The Worm that Dieth Not, Sermon (4 of 4)
Fifthly, Conſider the firſt fruits and inchoations of Hell in this life, and that either in wicked men or in the Saints, in wicked men, Heb. 10.27. there is foreign ſome ſparkles of Hell, a certain fearfull looking for of Judgment, and fiery indignation, &c. As the people of God have here ſome ſparks of Heaven, by the Spirit of adoption, ſome earneſt and glimpſes of Heaven, ſee it in Cain, Gen. 4.13. and Judas, his Soul is filled with horror and amazement, that they would rather chuſe all the miſeries of the Creatures, and to lye under the whole Creation, call to Mountains to cover them to be freed of it, and therefore they cry out, it is too late for me to repent, is't poſſible for me to be pardoned? I know God will never have mercy upon me, and therefore their ſoul chooſeth ſtrangling, any thing to put them out of this torment, what did Judas aiſe, who did hurt him? he had money in his purſe, there was no evil of the Creature upon him, he gratified the high Prieſts, and many of that crew, only there was a ſecret touch of Gods own finger upon him, an immediate drop of wrath let in upon his Conſcience, &c. And not only in wicked, but in godly men, as Job and Heman, Job 6.4. The arrows of the Almighty ſtick in me, and the terrors of God do ſet themſelves in array againſt me, and ſurely inward terrors are the moſt terrible, and there are no medicines in the whole creation, that can heal a wounded ſpirit, all friends, eſtates, honours, relations, will be to a man as the white of an Egge, in the day when the terrors of Gods wrath do compaſs a man about, as if God ſpeak peace to the Soul, none can ſpeak terror, no not all the Creatures, and the moſt exquiſite miſeries that can be inflicted by them, …s appears by Martyrs; ſo if God ſpeak terrors, there is none can ſpeak comfort, nothing in the Creature can help or eaſe, as appears by men that have had all things the world can afford, and yet their ſpirits were … wounded in them, they had …or he leaſt relief thereby; ſo … Heman, Pſal. 88.5. We know of no preſſure that was upon him by the Creatures, and yet he complains he was free among the dead, as a man in Hell already, while I ſuffer thy terrors I am diſtracted, there was ſomething beyond what all the Creatures could inflict; Now there is joyes that the Saints receive here from God under Heaven, joy unſpeakable, and glorious, and of the ſame kind, though they differ in degree with thoſe in glory; ſo the terrors here are of the ſame kind, only they differ in degree from the torments of Hell, they have a taſte of the Cup, which in Hell they ſhall drink of it a full drought, and therefore as the one is joy unſpeakable, and full of glory, ſo is the other torments unſpeakable and full of ſorrow; and in this God uſes the miniſterie of no Creature, neither doth the hearts of men diſcerne any thing but the wrath and terrors of the Almighty.
Sixthly, It doth more fully appear in the ſuffering of Chriſt, if we look upon him as in the Garden, he was in an agony, Mat. …6.38. foreign his ſoul was invironed and compaſſed about with ſorrow, now all the miſery that can come from the Creature can never compaſs the Soul about, there will be ſome door open, but here he ſees no way our, and therefore Mark 14.33. he was foreign ſore amazed, under the apprehenſion of wrath, and foreign his Spirit failed within him, Pſal. 40.13. His heart in the middle of his body was melted as wax, and this anguiſh of ſpirit ſo wrought upon his body, that it made him to ſweat drops of blood, whence is all this affliction that was upon Chriſt, we read of no Devils that were let looſe upon him to torment him, his very preſence was their tormenter here, and his wrath ſhall be their tormenter hereafter, we read of no Angels that had commiſſion to afflict him; nay, we read of an Angel that appeared from heaven to comfort him, Luke 22.43. which would have been enough to have raiſed up a mans Spirit under the greateſt afflictions of the Creatures, nor was it from any inward unquietneſs in his own Spirit; for there was no ſeeds of ſuch fearfull diſtempers in him; for he knew no ſin, there was no guile in his mouth, it could not be from any bodily pain; for in the Garden the Jews had not laid hold upon him, there was no evil upon him, and it could not be fear of a bodily death; for it was for this cauſe that he came into the world, and it was that which he did deſire and long for, with deſire have I deſired to eat the Paſſeover with you, I have a baptiſm to be baptized with; and how am I ſtraightned till it be accompliſhed? but the cauſe was the ſence of the wrath of God lying upon his ſpirit, Iſa 53.10.it pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, he hath put him to grief to beat him to pieces, and to grind him to powder, as his Soul was made an offering for ſin, there is a ſacrifice, and there is a fire that muſt conſume it, Chriſt was the ſacrifice, and the wrath of God was the fire to conſume him, and theſe are the extremities of the ſufferings of Chriſt, now in all this, Chriſt dyed as our ſurety, and paid our debt, L…k. 23.3,and if this fire did burn ſo fiercely in him, that was the Green Tree that was not ſo fit Fuel to burn; becauſe there was no ſin in him, what will it do in us that are dry Trees? now if the main of Chriſts ſufferings were from the wrath of God immediately, we may ſafely conclude that the ſufferings due to us, and which the wicked ſhall undergo in Hell for the ſubſtance of them, ſhall be the ſame from the wrath of God immediately upon the Soul, though there be no Creature in Heaven or Earth to ſet it on, this wrath that did ſeize ſo ſiercely upon the green Tree, will ſurely conſume the dry.
And it muſt needs be ſo. Reaſons. that the wrath of God upon wicked men in Hell ſhall be their great and immediate torment; for none can do it but God alone, and that if we conſider the offence to be puniſhed, or elſe the ſubject of this puniſhment: Firſt, if we conſider the offence that deſerves it, it is ſin, which is committed chiefly againſt God, and the puniſhment of it muſt be a recompence, The Wages of ſin is death, 2 Theſ. 1.'tis a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to every ſinner, &c. Now who is able to take an estimate of the evil that is in ſin, and the wrong that it has done unto God, there are two things in ſin, damnum & injuria, a wrong in point of goods, and in point of honour, ſin has deſtroyed all the Creatures, who is able to value the loſs of a whole world, but only he that made it, and the loſs of a Soul, but he that purchaſed it, and who is able to judge of the glory of God, and the infinite wrong that is done him by ſin; no Creature in Heaven or in Earth can, and therefore if all the powers of the Creatures were put into one to torment a man but for one ſin, they were never able to give unto him the wages and the recompence of one ſin proportionable unto the wrong that God has ſuſteined thereby, either in point of goods or honour; for there is more evil in one ſin, then there is or can be good in any of the Creatures, therefore God muſt put his own Power, the power of his wrath unto the work, if he will have the wages of any one ſin payd: Judges here, do condemn men themſelves, and paſs the ſentence upon them, but they leave it unto others to execute them, becauſe they can do it as effectually as themſelves, but it is not ſo here, if God will have a ſinner pay the utmoſt farthing, he muſt exact it of him himſelf; for ſin is out of meaſure ſinful, it paſſeth the thoughts of Men and Angels to conceive, and therefore the puniſhment is greater then they can inflict; it is God alone can do it.
Secondly, If we reſpect the ſubject upon which this puniſhment is to light; That is chiefly to be puniſhed that has the chief hand in the ſin. Now, Sin is mainly the ſin of the Soul; Mic 6.7. Rom 6.16. Though the creature might puniſh the body, yet the m… torment is to be laid on the Soul, but the Soul is capable of more to recent, then all the creatures in Heaven and Earth can inflict; God only is the Father of Spirits, and the correction and diſcipline of Spirits do belong to him alone; we commonly ſay, that the Devils in Hell, ſhall be the tormenters of ſouls there, as if there work there, were only to torment men for ever, whereas they ſhall be chiefly tormented themſelves; for there is a Lake of fire and brimſtone prepared for the Devil and his Angels, and yet you ſay he can torment the ſoul, being a ſpirit; but alaſs the torment muſt be deſtruction, 1 Theſ. 1.9.from the preſence of the Lord, &c. Now, all the devils in Hell could never inflict any thing that ſhould diſtroy the ſoul, or take away all good from the ſoul, and fill it full of miſery; they can never ſatisfy the capacity of the Soul in good, nor in evil, the Soul is a veſſel of wrath, and will hold more then all the creatures can put into it, and will live it, 'tis only under the wrath of God that the Soul dyes, and therefore they that can kill the Body, they are not able to kill the Soul, God only can create, Mat. 10.28.therefore God only can annihilate, therefore God only can inflict a puniſhment worſe then annihilation; Mat. 26.24.It had been good for that man he had not been born, that thus comes under the puniſhment of God, this is a dreadful confideration.
