The Greatness of the Soul, Sermon (3 of 3)
3. Add to these, the durable condition that the …ody in this state is now in with the Soul. Time …as when the Soul dyed, and the Body lived, and …hat the Soul was tormented while the Body slept …nd rested in the Dust, but now these things are past; …or at the Day of Judgment, as I said, these two shall … …e-united, and that which once did separate them, … dstroyed then of necessity they must abide together, …nd as together abide the Punishment prepared for …hem: and this will greaten the Torment of the Body.
Death was once the Wages of Sin, and a grievous Curse, but might the Damned meet with it in Hell, they would count it a Mercy, because it would separate Soul and Body, and not only so, but take away all sense from the Body, and make it incapable of suffering torment: yea, I will add, and by that means give the Soul some ease: for without doubt▪ as the Torments of the Soul extend themselves to the … so the Torments of the Body extend themselves the Soul; nor can it be otherwise, because of … and sympathy. But death, natural death, shall destroyed, and there shall be no more (natural dea… no not in Hell. And now it shall happen to Men, h1 Cor. 15. 26.it hath done in less and inferior Judgments, iJer. 9. 21. Rev. 9. 6.… shall seek death and desire to dye, and death shall not found by them: Thus therefore they must abide tog…ther, death that used to separate them asunder, now slain, 1. Because it was an enmy in keepi… Christ's Body in the Grave. And 2. because Friend to carnal Men in that, though it was a Punis…ment in it self, yet while it lasted and had domini… over the Body of the Wicked, it hindred them … that great and just judgment which for Sin was … unto them; and this is the third Discovery of th… manner and way of punishing of the Body. But,
4. There will then be such things to be seen an… heard, which the Eye and the Ear (to say no mor… than has been said of the sense of feeling) will … and hear, that will greatly aggravate the Punish…ment of the Body in Hell: For though the Eye … the Window, and the Ear a Door for the Soul to look out at, and also to receive in by; yet whatever go…eth in at the Ear or the Eye, leaves influence upo… the Body, whether it be that which the Soul delighteth in, or that which the Soul abhorreth; for as the Eye affecteth the Heart, or Soul, so the Eye and kLam. 3. 51.Ear by hearing and beholding, both oft-times afflict the Body, W…en I heard, my b…y trembled, rottenness lHab. 3. 16.entred into my bones.
Now I say, as the Body after its resurrection mDan. 12. 2. Joh. 5. 29.to damnation, to everlasting shame and contempt, will receive all its senses again, so it will have matter to exercise them upon, not only to the letting into the Soul, those aggravations which they by hearing, feeling and seeing are capable to let in thither, but I say, they will have matter and things to exercise themselves upon for the helping forward of the Torment of the Body: under temporal Judgments of old, the Body as well as the Soul had no ease, day nor night, and that not only by reason of what was felt, but by reason of what was heard and seen. In the Morning thou shalt say, would God it were even, and at even thou shalt say, would God it were Morning. 1. For the fear of thine heart, wherewith thou shalt fear. 2. And nDeut. 28. 97. v. 34.for the sight of thine eyes, which thou shalt see; Nay he tells them a little before, That they should be mad for the sight of their eyes which they should see.
See! Why, what shall they see? Why, themselves in Hell with others like them, and this will be a Torment to their Body, there is bodily torment as I said, ministred to the Body by the Senses of the Body. What think you? If a Man saw himself in Prison, in Irons, upon the Ladder, with the Rope about his Neck, would not this be distress to the Body, as well as to the Mind? To the Body doubtless! witness the heavy Looks, the shaking Legs, trembling Knees, pale Face, and beating and aking Heart; how much more then, when Men shall see themselves in the oLuk. 16. 28.most dreadful Place, it is a fearful Place doubtless to all to behold themselves in, that shall come thither.
Again, They shall see others there, and shall b… them see themselves. There is an art, by which … Man may make his Neighbour look so ghastly, tha… he shall fright himself by looking on him, especiall… when he thinks of himself, that he is of the sam… shew also. 'Tis said concerning Men at the downf… of Babylon, That they shall be amazed one at ano…ther, pIsa. 13. 8.for their faces shall be as flames. An… what if one should say, that even as it is wit… an House set on fire within, where the Flame ascend out at the Chimnies, out at the Windows, and th… smoak out at every chink and crevis that it can find so it will be with the Damned in Hell. That So… will breath Hell-fire and smoak, and coals will see… to hang upon its burning lips; yea, the Face, Eye and Ears will seem all to be Chimnies and Vents fo… the Flame and Smoak of the Burning which God b… his breath hath kindled therein, and upon them which will be beheld one in another, to the grea… torment and distress of each other.
What shall I say? here will be seen Devils, an… here will be heard howlings, and mournings, her… will the Soul see it self at an infinite distance fro… God, yea, the Body will see it too. In a Word who knows the Power of God's Wrath, the Weigh… of Sin, the Torments of Hell, and the Length … Eternity? If none, then none can tell, when the… have said what they can, the intollerableness of th… Torments that will swallow up the Soul, the lost Sou… when it is cast away by God, and from him, int… outer darkness for Sin: But thus much for the Caus… of the Loss of the Soul.
I now come to the second Doctrine that I gathere… from the Words, namely, That how unconcerned a… …areless soever some now be about the Loss or Salvation …f their Souls, the Day is coming (but it will then be … late) when Men will be willing, had they never so much, to give it all in exchange for their Souls.
There are four things in the Words, that do prove this Doctrine:
1. There is an intimation of Life and Sense in the Man that has lost, and that after he has lost his Soul … Hell; Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? These words are by no means applicable to the … that has no life or sense: for he that is dead according to our common acceptation of death, that is …eprived of life and sense, would not give two pence … change his state: Therefore the words do intimate that the Man is yet alive and sensible. Now were a Man alive and sensible, though he was in none other place than the Grave, there to be confined, while others are at liberty, what would he give in exchange …or his place, and to be rid of that for a better? but …ow much more to be delivered from Hell, the present place and state of his Soul.
2. There is in the Text, an intimation of a sense of Torment; Or what shall a Man give in exchange for … Soul? I am tormented in this flame. Torment then, … Soul is sensible of, and that there is a place of ease … peace: And from the sense and feeling of torment, he would give, yea, what would he not give …n exchange for his Soul?
3. There is in the Text an intimation of the intolerableness of the Torment, because that it supposeth that the Man whose Soul is swallowed up therewith, would give all, were his all never so great …n exchange for his Soul.
4. There is yet in the Text an intimation that the Soul is sensible of the lastingness of the punishment; or else the question rather argues a Man unwary than considerate in his offering, as is suppose… by Christ, so largely, his all in exchange for … Soul.
But we will in this manner proceed no further, h… take it for granted, that the Doctrine is good wherefore I shall next enquire after what is contai…ed in this truth. And first, That God has undertake… and will accomplish, the breaking of the Spirits of … the World, either by his grace and mercy to Salvati… or by his justice and severity to damnation.
The damned Soul under consideration is certain… supposed, as by the Doctrine, so by the Text, … be utterly careless, and without regard of Salvatio… so long as the acceptable time did last, and as the whi… Flag, that signifies terms of peace, did hang out, a… therefore it is said to be lost: But behold now it careful, but now it is solicitous, but now, What sh… a Man give in exchange for his Soul? He of who… you read in the Gospel, that could tend to do nothin… in the days of the Gospel, but to find out how to be… cloathed in Purple and fine Linnen, and to fare sump…tuously every day, was by God brought so do… and laid so low at last, that he could crouchqLuk. 16. 19, 24. and cringe and beg for one small drop of Water … cool his Tongue; a thing that but a little before … would have thought scorn to have done, when … also thought scorn to stoop to the Grace and Merc… of the Gospel. But God was resolved to break … Spirit, and the Pride of his Heart, and to humbl… his lofty Looks, if not by his Mercy, yet by his Ju…stice; if not by his Grace, yet by Hell-fire.
This he also threatens to bring upon the FoolrProv. 1. 22, 23, 24, 25, 2… ▪ 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32. Zech. 7. 11, 12, 13. i… the Proverbs, They shall call, they shall seek, the …all cry. Who shall do so? the answer is, They that …ometimes scorned either to seek, or call, or cry: …hey that stopped their ears, that pulled away their …houlders, and that refused to seek, or call, or cry to God for Mercy.
Sinner, careless Sinner, didst thou take notice of …his first Inference that I have drawn from my se…ond Doctrine? If thou didst, yet read it again, 'tis …his, God has undertaken and will accomplish the breaking …f the Spirits of all the World, either by his grace and …ercy unto Salvation, or by his justice and severity to Damnation.
