The Saints Convoy to Heaven, Application 1
Uſe I. Terrour.
Learn hence, the woful Caſe of every impenitent Soul, as ſoon as ſeparated from the Body: Every finally-unbelieving Sinner's dying Day, will be a doleful, dreadful, diſmal Day: His expiring Moment will be the Beginning of ſuch Horror as the Soul was never in before; becauſe that very Moment it ſhall be ſeized by Devils, that ſtand waiting for it, and ſhall lay hold on it, as ravening Wolves, as roaring Lions, as enraged Tygers, leap upon their Prey.
Luke 12. 20. God ſaid unto him, thou Fool, this Night foreign they (that is, Devils) ſhall demand thy Soul of thee. The word ſignifies to require ones own, which is his due; with Vehemency to call for it, and to demand it from one, tho' unwilling to give it; yea, as it were, by Force and Violence to wreſt it from another, as owing to him. This Fool ſinned all Day, and died at Night: He ſerved the Devil all Day, and at Night the Devils came to reckon with him, to pay him his Wages: he took care where to lay his Goods, and the Devils took care where to lodge his Soul at Night; he reckoned of many Years, but he had but that Day; he was for taking of his Eaſe, but the Devil took him and put him into Little eaſe; yea, carried him to a Place where he could have no Eaſe, nor Reſt to all Eternity: he was for his Cups, and Company, and Mirth in both; but at Night he had ſuch a bitter Cup, and frightful Company, that ſpoiled his Mirth and turned it into Mourning.
If one Devil, in ſome frightful viſible Shape, ſhould appear to you in the deep and ſilent Night, what Terrour would the ſight thereof fill you with? Would not ſuch Fear and Trembling come upon you, as would make all your Bones to ſhake,Job. 4. 14, 15. and make the Hair of your Head ſtand up, when your Heart and Courage would ſo fail you, that you your ſelf would be ready to fall down? as when the Diſcipes ſaw Chriſt walking on the Sea, they were troubled, Saying,Mat. 14. 26 it is a Spirit; and they cried out for fear.
Oh then, what Horror will the Sinful Soul be filled with, next Moment after Death! Oh, What Fear! What Trembling! What Amazement ſhall poſſeſs it! How may we imagine, with what direful Shriekings it will cry out and ſay, Who are all theſe? What Black-Guard is this? What is all this Hoſt I am fallen into, and am ſurrounded with? I never ſaw ſuch a ſight as this: I have often been in wicked Company, but I never fell into ſuch Company as this. Oh! ye greedy Devils! Ye furious Furies! Ye haſty unclean Spirits! What means your Rage? Whither do ye hurry me? Whither will ye carry me? Carry thee! Firſt, as Jaylors we will carry thee as our Priſoner to the Seat of Judgment, to be Tried; and being there condemned, next, as Executioners, we will carry thee to the Place of Puniſhment.
Oh! My woful Caſe! Oh! My remedileſs Miſery! Oh! My hopeleſs State! Are theſe the Devils I did pleaſe? Are theſe they I did ſo daily ſerve, ſo readily yield unto? They could not in my Body have forced me to Sin; but now, juſt out of the Body, they do, they do, oh, what ſhall I do? they do force me to the Place of Torment to ſuffer for my Sin. Wo is me! Is there no Hope? Alas for me! Is there none to help? Is there no eſcaping out of theſe Hands, I am ſo ſuddenly fallen into? Oh, that Death had killed me, as it hath my Body, from whence now I am turned out! Oh, that I were without Life and Senſe, as now my Body is! My earthly Friends are mourning, weeping, and groaning, over my Breathleſs▪ Carcaſs; and theſe Helliſh Fiends are rejoicing that I am come from thoſe to them. My Friends are mourning becauſe they have loſt me; and theſe tormenting Devils are glad that they have found me: Men on Earth are not in ſuch haſte to carry my Body to the Grave, as theſe Devils are to carry me to Hell. Oh, Curſed Caitiff that I am! What Difference hath one Hour made? What a miſerable deceived Wretch was I, when in the Body, and how convinced of my Self-deceiving Flattery, as ſoon as ſeparated from my Body?
