Two Discourses, Section 1 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
That this immediate Wrath of God is in Scripture ſet forth unto us under the Similitude of Fire, and fiery Indignation. The Examples of Perſons devoured by Fire in the Old Teſtament, Shadows of this Puniſhment by the immediate Wrath of God. This the Fire wherein the Devil and his Angels are tormented.
THere hath been nothing more divertive of the Thoughts of Men from apprehending, or ſo much as imagining God's immediate Wrath to be a cauſe of that Puniſhment in Hell; then that the Scriptures do ſo often make mention of Fire, &c. as the Inſtrument thereof, and ſo Mens conceptions do terminate therein, and go no further.
But I ſhall rather on the other hand, make an Argument of it. Namely, that indeed the Scriptures do ſet out this immediate Wrath of God under the Similitude, Reſemblance, and Repreſentation of Fire; and that, ſometimes, when Hell-fire is ſpoken of, the Wrath of God is intended thereby.
Unto which I yet Preface this: That I muſt not, nor dare I ſay that there is no material Fire in Hell ordained for Puniſhment to Mens Bodies: but that it is Rational, that the Body having ſinned as well as the Soul, it ſhould have a meet recompence of Reward ſuited thereto, as well as that the Soul ſhould. But yet ſo, as either of them have this meeted out to them, according to their vaſtly differing ſhare, and hand, and acting which they had in ſinning; in which the Soul is always the principal Actor, and in ſome Sins the ſole Agent and Subject. To be ſure in Heaven there is a confluence of created Excellencies, ſuited to the Bodies of Saints, made Spiritual, as well as God Himſelf, the Happineſs of their Souls; and ſure I am that on the contrary, it is diſtinctly ſaid of each and apart, That God deſtroys [both Body and Soul] in Hell, Mat. 10. 28. And accordingly, each of them, with a Puniſhment ſuited unto each.
The Paſſage of Scripture, unto which the gathering will be of ſeveral others, for the proof of this my preſent Aſſertion, (which is the ſubject of this Chapter,) is that of our Apoſtle in the 28. ver. of this Heb. 10. a little afore my Text; he there ſetting forth the Judgment to come, in the Cauſes and Effects of it, to be,
A fiery Indignation, devouring the Adverſaries.
I did but touch upon it before, when I drew out other Arguments from this Text, but then reſerved a fuller handling of this by it ſelf.
The Original hath it, [The Indignation of Fire.] But Indignation is in, and from the Heart of an intelligent Perſon provoked, which is God, as the Text ſhews. Grotius therefore interprets it, The Anger of God, but adds, putting forth it ſelf by Fire: I ſuppoſe he means by corporeal Fire, as its Inſtrument. But why not rather The Anger of God Himſelf, Devouring his Adverſaries, as Fire; and ſo to relate to the manner of his Anger its working, as repreſented under the Similitude of Fire, ſeeing God Himſelf is, in this Epiſtle, ſtiled a Conſuming Fire? which interprets this.
And in this Expreſſion of [fiery Indignation which Devoureth,] He hath particular reference unto thoſe, of all other, the moſt extraordinary Judgments upon Nadah and Abihu, Lev. 10. 2. There came out [Fire] from the Lord, and [devoured] them. They are in terminis, the very Words of the Apoſtle here: And Reſpici videtur Hiſtoria quae eſt. Numb. 16. 35. Lev. 10. 2. Grotius.we may take in alſo (that ſo we may have two Witneſſes too, to confirm this our Interpretation of the Apoſtles Alluſion) That two hundred and fifty Princes periſhed by Fire from the Lord, in the Rebellion of Corah, Numb. 16. 30. This as for what examples is referred unto.