The reason for this is this, God is resolved to have …he M…stery, he is resolved to have the Victory. sIsa. 27. 4.Who will set the Bryars and Thorns against me in Battle, I will go through them and burn them together. I will march against them God is merciful and is come forth into the World by his Son, tendering of Grace unto Sinners by the Gospel, and would willingly make a Conquest over them for their good by h…s Mercy, now he being come out, Sinners like Bryars and Thorns do set themselves against him, and will have none of his mercy: well, but what says God? saith he, Then I will march on, I will go through …hem, and burn them together. I am resolved to have the Mastery one way or another: if they will not bend to me, and accept of my Mercy in the Gosgel, I will bend them and break them by my Justice in Hell-fire; they say, they will not bend, I say they shall; now they shall know whose word shall stand, tJer. 44. 25, 26, 27, 28.mine or theirs: Wherefore the Apostle, when he saw that some of the Corinthians begun to be unruly, and to do those things that did begin to hazard them, saith, Do ye provoke the Lord to jealousie, are ye stronger u1 Cor. 10. 20, 21, 22.than he? as who should say, my brethren, a… you aware what you do? do you not understand tha… God is resolved to have the Mastery one way or ano…ther. And are you stronger than he? if not, trembl… before him, or he will certainly have you under hi… feet. I will tread them in mine anger, and trample the… wIsa. 63. 3.in my fury: Thus he speaks of them that se… themselves against him, therefore beware. No… the reason of this resolution of God, it flows from a Determination in him to make all his sayings good▪ and to verifie them on the Consciences of Sinners. And since the incredulous World will not belie? now, and fly from wrath, they shall shortly believe and cry under it: since they will not now credit the Word before they see, unto salvation, they shall be made to credit it by sense and feeling unto damnation.
The second Inference that I draw from my second Doctrine is this, That it is, and will be the lot of some to bow, and break before God too late, or when it is too late.
God is resolved, as I said, to have the Mastery, and that not only in a way of Dominion and Lordship in general, for that he has now; but he is resolved to master, that is, to break the Spirit of the World, to make all Men cringe and crouch unto him, even those that now say, There is no God; or if there be, yet, what's the Almighty that we should xPsal. 14. 1. Job 21. 15. Mal. 3. 14.serve him?
This is little thought of by those that now harden their hearts in wickedness, and that turn their Spirit against God, but this they shall think of, this they y2 Pet. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4.must think of, this God will make them think of … that day; at which day they also now do mock and …eride, that the Scripture might be fulfilled upon …hem. And I say, they shall think then of those …hings, and break at heart, and melt under the Hand, …nd Power and Majesty of the Almighty; For, As I …ive, saith God, every knee shall bow to me, every tongue zIsa. 45. 23. Rom. 14. 10, 11, 12.shall confess to God: And again, The Nations shall see and be confounded at all their might, they shall …ay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf; they shall lick the Dust like a Serpent, they shall move out of their holes like Worms, or aMal. 7. 16, 17.creeping things of the Earth, they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear because of thee.
For then they, will they, nill they, shall have to do with God, though not with him as merciful, or as one that may be intreated: yet with him as just, and as devouring fire: yea, they shall see that Face, bHeb. 12. last vers.and hear that Voice, from whom, and from which the Heavens and the Earth will fly away and find no place of stay. And by this appearance, and by such words of his mouth as he then will speak to them, they shall begin to tremble, and call for the Rocks to fall upon them and cover them: For if these things will happen at the Execution of inferior Judgments, What will be done! what effects will the last, most dreadful and eternal Judgment have upon Men's Souls?
Hence you find, that at the very first appearance of Jesus Christ, the whole World begins to mourn and lament, Every eye shall see him, and they also that cRev. 1. 7.pierced him, and all Kindreds of the Earth shall wail because of him: And therefore you also find them to stand at the Door and knock, saying, dLuke 13. 25, 26. Matth. 25.Lord, Lord, open unto us. Moreover you find them also desiring, yea, also so humble i… their desires, as to be content with the least degree of Mercy, one drop, one drop upon the tip of ones Finger: What stooping, what condescention, what humility is here? All and every one of those passages declare that the Hand of God is upon them, and that the Almighty has got the Mastery of them, has conquered them, broke the Pride of their Power, and laid them low, and made them cringe and crouch unto him, bending the Knee, and craving of kindness.
Thus then will God bow, and bend, and break them; yea, make them bow, and bend, and break before him. And hence also it is that they will weep, and mourn, and gnash their Teeth, and cry, and repent that ever they have been so foolish, so wicked, so traiterous to their Souls, and such enemies of their own eternal happiness, as to stand out in the day of their visitation, in a way of rebellion against the Lord.
But here is their hard hap, their dismal lot and portion; that all these things must be when 'tis too late. It is, and will be the lot, and hap of these to eMatth. 25.bow, bend and break too late.
You read, They come weeping and mourning and with tears, they knock and cry for mercy, but what did tears avail? why nothing, for the door was shut. He answered and said, I know you not whence you are: fLuke 13. 26, 27, 28.But they repeat and renew their suit, saying, We have eat and drank in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. What now? Why, he returns upon them his first answer the second time, saying, I tell you, I know you not whence you are: depart from me all ye workers of iniquity: Then he concludes, There shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and your selves thrust out. They come weeping, and go weeping away. They come to him weeping, for they saw that he had conquered them, but they departed weeping, for they saw that he would damn them: yet, as we read in another place, they were very loth to go from him by their reasoning and expostulating with him, Lord when saw we thee an hungred, or thirsty, or a stranger, gMatth. 25. 44, 46.or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? But all would not do, here is no place for change of mind, These shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the Righteous into life eternal. And now what would a Man give in exchange for his Soul? so that as I said before, all is too late, they mourn too late, they repent too late, they pray too late, and seek to make an exchange for their Soul too late.
Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? Two or three things there may yet be gathered from these Words; I mean as to the Desires of them that have lost their Souls, to make for them an exchange: What shall a Man give in exchange? What shall? what would? yea, what would not a Man, if he had it, give in exchange for his Soul?
1. What would not a Man, I mean a Man in the Condition, that is by the Text supposed, some Men are, and will be in, give in exchange, to have another Man's Vertues instead of their own Vices? Let me dye the death of the Righteous. Let my Soul be in the state of the Soul of the Righteous, that is, with reference to his vertues, when I dye, and let my last end hNumb. 23. 10.be like his. 'Tis a sport now to some to taunt and squib, and deride at other Men's Vertues, but▪ the Day is coming when their minds will be changed, and when they shall be made to count those that have done those righteous actions and duties which they have scoffed at, the only blessed Men. Yea, they shall wish their Soul in the blessed Possession of those Graces and Vertues that those whom they hated were accompanied with; and would if they had it, give a whole World for this change, but it will not now do, it is now too late, what then shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? and this is more than intimated in that 25th of Matthew, named before: for yo… find by that Text, how loth they were, or will be, to be counted for unrighteous People. Lord, say they, when did we see thee an hungred, or a thirst, naked, or sick, and did not minister unto thee. Now they are not willing to be of the Number of the Wicked, though heretofore the ways of the Righteous were an abomination to them: But alas! they are before a just God, a just Judge, a Judge that will give every one according to their ways; therefore, Woe to the Soul of the Wicked now: iIsa. 3. 11.It shall go ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him: thus therefore he is lockt up as to this, he cannot now change his vices for vertues, nor put himself or his Soul in the stead of the Soul of the saved; so that it still, and will for ever abide a question unresolved, Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul? I do not doubt but that a Man's state may be such in this World, that if he had it, he would give thousands of Gold, to be as innocent and guiltless in the Judgment of the Law of the Land, as is the state of such, or such, heartily wishing that himself was not that he that he is: how much more then will Men wish thus when they stand ready to receive the …ast, their eternal judgment, But what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul?
2. As they would for the Salvation of their Souls be glad to change away their Vices for the Vertues, their Sins for the good Deeds of others: so what would they not give to change places now, or to remove from where now they are, into Paradise, into Abraham's Bosom.
But neither shall this be admitted, the R…ghteous must have their inheritance to themselves; Neither, said Abraham, can they pass to us, that would come from kLuk. 16. 26.thence: neither can they dwell in Heaven that would come from Hell.
They then that have lost, or shall lose their Souls, are bound to their place, as well as to their sins. When Judas went to Hell, he went to his home, lActs 1. 25.to his own place; and when the Righteous go hence, they also go home to their House, to their mMat. 25. 34.own place; for the Kingdom of Heaven is prepared for them. Between Heaven and Hell, there is a nLuke 12. 32.great gulf fixed; that is, a strong passage, there is a great gulf fixed.
What this gulf is, and how impossible, they that shall lose their Souls will know to their woe; because it is fixed there where it is, on purpose to keep them in their tormenting place, so that they that would pass from Hell to Heaven cannot. But I say, Would they not change places? would they not have a more comfortable House and Home for their Souls? Yes verily, the Text supposes it, and the sixteenth of Luke affirms it: Yea, and could they purchase for their Soul a Habitation among the Righteous, would they not? Yes, they would give all the World for such a Change. What shall, what shall not a Man, if he had it, if it would answer his design, give in exchange for his Soul?