When in the Body, I did think all would be well, as ſoon as cut of the Body, I am ſure, woe is me, all will be woe.
When in the Body I was amongst my Friends, as ſoon as out of the Body, I am amongst mine Enemies.
When in the Body, I did dream of being Happy; as ſoon as out of the Body, I ſaw it was but a Dream.
When in the Body, I did hope, and till I parted from my Body, I would not I did not part from my Hope, that I ſhould be carried into Heaven; but as ſoon as I parted from my Body, I parted from my Hope, and my Hope from me; for theſe infernal Spirits are carrying me to Hell, and I cannot, fain I would, but cannot any longer hope for Heaven.
When in the Body, the Devil and Sin did blind mine Eyes, that I could not ſee the ſandy Foundation, on which I built my Expectation of Happineſs in the Higheſt Heavens; but as ſoon as Death and Friends had cloſed the Eyes of my Body, then the Eyes of my Mind were opened, to ſee all my Building on that rotten Foundation is gone to Ruine, and I am going in this Company to the Loweſt Hell.
Such-like bitter Cries, ſuch ſelf-lamenting Groans, we may conceive the ſeparated ſinful Soul to utter, as it is on its way in the Company of Devils to the Place of Outer-darkneſs; where there ſhall be Weeping and Wailing for Ever.
Yet if we conſider the Circumſtances that will farther aggravate the Sorrow of the Soul, in its Journey to the Lake of Brimſtone, ariſing from the Company of unclean Spirits, that are dragging it along to the Place of Torment, which the diſtreſſed unſanctified Soul ſhall be apprehenſive and ſenſible of, it will paſs our Thoughts to conceive, and our Words to expreſs how great its Horror will be, and what Fear and Trembling it will be filled with, when it ſhall find theſe Carriers of it to Hell, to be,
1. Exceeding Powerful and Strong, that the ſeized Soul is not able ſo to reſiſt as to reſcue it ſelf out of their Hands. Their Strength is ſignified by their Names, being called Principalities and Powers,Eph. 6. 12. and known by the Effects which they have done, in ſuch as have been poſſeſſed; as we read of one, Mar. 5. 3, 4. That no Man could bind him, no not with Chains; becauſe that he had been often bound with Fetters and Chains, and the Chains had been plucked aſunder by him, and the Fetters broken in pieces: Neither could any Man tame him. How then will this add to the Miſery of the Soul ſeized by them, when, tho' it ſtruggle, it cannot get free; tho' it ſtrive, it is to no purpoſe; tho' it reſiſt, it cannot prevail?O Miſerable Wretch that I am! when I was in the Body, I ſhould have reſiſted their Temptations, and might; now I would their Power, but cannot. I ſhould have withſtood their enticing Perſuaſions, but did not, I could, but would not; now I would withſtand their Force and Violence, but I cannot, fain I wou'd, but woe is me, I cannot: I muſt along with theſe dragging Devils; I would not, but I muſt, for they are ſtronger than I.
2. This will aggravate the Evil of his Paſſage, in that the Company of Devils is ſo Numerous: A Legion of unclean Spirits poſſeſſed one Man's Body, Mar. 5. 9. and will not a Legion of them be as ready to ſeize one Soul? Which, when the ſeparated Soul perceives, enquires,Why ſo many? Why ſo many to one? Why ſo many ſo ſtrong, to one ſo weak? Are all of one Mind? Are ye all agreed to hurry me to Hell? Is there not one amongst you all will ſtand my Friend? Not one to take my Part, to be on my Side? Alas for me! Tho' they are many, they are as one. How ſtrange is this! that a Legion of Devils ſhould be ſo unanimous in my Ruine, that all are called by one Name, as if many were one! As the Devil that poſſeſſed a Man, being asked, what is thy Name? he anſwered, ſaying, Mar. 5. 9.My Name is Legion, for we are many. Never was a poor Debter on Earth, carried to Priſon by the Joint-conſent and One-will of many Serjeants; as I poor Debter, am carried to the Priſon and Dungeon of Hell, by the Joint-conſent and One-will of many Devils.