Now to raiſe up our Thoughts, unto how much a ſorer Puniſhment, the fiery Indignation that remained for theſe Goſpel-Adverſaries ſhould be, he ſuggeſts how tranſcendently the Goſpel exceeds the Miniſtration of Moſes Law, in theſe Words that follow; He that deſpiſed Moſes Law died without Mercy, under two or three Witneſſes, of how much ſorer Puniſhment ſuppoſe ye, ſhall he be thought worthy, who hath troden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the Blood of the Covenant, wherewith he was ſanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done deſpite to the Spirit of Grace. Moſes Law (the old Covenant, as joined with the Law Ceremonial,) was ſprinkled, or conſecrated with the Blood of Beaſts, Chap. 9. 19, 20, 21. But the Goſpel of the New Covenant, and the Perſons enlightned thereby, have been ſanctified by the Blood of the Son of God. If then ſuch an extraordinary fiery Judgment befel the deſpiſers of this Moſes Law, thus ſprinkled, &c. what fiery Indignation proportionably muſt it be that ſhall befal the treaders down, both of the Book, Covenant, and ſacred Blood of Chriſt? And in this lies the weight and ſtrength of the Apoſtle's Argument.
That Maxim of the Judicial Law which is annexed, that Deſpiſers died without Mercy under two or three Witneſſes; is brought in for that grand Circumſtance's ſake, whereby the Apoſtle heightneth both the Iniquity of thoſe Perſons, deſtroyed by Fire, who ſinned afore many thouſand Witneſſes, the whole Congregation of Iſrael: As likewiſe, this other far tranſcending guilt of theſe Adverſaries, who had renounced Chriſt and his Blood openly, afore the whole World and Chriſtian Church. So Chap. 6. 6. 'Tis ſaid they did put the Lord Jeſus to an open ſhame; and they are the ſame Perſons, whom he threatens this againſt here, and ſpeaks of there.
But ſtill, by what ſurpaſſing Proportion may we eſtimate, or ſuppoſe (as the Apoſtle calls us to do) how much this fiery Indignation is ſorer, then that outward devouring them by Fire. 'Tis certain, that Moſes Law and that ſprinkling with Beaſts Blood, &c. which he argues from, held but the proportion of Types, †As he had expreſly called them in that chap. 9. 9. and again in this chap. 10. ver. 1.Figures and Shadows. But the New Covenant, and Chriſt's Blood, &c. of the Subſtance and Reality, comparatively to theſe. Then in like manner, his intent in propoſing theſe examples of Judgments by Fire, was as of thoſe that hold the Proportion but of a Type, a Figure of this fiery Indignation, that is to come upon the treaders down of the Blood of Chriſt. For indeed a meer bodily Death the ſharpeſt (as thoſe by Fire were) is but as the Shadow of Death, unto the ſecond Death (the thing intended here) which is utterly another kind of thing.
In Heb. 10. ver. 1. He ſays of the good things of the Goſpel, that what the Law held forth, were but the Shadows of thoſe good things to come, as Canaan of Heaven, Chap. 4, &c. the like 2 Col. 17. And why may it not be alſo ſaid, that as all the good things under the Law, the beſt were but ſhadows of thoſe good things to come, ſo that the higheſt and worſt of outward evil things executed then, were in like manner but ſhadows of thoſe evil things which the Goſpel brings to Light, as the Puniſhment of Sin. And we may ſee in his ſucceeding Diſcourſe in this ſame Chapter, how he having firſt inſtanced in the Good, he after inſtanceth in the higheſt of Evil, in theſe Words I am upon, ver. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. And in like manner the like extraordinary Judgments then, are expreſly ſaid to have happened to them as Types, (ſo in the Greek and Margin) 1 Cor. 10. foreign, rudiores imagines perfectioris.11. Types not meerly monitory of like Events, but withal prefigurative of Puniſhment of an higher kind, &c. What Death could be outwardly ſorer, than See Lucan, of the Effects of the ſtingings by African Serpents upon Cato's Souldiers. Lib. 9.to be deſtroyed of Serpents? ver. 9. and thoſe fiery too, Numb. 21. 6. the Effects of whoſe Stings are deſcribed to be as dolorous as being burnt alive. But under the Goſpel, Sin and the Law, and ſo God's Wrath, theſe as the ſubſtance are ſet out to be the Sting of that Death to come, 1 Cor. 15. 55. *As the brazen Serpent was the ſhadow of Chriſt, John 3. So the ſtingings of thoſe fiery Serpents the like Figures of the ſtinging of Sin and God's Wrath.Again, ver. 10. deſtroyed of the Deſtroyer. Who was the Deſtroyer then? Angels. So Heb. 11. 28. And what Deſtruction or Deſtroyer under the Goſpel is it, that is typified out by theſe? even God Himſelf: who, as by Chriſt, is ſaid to kill the Soul, and deſtroy Body and Soul in Hell: So, ere the Apoſtle took off his Pen from proſecuting that Argument, in the very ſame Chapter, he in full effect ſays as much, in ſetting afore them, how it was God's Power and Wrath, inſtead of thoſe other Deſtroyers, with which Sinners have now to do, ver. 22. Do you provoke the Lord to Jealouſie? are you ſtronger than he? I might confirm this Notion from other Types, 1 Cor. 15. 44, 45. This fore-laid.