3. As the Damned would change their own Vices for Vertues, and the Place where they are for that into which they shall not come; so, What would they give for a change of condition? Yea, if an absolute change may not be obtained, yet what would they give for the least degree of mitigation of that torment which now they know will without any intermission be, and that for ever and ever. Tribulation, oRom. 2. 8, 9. 2 Thes. 1. 7, 8, 9, 10.and anguish, indignation and wrath, the gnawing Worm, and everlasting destruction from the Presence of the Lord, and from the Glory of his Power, cannot be born but with great horror and grief, no marvel then if these poor Creatures would for ease for their Souls be glad to change their Conditions; Change! with whom? with an Angel, with a Saint, Ay, with a Dog or a Toad; for they mourn not, they weep not, nor do they bear indignation of wrath, they are as if they had not been; only the sinful▪ Soul abides in its Sins, in the Place designed for lost Soul, and in the Condition that Wrath and Indignation for Sin and Transgression hath decreed them to abide for ever. And this brings me to the Conclusion, which is, That seeing the ungodly do seek good things too late: therefore notwithstanding their seeking, they must still abide in their place, their sins, and their torment: For what can a Man give in exchange for his Soul? Therefore God saith, that they there must still abide and dwell, no exchange can pIsa. 50. 11▪ compare Ezek. 32. v. 25. and v. 27.be made, This shall they have of mine hand, they shall lye down in sorrow; they shall lie down in it, they shall make their Bed there, there they shall lie. And this is the bitter Pill that they must swallow down at last, for after all their tears, their sorrows, their mournings, their repentings, their wishings and wouldings, and all their inventings, and desires to change their state for a better; they must lie down in sorrow. The poor condemned Man that is upon the Ladder or Scaffold, has, if one knew them, many a long wish and long desire that he might come down again alive, or that his condition was as one of the Spectators that are not condemned, and brought thither to be executed as he: how carefully also doth he look with his failing eyes, to see if some comes not from the King with a Pardon for him, all the while endeavouring to fumble away, as well as he can, and to prolong the minute of his execution: but at last, when he has looked, when he has wished, when he has desired, and done whatever he can, the blow with the Ax, or turn with the Ladder, is his lot, so he goes off the Scaffold, so he goes from among Men: And thus it will be with those that we have under consideration, when all comes to all, and they have said, and wished, and done what they can, the Judgment must not be reversed, they must lie down in sorrow.
They must, or shall lie down. Of old, when a Man was to be chastized for his fault, he was to lie down to receive his stripes: so here, saith the Lord, they shall lie down, And it shall be if the wicked Man be qDeut. 25. 2.worthy to be beaten, the Judge shall cause him to lie down, and to be beaten before his Face. And this lying down was to be his lot, after he had pleaded for himself what he could, and the Judge shall cause him to be beaten before his face, while he is present to behold the execution of judgment; and thus it shall be at the End of the World: the wicked shall lie down and shall be beaten with many stripes in the presence of Christ, and r2 Thess. 1. Rev. 14. 10.in the presence of the holy Angels. For there will be his presence not only at the tryal as judge, but to see execution done, nay to do it himself, by the pouring out like a River, his Wrath as burning Brimstone upon the Soul of the lost and cast-away Sinner.
He shall lie down; These words imply, that at last the damned Soul shall submit; for to lie down, is an act that signifies submission, especially to lie dow… to be beaten. The wicked shall be silent in darkness▪ When s2 Sam. 2. 9.the Malefactor has said and wished all that he can, yet at last he submits, is silent, and as it were, helps to put his Head into the Halter, or doth lay down his Neck upon the Block: So here it is said of the damned, They shall lie down in sorrow; there is also a place that saith, These shall go away into everlasting tMat. 25. 46.punishment: To go, to go to punishment, is also an act of submission: Now submission to punishment, doth, or should flow from full conviction of the merit of punishment; and I think it is so to be understood here: For uRom. 3. 19. Luke 13. 25, 26, 27, 28▪ Matth. 25. 44. Rom. 3. 4.every Mouth shall be stopt, and all the World (of Soul-losers) become guilty before God. Every Mouth shall be stopt, not at the beginning of the Judgment, for then they plead and pray, and also object against the Judge; but at the End, after that by a judicial Proceeding, he shall have justified against them his sayings, and have overcome these his Judges, then they shall submit, and also lie down in sorrow: yea, they shall go away … their punishment, as those who know they deserve …; Yea, they shall go away with silence. Now,
How they shall behave themselves in Hell (I will …ot here dispute) whether in a way of rage and blasphemy, and in rending and tearing of the name and just actions of God towards them, or whether by way of submission there: I say, though this is none of this task, yet a word or two if you please.
Doubtless they will not be mute there; they will …ry, and wail, and gnash their teeth, and perhaps too sometimes at God, but I do not think but that the …tice that they have deserved, and the equal admi…istration of it upon them, will for the most part prevail with them to rend and tear themselves, to acquit and justifie God, and to add fuel to their fire, by concluding themselves in all the fault, and that they have sufficiently merited this just damnation; for it would seem strange to me, that just judgment among Men shall terminate in this issue, if God should not justifie himself in the Conscience of all the damned. But as here on Earth, so he will let them know, that go to Hell, that he hath not done without a Cause, a sufficient wEzek. 14. 23.Cause, all that he hath done … damning of them.
I come now to make some Use and Application of the whole. And
1. If the Soul be so excellent a thing, as we have made it appear to be, and if the Loss thereof be so great a Loss; then here you may see who they are that are those extravagant ones, I mean those that are such in the highest degree. Solomon tells us of a great Waster, and saith also, that he that is slothful in his business, is xProv. 18. 9.Brother to such an one. Who Solomon had his eye upon, or who it was that he counted so great a Waster, I cannot tell▪ but I will challenge all the World to shew me one, that for wasting and destroying, may be compared to him, that for the lusts and pleasures of this life will hazzard the Los… of his Soul. Many Men will be so profuse, and will spend at that prodigal rate, that they will bring a thousand pound a year to five hundred, and five hundred to fifty, and some also will bring that fifty to less than nine pence; but what is this to him that shall never leave losing until he has lost his Soul? I have heard of some who would throw away a Farm, a good Estate upon the trundling of one single Bow…. But what is this to the casting away the Soul? I say what is this to the Loss of the Soul, and that for less than the trundling of a Bowl. Nothing can for badness be compared to sin, it is the vile thing, it cannot have a worse Name than its own: it is worse than the vilest Man, than the vilest of Beasts: yea, sin is worse than the Devil himself, for it is sin, and sin only that hath made the Devils Devils: and yet for this, for this vile, this yJer. 44. 4.abominable thing, some Men, yea, most Men will venture the Loss of their Soul: yea, they will mortgage, pawn, and set their Souls to sale for it: Is not this a great Waster? doth not this Man deserve to be ranked among the extravagant ones? What think you of him who when he tempted the Wench to uncleanness, said to her, If thou wilt venture thy Body, I'le venture my Soul? was not here like to be a fine bargain think you? or was not this Man like to be a gainer by so doing? This is he that prizes sin at a higher rate than he doth his immortal Soul; yea, this is he that esteems a quarter of an hours pleasure, more than he fears everlasting damnation: What shall I say? this Man is minded to give more to be damned, than God requires he should give to be saved; is not this an extravagant one? Be aJer. 2. 9, 10, 11, 12.astonished O ye Heavens at this, and be ye horribly afraid! Yea, let all the Angels stand amazed at the unaccountable prodigality of such an one.
Object. 1. But some may say, I cannot believe that God will be so severe, as to cast away into Hell fire an immortal Soul for a little sin.
Answ. I know thou canst not believe it, for if …hou couldest, thou wouldest sooner eat fire, than …n this hazzard; and hence all they that go down …o the Lake of Fire are called the Vnbelievers: and the Lord shall cut thee (that makest this Objection) asunder, bLuke 12. 46.and shall appoint thee thy portion with such, except thou believe the Gospel and repent.
Object. 2. But surely, though God should be so angry at the beginning, it cannot in time, but grieve him to see and hear Souls roaring in Hell, and that for a little sin.
Answer. Whatsoever God doth, it cEccl. 3. 14.abideth for ever: he doth nothing in a passion, or in an angry …it; he proc…edeth with Sinners by the most perfect Rules of Justice, wherefore it would be injustice, to deliver them whom the Law condemneth: yea, he …ould falsify his word, if after a time he should deliver them from Hell, concerning whom he hath solemnly testified, that they shall be there for ever.
Obj. 3. O but, as he is just, so he is merciful, and mercy is pitiful, and very compassionate to the afflicted.
Answ. O but mercy abused, becomes most fearful in tormenting: did you never read that the Lamb turned Lyon, and that the World dRev. 6. 16, 17.will tremble at the Wrath of the Lamb, and be afflicted more at the thoughts of that, than at th… thoughts of any thing that shall happen to them in the day, when God shall call them to an account for their sins?
The time of e2 Cor. 6. 2. Mat. 25. 10. Luk. 13. 25.mercy will be then past, for now is that acceptable time, behold now is the day of salvation: The Gate of mercy will then be shut, and must not be opened again, for now is that Gate open, now it is open for a Door of hope.
