Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation, Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI. Of Meditation of Hell, and Death Eternal therein.
THE very naming of Death is dreadful, Death Eternal is much more dreadful, but a being in Hell, the worſt place poſſible, is moſt dreadful of all.
Hell, though in the meer mentioning it makes ſuch a jarr upon the ſpirit of any; though the leaſt touching on it, by a but glancing thought, the leaſt touch be like the needles ſharp point to the Apple of the Eye, ſo acute a pain and ſmart; yet muſt the Eye of the ſoul, by Meditation, not only touch it, but take it cloſe to it, but dwell upon it.
Death natural, in the but very thought, hath a very high attending regret, we cannot endure to look deathward, but O how greatly unwilling to look in the leaſt this ſad way, deſtruction-ward, Hellward, toward death Eternal!
The firſt is taſting Gall, but the ſecond is a drinking Poyſon: The one hath a deep attending reluctancy, the other a double died antipathy. It's the harſheſt task for a ſinner, it's a hard for a Saint, to fix willingly, and dwell in Meditation, on ſo ſad and dreadful a ſubject as Hell is: yet is it that, which muſt be done, and by a holy wiſe ſpirit, may be both confidently and advantageouſly done. The beſt Chriſtian on earth will loſe nothing by ſometimes looking into Hell, and fixing the thoughts there. No man ever yet fled from Hell, but firſt fixt his thoughts in ſome proportion on it: No man will flye faſt enough from this Pit of perdition, this Lake of Fire, if he do not oft look towards it, and keep his Eye upon it.
Hell and Death Eternal are ſet down in Scripture, for both evil and good mens flying; but this cannot be compaſt without frequencies of earneſt ponderings and meditatings.
For a right proceeding in this Meditation,
1. Let me firſt look to that which is my infallible rule, the teſtimony of that God, who founded Hell and laid the corner ſtone of it; who firſt threatned and prepared this Priſon, this Pit of deſtruction; who knows all the large dimenſions of it, all things in and about it, and cannot, nor will not, in the leaſt deceive us in it.
He hath given us his Word, to tell us, and that under his own hand, in great numbers and varieties of paſſages, that we cannot rationally conceive, he would ſo do, mention and give it ſo many times under his own hand, were there no ſuch thing, no local Hell, and ſecond Death Eternal.
My way therefore, as a good Chriſtian, is to look up, gather Scripture paſſages; paſſage after paſſage, all over the Book of God, as I find this aſſerted in them. O ſhall my lives time ravel out, without any redeeming it, as to this particular, of giving due, down weight of thoughts, frequent ſerious thoughts, as opportunity can be had, of Death Eternal in Hell?
I muſt not only ſay, there is a Hell: I muſt not only give it for granted, as moſt perſons do, but I muſt be concluded under the Scripture Authority; See it and ſay it, upon due perſwaſion, upon clear demonſtration, demonſtration on concluſive argumentation, Arguments choſen as ſo many Arrows taken out of Chriſts Quiver the Scriptures, levell'd right, flying round up to the mark, and hitting full my unbelieving and recoiling averſe ſpirit, making it fall down under this weighty truth, reducing it through Chriſts help, to a firm and operative belief, yea ſo to aſſent to, and ponder this ſo high concern, as to work off all my uſual wonted eaſineſs and ſlightneſs of thinkings on this particular: And to arrive at a contrary habitual ſeriouſneſs, and earneſtneſs of mindings, frequent thinkings; yea let my ſpirit not reſt, till I am reduced to, and improve, under the powerful and prevailing provocations of it, to whatever ſo great a thing calls for from me.
That I may daily more anſwer the intendments of a God, in relating this Hell, ſo plainly and plentifully in his Word, for my due notice of it.
My way then muſt be, a courſe of ſerious pondering the Scriptures; paſſage after paſſage, wherein the ſecond Death and Hell is ſet forth, in the ſeveral Books.