Secondly, It is an act fit for none but God, for it is, Firſt, An act of juſtice; 2 Theſ. 1.5. In the day of Revelation of the righteous judgement of God, when God will manifeſt his juſtice to the utmoſt. Now, Who is able to ſhew forth the juſtice of God, in the extent and glory of it but himſelf? When God will manifeſt an attribute to the World, he doth it by himſelf immediately; if he would ſhew his Power; he will make a World; if he would ſhew his Holyneſs, he gives his Son; and if his Glory, he makes Heaven; and if his Juſtice, he makes Hell. Now, As nothing can do the former but Gods immediate hand, ſo nothing can do the latter alſo, for to manifeſt an attribute, is an act and glory of God; for as none can ſhew forth his mercy, ſo none can ſhew forth and declare his Juſtice, but himſelf.
Secondly, It is an act of wrath; Rom. 3.5. Rom. 2.5.But after thy hardneſs and impenitent heart, treaſureſt up wrath againſt the day of wrath: Now, no creature is able to ſhew forth the wrath of the great God, here there is a little wrath manifeſted in them, his wrath is kindled but a little, Pſal. 2. laſt.&c. And he corrects in meaſure, but when the Lord ſhall cauſe his whole wrath to ariſe, and puniſh man out of meaſure, that no creature is capable of doing, no creature can pour out all the grace of God neither; and therefore God made choice of Chriſt who was God and man, to lay up all his treaſures of grace and mercy in, anſwerable to thoſe infinite thoughts of mercy and grace that were in himſelf; 1 John 5.11. And this life is in his Son, and ſo no creature can ſhew forth all Gods wrath, he muſt do it by himſelf.
Thirdly, It muſt be an act of vengeance, which is the royalty of God, that he claims to himſelf, and he will not give unto any other; Heb. 10.30. For we know him that has ſaid, vengeance belongs unto me, I will recompence ſaith the Lord, and again, the Lord ſhall judge his people. It is a fearful thing, to fall into the hands of the living God. He forbids private revenges, and ſaith to his diſciples, if he ſmite thee on the one cheek, turne the other, &c. As there are none avenge here below, but Magiſtrates, his Vicegerents, to ſhew that it is the priviledg of none but himſelf hereafter. Now, if he has reſerved it unto himſelf here, ſurely he will take it to himſelf hereafter; in the diſpoſing of the eternal eſtates of the greater part of the World, Angels and Men, to give this honour unto the creature that they ſhould take vengeance, the Lord will never do it, but it is and ſhall be an act of his own immediate wrath, and here the three perſons hath in Scripture, their opera appropriata, if the Father be provoked, the Son is an advocate with the Father, and the Holy Ghoſt ſtrives with him, but when all the perſons ſhall joyn together, the Son will plead no more, and the ſpirit ſtrive no more, but all joyn in this great work of vengeance, and the ſpirit of God, as in Heaven, he ſhall be a ſpirit of Adoption, and Glory; ſo in Hell a ſpirit of bondage and torment for ever.Iſa. 30. laſt
There are two things in it to be obſerved; Firſt, Here is fire and brimſtone, that is unquenchable fire, for brimſtone is pertinaſiſſimum ignis fomentum, and there is not a little, but a River of brimſtone; and what is this fire and brimſtone? It is foreign the ſpirit of the Lord burning in it, his wrath is the fire and the brimſtone alſo, and his ſpirit; for as the ſpirit is not onelyonly fire but oil, becauſe his grace is upheld by the daily ſupplies of its own grace, notwithſtanding all mens unthankfulneſs; ſo his wrath is not only fire, but brimſtone; there is a continual ſupply of wrath to eternity, that makes this fire of Tophet to be eternal and unquenchable fire.
Object. But Satan is ſaid to have the power of Death, and is called Abaddon the deſtroyer, and therefore it ſeems Satan is the inſtrument that God will uſe in tormenting them; that as here they were commanded by him, and ſubjected unto his temptations, ſo they ſhould be under him for ever tormenting them.
Anſw. Firſt, Satan is ſaid to be the deſtroyer in reſpect unto ſin, which is the deſtruction of the creature, and lays the foundation of a mans eternal deſtruction, as he is called a murderer, John 8.ſo he is called a deſtroyer, becauſe by him man was deceived and ſeduced; and this is not ſpoken in refference to his inflicting of Death, but in reſpect of drawing a man unto ſin; and ſo he is ſaid to be the deſtroyer, and in reſpect of many temporal puniſhments, that the Lord by him doth bring in the deſtruction of perſons, and kingdomes, and he is therefore called the deſtroyer, becauſe it his whole work to deſtroy, and he intends nothing elſe in all that he doth but deſtruction, and Satan is ſaid to have the power of death, it is not, foreign, which notes authority as well as power, but foreign, it is ſtrength and power only to do it; ſo he doth inflict death upon men when God imploys him, for Satan is uſed in ſuch diſhonourable ſervices, as to have the power of death, as the executioner hath, that puts men to death, and torments them that the Judge doth give into his hand.
Secondly, When a wicked man is put to death the devils attend; and they take his ſoul and hurry it to the place of torment, as the Angels do the ſouls of the Saints; Luke 16.and therefore it is ſaid, thou Fool this night ſhall they require thy ſoul, Luk. 12.20.foreign, the Devil is preſent and demands the ſoul, and takes it and caries it into the place of torment that it is adjudged too, even to its own place, where Judas went; ſo that the Devil inflicts upon men and carries them to Hell.
Thirdly, At the laſt and general judgment, Satan ſhall accuſe them being condemned together with him, he ſhall take them to Hell with him, for this wrath is prepared for the Devil and his Angels: But this kingdome of …atan, ſhall laſt no longer then the kingdome of the Angels, and all rule, and all authority ſhall be put down, when Chriſt ſhall have given up the kingdome unto the Father, and the Angels ſhall rule over the elect no more; ſo the Devil ſhall rule over the reprobate no more; but now God ſhall be all in all: In Heaven he ſhall be all in all in mercy, and in Hell he ſhall be all in all in wrath, and there ſhall be no more any dominion of one Creature over another, God will no more uſe one Creature to reward another, or to puniſh another, but himſelf ſhall be all in all.
Object. But in Heaven there be many created comforts, therefore in Hell there are many created miſeries, and therefore the wrath of God is not the only Executioner there, as you affirm.
Anſw. It's true there are many miſeries there from the Creatures, the place is a Dungeon of darkneſs, it is the bottomleſs pit, abiſſus the deep; as there is a great deal of ſweetneſs in the place in Heaven and Glory, ſo there is much miſery here from the place; for there are Chambers of death.
Secondly, From the Company; the friends of a Soul, and the enemies, and all reſtraining grace, and the Law of nature ſhall ceaſe, and ſin ſhall be acted to the life, as part of a mans puniſhment, and they ſhall be ſet one againſt another for ever; Dives had torment by the coming of his brethren, the man ſhall be tormented by the coming of his wife, and his children, and his Companions here on earth, &c.
Thirdly, From the upbraidings of Satan; for his malice ſhall never ceaſe, and therefore he will in this reſpect be ſhewing a man his folly, and endeavour to torment him more and more, Iſa. 21.14.and will deride him, and there is nothing more bitter to a man then to be ſcorned in miſery and derided, and this men may look for in Hell at the hand of Satan, he will mock at them for ever, and never ſhew thee the leaſt pity; for thou art bound up amongſt the Tares, in the ſame bundle with the Devil and all his crew; thus indeed there are ſome created miſeries in Hell, but yet it is the wrath of God that is the great torment, that as in all created bleſſings here, it is his love that is the root, and the Fountain of them, and they are all nothing unleſs that go before, they all ſtand but for a Cypher; ſo unleſs his wrath go before, all theſe torments would be but Cyphers, and the Soul would live; there is no Creature that can kill the Soul, they may indeed kill the body, and a ſmall Creature can do ſo, if it be armed by God, and the greateſt can do no more then kill the body, as the life of the Soul comes from God only, ſo does the death of the Soul alſo; for he only is the father of ſpirits, and the Lord loves variety in his dominion over us, he will for a time govern by the Creatures, and comfort by the Creatures, and afflict by them, but hereafter he will then govern by himſelf immediately, and comfort and afflict by himſelf immediately, the one in this life, and the other in the life to come.
Firſt, Ʋſe. This informes us that there are certain men that are children of wrath, knowing the terror of the Lord we would perſwade you to fly from the wrath to come; for it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God; Here firſt I will ſhew you who the perſons are that be the children of wrath; Secondly, what we would perſwade them to, if the Spirit of God joyn with us therein.