3. This will aggravate the Sorrow, the Soul in its Paſſage to its long and doleful Home will be filled with, That theſe Carriers are ſo ſwift and active in their Motion: which will increaſe the Horror of the Soul in its way, upon theſe Accounts:
First, Becauſe by flight it cannot eſcape from them. When we cannot reſiſt an Enemy by the Strength of our Arm, yet we may eſcape by the Swiftneſs of our Feet: When we cannot get the Victory by Fighting, we might prevent our Captivity by Running. But this will give no Relief to the ſeparated ſinful Soul, becauſe evil Spirits are ſuch agile, ſwift, and active Creatures, that move ſo faſt, that the Soul cannot be more ſpeedy than they: Tho' Holy Angels, as they are ſtronger, ſo they are ſwifter than Apoſtate Spirits, being more able, ready and ſpeedy to protect and defend us, than Fallen Angels are to hurt and deſtroy us;Iſay. 6. 2. 6. and therefore the Good are ſaid to have Wings, (which, as I remember, is not ſpoken of the Bad); yet theſe Infernal Spirits are ſo much ſpeedier in their Motion, than the Soul, that it can have no Hope of preventing their tranſporting of it from the dying Bed, to its Lodging in the Flames of Hell.
Secondly, Becauſe by them it will be brought ſo ſoon to the Place of Torment. Men on Earth ſin ſo much, ſwear ſo faſt, and run in the Ways of Wickedneſs, as tho' they could not get to Hellſure enough, nor ſoon enough: But when they have done ſinning upon Earth, and are on their Way to their Eternal Miſerable State, they will think Devils put them on too faſt, and carry them with too much ſpeed▪ to that Place where their Entertainment will be ſo bad. We may imagine the ſeparated Soul, in the Devil's Arms, to lament it ſelf, ſaying What! Is my Journey like to be ſo ſhort, when my Journey's End will be ſo bad? Am I going whither I would not, and yet do theſe Carriers make ſuch haſte? muſt I thus be poſted to ſuch grievous Torments, whence I ſhall never be delivered? Tho' the Way be ſo uncomfortable; yet the Place will be ſo much more, when I come thither; therefore let me move more ſlowly to it: Tho' I have an Hell within me, on my way to Hell; yet, O that it might be a Thouſand Years before I enter into it! but I wiſh in vain; for this ſwift Motion will quickly bring me to it.
4. The Inſultings of the Devils over their Priſoner, will aggravate its Miſery on the Way to Hell; when, as they carry it along, ſhall reproach it to this purpoſe, Here is the Fool we took captive at our Pleaſure! Here is the Soul that had no more Wit than to ſtop his Ears to the Calls of Mercy, to the Offers of Grace, to the Tenders of a Saviour, to the Commands of God: God called him to repent, but he would not; God commanded him to believe, but he did not: We perſuaded him to ſin, and he did; we enticed him, and he conſented; we ſuggeſted, and he yielded. We have him, we have him; away with him, away with him; he is condemned, make haſte, away with him to the Place of Execution: We led him with a String, we drew him with a ſingle Thread, when in the Body, whither we liſted, but now we have him in Chains, to drag him to the Place whither he is unwilling to go. Come along.Oh, not ſo faſt! Come along, make ſpeed.Oh! not ſo ſwift, I ſhall be there too ſoon! Too ſoon! thou art expected, thou art waited for, make haſte and come away.