The time of shewing pity and compassion will then be at an end: for that as to acting towards Sinne… will last but till the Glass of the World is run, an… when that day is past, mark what God saith, shall follow, I will fProv. 1. 26, 27.laugh at your calamity, I will m…c… when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh like a Whirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you.
Mark you how many pinching expressions the Lord Jesus Christ doth threaten the refusing Sinner with, refuseth him now. I will laugh at him▪ I will mock at him▪ But when Lord wilt thou laugh at, and mock at the impenitent? The answer is, I will laugh at their calamities, and mock when their fear cometh, when their fear cometh as desolation, and their destruction like a Whirl-wind, when distress and anguish cometh upon them.
Obj. 4. But if God Almighty be at this point, and there be no moving of him to mercy at that day: yet we can but lie in Hell till we art burnt out, as the Log doth at the Back of the Fire.
Poor besotted Sinner, is this thy last shift? wilt thou comfort thy self with this? are thy sins so dear, so sweet, so desirable, so profitable to thee, that thou wilt venture a burning in Hell Fire for them till thou art burnt out? is there gIsa. 28▪ 15.nothing else to be done but to make a covenant with Death, and to maintain thy agreement with Hell? is it not better to say now unto God, do not condemn me, and to say now, Lord be merciful to me a Sinner? would not tears, and prayers, and crys, in this acceptable time, to God for mercy, yield thee more benefit in the next World, than to lie and burn out in Hell, will do?
But to come more close to thee, Have not I told …ee already, that there is no such thing as a ceasing … be: that the damned shall never be burned out in Hell? There shall be no more such death, or cause of dissolution for ever: This one thing well considered, breaks not only the neck of that wild conceit, on which thy foolish Objection is built, but will break thy stubborn heart in pieces. For then it follows, that unless thou canst conquer God, or with ease endure to conflict with his sin-revenging wrath, thou wilt be made to mourn while under his everlasting wrath and indignation; and to know that there is not such a thing as a burning out in Hell Fire.
Object. 5. But if this must be my case, I shall have more …ellows; I shall not go to Hell, nor yet burn there alone.
Answ. What again, Is there no breaking of the League that is betwixt Sin and thy Soul? what, resolved to be a self Murderer, a Soul Murderer? what, resolved to murder thine own Soul? but is there any comfort in being hanged with company? in sinking into the bottom of the Sea with company? or in going to Hell, in burning in Hell, and in enduring the everlasting pains of Hell with company? O, besotted wretch! But I tell thee, the more company, the more sorrow, the more fuel, the more fire. Hence the damned Man that we read of in Luk, hLuke 16. 27, 28.desired that his brethren might be so warned and prevailed with, as to be kept out of that place of torment.
But to hasten, I come now to the second Use.
Vse. 2. Is it so? is the Soul such an excellent thing, and the Loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then here you may see who are the greatest Fools in the World, to wit, those who to get the World and its Preferments will neglect God, till they lose their Souls. The rich Man in the Gospel iLuke. 12. 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.was one of these great Fools, for that he was more concerned about what he should do with his Goods, than ho… his Soul should be saved. Some are for venturing their Souls for pleasures, and some are for venturing their Souls for profits; they that venture their Souls for pleasures, have but little excuse for their doings; but they that venture their Soul for profit seem to have much. And they all with (k) one consent began to make excuse; Excuse, for what? Why, for the neglect of the Salvation of their Souls. But what was the cause of their making this excuse? Why, their profits came tumbling in? I have bought a piece of Ground, I have bought five yoak of Oxen, and I have married a (rich) Wife, and therefore I cannot come.
Thus also it was with the Fool first mentioned, his Ground did bring forth plentifully; wherefore he must of necessity forget his Soul, and as he thought, all the Reason of the World he should. Wherefore he falls to crying out, What shall I do? Now had one said, Mind the good of thy Soul, Man; the Answer would have been ready, But where shall I bestow my Goods? If it had been replyed, Stay till Harvest: He returns again, But I have no room where to bestow my Goods? Now tell him of praying, and he answers, He must go to building. Tell him he should frequent Sermons, lIsa. 44. …0.and he replies, He must mind his Work-men. He cannot deliver his Soul, nor say, Is there not a lye in my Right-hand?
And see if in the End he did not become a Fool, for though he accomplished the building of his Barns, and put in there all his Fruits and his Goods, yet even till now his Soul was empty, and void of all that was good; nor did he in singing of that requiem, which he sung to his Soul at last, saying, Soul take thine ease, …, drink, and be merry, shew himself ever the wiser; for in all his labours he had rejected to get that food that indeed is meat and drink for the Soul: nay, in singing this Song he did but provoke God to hasten to send to fetch his Soul to Hell; for so begins the conclusion of the Parable; Thou Fool, this Night shall thy Soul be required of thee, then whose shall those things be which thou hadst provided? So that I say, it is the greatest folly in the World for a Man, upon any pretence whatever, to neglect to make good the salvation of his Soul.
There are six signs of a Fool, and they do all meet in that same Man that concerns no… himself, and that to good purpose, for the salvation of his Soul.
1. A Fool has not an heart when the mProv. 17. 16.price is in his Hand, to get wisdom.
2. 'Tis a sport to a Fool nPro. 10. 23.to do mischief, and to set light by the commission of sin.
3. Fools despise wisdom, Fools oChap. 14. 9.hate knowledge.
4. A Fool after restraint pChap. 1. 7▪ 22.returns to his folly.
5. The way of a Fool qChap. 12. 15.is right in his own eyes.
6. The Fool goes merrily rChap. 7. 22, 23.to the correction of the Stocks.
I might add many more, but these six shall suf… at this time, by which it appears, that the Fool h… no heart for the heavenly prize; yet he has to spo… himself in sin: and when he dispises wisdom, the wa… is yet right before him; yea, if he be for some tim… restrained from vice, he greedily turneth again thereto, and will when he has finished his course of fol… and sin in this World, go as heedlesly, as carelesly, a… unconcernedly, and quietly down the steps to Hell, as the Ox goeth to the Slaughter-House.
This is a Soul Fool, a Fool sLuk. 12. 21.of the biggest Si…, and so is every one also that layeth up treasure fo… himself on Earth, and is not rich towards God.
Obj. 1. But would you not have us mind our worldly concerns?
Answ. Mind them, but mind them in their place, mind thy Soul first and most; the Soul is more than the Body, and eternal life better than temporal; First tMat. 6. 33. 3 John 2.seek the Kingdom of God, and prosper in thy health and thy estate as thy Soul prospers: But as it is rare to see this command obeyed, for the Kingdom of God shall be thought of last: so if John's Wish was to light upon, or happen to some People, they would neither have health, nor wealth in this World. To prosper and be in health, as their Soul prospers: what, to thrive and mend in outwards no faster? then we should have them have consumptive Bodies and low estates, for are not the Souls of most as unthrifty for grace and spiritual health, as is the Tree without Fruit, that is pulled up by the Roots.
Obj. 2. But would you have us sit still and do nothing?
Answ. And must you needs be upon the extreams, must you mind this World to the damning of your Souls, or will you not mind your calling at all? is …here not a middle…way? may you not, must you not get your bread in a way of honest industry, that is ca…ing most for the next World, and u2 Cor. 4. 18.so using of this …s not abusing the same? and then a Man doth so, and … ever but then, when he sets this World and the next …n their proper w1 Cor. 7. 29, 30, 31.places, in his thoughts, in his esteem … judgment, and dealeth with both accordingly. And is there not all the reason in the World for this? … xDeut. 8. 3. Mat. 4. 4. Heb. 10. 39.not the things that are eternal best? will temporal things make thy Soul to live? or art thou none of those that should look after the salvation of their Soul?
Obj. 3. But the most of Men do that which you forbid, and why may not we?
Answ. God says, Thou shalt yEx. 23. 2. Mat. 6. 33.not follow a multitule to do evil. It is not what M…n do, but what God commands; it is not what doth present it zLuke 10. 41, 42. Prov. 16. 32. c. 19. 16.self unto us, but what is best, that we should chuse. Now, He that refuseth instruction, despiseth his own Soul; and …e that keepeth the Commandment keepeth his own Soul. Make not therefore these foolish Objections; but what saith the Word, how readest thou? That tells thee that the pleasures of Sin are but for a Season, that the things that are seen are but temporal, that he is a Fool that is rich in this World, and is not so towards God; and what shall it profit a Man if he shall gain the whole World and lose his own Soul?
Obj. 4. But may one not be equally ingaged for both?
Ans. A divided aHos. 10. 2. Mat. 6. 24. Luk. 16. 13. 1 Joh. 2. 15. Prov. 11. 4. Luk. 21. 34.heart is a naughty one; you cannot serve God and Mammon; if any Man loves the World, the love of the Father is not in him… and yet this objection bespeaks that thy heart… divided, that thou art a Mammonist, or that tho… lovest the World. But will riches profit in the da… of Wrath; yea are they not hurtful in the day … Grace? do they not tend to surfeit the Heart, an… to alienate a Man and his mind from things that an… better?) why then wilt thou set thy heart upon tha… which is not? yea, then what will become of the… that are so far off of minding of their Souls, th… they for whole Days, whole Weeks, whole Month… and Years together, scarce consider whether the… have Souls to save?