Firſt, Who they are, and unto whom this uſe is directed, that there are ſome children of wrath is plain, Iſa. 10.6. The people of my wrath, that is, appointed to wrath, and Iſa. 34.5. a ſword is bathed in Heaven; which doth expreſs the decree and purpoſe of wrath, it is upon the people of his curſe, now if this be true of temporal wrath, how much more of eternal wrath, which the Apoſtle ſaith is the condition of all men by nature, even of the elect of God, as well as of others, before they are converted; Epheſ. 2.3. We by nature were dead in treſpaſſes and ſins, as well as others, and children of wrath, now they are ſaid to be the children of it; becauſe they were born to it, and it is their inheritance, all that ever they muſt look for, men appointed to it, as a child of death is a man deſerving death, and appointed thereunto, and as the Saints are called the children of light; ſo are theſe alſo children of wrath; ſo if you would ask, for whom is this wrath, and who according to the rules of the word are under it? it is every man that is in a ſtate of nature, and a ſtate of unregeneraſy; But how ſhould a man know who it is that is in a ſtate of nature, ſurely a man may know if he will but behold his face in the Glaſs of the Word, and diſcerne what manner of perſon he is, James 1.24. There is a judgment that paſſeth upon the eternal ſtates of men in the Word of God, 1 Cor. 14.25. Ezek. 20The man is judged of all, and the ſecrets of his heart are made manifeſt, and he ſaith that God is in you of a truth; a man looking into the Word, may diſcerne what his eſtate is: Now firſt, they are children of wrath that are children of diſobedience; Col. 3.6.for theſe things the wrath of God comes upon the children of diſobedience, John.He that is born of God ſinneth not, non operatur peccatum, he that committeth ſin is the ſervant of ſin, and he that commits ſin is of the Devil, that is, that lives and lyes in any known way of ſinning; that he doth reſerve unto himſelf a ſweet Morſell, that he cannot caſt out, that the comfort of his life comes in by, he eats the bread of wickedneſs, and drinks the Wine of violence, he feeds upon huskes, and upon aſhes, Iſa. 44.20.over whom ſin has dominion; and it reigns in their mortal body; and they obey it in the luſt thereof, and take care to make proviſion for't, thou art yet in my ſins; and not only ſins of commiſſion but ſins of omiſſion, for ſuch alſo this fire is prepared, Depart from me you curſed into everlasting fire, Mat. 25prepared for the Devil an his Angels; for I was hungry and ye gave me no meat; it is not you took away my meat, and naked, and ye robbed me of my cloathing; I was amongſt you and ye put me into priſon; but ye did not viſit me, and Miniſter unto me, &c. So that even ſins of omiſſion alſo prove an unregenerate ſtate, and will make a man lyable unto this wrath at the coming of the Lord.
Secondly, The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven againſt all ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs of men, Rom. 1.who withhold the truthin unrighteouſneſs. When men are convinced that ſuch things are duties, and will acknowledge them, and that ſuch things are ſins, and yet for ſome worldly ends, and baſe reſpects will not forbear to practiſe them, as many of the Phariſees were convinced that Chriſt was the Meſſiah, and yet for fear of the Jews durſt not confeſs him, Joh. 12.42that go on in ſin againſt their own light and convictions from day to day, and againſt many warnings and admoniſſions, and his own remembrances of the dealings of God both with himſelf and others, that have been engaged in ſinfull courſes; and truly this fire will not burn hotter upon any ſort of ſinners in the world, then they that ſin againſt light, and in this manner do withhold the truth in unrighteouſneſs.
Thirdly, They are asted by no other ſpirit but the ſpirit of this world; for there is a double ſpirit that men are acted by in all their actions, the Spirit of God acts ſome men, and the ſpirit of the world acts others; they that are regenerate have received the Spirit of Chriſt, and where the ſpirit of Chriſt is, there are all the fruits of the Spirit, and the inward man is in ſome meaſure conformed unto Chriſt, whereas other men are acted by no other rules but the cuſtom of the world, for worldly ends, that look no higher then the things of this life, and the things that are ſeen, whereas a man that is regenerate has received another ſpirit that acts him by another rule; for he is led by the Spirit, and unto a higher end, he looks upon the things that are not ſeen.
Fourthly, 2 Cor. 4.In this are the children of God manifeſt and the children of the Devil, he that doth not righteouſneſs is not of God, and he that loves not his brother, verſe the 14. We know that we are tranſlated from death to life, becauſe we love the brethren, now when a mans heart is imbittered againſt the Saints of the moſt high, he doth wiſh evil to them, and if any evil doth befall them he rejoyceth, and at leaſt if he can do no more he will inwardly pleaſe himſelf that they are brought low, it's an argument that thou art one of the Serpents ſeed, and thy envy is both thy ſin and thy Plague, as it is the Devils, I will put enmity ſayes God between the ſeed of the Serpent and the ſeed of the Woman, the enmity is put into the Devils Curſe, and if thou didſt love him that did beget, thou wouldſt love them that are begotten of him, and thou that doſt hate the Image of God whereſoever it is, and the more thou doſt ſee of the Image of God in the man, the more thou doſt hate him, as Chriſt ſaid of the Phariſees, which of you can accuſe me of ſin? I heve done many good works amongſt you, for which of them do you ſtone me? ſo the people of God may ſay, you cannot accuſe them but for the good that they have done you; for whereſoever they are, they are as dew upon the Graſs, thou ſhalt be a bleſſing, only men hate the image of God in them, as it's ſaid of Panther, animal hominibus inimiciſſimum, it doth ſo hate a man that it will fly at the picture of a man; ſo it is but a little relemblance of God that is in the beſt of the Saints here in this life, and yet men hate God ſo, that they cannot endure his image in any man, Tert.Bonus vir Caius ſeius, ſed ideo malus, quia Chriſtianus. This ſhews that thou art an unregenerate man, a child of the Devil, and not new born unto God: Now, thou art a child of wrath, and for thee is this eternal fire prepared.
Secondly, Mark 3.7.I would exhort you all to flee from the wrath to come, it is the greateſt evil that can befall a ſoul; and therefore that which above all things elſe a man ſhould fly from: Fuga, is converſant only about that which is evil, and that which a man apprehends to be ſo. Now, the greater the evil is, the more haſty is the flight: Now, There is no evil like to that of the wrath to come; therefore let the whole ſoul be put out in this, to fly from it, as the moſt dreadful deſtruction that can befall a ſoul. Firſt, Conſider there is a poſſibility to eſcape it, truly it is in vain to exhort a man to fly from that which he cannot ſcape, as it is a vain thing for men to think to fly from death or judgment, that they cannot eſcape, it will overtake them; and ſo for them to think to fly from any threatening in the word of God, if they do continue in their ſins, it will certainly overtake them; Did not my word overtake your Fathers ſays the Lord? But this wrath a man may ſo fly from as to eſcape, for Chriſt wins ſouls from the kingdom of Satan every day, he tranſlates them out of the kingdome of Satan, which is the kingdom of darkneſs, into the kingdome of his dear Son; and it is foreign, which is a metaphor taken from tranſlating a man from his native ſoil, tranſlating a man, as you do Colonies, and ſo many are tranſlated dayly, and they paſs from death to life; Oh! That the Lord would perſwade you knowing the terrour of the Lord, to fly from the wrath to come; Chriſts is a kingly conqueſt, and he has not a ſubject in his kingdome; but he has won him from the kingdome of Satan, and all that number that are called, and choſen, and faithful that are with the Lamb, were all once in Satans kingdome, and all the Saints that are or ſhall be in glory, they were all of them children of wrath as well as thou, even Abraham the Father of the faithful, who together with his Father Terah, and Nachor and his brother Lot, Joſh 24.23.all ſerved other Gods beyond the River, only God called this righteous man to his foot; Iſa. 41.2. And therefore there is as great a poſſibility for thee to eſcape this wrath, as there is for any man in the World; therefore fly from it, Satan never wins again any one Soul out of the kingdome of Chriſt, for the Father that gave them to Chriſt, is ſtronger then all, and no man can pluck them out of his hands, and he doth now win ground of the kingdome of Satan, and gains ſouls from him every day; indeed after this life Heaven and Hell ſha divide the World, and there is a gulph ſet, there is no changing places; if a man would come from Hell to Heaven he cannot, for a mans eternal ſtate is caſt, and there is no change of it unto eternity; and therefore the judgment paſſed upon a man at the laſt day is called eternal judgment, Heb. 6.2.becauſe the doom and ſentence that ſhall be paſſed upon a man there, is for eternity; and therefore make haſt, fly from the wrath to come, delay not the time, for that haſtens, for if death ſhould overtake thee before thou haſt made this eſcape, thou wilt be a child of wrath, and lye under wrath for ever; but here there is no gulf ſet, but there may be a tranſlation out of darkneſs.
