The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. The difference between our fires and Hell fire.
BUt the great pain of the wicked will more fully appear, if we conſider the difference between our fires on Earth, and that in Hell.
1. They differ in the cauſe of their kindling. Our fires are kindled with cold Air, a puff of Wind; thus the ſpark is blown up into a flame. But Tophet is prepared of old: for the King it is prepared: the pile thereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord, like a ſtream of brimſtone, doth kindle it, Iſa. 30.33. O what a flame is that which is blown up by the breath of an Almighty God. What a vaſt difference is there between the breath of man, or of a pair of Bellows, and the breath of a God? This breath is like a ſtream of brimſtone; and if the breath that kindleth the fire be like a ſtream, or rather a Sea of brimſtone, what is the fire it ſelf? What a vaſt difference is there between the breath of a pair of Bellows, and the fire kindled by them.
2. They differ in their nature. Our fires are by Philoſophers deſcribed to be a ſtream of ſulphurous particles, or ſwarm of motes of brimſtone, violently agitated, and forcibly breaking forth from thoſe reſpective Bodies to which they did formerly belong. And this is apparent, becauſe when any body is throughly burnt, the ſulphurious parts are almoſt gone; and when thoſe parts are gone, what remains will burn no longer. But the fire of Hell, whether it be material or metaphorical, is quite another thing. It is a deep impreſſion of infinite wrath and fury on every member of the Body, and faculty of the Soul. And O what a fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God, for our God is a conſuming fire, Heb. 12.2. ult. The wrath of God is ſometimes compared to that of a Lion roaring after her prey, which tears, and rents, and kills, and ſlays, without the leaſt pity. And to a Bear robbed of her Whelps, which claws, and wounds, and deſtroys whatſoever comes near her. But alas, the wrath of a God is infinitely more cutting, more killing. The Mountains are moved, the Rocks are rent in pieces, the ſtouteſt Oaks are rooted up, the Foundations of the Earth tremble, the great Luminaries are darkned, the courſe of Nature is over-turned, when he is wroth. Thou, even thou art to be feared, for who may ſtand when thou art angry.
If his wrath be kindled but a little, how wofully do his own Children cry out, Job 6.4. The Arrows of the Almighty are within me, Job 13.24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdeſt me for thine enemy? Pſal. 88. Their Spirits are drunk up, while they ſuffer his terrors, they are diſtracted. What then will be the condition of them on whom he will pour out all his wrath? If a ſmall degree of God's anger be ſo terrible, when it is mingled with Love; what will a full Cup of pure wrath be?
3. They differ in the ends of their Creation. Our fires were created for our Service and Comfort. God made theſe for the uſe and benefit of man, to fence us againſt the cold; to melt and mould metals, and form them into ſeveral moulds, &c. But the fire of Hell is created for the torment of Men and Devils. God makes it of ſuch a nature, as may beſt ſuit his end. For every wiſe Agent fitteth his means to his end; and the more wiſe the Agent is, the more proper means he findeth out for his end. Now when the only wiſe God, to whom Angels themſelves are Fools, ſhall ſet his infinite Wiſdom awork about the moſt proper means of racking and torturing the poor Creature; ſurely it will be done to purpoſe. As when his Love ſets his Wiſdom awork, to find out a way to comfort his Children, what Rivers of Pleaſures, VVeights of Glory, Crowns of Life, fulneſs of Joy doth he provide. So when his wrath ſets VViſdom awork, to find out a way for the afflicting his Enemies, what ſtinging Adders, and gnawing VVorms, and Chains of Darkneſs, and Lakes of Brimſtone doth he provide.
4. They differ in the Fewel that feeds them. Our fires are maintain'd and preſerv'd in burning by wood or coals, or ſomewhat that is combuſtible; and the fire muſt be ſuitable to the meanneſs and limitedneſs of the fewel. But the fire of Hell is fed with the Curſe of a righteous Law, and the wrath of an infinite God, and the luſts of the damned. Ah what work will ſin, back'd with the Curſe and wrath of God, make in the Souls and Bodies of men. If David beloved of God under the weight of ſin, and ſenſe of Divine diſpleaſures, went mourning all the day, and cryeth out ſo mounfully, Thine Arrows ſtick faſt in me, and thy hand preſſeth me ſore. There is no ſoundneſs, in my fleſh, becauſe of thine Anger, nor reſt in my bones becauſe of my Sin. Mine Iniquities are gone over mine head, as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me, Pſal. 38.2, 3, 4. O what will they ſuffer! and how will they roar and howl, whoſe Sins are as a Mountain of Lead, ſhall preſs and oppreſs their Conſciences! all whoſe luſts ſhall gnaw their Spirits, ſet home and cloſe to their Souls by the fury and malediction of God.
5. They differ in this, that our fires are accompanied with Light; but the fire of Hell, though it hath heat to torment, hath no light to comfort. It is a ſtate of darkneſs, of utter darkneſs, Matth. 25. Of Blackneſs of Darkneſs, Jude, verſ. 13. They have only light enough to ſee themſelves endleſly and eaſeleſly wretched and miſerable. Darkneſs is dreadful, but what darkneſs like utter darkneſs, or blackneſs of darkneſs? The Egyptians did not move out of their places in the time of their darkneſs, but what will men do in the dark, in the midſt of ravenous VVolves, and roaring Lions, and ſtinging Adders, and fiery Serpents, and frightful Devils?
6. They differ in their Operations:
1. Our fires work only on the Body, they cannot pierce the Soul; but Hell fire pierceth the Soul. Spirits burn in it as well as Bodies, Go into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. If it ſeiſe on Devils, it will alſo on the Souls of men. The Spirit whoſe ſenſes are moſt acute, will feel the greateſt pain in the unquenchable fire.
2. Our fires deſtroy and conſume their fewel; they turn their wood and coals into duſt and aſhes; the bodies of men are by them turn'd into aſhes, and hereby the pain ceaſeth with the life of the Creature. But the fire of Hell will never conſume, though it be ever conſuming, it will always be deſtroying, but never deſtroy the Sinner. The damned will be always dying, but never die. The Almighty hand of God will preſerve them, to undergo that wrath that is intollerable, and thoſe flames that are unquenchable.