To approach nearer to our purpoſe in hand, there are two things further to be done: 1. as touching the Type it ſelf, what kind of Fire that was which devoured them: And the manner of their Deaths.
The Fire was another manner of Fire, than this our Elementary common Fire. This was Fire from Heaven, and therefore ſaid to be a Fire [from the Lord] that devoured them; it was ſuch a Fire, as blaſts of Lightning are, which ſtrike, and blaſt, and ſhrivel the Spirits of a Living Body in an inſtant: which is evident by the manner of their Deaths. The Hebrew Doctors ſay of it, that it was a Fire which burnt their Souls, not their Bodies; their meaning is, their Bodies were not conſumed or devoured by it: for Lev. 10. 5. 'tis ſaid, They carried their Bodies and Coats into the Tent, as untouch'd. It was therefore ſuch a Fire (as Lightning is from Heaven) which uſeth to ſtrike, and lick up Mens Spirits in an inſtant, when yet in the mean time, it conſumes not, breaks not ſo much as Skin or Fleſh; which our Elementary Fire preys firſt and moſt upon. It was therefore a far ſubtiller Fire then Culinary or Kitchin Fire: which ſuitably ſerved as the fitteſt and neareſt Type of this fiery Indignation: and of the vengeance, which it executes. And this was but the Shadow.
The ſecond is, What the ſubſtance anſwering to theſe Types ſhould be? This I ſhall ſet out by two things:
1. What is the thing, or ſubject devoured by this fiery Indignation? It is the immortal Souls of Men: theſe are the Fewel which this Fire doth prey upon. As to the truth of the thing it ſelf I need not inſiſt on it: But the Analogy of that as the Shadow; and this as typified thereby, that is the matter afore me.—Let it be conſidered, that the Death and Deſtruction of the immortal Soul in Man, could not any other way be more lively ſhadowed forth, than by ſuch a devouring (as Moſes word is) or licking up the vital and animal Spirits that run in the Body, when yet the Body it ſelf remains unburnt: Thereby demonſtrating, that it was ſuch a Fire as ſtruck immediately at that which is the Fountain of Life it ſelf in the Body, and at that which is the Bond, the Vinculum, the Tye of Union between Soul and Body: for ſuch are thoſe Spirits. And yet not ſo much, as to ſinge the outward bulk or carcaſe of the Body. There could have been nothing invented in the whole compaſs of Nature, to have born a reſemblance ſo near, to ſhadow forth the Immortal Soul, as thoſe ſpirits running in Man's Blood and Arteries, do; which, ſome affirm to be the very Animal and Vital Soul in Man. Sure I am, they are as the Oyl whereby Life is preſerved and fed; and in the Blood is the Life, ſays Moſes, our beſt Interpreter in this. Neither doth this Shadow hold a Similitude in this particular only, but in another like caſe as evidently. The pouring forth of the Blood of the Beaſts that were Sacrificed under the Old Law, was particularly ordained to ſignify Chriſt his pouring forth his Soul unto Death, as Eſay ſpeaks; As well, as in general, that the Sacrifice of thoſe Beaſts did typifie forth Chriſt's Sacrifice, in the whole of it. And this was as near a Repreſentation of that Particular, as could any way be made, by what was corporeal in Beaſts, or elſe in the whole Creation (for a Sacrifice of Mankind, or the Blood of Men, God liked not to be made to him, in his Worſhip) could poſſibly have been found to pourtray it forth.