Secondly, Conſider, that after this Life you ſhall have to do with God immediately, you ſhall fall into the hands of the living God immediately, and Gods workings by the creatures ſhall have an end. Now, we find what fearful effects of wrath have been brought forth, if God do but arme the creatures againſt a man; if the Lord do but cauſe Lice to ſeiſe upon Herod, they devour him immediately, and he gives up the ghoſt; and if the Lord give a man up into the power of Satan, to torment him at his pleaſure; and we ſee how many thouſand miſeries he would bring upon him, as we ſee in his dealing with Job, when yet the Lord gives him only a power over the body and eſtate, not over his ſoul and his life; and yet, How did he lay a load upon him? That his life was a burden to him, and he chuſed to dye rather. Now if God can ſhew forth ſo much wrath by a creature, how much more by his own immediate hand? And if God in the creatures, now, do chaſtiſe with Rods, by his own hand, he will then do it with Scorpions; His little finger will be heavier, than the creatures loins; for as a man cannot know Love by all that is before him, becauſe all the creatures cannot convey the Love of God unto the ſoul as it is; ſo a man cannot know hatred by all that is before him, for all the creatures together cannot diſpence unto a man, the whole diſpleaſure of God, that is Gods own work, therefore fly from it; if we ſhould fly from it in the ſtream, much more in the fountain.
Thirdly, It is done by way of revenge, and therefore it muſt needs be dreadful; for Deut. 32.31.41. He has ſaid vengeance is mine, and I will repay; there ſhall be a juſt recompence of reward to every ſinner: Heb. 2.1.3Now, if we conſider what a wrong ſin is, it is ſuch an infinite evil, that all the created comforts, and good things of this life cannot make ſatisfaction for, they being only created good things; but ſin is an act committed againſt an infinite and an uncreated Good, and between created, and uncreated, finite, and infinite, is no proportion: Rom. 7.13. Sin is out of meaſure ſinful, and therefore the wrath of God is out of meaſure dreadful, for it muſt be a juſt revenge a full recompence: Iſa. 27.6.7. He will puniſh his people in meaſure, but he will puniſh his enemies without meaſure, becauſe it is done in juſtice, therefore he will ſuffer his whole diſpleaſure to ariſe. Now, if it be ſo fearful a thing when the Lord lets out but a little of his wrath, if his wrath be kindled but a little? How much more when he doth ſtir up all his wrath? and deals with men by fury poured out.
Fourthly, The ſubject upon which this wrath ſhall light, ſhall be the Souls of men, but eſpecially a mans Conſcience which is the tendereſt part, even the eye of the Soul, and the Soul of man is capable of wrath beyond what all the Creatures in Heaven and Earth can inflict, there is not enough in this world to fill the ſences of man, Eccle. 1.8.the eye is not ſatisfied with ſeeing, nor the ear with hearing; for there is nothing beneath God will ſatisfie it, Pſ. 17. laſt.but as in Heaven the Soul ſhall be ſatisfied and fill'd with his love; ſo in Hell it ſhall be ſatisfied and fill'd with his wrath, and it's this filling the Soul with miſery that is properly the death of the Soul, and therefore Chriſt ſaith that the Creatures can but kill the body, and there is no more that they can do, they cannot kill the Soul, becauſe they cannot fill it neither with good things nor with evil; as there is nothing but the glory of God can make a man perfectly and fully happy, ſo there is nothing but the wrath of God that can make a man fully and perfectly miſerable.
Fifthly, Rom. 2.5.It is wrath by long patience treaſured up; the patience and goodneſs of God ſhould lead to repentance, which a man deſpiſing, treaſures up wrath againſt the day of wrath, &c. The Lord doth bear long, and becauſe ſentence againſt evil workers is not executed ſpeedily, therefore the hearts of men are fully ſet in them to do evil, and therefore they mock at the coming of the Lord to take vengeance, 2 Pet. 3 3.where is the promiſe of his coming? he is preſſed under their abominations as a Cartfull of ſheaves, and yet he bears ſtill, and lets men deſpiſe his goodneſs, fill up their meaſure, and out-ſtand the day of his patience, which has its Period, and then caeſa patientia fit furor, if once he doth whet his glittering Sword, and his hand take hold of judgement, a fire is kindled in his anger, that will burn for ever, and the more his patience and goodneſs has been deſpiſed, the greater treaſure of wrath is laid up, and the more will be brought forth at the day of payment; for it muſt be a juſt recompence of reward
Sixthly, This wrath doth come upon men very ſuddenly and unavoidably, 'tis ſudden deſtruction, ſwift damnation, 2 Pet. 2.1.though a man may have gone on and proſpered in a way of ſinning long, but yet a hand of vengeance will overtake them, as the ſwelling in a great wall that comes ſuddenly down, wrath has hung over a man a long time, the decree has travelled with judgement long, but it comes ſuddenly, as the travel of a woman; God feeds them as ſheep in a large Paſture, and then brings them forth to the ſlaughter, Rev. 14.18, 19.there is a fatting time, and there is a killing time, there is a ripening time, and a reaptime, gather the Grapes, and trample the Wine-preſs; for her Grapes are fully ripe, thruſt in the Sicle, &c. and the Angel thruſt in his Sicle, and caſt it into the great Winepreſs of the wrath of God, and that comes upon men ſuddenly, when they expect it not, and they are enſnared and taken, and it will come unavoidably, there is no way to eſcape it, when the day of vengeance is come, though men have ſcaped it before, but now all the power of the Creaturts cannot relieve a man, Neh. 1.10. But though they be ſolded as thorns, yet they ſhall be devoured as ſtubble that cannot reſiſt the fire, as the duſt to the Beeſom, Iſa. 14.24.ſo will the Lord ſweep them to deſtruction in his wrath, Pſal. 80.10. They periſh at the rebuke of thy Countenance, look when God will caſt a man into deſtruction, that man will become a humble petitioner, to the Mountains to fall upon him, and hide him from the wrath of him that is upon the Throne and from the Lamb.
Laſtly, It ſhall be pure wrath, judgment without mercy, Joh. 2.13. Rev. 14.10. They ſhall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God without mixture; for there ſhall be utter darkneſs, that is, purae tenehrae, and it ſhall be inflicted upon them with delight, the Lord ſaith, I will eaſe me of my adverſaries, and he will laugh at your calamity, (ſmiling wrath is dreadfull) and his ſpirit ſhall be quieted thereby, Zach. 6.8. a judge here though he condemn the malefactour, yet he pities the man, but the Lord will laugh at him, they that are children of wrath are a ſacrifice of a ſweet ſavour to God.
But you will ſay; What ſhould we do to eſcape it? 1 Theſ. 1.10.There is no way but Chriſt, to diliver us from the wrath to come, and there is no way but by being one with him, and that is,
Firſt, By being cut off from the old root, Rom, 11.24. Rom. 7.4.divorced from the old Husband, by a work of conviction, ſhowing a man that he is under the curſe, and Hell is his proper place; and by a work of humiliation, for all the pleaſures of ſin which are now damp'd, and a man is now under the apprehenſion of the diſpleaſure of God, and of ſelf-loathing for it: Rom. 7.9. Sin revived, and I dyed, ſath the Apoſtle.
Secondly, Upon this, there is a diſcovery made of Chriſt unto the ſoul, that there is redemption in him to be had, that we periſh not; and that he is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, thoſe that come unto him: And all this is but the fruits of the ancient agreement between Chriſt and the Father, God was in Chriſt reconciling the World, God did love to have is ſo; and this is ſeeing the Son: Joh. 6.36. Joh. 12.4…The drawing of the Father, John 1.44. No man can come to me, except the Father draw him. &c.
Thirdly, The ſoul has an inſtinct after union, has received a touch of the ſpirit of God, Elijahs mantle has fallen upon him; ſo that nothing will ſatisfie him but union with Chriſt; Phil. 3.he looks at that in all ordinances, in which he is converſant, to win Chriſt is his only aim, and he will not be bribed with any other thing, as a falſe ſpirit will be; if he have gifts and ſome raiſedneſs in parts, and qualifications, and a name to live among men he is ſatisfied, and Conſcience is very quiet, but a ſoul that has received this magnetick touch from the ſpirit, is put off with nothing beſides Chriſt, it moves to him as naturally, as the ſtone unto its center.
Fourthly, He accepts of Chriſt upon his own terms, gives up it ſelf to him; Receives Chriſt with all his promiſes, and all his graces, and gives up it ſelf to him, commits himſelf to God; Pſal. 10 14this is the frame of every child of God, that has eſcaped the wrath to come, he makes Chriſt the covering of his eyes, looks upon no other beloved but him, he keeps nothing from Chriſt, but reſigns it to him, either as a ſnare, or as a ſacrifice, and rejoiceth in this, that I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine, and he that believes in him, ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life.
