the puniſhments that are to be inflicted by the Judges. Look what puniſhments they in the Sanhedrim inflicted upon actual and apparent Murderers, the ſame were they liable to, and did deſerve at the hands of God, who were guilty of this ſecret kind of Murther, viz. Raſh Anger. From the different degrees of puniſhments among the Jews, Chriſt would ſhew the degrees of puniſhment in another world, according to the greatneſs of mens ſins; as if he ſhould ſay, Look as among you Jews, there are different offences, ſome are judged in your little Counſel of three, and others are judged in your Counſel of three and twenty, and others in your great Sanhedrim, So in the high Court of Heaven, ſome ſins, as Raſh Anger, are leſs puniſhed; and others are more ſorely puniſhed, as when your Raſh Anger ſhall break forth into railings, &c. In theſe words, Whoſoever is angry with his Brother without a cauſe, ſhall be in danger of Judgment. You may ſee that Chriſt gives as much to Raſh Anger, as the Jews did to Murther; as if he ſhould have ſaid, You Phariſees exceed all meaſure and bounds in your anger, and with a malicious heart, you rail upon the moſt innocent perſons, upon me and my Diſciples; but I would have you take heed of Raſh Anger, for you ſhall have greater torments in Hell for your Raſh anger, than thoſe that Murderers ſuffer by your Counſel of three and twenty: But theſe words, he ſhall be in danger of Judgment, do p. 165contain the reward and puniſhment of unlawful anger; as if our Saviour had ſaid, Raſh Anger ſhall not eſcape juſt puniſhment, but ſhall be arraigned and ſummoned before Gods Tribunal at the dreadful day of Judgment, when the angry man ſhall not be able to anſwer one word of a thouſand.

The ſecond kind of ſecret Murder is to ſay to our Brother 2. Whether the word Raca be Hebrew or ſome ſay, as Syriack as others ſay, or Chaldee, it matters not; for all agree in this, that it is a word that notes ſcorn and contempt, &c. Lapide. Vide, Weemes on the judicial Law of Moſes, and Dr. Field of the Church. Michael Maronita.Raca, that is ſay ſome, O vain man; others ſay it ſignifies a brainleſs Fellow; and the learned Tremellius ſaith, it ſignifies one void of judgment, reaſon, and brains. Some will have this word Raca come of the Greek, foreign. Racos, Cloth, as though one ſhould call a man a baſe patch, or piece of cloath, or beggarly: Raca, ſignifies an idle head, a light brain; for ſo (Rik) in the Hebrew, (to which the Syriack word Racha agreeth both in ſound and ſenſe) ſignifieth light or vain: Racha is a Syriack word, and ſignifies ſay ſome, theſe three things: 1. Empty, as empty of wealth, or poor; or as ſome empty of brains, or wit; or as others, a light head, or cock-brain, wide and empty of wiſdom or underſtanding. 2. It ſignifies ſpittle or ſpit upon, to ſignifie that they eſteemed one another no better than the ſpittle they ſpat out of their mouths. 3. It ſignifies contemned, vile, deſpiſed, abject, and in this ſignification, one in his Proeme of the Syriack Grammer, thinks it to be taken. The Ethiopian expounds Racha thus, He that ſhall ſay to his Brother, be poor by contempt, and of torne Garments, ſhall be guilty of the Counſel; ſuch a one ſaith our Saviour, Shall be in danger of the Counſel; that is, contract as great guilt unto himſelf, and is ſubject to as ſevere a judgment in the Court of Heaven, as any capital crime that is cenſured in the Sanhedrim, or High-Court of the Jews. But