Vse 3. But thirdly, Is it so? is the Soul such … excellent thing, and is the Loss thereof so unspeakabl… great? then, This should teach People to be very carefu… to whom they commit the teaching and guidance of their Souls.
This is a business of the greatest concern, Men wil… be careful to whom they commit their Children, who they make the Executors of their Will, in whose Hand they trust the Writing and Evidences of their Lands, but how much more careful should we be, and yet the most are the least of all careful, unto whom they commit the teaching and guidance of their Souls. There are several sorts of Soul Shepherds in the World:
1. There are bZech. 11. 7.Idol Shepherds.
2. There are cZech. 11. 15.foolish Shepherds.
3. There dEzek. 34. 2.are Shepherds that feed themselves and not their Flock.
4. There are eZech. 11. 3.hard hearted and pitiless Shepherds.
5. There are fEzek. 34. 4. 21.Shepherds that instead of healing, …mite, push and wound the diseased.
6. There are Shepherds gJer. 50. 6.that cause their Flocks …o go astray.
7. And there are Shepherds that feed their Flock; …hese are the Shepherds to whom thou shouldest com…it thy Soul for teaching and for guidance.
Quest. You may ask, How should I know those Shepherds?
Answ. First surrender up thy Soul Pet. 2. 25. Joh. 10. 4, 5. 1 Pet. 4. 19. Can. 1. 7, 8. Jer. 3. 15. c. 23. 4.unto God by Christ, and chuse Christ to be the chief Shepherd of thy Soul, and he will direct thee to his Shepherds, and …e will of his mercy set such Shepherds over thee, as shall feed the with Knowledge and Vnderstanding: Before thou hast surrendred up thy Soul to Christ, that he may be thy chief Shepherd, thou canst not find out, nor chuse to put thy Soul under the teaching and guidance of his Under-Shepherds, for thou canst not love them; besides, they are so set forth by false Shepherds, in so many ugly Guizes, and under so many false and scandalous Dresses, that should I direct thee to them, while thou art a stranger to Christ, thou wilt count them deceivers, devourers, and Wolves in Sheeps cloathing, rather than the Shepherds that belong to the great and chief Shepherd, who is also the Bishop of the Soul.
Yet this I will say unto thee, take heed of that Shepherd that careth not for his own Soul; that walketh in ways, and doth such things as have a direct tendency to damn his own Soul; I say take heed of such an one, come not near him, let him have nothing to do with thy Soul, for if he be not faithful to that which is his own Soul, be sure he will not be faithful to that which is another Mans. He that feeds his own Soul with Ashes, iEzek. 13. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23.will scarce feed thine with the Bread of Life; wherefore take heed of such an one, and many such there are in the World, by their Fruits you shall know them, they are for flattering of the worst; and frowning upon the best; they are for promising of life to the profane, and for slaying▪ the Souls that God would have live; they are also. Men that hunt Souls that fear God, but for Sewing-Pillows under those Arm-holes, which God would have to lean upon that which would afflict them: These be (k) them that with lyes do make the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad (saith God) and that have strengthned the hands of the wicked, that be should not return from his wicked way, be promising of him life.
And as thou shouldst for thy Souls sake chuse for thy self good Soul-Shepherds; so also for the same reason, you should chuse for your selves a good Wife, a good Husband, a good Master, a good Servant, for in all these things, the lGen. 24. 3. Psal. 101. 7.Soul is concerned. Abraham would not suffer Isaac to take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan, nor would David suffer a wicked Servant to come into his House or to tarry in his sight: bad company is also very destructive to the Soul, and so is evil communication; wherefore mProv. 13. …0. 1 Cor. 15. 33.be diligent to shun all these things, that thou may'st persevere in that way, the end of which will be the saving of thy Soul.
And since under this Head I am fallen upon cautions, let me add these to those which I have presented to thee already.
1. Take heed, take heed of learning to do evil of any that are good: 'Tis possible for a good Man to do things that are bad, but let not his bad action imbolden thee to run upon Sin; seest thou a good Man that stumbleth at a Stone, or that slippeth into the Dirt, let that warn thee to take heed, lest his stumble make thee wary, let his fall make thee look well to thy goings; ever follow n1 Thess. 5. 15.that which is good. Thy Soul is at stake.
2. Take heed of the good things of bad Men, for in them their lies a Snare also, their oRom. 16. 17, 18.good words and fair speeches tend to deceive; learn to be good by the Word of God, and by the holy lives of them pProv. 3. 31. c. 24. 1.that be good; envy not the wicked, nor desire to be with him, chuse none of his ways, thy Soul lies at stake.
3. Take heed of playing the hypocrite in Religion; what of God and his Word thou knowest, profess it honestly, confirm to it heartily, serve him faithfully, for what is the hypocrite bettered by all his profession, when qJob 27. 8.God shall take away his Soul?
4. Take heed of delays to turn to God, and of chusing his ways for the delight of thy heart; For the Lord's Eye rPsal. 33. 18▪ 19.is upon them that fear him, to deliver their Souls.
5. Boast not thy self of thy Flocks and thy Herds, of thy Gold and thy Silver, of thy Sons and of thy Daughters: what is an House full of Treasures, and all the delights of this World, if thou be empty of Grace, if thy Soul sEccl▪ 6. 3.be not filled with good? But,
Fourthly, Is it so? is the Soul such an excellent thing, and is the Loss thereof so unspeakably great? then I pray thee let me enquire a little of thee what provision hast thou made for thy Soul? There be many that through their eagerness after the things of this life, do bereave fEccl. 4. 8.their Soul of good, even of that good the which if they had it, would be a good to them for ever. But I ask not concerning this, it is not what provision thou hast made for this life, but what for the life, and the World to come. Lord, gather uPsal. 26. 9. Psal. 17. 14, 15.not my Soul with Sinners, said David; not with Men of this World; Lord, not with them that have their portion in this life, whose Belly thou fillest with thy hid Treasures. Thus you see how Solomon laments some, and how his Father prays to be delivered from their lot, who have their portion in this life, and that have not made provision … their Soul: Well then, let me enquire of thee about th…s matter: What provision hast thou made for thy Soul? And,
1. What hast thou thought of thy Soul? what ponderous thoughts hast thou had of the Greatness, and of the immortality of thy Soul? This must be the first enquiry; for he that hath not had his thoughts truly exercised, ponderously exercised about the Greatness and the immortality of his Soul, will not be careful after an effectual manner, to make provision for his Soul, for the Life and World to come. The Soul is a Man's all, whether he knows it or no, as I have already shewed you: now a Man will be concerned about what he thinks is his all. We read of the poor Servant that wDeut. 24. 14, 15.sets his Heart upon …is Wages, but it is because it is his all, his Treasure, and that wherein his worldly worth lieth. Why thy Soul is thy all, 'tis strange if thou dost not think so? and more strange if thou dost think so, and yet hast light, seldom, and trivial thoughts about it: These two seem to be inconsistent, therefore let thy Conscience speaks; either thou hast very great and weighty thoughts about the excellent Greatness of thy Soul, or else thou dost not count that thy Soul is so great a thing as it is; else thou dost not count it thy all.
2. What Judgment hast thou made of the present state of thy Soul (I speak now to the unconverted) thy Soul is under sin, under the curse, and an object of wrath, this is that sentence that by the word it passed upon it, Wo xIsa. 3. 9.to their Souls, saith God, for they have rewarded evil to themselves; this is the Sentence of God: Well, but what judgment hast thou passed upon it while thou livest in thy debaucheries; is it not that which thy fellows have passed on theirs before thee, saying, I shall yDeut. 29. 19, 20, 21.have peace, tho' I walk in the imagination of my heart to add drunkenness to thirst; if so, know thy judgment is gross, thy Soul is miserable, and turn, or in little time▪ thine Eyes will behold all this.
3. What care hast thou had of securing of thy Soul, and that it might be delivered from the danger that by sin it is brought into? If a Man has a Horse, a Cow, or a Swine that is sick or in danger by reason of this or that casualty, he will take care for his Beast, that it may not perish, he will pull it out of the Ditch on the Sabbath Day: but oh! that's the Day on which many Men do put their Soul into the Ditch of Sin; that is the day that they set apart to pursue wickedness in: But I say, what care hast thou taken to get thy Soul out of this Ditch? a Ditch out of which thou canst never get it without the aid of an omnipotent Arm. In things pertaining to this life, when a Man feels his own strength fail, he will implore the help and aid of another; and no Man can by any means deliver by his own arm his Soul from the power of Hell (which thou also wilt confess if thou beest not a very Brute) but what hast thou done with God for help? hast thou cryed? hast thou cryed out? yea dost thou s…ill cry out, and that day and night before him? Deliver my zPsal. 17. 13. Psal. 25. 20. Psal. 41. 4. Psal. 62. 5. Psal. 63. 1. v. 8.Soul, save my Soul, preserve my Soul heal my Soul; and, I pour out my Soul unto thee; yea, canst thou say, my Soul, my Soul waiteth upon God, my Soul thirsteth for him, my Soul followeth hard after him? I say, dost thou this, or dost thou hunt thine own Soul to destroy it? The aProv. 1. 18.Soul with some is the Game, their Lusts are the Dogs, and they themselves are the Hu…smen, and never do they more holloo, and luer, and laugh, and sing, than when they have delivered up their Soul, their Darling to these Dogs; a thing that David trembled to think of, when he cryed, Dogs have bPsal. 22. 16, 20.compassed me about; save my darling, my Soul, from the Power of the Dog; thus I say, he cryed, and yet these Dogs were but wicked Men: But oh, how much is a Sin, a Lust, worse than a Man to do us hurt; yea, worse than is a Dog, a Lyon to hurt a Lamb!