Let me exhort you now that are yet in your unbelief, and dare to queſtion the truth of theſe things; believe that there is a wrath to come, if the Lord before he brought you into the World, had but ſhowed you Hell, and Heaven, that you might know the terrour of the Lord, Heb. 4.2.the miſery of the one, and the happineſs of the other, then you would think you ſhould have been perſwaded of it, becauſe you had ſeen it; but now you are come into the World, and have …o experience of either, and men are naturaly ſenſual, and it is to be received by faith, and many men will not be perſwaded of it, till they feel it; 2 Cor. 5.11.We knowing the terrour of Lord, we perſwode men, &c. and Heb. 4.2. For unto us was the Goſpel preached, as well as unto them: But the Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with Faith: &c. There is no part of the Word can do men good, that is not mixed with Faith. Now it is plain that men believe it not, and they ſee it when it is too late: Alas! How many unbelievers are there in the World that paſs for believers? Luk. 16.3.I have five brethren ſays Dives in Hell, if one went to them from the dead, they will repent, &c. And Abraham ſaid unto him, if they hear not Moſes nor the prophets, neither will they be perſwaded, though one roſe from the dead again, they will not be perſwaded; if the Lord ſhould ſend one of the damned ſpirits, and give them ſo far an intermiſſion that they might preach unto us of wrath to come, which they themſelves feel, and which ſwallows them up with horrour, &c. Yet this would not perſwade us; if you could lay your ears to Hell, and but hear the cries in that bottomleſs pit, if the Lord ſhould take any ſoul and carry it away into that dungeon, and let it have a taſt of this wrath in the place of the damned, and then ſet him upon earth again with poſſibilities and offers of mercy, yet the man would be as far from believing it, as now he is, ſo long as the athieſme and unbelief of his ſpirit doth remain, and this is the miſery of all men that have a name only to live in the Church, they dye in a ſleep, are caſt away in a calm, and are never awakened till the laſt Trumpet, how would it make a mans heart bleed and fall aſſunder within him as drops of water, to ſee men haſten ſo faſt to deſtruction, and never conſider that it is for eternity, and that the Lord reſerves this wrath for his enemies, and that God will ſhew his wrath and make his power known unto the veſſels of wrath fitted for deſtruction: But men will ſay what will you make us Atheiſts? Why do you think ſo hardly by us? as not to believe there is Heaven, and Hell, and that God will recompence men according to their works; ſurely we do not doubt this. Yet let me tell you it doth plainly appear that men believe it it not, and my reaſons are theſe.
Firſt, Becauſe they walk wholy in the way that leads thereunto, even to Hell; Prov.There is a way that ſeems right to a man, but it leads down to the Chambers of death, they do conceive that the end will be as fair as the way is promiſing, did men believe that the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven againſt all the ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs of men, and that the wrath of God is upon all the children of diſobedience, and that the Lord is angry with the wicked every morning, there is not a day that they riſe, but a cloud of Gods diſpleaſure doth ariſe upon them, that every ſin adds unto the treaſure of wrath, and doth qualify a man for Hell; every vain thought, and every idle word, and that by this, men are fitted to deſtruction foreign and every new degree of ſinning, Rom. 9.22doth lay in fuel for a further degree of wrath, it were impoſſible that men ſhould rejoyce in iniquity as they do, and count it their happineſs to have free liberty of ſinning, as the Devil has time and ſpace to ſin in, and all reſtraining grace is taken away, his luſts are let out to the uttermoſt, and God too lets him alone, and keeps ſilence, winks at their ſins, vae illis ad quorum peccata connivet Deus, would men rejoyce in this, if they did believe that the fiery Lake is but a little before? if a company of Gallants were feaſting and rioting in an enimies quarters, and in the midſt of all their jollity, one ſhould give them an alarme, you muſt pay for all that you eat or drink here, with the deereſt and laſt drop of your hearts blood; if they did believe it, would not that which had been to them ſo ſweet in the mouth, become now gravel in the belly? If as it was with Belteſhazer, in the middle of all his jollity, ſuch an impreſſion be ſet on as Mene Tekel; Would it not make his heart and loins to tremble? There was one commending the happineſs of a King, to Dyoniſius the Tyrant, he told him he ſhall have a part in that happineſs, and cauſed him to ſit down in a chair of ſtate with great attendance, and all the glory that he ſhould deſire; but with a ſword over his head hanging by a Thread, all his comforts did him but little good becauſe of the ſword hanging over his head; and truely this is every unregenerate mans condition, and yet poor ſouls when they do evil, they rejoyce and pride and pleaſe themſelves in a way of ſining.
Secondly, They think the people of God to be very miſerable men and women, becauſe they are afflicted in this life, and there way is hedged up with thornes, that they cannot find their paths, and they have not that freedom in ſinning that they have; cannot run to acceſs of riot, &c. Whereas, if men did believe that there were wrath which God reſerves for the workers of iniquity, they would count it the greateſt mercy in the World, to be diſappointed in a way of ſinning, and the greateſt plague to be ſinners; Prov. 14.15. The backſlider in heart ſhall be filled with his own ways: God will give him over that he ſhall ſin enough, indeed in this World God doth in a ſpecial manner afflict his own people, when the wicked come into no misfortune; but they have more then heart can wiſh, waters of a full cup are wrung out unto them: Now they count this their happineſs, and the other the miſery of the ſaints of God; whereas 1 Cor. 11.31. When we are judged, we are chaſtened of the Lord, that me might not be condemned with the World; God doth it to deliver their ſouls from going down into the pit. Now, That's a happy man whom the Lord will not ſuffer to periſh. And they know that there is a fatting time, and a killing time, and that the Lord will bring other men forth as ſheep to the ſlaughter. And that they are men not appointed unto wrath, and in that they rejoyce, whereas there is wrath reſerved for them to eternity, who are the men who have had their good things in this Life, and have fared deliciouſly every day.
Thirdly, Men fear it not, and it doth not in the conſideration of it, imbitter either the pleaſures or the proffits of ſin, or the comforts of the creatures unto them, which as ſoon as ever theſe ſerious thoughts do feiſe upon other men, that have another ſpirit, it will quickly do; and therefore men do put far from them the evil day, and when the greateſt judgments of God are threatned, they ſay, he propheſieth of things long to come, it is of dooms-day that the Prophet ſpeaks, the wrath of a King, Solomon ſays, is as a meſſenger of death, but ſo is not the wrath of the great God, who is a conſuming fire: There is a ſtory of a certain Chriſtian King of Hungary, Who was exceeding ſad and penſive, and had a Brother a wild-Courtier, who comes in merrily and asked him why he was ſo melancholly, he anſwered him, that he had been a great ſinner before the Lord, and he knew not how to appear before him when he ſhould come to judgment; but the young Gallant made light of it, and that night his Brother the King, ſent an executioner to ſound a Trumpet at his door, which was the the manner in thoſe Countries, to do to men that were to be led forth to execution; at this the young man that was ſo reſolute and regardleſs of the wrath of God, yet he haſtned into his brothers preſence, with a great deal of fear and amazement of ſpirit, to know wherein he had offended, that he was ſummoned by the executioner; to whom his Brother anſwered, if to me that am your Brother, and one whom your Conſcience tells you you have not wronged, How much ſhould I be afflicted that am to come before a God? And one who am in my own ſoul ſo many ways accuſed and condemned: But as in all temporal judgments that are threatned, Gen. 19.…4men ſeem to the wicked as they that mock; ſo it is in eternal alſo.
Now, If the Lord will pleaſe to come in and perſwade your hearts to believe it, take theſe arguments and conſider them ſeriouſly.
Firſt, From the preparations of God, which he makes for all ſinners, Iſa. 30. laſt. Tophet is prepared of old, that is, from the foundation of the World; as Heb. 13.8. Jeſus Chriſt yeſterday, that is, backward unto the beginning of the World; ſo it is here, and it is for the King, the greateſt perſon though never ſo much exempted from the common lot in the World, yet they ſhall not eſcape this judgment, and ſo Deut. 32.24. Is not this laid up by me, and ſealed among my treaſures? truely the Lord doth not lay up treaſures in this manner but their will come a time of expence, &c.
Secondly, The Lord has told us in his Word, that there are ſome that are veſſels of wrath, Jud… 4.and perſons fore-ordained by God thereunto, and the Potter has power over his Clay, to the glory of his grace, and ſatisfaction of his juſtice, and men cannot find fault, and he has ſaid vengeance is mine, and I will repay; and to his word he has added his oath as well as his promiſes, that in the one we might have ſtrong conſolation, and in the other ſtrong conviction; Deut. 32.40.41. For I lift up my hand to Heaven, and ſay I live for ever; I will render vengeance to my enemies, and will reward them that hate me: Amos. 8.….&c. I have ſworn by the excellency of Jacob, ſurely I will never forget any of their works, &c. O miſeros nos qui nec juranti Deo credimus: Tert.That neither believe the word of God, nor tremble at the oath of God.