5. Moreover, the Mercileſs Nature of the Devils, will add to the Amazement of the Soul in his Paſſage to the Place where it ſhall find no Mercy. As the Damn'd in Hell cry out for Mercy, for a ſmall Meaſure of Mercy, as may be in a Drop of Water, Luke 16. 24, 25.and no Mercy ſhall be ſhewn to them: ſo the ſeparated Soul on its Way thither, tho' it cry to its Tranſporters for the leaſt Favour, ſhall find none. Might not we ſuppoſe it to cry out and ſay, What! Will nothing ſerve you but my Ruine! will nothing pleaſe you but my Damnation! Will nothing ſatisfy you, but that I be made as miſerable as your ſelves! have Pity upon me, if ye have any Pity in you, have Pity upon me! All I have, I would give, that I may find ſome Mercy from you. Thou ſilly Soul! Thou haſt nothing left to offer unto us, to ſpare thee, or to ſhew any Kindneſs to thee, that we ſhould let thee go: Death hath ſtripped thee of all, and thou art fallen naked into our Hands: But it was thy ſelf and not thy Money we deſired: Thy Friends have got thy Money, and did let thee go, but we have gotten thee, and will not let thee go. Oh miſerable Soul that I am! Did I ſerve you ſo conſtantly, ſo heartily, ſo chearfully, when in my Body; and do ye ſerve me ſo cruelly, ſo unkindly, ſo unmercifully, as ſoon as I am ſeparated from my Body! Is there none to whom I might look for a little Mercy? Is there none in whom I might hope for help and Succour, in this diſtreſſed Caſe that I am in? Let me turn mine Eyes every way, if I may ſee any hope of Help, when this Company I am fallen into, will afford me none.
Firſt, If I look back to thoſe my Friends, that loved me dearly, that miniſtred to me conſtantly, Night and Day, while I was with them; that parted with me with weeping Eyes, with wringing Hands, with ſorrowful Hearts, cannot they relieve me? Cannot they give Aſſiſtance to me? When I was with them, they did Comfort me; when I was Sick, they gave me Cordials; when I was in Pain, they did turn me, hoping I might have Eaſe; when I was afraid to Die, they ſpake Words of Comfort to me. But now, Woe is me! being ſeparated from my Body, I am out of their reach, I am paſt their Help, I am no more capable of receiving,Pſal. 49. 7, 8. nor they of affording any Benefit unto me. They are in Time, I am entred into Eternity; they are in one World, I am now in another, and there is no Converſe I can have with them, and there is no Kindneſs they can ſhew to me.
Beſides, they might be ignorant of my Caſe, they might not know what Company I am fallen into, nor what is the way that I am going: Nay, they might be deceived, thinking I am travelling to Heaven; when, alas! I find I am poſting to Hell: Suppoſing the Holy Angels of God are carrying me to Glory; and therefore ſay, Our Loſs is his Gain: While we are left in Trouble, he is going to his Eternal Reſt: and ſo they do not ſo much as pity my Caſe; and tho' they are weeping over my dead Body, yet they do not Mourn becauſe of the Miſery that I am in, when they imagine I am on the Way to Happineſs, tho' I find, I know, I am ſure I am on the Road that leadeth to Eternal Darkneſs.
Secondly, Tho' theſe Devils of Hell that ſeized me, are mercileſs Devils, yet the God of Heaven is a merciful God, may I look up to him, and cry, Moſt Merciful Lord, behold my Miſery, behold my deep Diſtreſs; behold me, if ever, now behold me and have Compaſſion on me! See whither this Troop, this Hoſt of Internal Spirits are carrying me; Stop them, oh! ſtop them in their Way! or, if they will, and muſt to Hell, let not me go with them: Reſcue, O reſcue me out of their Hands, while on the Way; for if I enter thro' the Gates of Hell, and they be ſhut upon me, there will be no coming back for Ever: no Hope, no Help for Ever.