The third kind of ſecret Murder, is an open reviling and 3reproaching of a Brother in theſe words, But whoſoever ſhall ſay thou Fool, ſhall be in danger of Hell-fire. Thou Fool, this is a word of greater diſgrace than the former. foreign ſignifies unſavory, or without relliſh; a Fool here is by a metaphor, called inſipid, Hebrew foreign Sote, which we call Sot, ſhall be in danger of Hell-fire, or to be caſt into p. 166Gehenna; Gehenna comes from the Hebrew word Gettinnom, that is the Valley of Hinnom, lying near the City of Jeruſalem, in which Valley, in former times the Itolatrous Joſh. 15. 8.Josh 15:8Jews, cauſed their Children to be burned alive between the glowing arms of the brazen Image of Moloch, (imitating vide 2. King. 23 10. Jer. 7. 31. Jer. 32. 35. Jer. 19. 4, 5, 6.2 Kgs 23:10Jer 7:31Jer 32:35Jer 19:4Jer 19:5Jer 19:6the Abominations of the Heathen.) And hence the Scripture often makes uſe of that word, to ſignifie the place of eternal puniſhment, where the damned muſt abide under the wrath of God for ever. There were four kinds of puniſhments exerciſed among the Jews. Firſt: Stranglings. 2. The Sword. 3. Stoning. 4. The Fire. Now this laſt, they always judged the worſt, as Beza affirms upon this very place. In theſe words, Shall be in danger of Hell-fire, Chriſt alludes to the great Sanhedrim, and the higheſt degree of puniſhment that was inflicted by them, namely, to be burned in the Valley of Hinnom, which by a known Metaphor is transferred to Hell it ſelf, and the inexpreſſible torments thereof: For, as thoſe poor wretches being incloſed in a brazen Idol-heat with fire, were miſerably tormented in this Valley of Hinnom. So the wicked being caſt into Hell, the Priſon of the damn'd ſhall be eternally tormented in unquenchable fire. This Valley of Hinnom, by reaſon of the pollution of it with ſlaughter, blood, and ſtencth of Carkaſſes, did become ſo execrable, that Hell it ſelf did afterwards inherit the ſame Name, and was called Gehenna of this very place. And that 1. In reſpect of the hollowneſs and depth thereof, being a low and deep Valley. 2. This Valley of Hinnom was a place of miſery in regard of thoſe many ſlaughters that were committed in it through their barbarous Idolatry. So Hell is a place of miſery, and infelicity, wherein there is nothing but ſorrow. 3. Thirdly: By the bitter and lamentable crys of poor Infants in this Valley, is ſhadowed out the crys and lamentable torments of the damned in Hell. 4. In this Valley of Hinnom was another fire which was kept continually burning for the conſuming of dead Carkaſſes, and filth, and the garbidge that came out of the City. Now our Saviour, p. 167by the fire of Gehenna, in this Mat. 5. 22. hath reference principally to this fire, ſignifying hereby, the perpetuity and everlaſtingneſs of Helliſh pains: To this laſt judgment of the Sanhedrim, viz. Burning: Doth Chriſt appropriate that kind of Murder, which is by open reviling of a Brother, that he might notifie the heynouſneſs of this ſin; marke in this Scripture, Judgment, Councel, and Hell fire do but ſignifie three degrees of the ſame puniſhment, &c.

See alſo Matth. 5. 29, 30. And if thy right Eye offend thee, pluck it out, and caſt it from thee; for it is profitable for thee, that one of thy Members ſhould periſh, and not that thy whole body ſhould be caſt into Hell: And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and caſt it from thee; for it is profitable for thee, that one of thy Members ſhould periſh, and not that thy whole body ſhould be caſt into Hellfire. Julian taking theſe commands literally, mockt at Chriſtian Religion, as fooliſh, cruel, and vain, becauſe they require men to maim their members. He mockt at Chriſtians, becauſe no man did it; and he mockt at Chriſt becauſe no man obeyed him; but this Apoſtate, might have ſeen from the ſcope, that theſe words were not to be taken literally, but figuratively. Some of the Antients, by the right hand, and the right eye, do underſtand, Relations, Friends, or any other dear enjoyments, which draws the heart from God. Others of them, by the right eye, and the right hand, do underſtand ſuch darling ſins that are as dear to men, as their right eyes, and right hands. That this Hell here ſpoken of, is not meant of the Grave, into which the body ſhall be laid, is moſt evident, becauſe thoſe Chriſtians, who do pull out their right eyes, and cut off their right hands, (that is, mortifie thoſe ſpecial ſins which are as dear and near to them, as the very members of their bodies) ſhall be ſecured, and delivered from this Hell, whereas none ſhall be exempted from the Grave, though they are the choyceſt perſons on Earth for grace and holineſs. Death, like the Duke of Parma's Sword, knows no difference twixt Robes and p. 168Raggs twixt Prince and Peaſant. All fleſh is graſs: The Iſa. 40. 