Thirdly, Conſider the capacity, and the immortality o… the ſoul of man, for its capacity, it is capable of more happineſs, or miſery, then all the creatures in Heaven and Earth can aford, they are not able to ſatisfie the ſences, much leſs the ſoul: Now, Why has God made ſo great a veſſel? Not in vain, ſurely it ſhall be filled, and nothing but God can fill it, God in glory can fill it with joy, and God in wrath can fill it with ſorrow; for animam capacem quicquid eſt minu… Deo, non implebit. It is true of good things, it is true of evil alſo: And for the immortality of the ſoul of man, Why hath God made it of ſuch a duration? ſhall this be but time to ſleep it out, and has the Lord made the ſoul to live ſo long in vain? the time of this life is but a ſpan to eternity, in which either men are made veſſels of mercy, prepared for glory, or veſſels of wrath fitted to diſtruction; and the foundation of a mans eternal happineſs or miſery is laid in this Life.
Fourthly, Conſider whether or no thou haſt never had any of the firſt fruits of it, God letting in a glimpſe of his wrath upon thy Conſcience, ſome grudgings of that burning-feaver, that thou ſhalt lye under for ever; there are unregenerate men that have a taſte of the powers of the world to come, Heb. 6.by powers are meant powerful and mighty workings upon the ſpirits of men, by the ſpirit of God, and how mightily theſe apprehenſions do work upon men, either of the joys of Heaven, or of the torments of Hell, men receiving a pledg and an earneſt in themſelves before hand; Heb. 10.27. Receiving a ſentence of condemnation in their own ſouls, the wrath of God has a venome in it, and it drinks up their ſpirits, and the Lord comes upon them as a Lyon, and breaks all their bones; that though they Love ſin never ſo dearly, yet they can take no delight in it.
Fifthly, It will appear in the Lord Chriſt, Why did he come from Heaven, and take the nature of man upon him? The great end was not legem docere, Luth.& miracula facere; for this others did as well as he, though from him and by his ſpirit; but it was legem vincere & abolere, Gal. 4.4. He was made under a Covenant of works, and that for two things. Firſt, That he might pay the debt that was due by us to God. Secondly, That he might cancel the bond. Now he was made a curſe for us, and therefore the Lord did cauſe all our ſins in the guilt and the puniſhment of them to meet upon him, Pſal. 110. laſt.he drank off the brook in the way, &c. Then all that are under the Law, ſtill they are under the curſe of it, and all their ſins in the guilt and the puniſhment of them, will meet upon them as the ſins of the elect did upon the Lord Chriſt, for Chriſt is but the ſurety of the elect, and he did it voluntarily in obedience to the Father, and therefore ſurely thou being the principal canſt not look to ſcape, for thou ſtandeſt under the ſame covenant, and under the ſame curſe; indeed unto them that are regenerate, the Covenant is aboliſhed, he has blotted it out, and nailed it to his Croſs, and he only ſtands under a Covenant of works for them, and by the aboliſhing this, has made way for a ſecond Covenant; but to all that are unregenerate, the Covenant ſtands in force and they are under it and under the curſe of it for ever.
Thirdly, If you would indeed ſcape the wrath to come, bring forth fruits meet for repentance; Mat. 3.8. When they did pretend to deſire to fly from the wrath to come, John bid them make it appear to be true, by bringing forth anſwerable fruits meet for repentance; in this life God in judgment, doth put no difference between men and men; but penitent and impenitent ſickneſs doth not complement with the great men of the World, but aſſaults them boldly, as well as the meaneſt; and death knocks at the door of the Prince, as well as of the pooreſt man, and therefore ſurely it will be ſo in his eternal judgment alſo; and thefore ſee you be penitent, &c. For unleſs you repent you ſhall all periſh: But how ſhall a man know he is penitent, &c.
Firſt, When a mans heart is truly turned againſt that ſin that he has repented of; for this is the miſery novum hoc monſtri genus est eadem poena omnes jugiter faciunt quae ſe feciſſe plangunt, when a man hates every falſe way, hatred is againſt all ſin univerſally, but in eſpecial manner againſt the darling ſin, that ſin in which a man has moſt diſhonour'd God and wounded his own Conſcience, and by which Satan as a Proper has moſt tyranized over him, what have I to do any more with Idols? Hoſ. 14.…a mans unrightneſs of heart is ſeen in this that he keeps himſelf from his own iniquity, there was but one way of dalliance that I did delight in, and yet I am willing to give that up alſo; as the Turkiſh Emperour that had but one beautifull Concubine in which he much delighted and doted upon, that the Baſhaws and the Janizaries took it amiſs that he neglected the affairs of the Kingdom for her, he brought her forth before them one day in all her bravery and they all admired the beauty of the woman, and when he commended her highly for all her good qualities, he cut off her head in their preſence, and told them he did it to let them ſee that there was nothing dear to him in reſpect of the publick welfare, it was an act of cruelty in him, but the moral of it may be of good uſe unto us; that is fruit worthy of repentance when a mans heart is moſt of all turn'd againſt his darling ſin.
Secondly, There will be a holy jealouſie of a mans ſelf, and a continual watching over the inward man Pro. 4.23. Keep thy heart above all keeping, he hath a godly fear continually of the falſeneſs of his own heart, he knew that he is bent to backſliding, and therefore is always watchfull, he will not truſt his eyes without a Couenant nor his tongue without a bridle; will not venture upon occaſions of ſinning, and will not be dallying with temptation, leaſt a ſpark be ſtruck and the fire kindle again, leaſt he ſhould look back with Lots Wife, and with Iſrael, have a mind again to hanker after Egypt; for if the love of the ſin doth ſtill remain in his inward man, there may be a reſtraint for a while and a damp, but it will break out again and the man will return with the dog to the vomit, the unclean ſpirit will enter again, and the man will be worſe then ever in the beginning; it is this only that is fruit worthy of repentance, he is more afraid of ſin, then of any loſs of outward Comforts in the world, Z…c. 12 10 Iſa. 8.12, 13,and mourns more for ſin then any thing elſe; we are exhorted not to fear the worlds fear, they fear Creatures, and loſſes, and croſſes, but do you fear ſin that diſpleaſes God, and brings down his wrath, and chuſe not ſin rather then affliction; for if a man look upon ſin as the greateſt evil, it muſt needs be the object of the deepeſt ſorrow and the greateſt fear,
Thirdly, there will be an anſwerable obedience, there is a double change in repentance, and therefore it has a double name, there is a foreign a change of a mans mind, and a man hath other apprehenſions of ſin and the evil of it then he had in times paſt: and there is foreign a change of a mans care, 2 Cor 7.and the endeavours of his life; godly ſorrow works a care to pleaſe God in all things; the firſt queſtion is, what have I done? and afterward, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? make me one of thy hired ſervants, put me into any work, I will do any thing, be any thing. Not only would the Soul be adopted to a new inheritance, but he would be regenerate and have a new nature, as we ſee in Zacheus, he had a great change wrought in him, he was before an oppreſſour, and now a reſtorer, and Saul a perſecutor before of Gods people, diſturbing them in their way of worſhiping God, hailing them to priſon, conſenting to the death of the Martyr Stephen, I but now Paul is a choſen veſſel unto the Lord, now he is a Preacher, and he did not more thirſt for the blood of Souls before, then now he doth for their Salvation; ſo a truly penitent ſoul, if he has been proud before his Converſion, he is cloathed with humility, if he was before unclean he now putson chaſtity, and his care is that the contrary grace may grow and flouriſh in him, or elſe truly here are no fruits meet for repentance, and then what ever a man ſeems to be in the world, he is no true Saint, he does but ſeem to fly from the wrath to come, and all his profeſſion will come to nothing, 'tis but a ſhew, a fancy and nomore
Now I come to the laſt Branch in the text, and that is the eternity of both theſe; where the Worm dyes not and the fire is not quenched,
The Torment that the Lord has prepared for his Enemies is eternal. There are in the Eternity of God three things; firſt, it hath no beginning of its being or working; Secondly, it has no end; Thirdly, it has no ſucceſſion, his name is I am, Exod. 3 14that I am; for in aeternitate non eſt erit & fuit, we muſt indeed deſtinguiſh between the act as it is in God, and the product thereof as it is in the Creature; all actions from God are from Eternity, and without ſucceſſion he underſtands all at once, but he doth will that the things ſhall in their being have a ſucceſſion, and exiſt one after another in their ſeveral ſeaſons and Generations, as Creation in God is but one ſimple act of his will, and tota ſimul, it being nothing elſe but ipſa eſſentia dei cum relatione ad Creaturas, Aquin. p. 1.9.43. But he doth will that the Creatures in the ſpace of Six days ſhoul take their beginning, and that after the creation, the floud ſhould come upon the world, and he did will from eternity, that all the creatures ſhould ſubſiſt and ſtand up out of nothing, in their ſeveral ſeaſons and order, which though it take place in the creature in ſeveral ages, yet it is all one eternal conſent, and continued will of God, ſome actions of God are ex neceſſitate naturae natae, and they take place from eternity, and have no beginning as the Generation of the Son, and the proceſſion of the Holy-Ghoſt; but ſome are voluntary, and they have there beginning in time, as the will of God doth appoint them for to have.
Now, Of two of thoſe branches of eternity, the creature is not capable, it cannot competere to a created nature.