The ſecond thing is, that the ſubſtance ſhadowed forth by that Fire, was no other than the Indignation or Wrath of the great God Himſelf, which is termed Fiery Indignation here.
For Proof of which, I inſiſt not, that ſome Shim thereof this Shadow it ſelf doth caſt, in Moſes his ſaying again and again in Terminis, that a Fire [from the Lord,] &c. which hath a great Emphaſis and Reſemblance of this in it. But for proof I ask,
Firſt, Where ſhall we find, or how Omnes ignes hujus Mundi ſunt ut ignis Pictus ad ignem ….ſhall we imagine any created Fire ſo to exceed that Fire from Heaven, recorded in that Story; and ſo far exceeding it as the Subſtance doth a Shadow; or ſuch as ſhould melt down Immortal Souls? You may ſooner invent or imagine a Fire, ſo much comparatively hotter than that of the Sun it ſelf, (which is the contract of Fire and Light) and ſo much exceeding it, as ſhould be able to ſhrivel up this Sun into a burnt black Coal: as to imagine any ſuch created Fire, ſo tranſcending this of Lightning from Heaven, as ſhall thus devour reaſonable Souls and Immortal Spirits; that in the ſubſtance of them (as being Spirits) do bear the image of God. In what Furnace will you think to find ſuch a Fire? No where but in the Boſom of him, who hath here ſaid Vengeance is mine; even of God himſelf.
2. To confirm this. What created Fire can be conceived more ſubtile or powerful, than the Angels themſelves are conceived to be? whom, as Heb. 1. 7. out of the Pſalms, the Apoſtle compareth to Flames of Fire, that is in our (European Language) to Lightning. Now then I ask when Chriſt ſays, Mat. 25. 41. Go into the Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels, (ſhewing that Man's Puniſhment ſhall be from the ſame hand, that the Puniſhment of thoſe evil Angels is;) what Fire can be ſuppoſed ſuch, that can work on Angelical Natures, who themſelves have Power over Fire; of Fire of Lightning from Heaven, as in Jobs caſe was ſeen: None other, but that, which as the Apoſtle reſolves us, (if we will reſt in it) That our God is a conſuming Rev. 14.Fire, Heb. 12. ult. So that conſidering the State and Condition of the Devil; I cannot but celebrate that fore-cited concluſive Speech of Luthers, Ira Dei eſt infernus Diaboli & omnium damnatorum, It is the Wrath of God that is the Hell of the Devil, and of all the damned: For there can be no other Fire, in which the Devils can be tormented. Outward waſhings may as ſoon reach Conſcience, as Heb. 9. 9. 1 Pet. 3. 21. as ſuch created Fire to torment an Angel.
3. Let us conſider other Scriptures, which (as I ſaid) do gather about this, to give Teſtimony to this Interpretation.
Firſt, That of the Prophet Iſaiah, Chap. 33. 14. The Sinners in Sion are afraid, fearfulneſs hath ſurprized the Hypocrites: Who among us ſhall dwell with the [devouring Fire?] Who among us ſhall dwell with [everlaſting burnings?] I ſhall afterwards have occaſion to take notice of this Scripture by way of Uſe. In the mean time,—obſerve, that it is God Himſelf, who is meant by this devouring Fire, here. For in a ſmart and quick Retortion, (and it is a moſt Elegant one) the Prophet gives Anſwer: He that walketh Righteouſly, and ſpeaketh Ʋprightly, He ſhall dwell with Him (whom you that are Hypocrites ſo much dread, and have cauſe enough to do ſo) with him ſhall an Ʋpright Man dwell: Who is, and will be unto you in the State you are in, A Devouring Fire. And thus they are reproved, and taught what it is to be Hypocrites, by the oppoſite condition of the Upright, and the differing Event of being ſuch. And further, that it is God Himſelf there the Prophet intendeth, as with whom the Upright ſhould dwell: The Words following do alſo ſhew, ver. 16. He ſhall dwell on High (namely with that High and lofty one, that dwells in the High and Holy Place, &c. Do but punctually compare that Eſay. 57. 15. with this here) likewiſe ver. 17. Thine Eye (O thou upright Soul) ſhall ſee the King in his Beauty; that is (as Chriſt ſays) the pure in Heart ſhall ſee God. The reſult is, that the ſame God, who appears all in Flames, and as a devouring Fire, unto Hypocrites in Hell; is all Light and Beauty to the Upright in Heaven. Like as unto a ſound and vigorous Eye, It is a pleaſant thing to behold the Sun, as Solomon ſpeaks; but to ſore Eyes it is a Terror.
