Contemplations on Mortality, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the fell Dragons at the further end of the grave.
MEthinks the way through the darkcMoriſans Travels, p, 113. Grott near Naples, opening towards the ſulfurous mountains of Veſuvius, and the ſtagnant air of Campania bears ſome reſemblance with this cloſe and terrible paſſage, through the Valley of Death: were the terrors many at the entrance, they increaſe and multiply at the coming forth: There's no hiding, ſtopping or retreating; when the Reapers are ſent forth to gather the TaresdMat. 13.30. together, to bind them in bundles and to burn them to aſhes: no ſtately Mauſoleums, no Marble Tombs can detain the new-enlivened bodies, when they begin to hear the ſhrill Ecchoes of the Arch-Angels Trumpet: That acute voice which ſounded ſo oft in the ears of Jerom, Ariſe ye dead and come to Judgment.
The great doctrin of the Reſurrection which vain Athenians derided, now ſhines forth in its glory: when the bones that were ſcatter'd at the graves mouth begin to crawl together: See, Ezek 37.8.how the ſinews, nerves, and muſcles climb up to their proper places, and milkwhite skin covers them round about: Here's an admirable ſpectacle of the imperiall power of God: when ſo many millions of miracles, ſhall proclaim that glorious and fearfull name of the Lord of Hoſts: when ſome duſt ſhall creep up the Banks of Rivers, and others from the depths of the Sea: when that which was mingled with common Earth, or the Sands of the Shore, the Bowels of Fiſhes, wild Beaſts and Canniballs, ſhall each Atome return to the ſtructure of their proper Bodies, and all the round Globe over, new-quickned, and living perſons ſtart up in every quarter: Methinks the Angells ſtand gazing at it, and trumpeting forth bleſſing,aRev. 5.13. Clem. Alex. ſtrom. l. 5. p. 405. honour, glory and power to him that ſitteth upon the Throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever.
That the ancient Heathens had ſome glimpſes of this great point,bEuſeb. de prepar. Evang. l. 11. c. 33. & l. 13. c. 13. Clemens Alexandrinus, Euſebius out of Plato and Plutarch, and ourcBradward. de Cauſ. Dei l. 1. c. 1. ſect. 39. p. 96. Bradwardin out of Pliny, Varro, Plato and Democritus give ſome evidence: But whence the old Sophies lighted their Torches, and how far they improved their faint and glimmering twi-light I muſt not enlarge: nor ſhew, who roſe no higher then Pythagoras his doctrin of tranſanimation, out of Porphyry and the Stoick Schools: ſince we have a more ſure word of Prophecy, to which we do welld2 Pet 1.19. to take heed as to a light, ſhining in a dark place till the Day-ſtar ariſe in our hearts.
We have here to conſider, with what conſternation of Spirit, all wicked and ungodly men, ſhall lift up their heads out of the duſt of Death: How bitterly ſhall their Souls and Bodies greet and rue the day of their ſad reunion: Theſe Simeons and Levies, former brethren in evill, now turn mutuall inſtruments of cruelty in their habitations: Methinks the fore-dooming of that Tragicall Dialogue ſhould fore amuſe any reaſonable creature, To think, how the lamenting body ſhall wring its hands at the moment of the Souls re-entry: when the Soul it ſelf ſhall tremble and all the bells of the ſenſes ring backward at this fatall marriage: How do the eyes guſh forth with tears in that cloudy morning, and the whole day overflownePro. 27 15 with continuall droppings of a ſoaking rain, and that with tears of blood, and flaming drops of brimſtone. They who were in this life mutuall tempters, ſhall in that life be mutuall tormenters: O that mortalls would put on Prometheus betimes and be wiſe beforehand, and cry out with Jacob, O myaGen. 49.6. Soul come not into their ſecret, unto their aſſembly mine honour be not thou united: For both were guilty of ſelf-murder, and that of the deepeſt grain, the ſtrangling of Souls.
But alas! were the body to riſe only, that were its happineſs and perfection. Reſurrection in its ſimple notion ſpeaks out the redintegration of nature: The form of the Soul hath a ſtrong and vehement appetite after the materiall Body: It delights in union to perform the native and genuine functions of information: Alas! ſinners ſhall not meerly riſe, but muſt all ſtand before the Judgment Seat of Jeſus Chriſt, and can there be any thing more horrible to the immagination of a dying ſinner, not reconciled to God, then the great and fearfull Tribunall? When GodbEccl. 12.14. ſhall bring every work into judgment with every ſecret thing, whether it be good or evill: When Death rides towards him on a meager and pale Horſe; that diſmaies him moſt to ſpie Judgment galloping after him.cHeb. 9.27 Its appointed for all to dye, and rhen to Judgment.