4. What are the signs and tokens that thou bearest about thee concerning how it will go with thy Soul at last? there are signs and tokens of a good, and signs and tokens of a cPhil. 1. 27, 28. Heb. 6. 9. Job 21. 29, 30. Isa. 3. 9.had End that the Souls of Sinners will have; there are Signs of the Salvation of the Soul, evident tokens of Salvation; and there are signs of the Damnation of the Soul, evident signs of Damnation: Now which of these hast thou? I cannot stand here to shew thee which are which; but thy Soul and its salvation lyeth before thee, dThe holy Bible.and thou hast the Book of Signs about these matters by thee; thou hast also Men of God to go to, and their Assemblies to frequent: look to thy self, Heaven and Hell are hard by, and one of them will swallow thee up; Heaven into unspeakable and endless glory, or Hell into unspeakable and endless torment. Yet,
5. What are the pleasures and delights of thy Soul now? are they things Divine, or things Natural? are they things Heavenly, or things Earthly? are they things holy, or things unholy? for look what things thou delightest in now▪ to those things the great God doth count thee a Servant, and for, and of those thou shalt receive thy Wages at the day of Judgment. His eRom. …. 16.Servants you are to whom you obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness.
Wicked Men talk of Heaven, and say they hope and desire to go to Heaven, even while they continue wicked Men; but I say, what would they do there? If all that desire to go to Heaven should come thither, verily they would make a Hell of Heaven; for I say, what would they do there? why, just as they do here, scatter their filthiness quite over the Face of Heaven, and make it as vile as the Pit that the Devils dwell in. Take holiness away out of Heaven, and what is Heaven? I had rather be in Hell were there none but holy ones there, than …e in Heaven it self with the Children of iniquity. If Heaven should be filled with wicked Men, God would quickly drive them out, or forsake the place for their sakes; 'tis true they have been Sinners, and none but Sinners that go to Heaven; but they are washed; such were some of you, but ye are f1 Cor. 9. 10, 11.washed, but you are justified, but you are sanctified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God. When the Maidens were gathered together for the great King Ahasuerus, before they were brought to him into his Royal presence, they were to be had to the House of the Women, there to be purified with things for purification, and that for twelve months together, to wit, Six gEst. 2. 3, 9, 12, 13.Months with Oyl of Myrrh, and Six Months with sweet Odours and other things; and so came every Maiden to the King. God also hath appointed, that those that come into his Royal Presence, should first go to the House of the Women, the Church, and there receive of the Eunuchs things for purification, things to make hCol. 1. 12.us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light: none can go from a state of nature to glory, but i1 Cor. 5. 5. Rom. 9. 23.by a state of grace; the Lord gives grace and glory, hence he that goeth to Heaven is said to be wrought for it, fitted, prepared for it.
Vse 5. Again, Fifthly, Is it so? is the Soul such an excellent thing, and is the Loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then this Doctrine commends those for the wise ones, that above all business concern themselves with the salvation of their Souls; those that make all other matters but things by the bye, and the salvation of their Soul, the one thing needful. But, but few comparatively will be concerned with this use, for where is he that doth this? Solomon speaks of kEccl. 7. 28.one Man of a thousand: however some there be, and blessed be God for some, but they are they that are wise, yea wise in the Wisdom of God:
1. Because they reject what God hath rejected, and that is sin.
2. Because they esteem but little of that which by the word is counted but of little esteem, and that is the World.
3. Because they chuse for a Portion that which God commendeth unto us for that which is the most excellent thing, viz. Himself, his Christ, his Heaven, his Word, his Grace and Holiness: these are the great and most excellent thing▪ and the things that he hath chosen, that is truly wise for his Soul (and all other wise Men are Fools in God's account, and in the judgment of his word) and if it be so, glory and bliss must needs be their portion, though others shall miss thereof; The wise lProv. 3. 35.shall inherit glory, but shame shall be the promotion of Fools.
Let me then incourage those that are of this mind to be strong, and hold on their way, Soul thou hast pitched right; I will say of thy choice as David said of Goljah's Sword, There mRev. 3. 11.is none like that, give it me: Hold fast that thou hast, that no Man take thy Crown. Oh! I admire this Wisdom, this is by the direction of the Law-giver; this is by the teaching of the blessed Spirit of God, not the Wisdom which this World teacheth, nor the Wisdom which the World, doth chuse, which comes to naught, surely n1 Cor. 2. 6.thou hast seen something of the World to come, and of the glory of it through faith▪ surely God has made thee see emptiness in that wherein others find a fulness, and vanity in that which by others is counted for a Darling. Blessed are thine Eyes, for… they see, and thine Ears, for they hear.
But who told thee that thy Soul was such an excellent thing, as by thy practice thou declarest thou believest it to be? What, set more by thy Soul than by all the World? What, cast a World behind thy back for the welfare of a Soul? is not this to play the Fool in the account of Sinners, while Angels wonder at, and rejoyce for thy wisdom.
What a thing is this, that thy Soul and its welfare should be more in thy esteem than all those glories wherewith the Eyes of the World are dazled? surely thou hast looked upon the Sun, and that makes Gold look like a clod of Clay in thine Eye-sight.
But who put the thoughts of the Excellencies of the things that are Eternal? I say, who put the thoughts of the Excellency of those things into thy mind in this wanton Age, in an Age wherein the thoughts of eternal Life, and the Salvation of the Soul are with, and too many, like the Morrocco Ambassador and his Men, Men of strange Faces, in strange Habits, with strange Gestures and Behaviours, Monsters to behold?
But where hadst thou that heart that gives entertainment to these thoughts, these heavenly thoughts? These thoughts are like the French Protestants, banished thence where they willingly would have harbour: how came they to thy House, to thy heart, and to find entertainment in thy Soul? The Lord keep them in every imagination of the thoughts of thy heart for ever, and incline thine heart to seek him more and more.
And since the whole World have slighted and despised, and counted foolish the thoughts and cogitations wherewith thy Soul is exercised; what strong and mighty supporter is it upon, and with which thou bearest up thy Spirit, and takest incouragement in this thy folorn, unoccupied and singular way? for so I dare say it is with the most; but certainly it is something above thy self, and that is more mighty to uphold thee than is the power, rage and malice of all the World to cast thee down, or else thou couldest not bear up, now the Stream and the Force thereof are against thee.
Obj. 1. I know my Soul is an excellent thing, and that the World to come, and its glories, even in the smalles… Glimpse thereof, do swallow up all the World that is here; my heart also doth greatly desire to be exercised about the thoughts of eternity, and I count my self never better than when my poor heart is filled with them: as for the rage and fury of this World, it swayeth very little with me, for my heart is come to a point; but yet for all that, I meet with many discouragements, and such things that indeed do weaken my strength in the way.
But, brave Soul, pray tell me what the things are that discourage thee, and that weaken thy strength in the way?
Why, the amazing greatness of this my enterprize, that this one thing. I am now pursuing things of the highest, the greatest, the most enriching nature, even eternal things; and the thoughts of the Greatness of them drown'd me, for when the heat of my Spirit in the pursuit after them is a little returned and abated, methinks I hear my self talking thus to my self, Fond fool! canst thou imagine that such a Gnat, a Flea, a Pi…mire as thou art, can take and possess the Heavens, and manele thy s…lf up in the eternal Glories? if thou makest first a … of the succesfulness of thy Endeavours upon things far lower, more base, but much more easie to obtain, as Crowns, Kingdoms, Earldoms, Dukedoms, Gold, Silver, or the like; how vain are these attempts of thine, and yet thou thinkest to possess thy Soul of Heaven? away, away by the heighth thereof, thou may'st well conclude it is far above, out of thy reach, and by the breadth thereof it is too large for thee to grasp; and by the nature of the excellent glory thereof, too good for thee to possess: These are the thoughts that sometimes discourage me, and that weaken my strength in the way.