Add to this Pſal. 21. 8, 9. Thine Hand ſhall find out all thine Enemies, thy right Hand ſhall find out thoſe that hate thee. Thou ſhalt make them as [a fiery Oven] in the time of thine [Anger:] The Lord ſhall [ſwallow them up] in his [Wrath] and [the Fire] ſhall devour them. This the Chaldee Paraphraſt interprets of the Fire of Hell. And ſo you have all meet to interpret this Fire to be meant of the Wrath of God himſelf. Firſt, God a conſuming Fire, Heb. 12. ult. Then 2. God himſelf to be that devouring Fire, Iſa. 33. 14. And 3. his Wrath interpreted to be that Fire by the Pſalmiſt. And loe how theſe all meet in this one ſaying: The fiery Indignation that devours the Adverſaries. Which the Apoſtle himſelf, alſo interprets of God himſelf, afterwards. We know him that hath ſaid, Vengeance is mine. And it is a fearful thing, &c.
Particularly for that Scripture, even now cited, Iſa. 33. 14. If we conſult the Context, the occaſion of bringing in that horrid out-cry, who among us, &c. (as Interpreters agree) was that the Prophet had ſet forth, in the Verſes before, that moſt wonderful and prodigious ſlaughter of the King of Aſſyria's Hoſt, when an hundred foreſcore and five thouſand (as 2 Kings 19. 15.) were in one Night deſtroyed by an Angel. And thereupon, the Prophet in this Paſſage is to be underſtood, either to have related what an impreſſion of dread this ſo unparallel'd a Judgment had made upon, and ſtruck the Hearts of the Hypocrites in Sion with: As that which had made them to cry out thereupon, Oh how then ſhall we dwell with everlaſting burnings? That is, with God Himſelf. For they may well be ſuppoſed to have reaſoned thus with themſelves; if one Angel that is but a miniſtring Spirit to God, is able to blaſt and conſume ſuch a Multitude in one Night; how ſhall we have to do with God Himſelf, who is that infinite immenſe devouring Fire, and all thoſe Angels but as Sparks, and his Miniſters. And ſo according to this meaning, themſelves are brought in, ſpeaking by the Prophet, as the Men of Bethſhemeſh did upon the like Judgment, 1 Sam. 6. 20. Who is able to ſtand before this holy Lord God? Or elſe thoſe Words may be ſuppoſed to have been the Prophets own Meditation and uſe of Inſtruction, deduced from that example; which he uttereth, as fore-warning the Sinners in Sion to conſider, That if God be ſo terrible in the Judgments he executes by others, his Angels, who are Flames of Fire; how will you endure to dwell with God Himſelf, and have immediately to do with him for ever, who is a devouring Fire and everlaſting Burnings? &c. And our Saviour's Speech is not remote, from this of Iſaiah, when, ſpeaking of Hell, it is the Fire prepared for [Hypocrites] (ſays he) Mat. 24. 51. Even as here, Iſaiah profeſſeth to ſpeak this of and unto the [Hypocrites in Sion] as the Perſons above all other forewarned, when Hell is threatned. Again, as in Iſaiah, God himſelf is called the devouring and everlaſting Fire, ſo here in the Text, his Wrath is termed fiery Indignation [devouring.] And the Word tranſlated Adverſaries here, falls out alſo to be a Word decyphering Hypocrites or falſe Profeſſors, foreign under-hand Enemies. Who are alſo ſaid to look for, in their trembling Conſciences, this fiery Indignation: even as of theſe Hypocrites Iſaiah alſo ſpeaks, as being the expectants of Hell. And again, our Apoſtle Chap. 12. 31. Our God is a conſuming Fire. So as upon ſeveral accounts it is, that God himſelf and his Wrath is, more eminently, that Fire in Hell the Scriptures, ſometimes, ſpeak of.
