Sin the Plague of Plagues, Part 7
Damnation-ſtate more particularly conſider'd under ſix Heads.
1 The torments themſelves, & the kinds of them.
2 The quantity and quality of them.
3 The duration of them.
4 The Tormentors, or inflicters of them.
5 The aggravations of them.
6 The effects of them.
By that time I have ſet theſe before you, I preſume you will conclude and cry out, Oh ſinful ſin! what a thing is ſin! and who would ſin at this rate, A he torments of Hell.and be at ſuch coſt and charges to damn himſelf! To begin with the torments themſelves, where I ſhall conſider:
1 The place, with the names and appendices of it
2 The thing it ſelf, with its names.
1 The place, Hell is the place.with its names: In general, and moſt frequently, 'tis called Hell, the place and element of torment, Luke 16. This is the Rendezvous General for the wicked after the day of Judgment; and to expreſs the dreadfulneſs of any condition or thing, the name of Hell is annexed to it (as to ſignifie the excellency of a thng, the name of God and Heaven is joyn'd to it, as Cedars of God, &c.)
1 Therefore hell is a place and ſtate of ſorrow, 1Of ſorrowfor the greateſt ſorrows are called the ſorrows of hell, 2 Sam. 22.6. as the joys of heaven are the greateſt joys, ſo the ſorrows of hell the greateſt ſorrows.
2 A place and ſtate of pains and pangs, 2Of pain.far beyond them of a woman in travel, Pſa. 116.2. The pains of hell gat hold of me; there's no eaſe in hell.
3 Deſtruction is joyn'd with it, 3Deſtruction.to be in hell is to be deſtroy'd, Prov. 15.11. Hell and deſtruction are before him, and he can deſtroy body and ſoul in hell, Mat. 10.28.
So 4. 'Tis a place and ſtate of five, 4Fi….of fiery indignation, Mat. 5.22. He that calls his brother fool (viz. without cauſe, and in raſh anger) is in danger of hell fire, the worſt of flames, Luk. 16.
Yea 5. Damnation is in it, and ſpoken of it, 5Damnation.Mat. 23.33. How can ye eſcape the damnation of hell?
6 Torment is attributed to it, Luke 16.28. 6Tormen.'Tis called the place of torment.
Thus you ſee what a kind of place and condition hell is; 'tis all theſe, and much more than theſe words can expreſs, or you conceive by theſe expreſſions. Yet more particularly.
1 Hell is called a priſon: 'Tis called 1 A priſonAs heaven is ſet out by things taking and delectable, ſo hell is ſet out by what's diſtaſtful and loathſome, among which a priſon is one, and hell is called a priſon, Mat. 5.25. 1 Per. 3.19. Priſons, common Goals, are the worſt places to live in ('tis a noyſome peſtilential air) but hell is worſe than the worſt of priſons.
2 2A bottomleſs pit.Hell is called the bottomleſs pit, Revel. 9.11. and elſewhere frequently: The Devil is the Angel of the bottomleſs pit; 'tis a pit into which ſinners muſt fall, and be ever falling, for there's no bottom.
3 3A furnace of fire.Hell is called a Furnace of fire, and that's a terrible thing: Nebuchadnezars Furnace was terrible, eſpecially when heated ſeven times more than uſually; yet hell is a worſe Furnace of fire, Mat. 13.41, 42. They that do iniquity (that are ſin-makers by trade) ſhall be caſt into a Furnace of fire which ſhall not devoure them, but torment them, and make them wail and gnaſh their teeth.
4 4A Lake, &c.Its called a Lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone, Revel. 21.8. Such and ſuch (as are there named) ſhall have their part and portion in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone; always over head and ears in this Lake, yet never drown'd; always burning, but never burnt to aſhes: They will in this be like the burning buſh, which burnt with fire, but was not conſumed; as the Church was ſo on earth, ſinners will be ſo in hell.
5 5Darkneſs.This place, though it burn with fire and brimſtone, is yet called utter and outer darkneſs; thoſe flames will adminiſter heat of wrath, but no light of conſolation: Darkneſs is a dreadful thing, but to be in the fire in darkneſs (to live in death always) to be tormented in flames, and yet in darkneſs, Oh how diſmal muſt this be? Mat. 22.13. bind him hand and foot, and caſt him into outer darkneſs, ſo that 'twill be in vain to think of making reſiſtance, for thou wilt be bound hand and foot, and be in darkneſs too; yea, 'tis called chains of darkneſs, 2 Pet. 2.4. and blackneſs of darkneſs for ever, Jude 6.13. This of the place.