There will a Judg ſit down upon a fiery Throne of Carbuncle: who ſhall notdIſay. 11.… judg after the ſight of his eyes, nor reprove after the hearing of his ears, externall appearance and glittering greatneſs bribes the underſtanding: and falfe witneſs perverts the ſentence of an earthly worm: he muſt go (Secundum allegata & probata) according to proofs and witneſſes: But here's a Judg eIb. V. 3.of quick ſcent in the fear of the Lord: righteouſneſs ſhall be the girdle of his loins and faithfulneſs of his reins. (The foreign)fHeb. 4.12, 13. the Word eſſentiall pierces to the dividing of ſoul and ſpirit, the joints and marrow; he is a diſcerner of the thought and intents of the heart: There's not a creature but is manifeſt in his ſight: All things without are naked and ſtript of their veſtments, and all things within are cut open by his Razor, and anatomiz'd to the backbone and ſpinall marrow before the eyes of him with whom we have to doe.
The eyes of this Judg aregRev. 1.14, &c. as a flame of fire, his feet like fine braſſe burning in a Furnace, he treads down and burns up his enemies at once: His voice is as the ſound of many waters, who can abide the day of his coming? Out of his mouth flowes a ſharp two-edged Sword, and his countenance is like the Sun ſhining in his ſtrength.aRev. 2.23 He ſearcheth the reins and hearts, and giveth to every one according to their works.
He that ſits down on this Judgment Seat,bRev. 4.3, &c. is to look on, like the various and many-vein'd Jaſper in the rare diverſity of his excellent and glorious atributes and perfections: like the incarnate Sardine in taking our fleſh upon him, and round about the Throne the enamouring Rain-bow of the Covenant, ſhining like a pleaſant green Emerald with all the glittering promiſes of the Spirit. Upon twenty four Seats encompaſſing this illuſtrious Chair of heavenly ſtate, ſit the reverend Aſſeſſors, twenty ſour Elders, clothed in white Raiment and Crowns of Gold upon their Heads, according to the twenty four Orders of Prieſts, attending this great Prince of might, and High-Prieſt uponcZach. 6.13. his Throne, and between his Princely and his Prieſtly Dignities, the Counſell of Peace ſhall ſtand. Before him burn ſeven Lamps of Fire, and upon twelve Brazen Oxen ſtands a Sea of Glaſſe like Chryſtall: He is endued with the multiformions gifts and graces of the holy Spirit: his hands are alwaies purely waſht in Innocency, and round about the Throne in this Majeſticall Temple-Seſſion, angelicall Cherubims full of eyes, cry night and dayfRev. 4.8. [Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is,V. 5. and is to come] and from out of the Throne proceed lightnings, and thunderings, and voices.
At ſo radiant and tremendous a Spectacle, in ſuch a glorious and orient Theatre: how can the direfull perſecutors of the Church look up? O how they creep to the Rocks for ſome hole ſome cleft to pitty them, O Nimrod Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezar! O Nero Trojan and Diocleſian, whither will ye run from the face of the Lamb, that ſits on the Throne, who with his fulgent Eyes, ſearches and pierces to the Center of the Univerſe. O Pope of Rome and thy curſed Shavelings, Its in vain now to ſtand poring ongBern. de Conſid. ad Eugen f. 237. h. Bernards good monitions to thy ſtubborn Predeceſſor, Eugenius. O Bonner and Gardiner, what will become of you and your …cceſſ…r… for puſhing, and goring, and letting out the blood of Saints, all in the Book of Martyrs, Remember James Abbes, and theaFox Martyrs Vol. 3. p. 956, &c. Ed. 1641. Sheriffs Servant at Bury, who railing at that faithfull Martyr, was ſtrook with madneſſe and cried out, James Abbes is the Servant of God and is ſaved, but I am damn'd, and inveighed at the Prieſt that brought him the Hoſte, that he and ſuch were the cauſe of his damnation.
Is it ſo terrible before hand in the preſentiments and preaccuſations of Conſcience, before that great and fearfull Day of the Lord come? What will be the horror of execution, when the blood which is dryed up in priſons as well as drawn forth by whips and flames, ſhall be weighed to a drop and a grain in the ballance of this righteous Judg. So much bRev. 18.7torment and ſorrow give them: Then the Beaſt ſhall be taken, and with him that falſe Prophet the Pope, that wrought Miracles before him: Both theſe ſhall be caſt alive into the Lake of Fire burning with Brimſtone: Then, they thatcRev. 14.10, &c. worſhip the Beaſt and his Image, and receiv'd his Mark in Hand or Forehead, ſhall be tormented with Fire and Brimſtone in the preſence of the holy Angells, and in the preſence of the Lamb: the ſmoak of their torment ſhall aſcend for ever and ever. They ſhall have no reſt day nor night, who ador'd the Beaſt or his Image, or received the Mark of his Name: And this brings me to the laſt Conſideration, and thats Eternity.