As in Iſa. 30.1. Tophet is prepared of old, even for the King, he hath made it deep and large, the pile thereof is fire and much wood, the breath of the Lord like a ſtream of Brimſtone doth kindle it. An elegant deſcription in an alluſion: So thoſe many clear paſſages of Chriſts own mouth ſet down ſo plainly, as words can utter.
Math. 5.22. and 29, 30. In that very firſt Sermon of Chriſts on the Mount, there he mentions Hell-fire, and caſting into Hell, three ſeveral times. Mat. 11.23. Brought down to Hell.
Luke 16.23. The Rich man is ſaid to be in Hell. Pet.—It's called a Priſon, Priſons being the worſ: of places, made for ſecuring and puniſhing. Rev. 20.1. A bottomleſs Pit. Luke 16.23. A place of torment. Mat—Their worm dieth not, alluding to that worm that breeds in, and feeds on the body, is lying gnawing and cannot be cured.
Their fire goes not out: Fire is the moſt quick and active, the moſt tormenting and torturing Element. It's Brimſtone that is the fuel, which is a moſt combuſtible, noiſom and ſuffocating matter.
It's call'd utter darkneſs: Darkneſs is a moſt dreadful and diſconſolating thing, as that of Egypt: For the company, it is only wicked perſons perfect in ſin, and moſt wretched Devils, the worſt of Creatures: Go ye curſed into everlaſting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels.
O how hot and ſcorching muſt that fire be, that purpoſely is prepared for utmoſt torment? Not like Nebuchadnezzars Furnace ſeven times hoter, but ſeventy times hoter, that which is inconceivable.
In Scripture, Hell or the ſtate of miſery, is expreſt by the terms of ſecond death; death, one death in any kind is very dreadful, above all other things: but after dying a firſt death, then to come and dye a ſecond death, and this not ſo eaſie as dying any bodily death millions of times over. If a Malefactor ſhould die the moſt cruel death, and then be made to live again, and then die that death a ſecond time, yea thouſands and thouſands of times over, O how ſad were the caſe of that perſon, that muſt be ſo under the both fears of that death firſt, and then the torments and pains! But what is all this to this ſecond death, being under the fullneſs of infinite wrath, and that for ever?
The inflicter of this miſery, is no leſs than an infinitely wiſe, holy, ſin hating, and an omnipotent God: acting in the pureſt and fierceſt wrath, endeavouring the fulleſt revenge the damned creature is capable of, and for which it purpoſely is made a veſſel of wrath, and that veſſel is preared to receive and hold this wrath.
1. Prepared by being widened, extended, as it were, to receive the fulneſs of wrath. As the Saints ſhall have their ſpirits elevated and extended, to the utmoſt, to be made fit to receive the fulneſs of glory and happineſs: ſo the damned have their ſpirits widened and enlarged, their underſtandings and hearts in the utmoſt extenſiveneſs, that they be brimfull of wrath.
2. Prepared by being purpoſely ſtrengthened to the utmoſt, as Veſſels are made ſtrong to hold the ſtrongeſt Wine or Liquor, to hold and keep in that wrath poured into them.
Were Hell but to have the leaſt torment in the leaſt member, or ſenſible part, as in the Toe, Finger, or the like for ever: or but one torment in a noble part, Head, Liver, Heart, or a complication of many ſad diſeaſes for ever; how intolerably ſad were this ſtate? but to have all poſſible trouble and torment both in body and ſoul, ſet on by a God for ever: O how unſpeakably ſad is this?
All the forenamed, this impriſonment, this tormenting, this worm, this fire, the weepings, the wailings, the gnaſhing of teeth, is not for an hour, a day, a month, a year, an age, nor a thouſand years or ages, or what can be reckon'd, by millions of millions, but for ever; no reſt for ever, no eaſe for ever, no hope of any deliverance, or degree of it for ever: but ſorrow, torment, and terrour, ſinking in deſpair and hopeleſneſs for ever, ever, ever.