6.Isa 40:6fleſh of Princes, Nobles, Counſellors, Generals, &c. is graſs, as well as the fleſh of the meaneſt Beggar that walks the Streets, The mortal Sythe (ſaith one) is maſter H…rat. l. 1. Oct. 28.of the Royal Scepter, it mows down the Lillies of the Crown, as well as the Graſs of the Field. Never was there Oratour ſo Eloquent, nor Monarch ſo Potent, that could either D…aths Motto is Nulli cedo.perſwade, or withſtand the ſtroak of death when it came. It is one of Solomons ſacred Aphoriſms, The Rich and the Poor meet together, ſomtimes in the ſame Bed, ſomtimes Prov. 22. 2.Prov 22:2at the ſame Board, and ſomtimes in the ſame Grave. Death is the common Inne of all Man-kind; There is no defence againſt the ſtroak of death, nor no diſcharge in that H…b 9. 27. Eccleſ. 8. 8.Eccl 8:8War. Death is that only King, againſt whom, there is no riſing up. If your Houſes be fired, by good help they Prov. 30. 31.Prov 30:31may be quenched; if the Sea break out, by art and induſtry it may be repaired. If Princes Invade by power and policy, they may be repulſed: If Devils from Hell ſhall tempt by aſſiſtance from Heaven, they may be reſiſted. But Death comes into Royal Pallaces, and into the meaneſt Cottages, and there is not a man to be found that can make reſiſtance againſt this King of terrors, and terrour of Kings: Deaths Motto is Nemini parco, I ſpare none. Thus you ſee, that by Hell, in Math. 5. 29, 30. You may not, you cannot underſtand the Grave, and therefore by it, you muſt underſtand the place of the damned. But if you pleaſe, you may caſt your eye upon another Scripture, viz. Math. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the ſoul; but rather fear him which is able to deſtroy both ſoul and body in Hell. The word (rather) is not a comparative, but an adverſative. We ſhould not fear man at all, when he ſtands in competition with God. So Victorian, the Pro-Conſul of Carthage, being ſollicited to Arrianiſm by the Embaſſadours of King Hunnerick, anſwered thus, Being aſſured of God, and my Lord Chriſt, I tell you, what Victor, Uticens. l. 3. Wand…l. perfecat.you may tell the King, Let him burn me, let him drive me to the Beaſts, let him torment me with all kind of torments, I p. 169ſhall never conſent to be an Arrian; and though the Tyrant afterwards did torture him with very great tortures, yet he could never work him over to Arianiſm. The beſt remedy againſt the ſlaviſh fear of Tyrants, is to ſet that great God up as the object of our fear, who is able to deſtroy both ſoul and body in Hell. Mark, He doth not ſay, to deſtroy ſoul and body ſimply, or abſolutely; ſo that they ſhould be no more (for that many that love their Luſts, and prize the World above a Saviour, would be contented withal, rather than to run the hazard of a fierce, hot perſecution,) but to puniſh them eternally in Hell, where the Worm never dyeth, nor the Fire never goeth out. Now by Hell in this, Math. 10. 28. The Grave cannot be meant, becauſe the ſoul is not deſtroyed Eccleſ. 12 7. Phil. 1. 3.Eccl 12:7Phil 1:3with the body in the Grave, as they both ſhall be (if the perſon be wicked) after the Morning of the Reſurrection in Hell. From the immortality of the ſoul, we may infer the Eternity of mans future condition, the ſoul being immortal, it muſt be immortally happy, or immortally miſerable. It was Luthers complaint of old, We Luther. Tim. 4. 33. 4.more fear the Pope with his Purgatory, than God with his Hell; and we truſt more in the Abſolution of the Pope from Purgatory, than in the true Abſolution of God from Hell; and is it not ſo with many this day, who bears their heads high in the Land, and who look, and long for nothing more, than to ſee Room flouriſhing in the mid'ſt of us?