The miſery of Hell (could I ſpeak it properly) were it to end but a moment on this ſide Eternity, either in bliſſe or abatement of pain or compleat annihilation: 'twere a ſoveraign Cordiall. The memory of it would be a cooling drop day by day, upon the tongue of every Dives, to keep it from bliſtering into blaſphemy.
But to ponder upon this dreadfull, Ever: and to champ upon it to Eternity; its a thouſand times more bitter then Wormwood, Aloes or Coloquintida. 'Tis to ſwallow down the wine of aſtoniſhment, and to pledg one anotherdDeut. 30.33. with the poyſon of Dragons, and the cruell venome of Aſpes.
I dare any wicked man in the world to run on in their follies, with any ſerious apprehenſions of Eternity,Clem Alexandr. Strom. l. 1. p. 222. Edit. Lug. B. or calm convictions of it upon their Spirits. Poor Heathens have highly aſſerted the Souls immortally, and common reaſon evinces, that there can be no communion between God and Belial, light and darkneſs can't aſſociate. If the Soul be immortall, and its union to …od be the life of the Soul? muſt it not (when God's abſent, & abſent for ever from all unholy perſons) lye down in Eternall death? He that walketh in light,1 John 1.6, 7, &c. dwelleth and hath fellowſhip with the Father, and with the Son: But he that lives and dies in darkneſs can never come to, or abide in Eternall Light: But muſt be caſt out into utter darkneſs, where is weeping and wailing and gnaſhing of teeth.
I know there be ſuch in our daies, or elſe I ſhould not mention it, who would fain tamper with the falſe doctrin of Origen, and (like his weak Diſciples) would perſwade themſelves, that foreign in the Hebr. and foreign and foreign in the Greek, often note but a ſtated determination of time, and therefore may be ſo underſtood in this caſe. Poor wretches! will they hazard their all, upon a pittifull conjecture: a jejune criticiſm in Grammar and run fool-hardy upon the pikes of divine vengeance and the thick boſſes of his Bucklers, under the thin covert of a words acceptation ſometimes in that ſenſe in Scripture: when the nature of the matter, and the force of the context obliges: ſhould you not rather deeply weigh and ponder upon thoſe places: where the damnation of the wicked is oppoſed to the eternall ſalvationbDan. 12.2 Mat. 25.46. Jude 7, 21, 22. of the Godly. Do you believe eternall life for the Saints? and ſhall the wicked, who come not into a life of grace, ſhal they after a ſet race of years be raiſed to glory? Such as never repent, never cloſe with Chriſt, never fly to the promiſe while here; and is there any repentance in the grave or remiſſion of ſins? O fool, twice dyed in grain, that dareſt to venture thy Soul upon the punctilio of a word. Nay, is not that very word, foreign, uſed and applyed to the divinecRom. 16.26. Heb. 9.24. Majeſty, who inhabits eternity, and dwelleth in the inacceſſible light: Nay, are there not other cogent expreſſions ſetting out the perpetuity of that eſtate in miſery (where their word is abſent: with which they play their lives at ſtake.) Is there not a dolefulldMat. 5.26. Rev. 1.18. priſon, which no man can unlock or break through, or be let forth till he pay the utmoſt farthing? Is there not a place where theaMark 9.44, 46, 48. worm of Conſcience dies not, and the fire ſhall never be quencht? Are theſe but dry metaphors? Take heed thy Soul be not the dreadfull fiery comment, that thou ſinck not intobLuk. 16.26. that great gulf,cRiv. 20.3. that bottomleſs-pit: If thou wilt bedPro. 9.12. wiſe, be wiſe for thy ſelf and believe on the SoneJoh. 3.36. to everlaſting life, he that beliveth not the Son, ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.