Answ. The Greatness of thy undertakings does but shew the nobleness of thy Soul, in that it cannot, will not be content with such low and dry things as the base-born Spirits that are of the World, can, and do content themselves withal. And as to the greatness of the things thou aimest at, though they be as they are indeed, things that have not their like, yet they are not too big for God to give, and oLuk. 12. 32. Mat. 25. 14. Col. 1. 4. 1 Pet. 1. 4.he has promised to give them to the Soul that seeketh him; yea, he hath prepared the Kingdom, given the Kingdom, and laid up in the Kingdom of Heaven the things that thy Soul longeth for, presseth after, and cannot be content without. As for thy making of a tryal of the succesfulness of thy endeavours upon things more inferior and base; that is but a trick of the old deceiver. God has refused to give his Children the great, the brave, and glorious things of this World (a fewp1 Cor. 1. 27. Heb. 11. 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. Gal. 6. 9. Heb. 10. 39. 1 Pet. 1. 8, 9. only excepted) because he has prepared some better thing for them; wherefore faint not, but let thy hand be strong, for thy work shall be rewarded; and since thy Soul is at work, for Soul-things; for divine and eternal things, God will give them to thee; thou art not of the number of them that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul; thou shalt receive the end of thy Faith, the salvation of thy Soul.
Obj. 2. But all my discouragement doth not lie in this, I see so much of the sinful vileness of my nature, and feel …ow ready it is to thrust it self forth at all occasions, to the defiling of my whole Man, and more; now this added to the former, adds to my discouragement greatly.
Answ. This should because of humiliation, and of self-abasement, but not of discouragement, for the best of Saints have their weaknesses, these their weaknesses; the Ladies as well as she that grinds at the Mill, know what doth attend that Sex; and the Gyants in grace, as well as the weak and shrubs, are sensible of the same things, which thou layest in against thy exercising of hope, or as matter of thyqPsal. 77. 2. discouragement; poor David says, his Soul refused to be comforted upon this very account; and Paul crys out under sense of this, O wretched Man that I am! and comes as it were to the borders of a doubt, saying, Who rRom. 7. 24.shall deliver me? only he was quick at remembring that Christ was his righteousness and price of redemption, and there he relieved himself.
Again, This should drive us to faith in Christ, for therefore are corruptions by divine permission, still left in us to drive us to unbelief, but to faith, that is, to look to the perfect righteousness of Christ for life.
And forsRom. 5. 6, 7. 8, 9. further help, consider, that therefore Christ liveth in Heaven making intercession, that thou mightesttCol. 1. 20. 1 Pet. 1. 13. 2 Cor. 7. 11. 1 Pet. 5. 5. Mark 13, 37. 2 Pet. 1. 10. be saved by his life, not by thine, and by his intercessions, not by thy perfections; let not therefore thy weaknesses be thy discouragements, only let them put thee upon the duties required of thee by the Gospel, to wit, faith, hope, repentance, humility, watchfulness diligence, &c.
Obj. 3. But I find together with these things, weakness and faintness, as to my graces; my faith, my hope, my love, and desires to these and all other Christian Duties are weak: I am like the Man in the Dream, that would have run but could not, that would have fought but could not, and that would have fled but could not.
Answ. 1. Weak graces are graces, weak graces may grow stronger, but if the Iron be blunt,tEccl. 10. 10. put to the more strength. 2. Christ seems to be most tender of the weak,uIsa. 40. 11. He shall gather his Lambs with his arm, shall carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead them that are with young: And again, I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was wEzek. 34. 16.driven away, and I will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: Only here will thy wisdom be manifested, to wit, that thoux2 Pet. 3. 18. Phil. 3. 10, 11. 1 Thess. 3. 11, 12, 13. grow in grace, and that thou use lawfully and diligently the means to do it.
I come in the next place to a Use of Terror, and so I shall conclude. Is it so? Is the Soul such an excellent thing, and is the Loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then this sheweth the sad state of those that lose their Souls; we use to count those in a deplorable Condition, that by one only stroak, are stript of their whole Estate; the Fire swept away all that he had; or all that he had was in such a Ship, and that Ship sunk into the bottom of the Sea; this is sad news, this is heavy tidings, this is bewailed of all, especially if such were great in the World, and were brought by their loss from a high to a low, to a very low Condition; but alas! what is this to the Loss about which we have been speaking all this while? The Loss of an Estate may be repaired, or if not, a Man may find Friends in his present deplorable condition to his support, though not recovery: But far will this be from him that shall lose his Soul. Ah! he has lost his Soul, and can never be recovered again, unless Hell-fire can comfort him; unless he can solace himself in the fiery Indignation of God, terrors will be upon him, anguish and sorrow will swallow him up, because of present misery, slighted and set at n…ught by God and his Angels, he will also be in this his miserable state, and this will add to sorrow, sorrow, and to his vexation of spirit, howling.
To present you with Emblems of tormented Spirits, or to draw before your eyes the Picture of Hell, are things too light for so ponderous a Subject as this; nor can any Man frame or invent words, be they never so deep and profound, sufficient to the Life to set out the Torments of Hell. All those expressions of Fire, Brimstone, the Lake of Fire, a fiery Furnace, the bottomless Pit, and a hundred more to boot, are all too short to set forth the Miseries of those that shall be damned Souls: Who knows the Power yPsal. 90. 11.of God's Anger? none at all, and unless the Power of that can be known, it must abide as unspeakable as the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge.
We hear it Thunder, we see it Lighten, yea, Eclipses, Comets and Blazing Stars, are all subject to smite us with Terror; the thought of a Ghost, of the appearing of a dead Wife, a dead Husband, or the like, how terrible are these things! but alas, what are these? meer Flea-bitings, nay not so bad, when compared with the Torments of Hell. Guilt and Despair, what are they, who understands them unto perfection? the ireful looks of an infinite Majesty, what Mortal in the Land of the living can tell us to the full, how dismal, and breaking to the Soul of a Man it is, when it comes as from the Power of Anger, and arises from the utmost Indignation? Besides, who knows of all the ways by which the Almighty will inflict his just revenges upon the Souls of damned Sinners? When Paul was caught up to the third Heaven, he heard words that were unspeakable; and he that goes down to Hell, shall hear groans that are unutterable. Hear, did I say? they shall feel them, they shall feel them burst from their wounded Spirits as Thunder-claps do from the Clouds. Once I dreamed, that I saw two (whom I knew) in Hell, and methought I saw a continual dropping from Heaven, as of great drops of fire lighting upon them to their sore distress. Oh! words are wanting, thoughts are wanting, imagination and fancy are poor things here: Hell is another kind of place and state than any alive can think; and since I am upon this subject, I will here treat a little of Hell, as the Scriptures will give me leave, and the rather, because I am upon a use of Terror. andzLuke 16. because Hell is the place of Torment.
1. Hell is said to be beneath, as Heaven is said to be above, because as above signifieth the utmostaProv. 15. 24. joy, triumph, and felicity; so beneath is a term most fit to describe the place of Hell by, because of the utmost Opposition that is between these two, Hell being the Place of the utmost Sorrow, Despair and Misery, there are the Underlings ever trampled under the Feet of God, they are beneath, below, under.
2. Hell is said to be darkness, and Heaven is saidbMat. 22. 13. to be light; light to shew the pleasureableness, and the desirableness of Heaven; and darkness to shew the dolesome and wearisomness of Hell; and how weary, oh! how weary and wearisomly, as I may say, will damned Souls turn themselves from side to side, from place to place in Hell, while swallowed up in the thickest Darkness, and griped with the burning Thoughts of the endlesness of that most unutterable Misery!
3. Men are said to go up to Heaven, but theycEzek. 32. 17, 18, 19. are said to go down to Hell: up, because of exaltation, and because they must abound in Beauty and Glory that go to Heaven: down, because of those sad dejections, that great deformity and vile contempt that sin hath brought them to, that go to Hell.
4. Heaven is called a Hill or Mount, Hell is calleddHeb. 12. Rev. 14. ch. 9. 2. a Pit or Hole: Heaven, a Mount, the Mount Zion, to shew how God has and will exalt them that loved him in the World: Hell, a Pit or Hole, to shew how all the Ungodly shall be buried in the yawning Paunch, and Belly of Hell, as in a hollow Cave.
5. Heaven! 'Tis said of Heaven, the … Heighth of eJob 22. 12. Rev. 9. 2. ch. 20. 3.Heaven, and of Hell, the bottomless Pit. The heighth of Heaven, to shew that the Exaltation of them that do ascend up thither, is both perfect and unsearchable: And Hell the bottomless Pit, to shew, that the downfal of them that descend in thither, will never be at an end, down, down, down they go, and nothing but down, down still.
6. Heaven! It is called the Paradise of God, fRev. 2. 7. ch. 22. 15.but Hell the burning Lake. A Paradise, to shew how quiet, harmless, sweet and beautiful Heaven shall be to them that possess it, as the Garden was at the beginning of the Creation. Hell, the burning Lake, to allude to Sodom, that since its destruction is turned into a stinking Lake; and to shew that as their distress was unutterable, and to the highest Amazement, full of confusion and horror when that tempestuous Storm of Fire and Brimstone was rained from the Lord out of Heaven upon them; so to the utmost degree shall it be with the Souls that are lost and cast into Hell.