O then to improve this Meditation, and make it operative upon my ſpirit, Let me firſt look upon Hell begun, in that terrour and horrour, the wicked inſtantly upon their raiſing up from the dead, and changed, are ſeized with: The hot burning Coals of Hell are thrown into their boſom, fill them up and lie burning and ſcorching, as they are both bringing to the judgment ſeat, and are ſtanding before Chriſt at the Bar, all the time of their arraignment. Never did any poor guilty priſoner ſtand in ſuch a fear as this fear, and were ſo amazed.
2. The then unſpeakable ſhame. Then all the time of their arraignment, and eſpecially on the pronouncing of that dreadful ſentence which will be paſſed and executed: O what muſt be the unſpeakable ſhame, mixt with the continuing and encreaſing ſad horrour, Dan. 13.
O what muſt be that ſhame, when all things poſſible concur, to load and cover them with ſhame? never was there nor can be ſuch a ſhame poured upon any.
A ſhame in the greateſt concourſe, that ever was, or can be; all the Saints and Angels, yea all the wicked and the Devils, every particular aſhamed, alſo before all their own company, in this ſo deſperate ſtate. 3. And eſpecially a tranſcendent ſhame, in reſpect of the infinitely glorious Judge, the Lord Jeſus, deſpiſed and ſinned ſo againſt by ſo many.
Ah what muſt be the ſhame of wicked men, to ſtand uncover'd, with open faces, to ſee the ſo dreadful Judge, looking the arraigned perſon full in the face, looking with the moſt wiſhly Eye, and ſtern countenance upon, I ſay, their uncover'd faces? to have all their ſins ript up, every one adding ſtill to the ſhame; but then when the dreadful ſentence paſſes, O what the ſhame will farther then be?
And yet far more, when the ſentence is Executed, they driven away, and all Devils and men, thruſt into the Dungeon of darkneſs, what an everlaſting ſhame will that be? Now, O now to think of all their unexpreſſible loſſes, of ſuch a Bill of loſſes, as never was ſeen; loſs of God himſelf, his face and communion with him, Father, Son, and Spirit; loſs of the company of all the Saints and Angels, loſt Heaven, and all its glory loſt, and all that happineſs that ariſes from all; ſuch a ſtate as is ſo good and glorious, to that utmoſt poſſibility as the Creature is ſuſceptive of and can have; and for that ſo all ſweetning and ſatiating eternity: And then, which greatly aggravates the miſery, as Chriſt himſelf expreſſes it, Luke 13.28. There ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of Teeth, when ye ſhall ſee Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, and all, &c. So to ſee all the Saints, to ſee all the godly Patriarchs, Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, and all the other.
To ſee Moſes, Samuel, David, and all the holy Prophets, to ſee all the bleſſed Apoſtles, Peter, John, Paul, and all the Diſciples of Chriſt, with all the glorious Martyrs, and Confeſſors, in all times; and all the innumerable company of Saints, in both former, preſent, and after Ages; all theſe known in their times; but neglected, ſcorned, oppoſed, perſecuted, and deſtroyed, yet all theſe to be taken up with Chriſt into Heaven; but as other ſinners, ſo thy woful ſelf dying without a Chriſt, ſhut out, and have Heaven Gates ſhut up, lockt and barr'd againſt thee for ever; and withal alſo, ah lockt up faſt in the Dungeon of darkneſs, and fill'd up full in ſoul and body, with unſpeakable torment never to end.
And to realize this more, and make it more effectual on thee that art ſaved, after the Judgment is ended, ſentence of condemnation paſſed, let me imagine my ſelf looking after this Herd of Goats, all driving down headlong to the Lake of fire and Brimſtone, ſeeing them taken hold of, and haled to the Priſon of Hell, and immediately ſhut in, preſently ſeis'd with wrath and torment, fill'd brim full up, with unſpeakable woe and torture.