O Souls, will you warm your thoughts, and unfreeze your ſecurity at that fearfull fire: will you open your eyes at the ſight of that horrible darkneſs. Fire that yields, no light and flames, that are thick with darkneſs. O monſtrous miſery! A cohabitation with Devills: The Drum of the Ears even tingles, and is broken in pieces, with diſtracted roarings of men and devills, and yet to ſee no body. O Souls! will you be warn'd by the noiſes of theſe Canons at diſtance? ſhall that inſatiable thirſt and gnawing worm well view'd in the glaſſe of divine threatnings provoke you to mend? Or will you ſtay rather, till you feel the loins of wrath in its unſupportable burden, and then cry out to late? Alas thy Conſcience then at every turn will dun thy Soul, with that of Abraham tofLuk 16.25. Dives O Son remember, &c. Remember the many holy Sabbaths, the pretious Sermons, the earneſt zeal of painfull Miniſters to pull thee as a firebrand out of the fire: Remember the good examples, the pious preſidents, the melting admonitions, the ſore afflictions and fatherly viſitations of God. Remember me, thy now ſweltring Conſcience, that ſhook the often by the Collar, that ſcared thee to ſome duties, and gave thee many a warm Item of this wrath to come: Remember how thou ſcoffedſt at puritans and mourners for ſin. Remember that good ſpirit that cried to thee, Return, return, harden not t…y heart, hearken while 'tis called to d…y. But now vain is the hope or mercy: vain to lift up the bittereſt cries, thou ſhalt find no place for repentance in the breaſt of God,gHeb. 12.17. no change in his minde, though thou ſeek it carefully with t…ars. The day of thy bleſſing is paſt. Now the hope of the hypocrite is cut off, …nd ſwept down like a Spiders Web. Now thou haſt no reſt from this angry teazd Vulture, that knaws thy Liver night and day: And that which puts the bloody and circumflex accent, the abiding tone upon all thy maladies: They are Eternall, who can dwell withaIſ. 33.14. everlaſting burnings, who will ſetbIſ. 27.4. briars and thorns againſt him in Battail? who can enter the Liſts and contend with conſuming fire, when it ſhall devour before him and be verycIſ. 50.3. tempeſtuous round about him: when he ſhall ſhewdIſ 30.3, 31. the lighting down of his arm with the indignation of his anger, with the flame of a devouring fire, with ſcattering, and tempeſt, and hailſtones: When the pile of Tophet ſhall be fire, and much wood, and the breath of the Lord like a ſtream of Brimſtone ſhall kindle it?
Theſe are the fiery Serpents (the Haſeraphim) the Devills, the fell Dragons that gape with open mouth, that hiſſe with inflamed tongues, and pour out floods of venome, at the further end of the grave upon every impenitent ſinner.
O that the terror of the Lord would perſwade men to take hold of his arm, to makepeace with him, and to beeJob 22.21. at reſt. O that I could rowze vain man from the lap of pleaſure. Will ye ſleep on theePro. 23.34. top of a Maſt, in ſuch a rowling and …umbling tempeſt, when every whiſt may toſſe you into the deeps of Hell? Be wiſe at laſt, if poſſible, and ſhale off your ſenſeleſs ſlumbers: O hard heat that trembleſt not at the rattling of his Chariots, when he clotheth the necks of his Horſes, with thunder againſt thee as in the day of Battail. Thats a hard heart which is not frightd at it ſelf, and what will be the event? Ask not me, ſaiesfBern ad Eugen. f. 237. a. Bernard, but ask Pharaoh: Be inſtructed by the Egyptian Carkaſſes on the ſhore of the Red-ſea. Will you learn togPſ. 2.12. kiſſe the Son leſt he be angry, and ye periſh from the way? when his wrath is kindled but a little: O when it flames all a broad, how terrible is it? The flames of London were but painted fire to this. That ſuckt up houſes, but this hMat. 10.3.immortall Souls.
But where's the Remedy? O kiſſe the Son leſt he be angry: O bleſſed Son! O gracious Saviour, that'saI. 2.12. angry, if he be not kiſt; and griev'd if he be not loved: He lovesbPro. 8.17▪ 36. them that love him: and complains, that they wrong their own Souls, and love death, that hate him.
Vile Sinners! we are angry with him becauſe he calls for love, who needs not care for't: lets be angry with our ſelves, becauſe we give it not: He's angry with ſinners, that Sinners kiſſe him not.V. 3. Such as caſt away the cords of his Laws, he caſts about them the cords of his love. And muſt ſuch ſinners kiſſe him? yes! they kiſſe the creatures, why not him? he made our hearts, he loves our hearts and chides to have them. 'Tis a jealous love, no waters quench, but ſuch as freely run into it.
Here's loving anger and wrath in grace, he fights with kind anger, that he may embrace with love. 'Tis the heat of love that kindles his anger, but if neglected, 'twill blaze into a flame. His love haſtens us with the voice of anger: that the fire of his anger conſume us not: His anger calls us from his anger, but not to his anger, but to his love. His mouth checks us that we may kiſs it, and his heart is moved for us, that we may move into it: when anger warns, 'tis loving anger: but love too long abuſed kindles the flame of wrath. If ſo much love in this holy anger to bring us to him: what manner of love in thoſe bleſſed kiſſes, when we come. Let's then love his anger and kiſs his love: For happy are all they that put their truſt in him.Pſ. 2.12.
You that are living, hearken to his anger that ye may never feel it, lay this love to heart, and conſider its latter end. This love will gather the Saints together, and ſet apart the godly, the kind cPſ. 4.3. foreign Benignus.in heartdPſ. 50.4. that love him, for himſelf: For ſuch have made an everlaſting covenant of Salt with him by ſacrifice.