If it be objected out of my Text, Is it not ſaid, He cometh in flaming Fire with 2 Theſſ. 1. 8, 9.his Mighty Angels? Will he not then uſe corporeal Fire, as alſo the might of his Angels, and both as Inſtruments of his Execution, and their Deſtruction; and to that very end mentioneth the might of his Angels?
I anſwer, 1. This Fire here is not mentioned, as that which is the Cauſe of their everlaſting Deſtruction: but as that which is a concomitant of Chriſt's Appearing; and alſo a fore-runner or Harbinger to that Judgment, he comes to pronounce Sentence of, whereof the Deſtruction that follows is the final Execution. Judges uſe for terror, and for a Demonſtration of their Authority, Work, and Office they are employed in, to have viſible Inſtruments of Death carried afore them, as Enſigns of their Power: A company of Halberds or the like for their Guard to go before, and environ them round; which yet are not to be the immediate Inſtruments of the Execution of Malefactors it ſelf, but accompany their Perſons at the Examination and Sentence. *And in ſuch an equipage the Pſalmiſt and the Prophets ſet forth Gods coming to judg, in particular judgments as Pſal. 18. and elſe where.And as to this or the like uſe, is this Guard of Angels, and of flaming Fire mentioned, to be underſtood to ſerve: Both theſe referring evidently unto that his Appearing. [Who ſhall be revealed from] Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming Fire, but not ſpoken of, as the Cauſes of the Deſtruction it ſelf that follows.
The Angels further ſerve to gather Men from all the four Corners of the World, Mat. 13. 41, 42.to hale and bring them afore the Judge; and after Sentence to caſt them into the place of Torment, called there A Furnace of Fire: but not of their making, but God's. They do but deliver them into the dreadful place, wherein Execution is acted and performed.
2. This Fire which he appears with, is to burn up this viſible World, as a fore-running Sign, to ſhew the fierceneſs of the Fire of that Wrath which ſhall after prey and ſeize upon the inviſible World; that is, Mens Souls and Devils for ever. Not that Mens Souls are to be burnt up with no other Fire, than what the World is burnt withal, but that which burns the viſible World, is an Example and Demonſtration of that other Fire, that is kindled in his Anger, that ſhall in the end Burn to the bottom of Hell. This as to Deut. 32. 22.what may be objected out of that place.
3. I deny not from other Scriptures a created Fire in Hell: Let but that alſo be allowed which ſome of the Antients alſo ſpeak of, that there is a double Fire there: One inward in Mens Souls; Another outward. Gerſon aptly applyeth Vermis & ignis, uter que duplex, interior & exterior. Interior, qui urit & rodit cor: exterior, qui rodit & urit corpus. Innocentius, Damnati ab intus & extra. Erunt in acerbiſſimo cruciatuum genere, foris devorati ab igne, & ab intus ut Clibanus ignis poſiti. Gerſon Ser. 1. de Sanctis.that place of the Pſalmiſt fore-cited, Pſal. 21. 19. unto that of this inward Fire, Thou ſhalt make them as a fiery Oven, the Lord ſhall ſwallow them up in his Wrath, and the Fire ſhall devour them: The Fire of an Oven is a fit ſimilitude of a Fire within, as into which Fire is put to heat it, and the heat made more intenſe by the cavity or hollowneſs of the place. Whereas to be caſt into a Furnace of Fire, as Chriſt ſpeaks, or into a Lake of Fire, as Apoc. imports a Fire without, into which the Matter or Perſons to be burnt are caſt.
And thus much for bare Scripture-Teſtimonies: many other there are which might be here collected to confirm this, but are ſcattered in ſeveral parts of this Diſcourſe in a duer place.