Then could I but go near, lay my ear to the door of this Priſon, and liſten earneſtly, O what would be the dolours, the groanings, cryings, roarings, yellings, ſhriekings, that ſo many, & many thouſands, altogether tortured, would be heard to make. The noiſe of a few Priſoners condemning, of Paſſengers in a Ship drowning, of men in Battel killing and dying, makes a moſt hideous impreſſion, makes a mans ears to tingle, and his heart to ake and tremble: But, O what is, or can be like unto this hideous noiſe and cry, of ſo many innumerable millions, of all ſorts and ſexes, men and women, under ſuch intolerable torments? O but might I have liberty and ſecurity to make an ocular obſervation, with my eyes to ſee the Gates of that horrid place open, to ſee the lake of Fire and Brimſtone flaming, to look in and ſee the tormented in their ſo woful condition, moſt ſad poſtures and behaviours: All the multitudes and throngs of perſons, and the perſons in particular I deſire to ſee and view. There I might ſee that firſt Murderer Cain, appearing in his Chains and Tortures, and on my demanding who he was, he anſwers, I am that curſed one, that kill'd my righteous Brother Abel; here, here I have bin already, ſo many thouſands of years, and here I muſt remain to be tormented for ever.
In another place appears another, it may be wicked Saul, that perſecuter of holy David; in another Achitophel, or Haman, Herod, Judas, and abundance of ſuch ſtrewed all over this Priſon: Sinners of all ſorts, Idolaters, Superſtitious, Prophane, Wizards, Witches, Swearers, Curſers, Prophaners of the day of God, with diſobedient to Parents, Murderers, Adulterers, Thieves, Lyars, Covetous, and all others of ſeveral Sexes, Ranks, and Conditions.
If I might ask and be anſwered, upon enquiry, by the perſons I ſee there, would not one come and ſay, I am ſuch a one, another ſay, I am ſuch; and ſo others? Would not one come and ſhew me, there in ſuch a place are thoſe that were drowned by the Deluge; there are the Sodomites burnt with fire and Brimſtone; there's Pharaoh and the Egyptians, thoſe drowned in the Red Sea; there's ſuch and ſuch Enemies and Perſecuters of Chriſt and his Church of old; there are the heathen Perſecuters, and the Antichriſtian Enemies; there ſuch Apoſtates, ſuch Hypocrites, ſuch looſe Chriſtians; in this place ſuch a man or ſuch a woman you knew, and in that place another; there you ſee them, and in the ſame ſad caſe with my ſelf?
But ſhould I ask of their ſeveral conditions, and what they continually feel, O what doleful Relations would they give in, of the ſcorchings of that fire, of the gnawing of that never dying worm, of their deepeſt ſorrows, higheſt fears; and above all, of their overwhelming and unſpeakable deſpairs? Prov. 18.14. Here when God ſuffers but a ſpark to flye out of the Furnace of Hell, and fall into a ſinners boſom, as Judas, Math. 27.5. O how intolerable doth it prove? But when the whole pile of Hell's fuel and fire ſhall be laid and faſtned on ſinners by the hand of an Almighty God; O what muſt that torment and that deſpair amount unto, and then when under infallible certainty of a lengthening out to all Eternity?
O let every one Meditate often and moſt ſeriouſly, of this ſo dreadful ſtate; not be ſhye of a looking this way, of a looking into this Lake of Fire, and realizing all the ſo dreadful things comprehended in it: Not contenting thy ſelf with thy yieldings and giving it for granted, and never ponder, never labour to any purpoſe, to be rightly affected, ſtirred up to take a ſure courſe for eſcaping it. But let this terrour of the Lord, 2 Cor. 5.11. awaken, provoke, and perſwade every one to flye from this wrath to come; and flye to that Chriſt, make ſure of him that only can deliver us.