But alas! Woe is me! I call in vain, I Cry in vain, my Petition is in vain: Devils now can tell me, and Conſcience now doth tell me, it is too late, and as they do tell me, ſo I find that now it is too late, if I had begged ſooner, I might have ſpeeded better: Mercy once, yea often begged of me, and I would not accept of Mercy: now I beg, and cry, and call for Mercy, and the God of Mercy doth deny me Mercy. Mercy hath done with me, and Patience hath done with me, and Grace will have no more to do with me; but Wrath will, and Vengeance will, and Juſtice hath and will have to do with me for Ever; God is now inexorable, his Wrath is now implacable, his Anger againſt me, is never to be appeas'd.Mat. 5. 25, 26. The Adverſaries have haled me to the Judge, the Judge hath delivered me to theſe Officers, that have their Commiſſion from him to caſt me into Priſon, to which I am now on my way; from which I ſhall never return, till I ſhall pay the uttermoſt Farthing, which will never be. The Merciful God hath ſealed their Warrant to apprehend me, and they have ſerved it upon me, and to carry me to the Place of Execution, and I am with them upon my Way unto it, without all Hope of Reprieve, or Pardon.
Thirdly, May I not with better hope look unto Chriſt, that he that is the Way to Heaven might pity me, and ſtop me in my Way to Hell. It was he that came down from the higheſt Heaven, to prevent Sinners going down to the loweſt Hell. It was he that was Taken, Arraigned, Accuſed, Condemned and Crucified, that Sinners might be releaſed, diſcharged, and acquitted from the Guilt and Puniſhment of Sin. It was he that delivered Men that were poſſeſſed with Devils, rebuked them and caſt them out, and freed them from their Power. O that Chriſt would Pity me! O that he would have Mercy on me! O that he would ſhew ſome Bowels of Compaſſion to me, now, even now, before I am actually lodged in the Flames of Hell!
But this Cry, Poor Wretch that I am! this calling alſo is in vain; for he did not die to ſave Finally-impenitent Sinners, and curſed I was ſuch an one: He did not deſign to ſave ſuch Souls that left their Bodies, Unbelieving and Unſanctified; and yet I did ſo, curſed Caitiff! I did ſo. He would have ſtopped me in my Courſe and Way of Sin, but I would and did go forward; and now he will not ſtop me on my Way to Hell, but I muſt go forwards.
Fourthly, It will be much more vain for me, ſeized by theſe Evil Angels, to look to the Holy Angels of God for Succour and Relief: For they are Miniſtring Spirits for the Heirs of Salvation, but I am an Heir of Hell: They are his Servants to execute his Will againſt the Servants of Sin and Satan, and ſuch an one I was, all the time of my Life of Trial:Gen. 3. 24. As they ſtood with flaming Swords, which turned every Way, to keep fallen Man from the Tree of Life, ſo they ſtand, as ſet by God, with Flaming Swords, turning every Way, to keep unſanctified Souls from entring any Way into Eternal Bleſſed Life. Nay, they are to gather out of his Kingdom ſuch as work Iniquity,Mat. 13. 41, 42. and to caſt them into the Furnace of Fire.
Fifthly, Still will it be in vain for me on my Way to Hell, to look to Holy Souls lodged in Heaven; as it was for the Rich Man in Torments, to look to Abraham and Lazarus in Glory. My Friends (when I and they did live on Earth) did often reprove, exhort, and counſel me, did then pity me, and mourn over me, becauſe they ſaw me walk in the Ways of Sin, and longed for my Converſion and turning unto God; they died before me, and were carried by Angels into Abraham's Boſom, afterwards I alſo was ſeparated from my Body, and Devils are carrying me to Eternal Torments, which they in Heaven do not know, or if they do, they are ſo far from pitying of me, that they rejoice in the Righteous Judgments of God upon all his implacable Enemies, how near ſoever they were related to them.
If I then on my Paſſage to my doleful Home, am ſuch a forſaken Soul, forſaken of God, forſaken of Chriſt, forſaken of all in Heaven and on Earth, and am ſurprized by this Hoſt of Devils, there is no hope, the Way is bad, the End will be worſe, without End: O forlorn! forlorn! What a forlorn Soul am I! I and all my Friends are ſeparated; my Body and I am ſeparated; my Hopes and I am ſeparated; my Body is left to be Meat for Worms, and I am taken as a Prey to Devils; my Body will be carried by Men to a cold Grave, and I am carrying by Devils to an hot Hell, exceeding hot, where my Pain will be extreme, intollerable, and eternal.