7. It is said that there are dwelling-houses or gJoh. 14. 1, 2, 3. Zech. 3. 7. Isa. 57. 1, 2. Prov. 7. 27. Deut. 32. 22. Psa. 68. 13.places in the Kingdom of Heaven, and also that there are the Cells, or the Chambers of Death in Hell. There are Mansions, or dwelling-places in Heaven, to shew that every one of them that go thither might have his reward according to his work: and that there is Hell, and the lowest Hell, and the Chambers of death in Hell, to shew, there are places and states in Hell too, for Sinners to be imprisonedhLuke 20. 47. in according to their faults; hence it is said of some, These shall receive greater damnation, and of others, That it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the Judgment than for them, &c.
The lowest Hell; how many Hells there are above that, ich. 10. 12, 14.or more tolerable tormenting places than the most exquisite Torments there, God, and they that are there know best, but degrees without doubt there are: and the term [lowest] shews the utmost, and most exquisite destress; so the Chambers of death, the second death in Hell, for so I think the Words should be understood, Her House is the way (k) to Hell, going down to the Chambers of death: these are the Chambers, that the Chambers in the Temple, or that the dwelling-places in the House in Heaven is opposed to, and this opposition shews, that as there will be degrees of Glory in Heaven, so there will of Torments in Hell; aud there is all reason for it, since the Punishment must be inflicted by God, the infinitely just. Why should a poor silly, ignorant Man tho' damned, be punished with the same degree of torment that he that has lived a thousand times worse shall be punished with? It cannot be, Justice will not admit it, Guilt and the Quality of the Transgression will not admit it; yea, the tormenting…Fire of Hell it self will not admit it; for if Hell-fire can kindle upon nothing but Sin, and the Sinner for the sake of it, and if Sin be as Oyl to that sire, as the Holy Ghost seems to intimate, saying, Let it lProv. 7. 27.come into his Bowels like Water, and like Oyl into his Bones; then as the quantity of the Oyl is, so will the fire burn, and so will the flaming Flame ascend, and the smoak of their Torment for ever and ever. Suppose a piece of Timber a little bedaubed with Oyl, and another that hath been soaking in it many a year, which of these two think you, would burn fiercest? and whence would the flaming Flame ascend highest, and make the most roaring noise? Suppose two Vessels filled with Oyl, one containing the quantity of a Pint, the other containing the quantity of a Hoggs-head, and suppose that in one place they were both set on fire, yet so that they might not intermix mPsal. 109. 17, 18.flames; nay, though they did, yet all would conclude that the most amazing, roaring flame would be upon the biggest Vessel, and-would be the effect of the greatest quantity of Oyl; so it will be with the Wicked in Hell, the lowest-Hell is for the biggest Sinners, and theirs will be the greater Damnation, and the more intolerable Torment, though he that has least of this Oyl of Sin in his Bones, and of the kindlings of Hell fire upon him, will find he has Hell enough, and will be weary enough thereof, for still he must struggle with flames that are everlasting; for Sin is such a thing that it can never be burned out of the Soul and Body of a damned Sinner.
But again, having treated thus of Hell, we will now speak a word or two of Sin, for that is it upon which Hell-fire seizes, and so on the Soul by that. Sin! it is the Sting of Hell, the Sting of Death is Sin: by Death in this place, we must not understand that which is natural, but that which is in Hell, them1 Cor. 15. 56. second death, even everlasting damnation, for natural death the Saints die; yea▪ and also many Sinners without the least touch of a Sting from that; but here is a Death that has a Sting to hurt, to twinge and wound the Sinner with, even then when it has the utmost Mastery of him. And this is the Death that the saved are delivered from, not that which is n1 Cor. 15. 55. Eccl. 2: 15, 16.natural, for that is the end of them▪ as of others; but the second Death, the Death in Hell, for that is the Portion of the Damned, and it is from that that the Saints have a Promise of deliverance,oRev. 2. 11. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second Death: And again, Blessed and Holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection, on such the second Death hath no pChap. 20. 6.Power. It is this death then that hath the Chambers to hold each damned Soul in, and Sin is the twining, winding, biting, poysoning Sting of this Death, or of these Chambers of Hell, for Sinners to be stricken, stung, and pierced with. The Sting of Death is Sin. Sin in the general of it is the Sting of Hell, for there would be no such thing as Torment, even there, were it not that Sin is there with Sinners: for as I have hinted already, the Fire of Hell, the Indignation and Wrath of God can fasten and kindle upon nothing but for, or because of Sin; sin then as sin, is the Sting, and the Hell of Hells, of the lowest and upmost Hells. Sin I say, in the Nature of it, simply as it is concluded both by God, and the Damned to be a breach of his Holy Law, so it is the sting of the second Death, which is the Worm of Hell. But then, as Sin is such a Sting in it self, so it is heightned, sharpned, and made more keen and sharp by those Circumstances that, as concomitants attend it in every act; for there is not a Sin at any time committed by Man, but there is some circumstance or other attends it, that makes it, when charged home by God's Law, bigger and sharper, and more venom and poysonous to the Soul, than if it could be committed without them; and this is the Sting of the Hornet, the great Sting. I sinned without a Cause, to please a base Lust, to gratify the Devil; here is the Sting: Again, I preferred Sin before Holiness, Death before Life, Hell before Heaven, the Devil before God, and Damnation before a Saviour; here is the Sting: Again, I preferred moments before everlastings, temporals before eternals, to be racked and always slaying, before the Life that is blessed and endless; here is the Sting: Also this I did against light, against Convictions, against Conscience, against perswasion of Friends, Ministers, and the godly Lives which I beheld in others; here is the Sting: Also this I did against warnings, forewarnings, yea, though I saw others fall before my face by the mighty Hand of God for committing of the same; here is the Sting.
Sinners, would I could perswade you to hear me out; A Man cannot commit a Sin, but by the Commission of it, he doth by some circumstance or other,q1 Tim. 6. 10. sharpen the Sting of Hell, and that to pierce himself through and through, and through with many sorrows; Also the Sting of Hell to some will be, that the Damnation of others stand upon their score; for that by imitating of them, by being deluded by them, perswaded by them, drawn in by them, they perish in Hell for ever, and hence it is, That these principal Sinners must dye all these deaths in themselves, that those damned ones, that they have drawn into Hell, are also to bear in their own Souls for ever. And this God threatned to the Prince of Tyrus, that capital Sinner, because by his pride, power, practice and policy, he cast down others into the Pit, therefore saith God to him, They shall bring thee down to the Pit, rEzek. 28. 8, 10.and thou shalt die the Deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the Seas: And again, Thou shalt die the Deaths of the Vncircumcised by the Hand of Strangers, for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. Ah! this will be the Sting of them, of those that are principal, chief, and as I may call them, the Captain and Ring-leading Sinners, Vipers will come out of other Mens …e and flames, and settle upon, seize upon, and for …ver abide upon their Consciences, and this will be the …ting of Hell, the great Sting of Hell to them.
I will yet add to all this; How will the fairness of …me for Heaven, even the Thoughts of that, Sting …hem when they come to Hell. It will not be so much …heir fall into the Pit, as from whence they fell in…o it, that will be to them the buzzing noise and …arpned sting of the great and terrible Hornet. How …t thou fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer! there is the sIsa. 14. 12. Mat. 11. 23.Sting, thou that art exalted up to Heaven, shalt …e thrust down to Hell, though thou hast made thy …e…t among the Stars, from thence will I fetch theetObad. 4. down; there is a Sting. To be pulled, for and …hrough love to some vain lust, from the everlasting …ates of Glory, and caused to be swallowed up for … in the Belly of Hell, and made to lodge for ever in …he dark, some Chambers of death, there is the pier…ing Sting:
But again, as there is the Sting of Hell, so there …s the Strength of that Sting; for a Sting, though never so sharp, or venom, yet if it wanteth strength …o force it, to the designed Execution, it doth but …ittle hurt. But this Sting has strength to cause it to pierce into the Soul; The Sting of Death is Sin, and u1 Cor. 15. 56. Rom. 7. 8. chap. 4. 15.the Strength of Sin is the Law: here then is the …trength of the Sting of Hell, it is the Law in the perfect Penalty of it, for without the Law, Sin is dead: Yea, again he saith, Where no Law is, there is …o Transgression: The Law then followeth, in the executive part of it, the Soul into Hell, and there strengthneth Sin, that Sting in Hell, to pierce by it… unutterable charging of it on the Conscience, the Soul for ever and ever; nor can the Soul justly murmur or repine at God or at his Law, for that then th… sharply apprehensive Soul will well discern the just…ness, righteousness, reasonableness, and goodness o… the Law, and that nothing is done by the Law unto it, but that which is just and equal.
This therefore will put great strength and force into Sin, to sting the Soul, and to strike it with the Lashes of a Scorpion. Add yet to these the abiding Life of God, the Judge and God of this Law will never die. When Princes die, the Law may be altered, by the which at present Transgressors are bound in Chains: But oh! here is also that which will make this Sting so sharp and keen; the God that executes it will never die. It is a fearful thing to fall into wHeb. …0. 30, 31.the Hands of the living God.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Bunyan, The Greatness of the Soul (1691)