Firſt, All creatures muſt have a beginning, and cannot be eternal becauſe they have their being from another, and are not the fountain of their own being.
Secondly, All creatures have a ſucceſſion, either in their being, or their actions, they do one thing after another, and they may be ſaid to be, what they were not before, and to do what they did not before; but it cannot be ſo of God, and therefore he is only ſaid to inhabit eternity: Iſa. 57.15. It is his dwelling place alone, He that is every where preſent and fils all places without motion, he doth inhabit and fill all time without ſucceſſion. The Angels themſelves, though I do not ſay that their actions are meaſured by time as ours are, yet there is a ſucceſſion in them, and they do one thing after another, and as they do remove from one place to another, ſo they are meaſured in their actions, there is a ſucceſſion and they may be ſaid to have ſomething paſt, and ſomething to come; ſo there ſhall be in the thoughts of men, in Heaven and in Hell alſo, for they cannot take in eternity at once, they muſt act in a ſucceſſive way ſutable to the nature of a creature: But in the eternity of the creature there is only the laſt, it ſhall be without end, and without intermiſſion; ſo that there are two things implyed in theſe laſt words the Worm dies not; it ſhall be continual, and it ſhall be eternal, there ſhall be no intermiſſion, no concluſion: Here in this Life, either a mans choiceſt pleaſures have an end, or are interrupted. Son remember that in thy Life time thou receivedſt thy good things, and the conſideration thereof doth fill a mans Soul with Gall and Wormwood, in the ſweeteſt injoyments, and they all deceive a man as a brook that paſſeth by, and are as graſs upon the Houſe-top, that withers before it come to ripeneſs, either in the bud or in the blade it is blaſted, as all earthly comforts are ſo, for all fleſh is graſs, and the glory of it is as the flower of the field; or if they have not an end, they have interruptions, and intermiſſions; a ſoul that injoys the light of Gods countenance, and has his heart filled with joy, more then can be had in corn and wine and oil, yet by and by God hides his face, and the man walks in darkneſs, and hath no lights again; and therefore he crie out with Bern. it is dulce commercium, but breve momentum O ſi duraret, &c. But after this Life in Heaven as we ſhall be ever with the Lord, ſo we ſhall always behold his face, and be ſatisfied with his likeneſs, and drink for ever out of the Rivers of his pleaſures, and this ſhall be without intermiſſion, or interruption for ever. And in this Life a mans greateſt affliction has an end alſo, Lazarus is comforted, when Dives is tormented; in the grave the wicked ceaſe from troubling him, and the weary are at reſt, the priſoners reſt together, they hear not the voice of the oppreſſont, or at leaſt there is ſome intermiſſion, and there are lucid intervals, though heavineſs may indure for a night, yet joy will come in the morning; but after this life there will be no more changes; and therefore death is called by way of eminence a mans change; Job 14.14. All the days of my appointed time, will I wait till my change come; &c. Becauſe it is a mans laſt and great change, though his life be full of changes, yet his death is the great and the laſt change; and there will be no more changes, a mans miſery will then be eternal without concluſion, and continual without intermiſſion. There will be pure darkneſs, utter and everlaſting darkneſs, there will be no end, no mittigation, the Worm never dies, and never ſleeps, and the fire is never extinguiſhed, never abated or mittigated to eternity.
Of theſe two I would ſpeak …iſtinctly; Firſt, Of the torments of Hell, that they are eternal and without concluſion. Secondly, that they are continual and without intermiſſion.
Firſt, The torments of ungodly men after this life ſhall be eternal, and ſhall never end. We have heard that there are two parts of this torment, the one principal, the fire; and the other accidental, the Worm, and now we come to prove the eternity of both theſe
Firſt, The fire in Hell, that is, the wrath of God poured out upon the Soul ſhall be for ever, and ſhall never end, and is therefore called everlaſting fire, Mat. 18.8. and 25.41. And everlaſting puniſhment, 25.46. And everlaſting deſtruction, 2 Theſ. 1.9. And the Chains by which men are bound in the world to come, are everlaſting Chains under darkneſs, Luke 16.9.Jude 7. Heaven is an everlaſting habitation, and ſo is Hell alſo, it is for Eternity.
There are ſeveral expreſſions in Scripture that do argue as much; firſt, the Scripture doth tell us that there is a day of Grace and a time of patience, when the Lord will offer himſelf unto men, and wait upon them or their acceptance of his Grace, but this day will have an end, and the time of buying will be paſt, and therefore it was not admonitio ſed exprobratio, non conſilium ſed opprobrium, &c. It's not counſell but a ſcoffe, to go buy when the time of buying was paſt; there is now a time of mercy, but there is a time when the door will be paſt opening, Mat. 25.10. Eccl. 9.20.and all mercy will be ſhut out for ever; there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wiſdom in the Grave whither thou goeſt: The day of Grace has an end, but the day of wrath will never end; the days of Grace may be numbred, but the days of wrath ſhall be numberleſs; for the Scripture doth ſay that if the day of Grace be once overpaſt, it will never return again.
Secondly, An ungodly mans hope is ſaid in Scripture to dye with him, Job 11.20.his hope is as the giving up of the Ghoſt, He breaths out his laſt hope and his laſt breath together; for when a wicked man dyes his hope periſhes, Pro. 11.7.but the Righteous has hope in his death, his hope is a living hope, and therefore it dyes not with his body. Now how comes it to paſs a mans hope periſhes? this is grounded upon the eternity that is to come; for were there not an eternity, a mans hope would live, but at a mans death, a wicked mans eternal ſtate being caſt his hope dyes, becauſe there can be no expectation of a change: in all afflictions here there is hope of an end, or ſome mitigation, Zac. 9.1….they are all priſoners of hope, &c. And the Lord ſhall ſay to them in that day, Turn you to the ſtrong hold, &c. but in Hell there is no hope of any other ſtate, no not for one moment but the torment continues to eternity.Rev. 20.
Thirdly, Hell is called a bottomleſs pit, Luke 8.31. And this muſt needs expreſs the eternity of it, out of a pit in which there is no bottom, there can be no redemption, but a man muſt ſink and ſinks for ever, it is eternity to the bottom, there are pits here in which men may be caſt, not only into the priſon but into the Sea, or into the Dungeon in the priſon, and yet out of all theſe they may be delivered by the blood of the Covenant, and brought out, but this bottomleſs pit there is no blood of the Covenant to redeem from.
There is a great Gulfe ſet that is by a divine decree ſtabliſhed and fixed, a mans ſtate is ſet for eternity, and there is no hope of a change, a paſſage here there is from death to life, but there is none hereafter; for there is a great Gulſe that God has ſet between, that there can be no paſſage, no change of a mans condition, there can be no tranſlation; for judgment pronounced againſt a man at the laſt day is eternal judgment.
Fifthly, If a man that is under this torment would come forth, there be Chains caſt upon him to keep him under that darkneſs; Jude 6.ſo that he cannot eſcape, as Jude ſayes, the Angels that kept not their firſt eſtate but left their own habitation, are kept in Chains under darkneſs, foreign they are kept in Chains, that is, the Judgment of God and the power of God, ſignificat potentiam Dei quâ tanqnam vinculis aeternis & nunquam ſolvendis, Eſtiusand it is under darkneſs either in Hell, the darkneſs there, or under the darkneſs and the guilty thoughts of their own ſpirits; now under both theſe the Devils are already, and this is the wrath, and theſe are the Chains that are prepared for all the ſeed of the Serpent which ſhall torment them.
Sixthly, This fire can never goe out, becauſe there will be for ever a ſupply of the fuel; now if there be always combuſtble matter added to fire here, the fire will never go out, but in this there will be always a ſupply; the fire will ſtill have an addition of fuel, and of blowing, the pile thereof is fire and much wood, ſa. 30.33the breath of the Lord like a ſtream of Brimſtone doth kindle it, &c. foreign ſignifies not barely a ſtream, but a torrent, a flood, a violent and ſwift-running ſtream, from much waters and Brimſtone is the moſt fierce burning for fire to work upon, and it is moſt hardly quenched, and a River, a Torrent of Brimſtone, the wrath of the Lord foreign burning in it, the fuel is the wrath of God as a River of Brimſtone burning in it, as in this life the ſpirit of God in a work of grace is not only fire, but oil, it is maintained and ſupplied by the ſame grace, and the ſame ſpirit, and is maintained by it, ſo after this life the ſpirit of God will not only be fire, but a River of brimſtone, and their will be a dayly maintanance, a continual ſupply of the ſame wrath for ever, therefore that fire can never be quenched.