Take one Scripture more, viz. 1 Pet. 3. 19, 20. By which alſo he went and Preached unto the Spirits in Priſon, Spirits, that is, the Souls departed, not Men, but Spirits, to keep an Analogy to the 18th. ver. Chriſt ſuffered, being made dead in the fleſh, and made alive by the Spirit; in which Spirit he had gon and Preached to them that are now Spirits in Priſon, becauſe they diſobeyed, when the time was, when the Patience of God once waited in the days of Noah. Broughton in his Epiſtle to the Nobility of England. Auguſt, lib. 1. de civ. dei. cap. 17.which ſomtimes were diſobedient. When once the long ſuffering of God waited in the days of Noah. That is, Chriſt by his Spirit, in the Miniſtry of Noah, did Preach p. 170to the men of the Old World, who are now in Hell: In Noahs time they were on Earth, but in Peters time they were in Hell. Mark, Chriſt did not Preach by his Spirit, in his Miniſtry, or any other way to Spirits, who were in Priſon (or in Hell) while he Preached to them. There are no Sermons in Hell, nor any Salvation there. The loving kindneſs of God is abundantly declared on Earth, but it ſhall never be declared in Hell. Look as there is nothing felt in Hell but deſtruction, ſo there is nothing found in Hell of the offers of Salvation. One offer of Chriſt in Hell, would turn Hell into a Heaven. One of the Ancients hath reported the opinion of ſome in his time, who thought, that thou there be deſtruction in Hell, yet not eternal deſtruction, but that Sinners ſhould be puniſhed, ſome a leſſer, others, a longer time, and that at laſt, all ſhall be freed; And yet (ſaith he) Origen was more merciful in this point than theſe men, for he held that the Devil himſelf ſhould be ſaved at laſt. Of this opinion I ſhall ſay no more in this place, then this one thing which he there ſaid. Theſe men will be found to erre by ſo much the more fouly, and againſt the right words of God ſo much the more perverſly, by how much they ſeem to themſelves to judge more mercifully; for indeed the juſtice of God in puniſhing of Sinners, is as much above Iſa. 55. 7, 8, 9.Isa 55:7Isa 55:8Isa 55:9the reach of mans thoughts, as his mercies in pardoning them are. O let not ſuch, who have neglected the great Heb. 2. 3.Heb 2:3Salvation when they were on Earth, ever expect to have an offer of Salvation made to them when they are in Hell; conſult theſe Scriptures, Math. 25. 30. Math. 13. 41, 42. Rev. 9. 2. … Rev. 14. 19, 20. Rev. 20. 1, 2, 3, 7. I muſt make haſt, and therefore may not ſtand upon the opening of theſe Scriptures, having ſaid enough already to prove both out of the Old and New Teſtament that there is a Hell, a place of torment, provided and prepared for all wicked and ungodly men. But

The third Argument to prove that there is a Hell, is this. The beams of natural light in ſome of the Heathens have made ſuch impreſſions on the heart of natural p. 171Conſcience, that ſeveral of them have had confuſed notions of a Hell, as well as of a Judgment to come. Though the poor blind Heathens were ignorant of Chriſt and the Goſpel, and the great work of Redemption, &c. yet by the light of Nature, and reaſonings from thence, they did attain to the underſtanding of a Deity, who was both juſt and good; as alſo, that the ſoul was immortal, and that both rewards and puniſhments were prepared for the ſouls of men after this life, according as they were found either vertuous or vicious. Profound Bradwardine, and Bradw. de cauſa dei. l. 1. c 1. &c.ſeveral others have produced many proofs concerning their apprehenſions of this truth. What made the Heathen Emperour Adrian, when he lay a dying, cry out, O animula vagula blandula, &c. O my little wretched wandring ſoul, whether art thou now haſting, &c. Oh what will become of me? live I cannot, dye I dare not, but ſome diſcoveries of Hell, of wrath to come. Look as theſe poor Heathens did feign ſuch a place as the Elizean Fields, where the Vertuous ſhould ſpend an Eternity in pleaſures; ſo alſo they did feign a place called Tartarum, or Hell, where the Vicious ſhould be Eternally tormented. Tertullian, and after him, Chryſoſtom affirmeth, that Poets and Phyloſophers, and all ſorts of men, ſpeaking of a future retribution, have ſaid, that many are puniſht in Hell. Plato is very plain, that whoever are not expiated, but prophane, ſhall go into Hell to be tormented for their wickedneſſes, with the greateſt, moſt bitter and terrible puniſhments for ever in that Priſon in Hell. And Jupiter ſpeaking to the other Gods concerning the Grecians and Trojans, ſaith