The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. The poſitive part of the Sinners miſery, expreſt by Fire; and why.
I Come now to the ſecond part of the Puniſhment of the Wicked, and that is Poena ſenſus, the poſitive part of their miſery, or that anguiſh which God will inflict on their Souls and Bodies. Which puniſhment is ſet forth:
1. By its extremity.
2. Eternity.
foreign.I ſhall ſpeak firſt to its extremity, Fire. The Greek word foreign comes from the Hebrew Ʋr, and ſo the Latin Ʋro, to burn. From the Greek foreign comes Pyrauſta, a flie that lives in the fire, and dies out of it. Fire is uſed to deſcribe the pains of Hell, becauſe of the violent pain, and extream torture which it cauſeth. Whether it be a material fire, as Austin and Bullinger think; Or Metaphorical, as Gregory and Calvin, i. e. a pain equivalent thereunto; nay, much more grievous, as others imagine. But this is certain, no Racks or Engines of pain or miſery here below are ſufficient to ſet forth thoſe Inſtruments of eternal death, which God hath prepared for the wicked in the other world. The wrath of God, which is the very dregs of the Cup that the damned ſhall drink, is called Fire, Pſal. 18.8. Nay, God himſelf in this reſpect is called a conſuming Fire, Heb. 12. ult. For our God is a conſuming fire.
The Doctrine which I ſhall draw from this poſitive part of the Wickeds puniſhment ſhall be this.
Doct. 2. That the Wicked ſhall in the other world depart from Chriſt, into fire; Depart from me into everlasting fire. They ſhall not only be ſtript of all good, Depart from me; but alſo be filled with all evil, Into everlasting fire. Our Saviour in Matth. 18.9. calls it Hell fire. And the Holy Ghoſt terms it, The vengeance of the eternal Fire, Jude, verſ. 7.
In the Explication of this Doctrine, I ſhall ſhew:
1. Why the poſitive puniſhment of the wicked is ſet out by Fire?
2. Wherein it exceeds our Fire?
For the former, the puniſhment of the damned reſembleth Fire.
1. In regard of its intenſion, and the extream pain and anguiſh it cauſeth. Fire is the moſt out-ragious and tormenting of all the Elements. Nebuchadnezzar thought to fright and fear men to purpoſe, with the threatning of a fiery Furnace. The fire in the Valley of Hinnon, wherein Children were offered as a Burnt-Offering to the Devil, was exquiſitely tormenting. But who can tell the pains of Hell? Thoſe fires are but dark ſhadows and repreſentations of this Fire. VVhat elementary or culinary fire is comparable to that Fire. Phaleris Bull, Low-country Racks, Forreign Strapadoes, are nothing; not ſo much as Flea-bites to the the fire of Hell.
The woful effect of it ſpeaks it terrible. It cauſeth weeping, wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth. The ſtouteſt heart will then be forced to weep like a Child for pain; the moſt reſolute ſturdy Spirit will wail and moan for anguiſh, and all will bite their fleſh, and gnaſh their teeth with envy. There Cain may cry out indeed, My puniſhment is greater than I can bear. For alas, Who can dwell in everlasting burnings?
The infinite VViſdom that prepared it, ſpeaks it intollerable; Prepared for the Devil and his Angels, foreign, the word ſignifieth Divinam deſtinationem; 1 Cor. 2.9. Heaven is prepared for the godly. Matth. 25.35. And they for Heaven, Rom. 9.23. Col. 1.12. So wicked men are prepared for Hell, Rom. 9.22. And Hell for them. As if God had from eternity conſulted and contrived the moſt exquiſite way and means of afflicting the Creature. As if his VVrath had ſet his infinite VViſdom and Power on work to deviſe the fitteſt materials for the puniſhment of the wicked, and the moſt cutting, killing Inſtruments of eternal death.
The Company in this place of Torment, will render it the more miſerable. The Devil and his Angels, thoſe frightful Fiends, and bitter Foes of Mankind, ſhall be his eternal Aſſociates. That curſed Crew which drew men to ſin, and tempted them ſo diligently, ſhall be tormented with them, and a torment to them for ever.foreign, becauſe he ſtrikes through with his darts: foreign, as his Agents and Emiſſaries. The word for Devil properly ſignifieth a Calumniator or Slanderer. He firſt ſlandred God to man, and then man to God; He is therefore call'd the Accuſer of his Brethren, Rom. 12.11. Thoſe evil Angels have their Names either from their Natures, as Spirits; or Office, as Angels; or Dignity, as Principalities and Powers; or malice againſt God, as Satan, Devil; or their Fall and Fruits, as unclean Spirit, evil One, Father of Lyes, Murtherer, Deaf and Dumb Spirit. The Devil is mention'd ſingularly, becauſe there is one chief, The Prince of Devils, Matth. 12. And the reſt under him, or becauſe they are all one in Counſel, as if but one in Being. The chief Devil hath many other under him, at his call and command. This fire is ſaid to be prepared for the Devil and his Angels, becauſe they are the greateſt and chiefeſt of Sinners, others are but their Scholars. Now how hot is that Hell, that Fire which God from all eternity deviſed for the Devils, his moſt malicious Enemies? And how ill will they ſpeed, who have millions of ſuch dreadful Devils for their everlaſting Companions.
2. In regard of the univerſality of the pains it will cauſe. Fire hath all manner of Torments in it, and afflicts the whole man. If any be troubled extreamly with the Gout, or the Stone, or the Colick, or the Toothach, or any one racking Diſtemper, how dolefully doth he cry out and complain? But if all manner of Diſeaſes ſhould in extremity ſeiſe a man, and that in every part of him, how dreadfully would he weep and wail? The truth is, Colick, Stone, Cancer, Gout, Toothach, Pleuriſie, St. Anthonys Fire, and all other, are included in this Fire. It hath not only extremity, but alſo univerſality of Torments; thick darkneſs for the Eyes, hideous yellowing for the Ears, loathſome brimſtone for the Smell; and every ſenſe moleſted and offended in the higheſt degree, every part tormented in flames.