Let us now look in the grounds of this eternity, and that the rather becauſe there is a principal in the minds of men ready to tax the Lord of cruelty and injuſtice, that he ſhould for the ſins of a few years, lay upon men puniſhment and torment to eternity, the acts tranſient, and but for a moment, that the wrath of God ſhould be permanent and never end; and therefore ſay they, theſe things cannot fland with the juſtice of God, or with his mercy, therefore they conceive that men ſhall be but puniſhed for a time, and a time for their deliverance will come when this worm ſhall dye, and this fire ſhall be quenched, and ſome ſay the perſons ſhall be deſtroyed, and others that they be annihelated, as the Socinians and divers deſperate Libertines at this day, that will never be perſwaded that it can agree with the merciful nature of God, to make creatures eternally to deſtroy them for a few acts of ſin, committed a few years here in this life; and Origen was ſo merciful in this kind, that he would have the Devil ſaved after ſome years, and Hell fire to be wholly put out: and Austin in his time had to do, cum miſericordibus quibuſdam qui nolunt credere poenam ſempiternam futuram, &c. But that men after ſome certain time ſhould be delivered; de civet. L. 21. c. 17.
Now, The grounds of this eternity of wrath are theſe.
Firſt, Gods intention from eternity was to ſhew his wrath, and to make his power known unto the veſſels of wrath; Rom. 9.21.22. All men are in his hand, as clay in the hand of the potter; and it is in his power to make them veſſels of honour or diſhonour. Now if the Lord will ſhew the riches of his glory and of his mercy, unto the veſſels of mercy, it muſt be to eternity, and to everlaſting life; ſo if the Lord will ſhew forth the power of his wrath, it muſt be to eternity, for the one muſt anſwer the other, and if there be eternal mercy to manifeſt the one, there will require eternal wrath to ſhew forth the other; for there are but two things in which the love of God is ſeen, and in which his wrath is ſeen, and they are things ſpiritual unto the ſouls of men: No man can do good to the ſoul, but God, and no man can inflict puniſhment upon the ſoul but God, men may hurt the body, and they have no more that they can do; and in eternal good things, or evil things, thoſe that concerne the life to come; for truely a man cannot know love or hatred by all that is before him here, the ſoul muſt have an eternity to be puniſhed in, all evils in this life which have an end, are too low, and too ſhort to puniſh the ſoul with, as all good things in this life, are too narrow to cover the ſoul with: &c.
Secondly, The Covenant by which they are bound over unto this wrath is an eternal Covenant, an everlaſting Covenant, there are two heads, or two publick perſons, a firſt and a ſecond Adam, under whom, as by the ſons of Noah the whole Earth is over ſpread; and with theſe two Covenants made as with two heads, and there are two ſorts of men, the elect, and the unregenerate, children of the bond-woman and of the free, and there are two deſtinct places, Heaven and Hell anſwerable unto theſe, and one Covenant is everlaſting, as well as the other, not only the covenant of Grace, but the covenant of Works alſo; and therefore the curſe of the Covenant remains upon men unto eternity, and they are bound over unto eternal wrath, Gal. 10. Deut. 29.21.as the Lord Chriſt has put an end unto this Covenant, and aboliſhed it unto all that are in him, being himſelf made under it, and ſatisfying the precept and the curſe of it, and ſo he did cancel it as a handwriting againſt us nailing, it unto his Croſs; Col. 2.14. And ſo they that are in Chriſt are freed from the Law as a Covenant, but unto all other men it remains a Covenant ſtill, and they remain under the curſe of it for ever, and the wrath of God abides upon them; Joh. 3.36.for the Goſpel doth not properly bring them under wrath but leaves them under it for ever.
Thirdly, The guilt and ſtain of ſin upon the ſoul is eternal alſo, the act of ſin is tranſient, momentum quod delectat, &c. But the guilt of ſin is permanent, the relation between God and the creature is eternal, and … is an eternal obligation upon the creature, becauſe he is bound unto God by an eternal Law, and the tranſgreſſion of that Law carries with it an eternal guilt, there is not a ſin that a man commits, but it is laid up amongſt the Lords Treaſures, Deut. Jer. 17.1.and it is alſo laid up in their own Conſciences, ſin is a debt, Mat. 6.12. Which will as all other debts are, be ever due till it be paid; if it be a thouſand years ſince it was committed, yet it due ſtill, and the continuance of the time will never wear it out amongſt men, much leſs will it being before the Lord and God keeps his debt-books, Iſa. 65.6. Behold it is written before me, I will recompence it, even recompence it into their boſome; &c. And there is an utter inability in us to pay the debt we owe to God, or to make him any ſatisfaction; we have nothing to pay, and not one drop of the blood of Chriſt ſhall go to pay any part of thy debt, …ing once caſt into priſon, and thou ſhalt not come out thence being once caſt into Priſon, till thou haſt paid the uttermoſt farthing, and ſatisfaction thou canſt never make, for the offence is againſt an infinite God, and thou art but a finite creature, and here is thy miſery; that becauſe thou canſt never ſatisfie fully, therefore thou muſt be for ever ſatisfying; all that thou canſt do will not blot out one ſin, there is nothing but the blood of Chriſt can do it; when all the world was drowned by a floud, it could not waſh away the guilt of ſin; and when it ſhall be on fire, it ſhall not be able to purge one ſin; and when a man ſhall lye in Hell for ever, even the fire of Hell cannot purge the ſoul of one ſin: Ignis infernalis non eſt purgatorius ſed punitorius, &c.
Fourthly, God after this Life, ſhall not only reward men according to their actions, but their intentions, and the deſires of their hearts: Now, mens deſires unto ſin are infinite and eternal; if they could live for ever, they would ſin for ever, and they are never ſatisfied with ſinning; and therefore it is compared unto drunkenneſs, Deut. 29.a man adds drunkenneſs unto thirſt, and none do call in for Wine ſo faſt as they that have had too much already; and it is as Hell that cannot be ſatisfied: foreign, Luſt is infinite, and the more a man is glutted with it, the leſs he is ſatisfied, and could he live for ever, he would ſin for ever, and if he could do more wickedly againſt God he would; as the Lord ſays, thou haſt ſpoken, and done evil things againſt me as thou couldeſt, doing evil with both hands earneſtly; Mich. 7.3.in every ſin they have infinite and eternal deſires after ſinning, even in that ſhort time that they have to live in it; voluiſſent ſine fine peccare. Greg. Breve fuit opere. ſed longum eſſe conſtat pertinaci voluntate. Bern.
Fifthly, Becauſe they never repent but are hardned in the ſame way of ſinning, they remain the ſame men ſtill, and have the ſame will unto evil unto eternity in Hell, that they had when they were here upon earth; ſo that if God ſhould take a man out of Hell, and ſet him upon the earth again, with a poſſibility of mercy, he would go on in the ſame way of ſinning with as much greedineſs and more then ever he did in the time of his Life, for this is a rule amongſt many of the School-men, voluntas morientis confirmatur, in eo ſtatu in quo moritur. And therefore as the Saints in Heaven dying in a ſtate of grace, are in bono confirmati; ſo the wicked dying in a ſtate of ſin, are in malo obfirmati; that whereas in this life, in wicked men there is an inability to repent, yet there is a poſſibility of repenting, and of returning from ſin, and there is a reſtraint upon their Luſt, and there be here many common graces, and common workings of the ſpirit of grace, but then all reſtraint upon mens Luſts ſhall be taken away, all the Law of nature ſhall ceaſe, and God ſhall let out mens Luſts unto the utmoſt in judgment, and whereas in Heaven all acts of grace habent rationem praemii, ſo in Hell all acts of ſin ſhall have rationem poenae; and God will ſay, he that is filthy, let him be filthy ſtill; &c. And therefore Divines do ſay, that in this Life men are ſervants unto ſin, but it is but ſervitus inchoata, but in Hell there ſhall be ſervitus conſummata, for here there is ſome reſtraint unto ſin, but there ſhall be none hereafter; but a man ſhall be given over to it, and the more a man is given over to ſin in this Life, the neerer to Hell he comes.
Laſtly; Men ſhall be companions after this Life, with the Devil and his Angels; for that is the ſentence, Matt. 25.41. Depart into everlaſting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels; they that have been ſervi in culpa, muſt be ſocii in poena, &c. They that have all their days fulfilled the Devils Luſts, they muſt expect to have his reward, they that have followed the Lamb and have ſuffered with him, and been perſecuted for him, ſhall reign with him; and they that have followed Satan, and have ſinned with him, they ſhall ſuffer with him: Now, the Devil has had a long time of ſinning from the beginning of the World to the end of it, he is the laſt enemy that ſhall be deſtroyed, when death and Hell ſhall be caſt into the Lake; and therefore ſurely, as he hath had a long time of ſinning, ſo he muſt have a long time (yea even an eternity) in ſuffering, and therefore let no wicked man de…eive himſelf, for the ſame tor…ent, the ſame fire, for the na…re of it, though not for the …egree of it, is reſerved for thee …nd thou ſhalt be tormented with …he Devil and his Angels to all e…ernity.
FINIS.