2 Let us conſider the thing it ſelf, 2Hell is a ſtate of damnationwith its names; for as its name is, ſo is it: The moſt common and uſual name of this puniſhment is Damnation, a dreadful word! who knows how much it means? 'twill make the ſtouteſt heart to tremble, the moſt conſident countenance to fall, the moſt daring courage to fail when they feel it: If his wrath be kindled but a little, 'tis terrible; how much more is it ſo, when it ſhall be wrath to the uttermoſt? for 'tis contrary to being ſaved to the utmoſt. More particularly 'tis called
1 Deſtruction (viz. Which is 1 Deſt… ction.moral deſtruction) not of mans being, but well being, 2 Pet. 2.12. they ſhall be taken, deſtroy'd, and utterly periſh: And 2 Theſ. 1.8.9. they ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord. Alas! it had been better for them they had never been born, or if born, that they had never died; or if died, that they had never riſen again, then to be thus deſtroy'd; foreign, as Hicrocles, to be baniſh'd from God, and the Divine Life, is the worſt of deaths.
2 'Tis a curſe, an accurſed ſtate, 2A curſe.to be under the curſe of God; as Mat. 25.41. not only depart from me, but depart ye curſed: There's no… the leaſt dram of bleſſing or bleſſedneſs in th… ſtate: If ſo many curſes were to wait on th… J…ws on earth when they continued in impenitency, as we read Deut. 28.16.—20. Oh what … curſed thing, how full of curſes is damnation … this valley of Gehinnom (this hell) is a Mount Ebal, the Mount of curſes, Deut. 17 13.
3 3The ſecond death.Damnation is called the ſecond death, Revel 21.8. 'twill be a marvellous miraculous kind of death, a living death, a death that never dies, a… immortal mortality; they will live whoſe portion this death is, and death will be their portion all their life.
4 4Shame.Its a ſtate of ſhame and contempt; there is ſcarce any thing in the world we are leſs willing to undergo then ſhame: The Thief, who is not afraid to ſteal, yet when taken, he is aſhamed: Shame, and confuſion, and contempt, will be their lot, Dan. 12.2, 3. Many of them that ſleep in the duſt of the earth ſhall awake, ſome to everlaſting life, and ſome to ſhame and everlaſting contempt.
2 The quantity and quality of hell torments.We ſhall take into conſideration the quantity and quality of thoſe torments of hell and damnation.
1 They will be exceeding great and terrible.
2 They will be univerſal.
3 Without intermiſſion.
1 1Great.They will be exceeding great and terrible, ſuch as will make the ſtouteſt hearts to quake and tremble: If the writing of Mene, Mene, Tekel, &c. made a change in Belſhazzars countenance, and trouble in his thoughts, ſo that the joynts of his loyns were looſed, and his knees ſmote one againſt another, Dan. 5.6. what a commotion and heart-quake will the day of Gods wrath and vengeance produce? See an inſtance in type, at leaſt, of this kind of ſpeech and thing, Rev. 6.15.-17. where not only bondmen (perſons of little and puny ſouls) but great and mighty men, chief Captains and Kings of the earth (perſons of great ſouls that have made the earth to tremble) ſhall hide themſelves in Dens and Rocks, and ſay to the Mountains fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that ſits on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of his wrath is come, and who ſhall be able to ſtand! For bond-men to be faint-hearted and fly, is no great wonder; but for men of might and valour to run away and hide, that's ſtrange! I, but 'tis from wrath, though but of a Lamb; What will they do then when he ſhall riſe up, and roar like the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah? 'Tis the day of wrath, which is the terrible day of the Lord; 'tis the day of vengeance, which is implacable; for God who is (now) hearing prayer, will not (then) ſpare for their crying, no though they cry Lord, Lord. God always acts like himſelf, like a God; when he ſhews mercy, 'tis like the God of all grace, who is rich in mercy, and loves with a great love; ſo when he executes wrath and vengeance, he makes bare his arm, and ſtrikes like a God: Who knows the power of his anger? none but damned ones. The ſenſe of it here, the receiving or ſearful reception of judgment (as 'tis in the Greek, Hebr. 10.27.) and fiery indignation makes a kind of hell, ſo fearful a thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God, when he acts like a God of vengeance, as the Apoſtle there ſpeaks, v. 30, 31. How dreadful then will it be to be in hell it ſelf, under the tortures of his executed wrath for ever? as the man is, ſo is his ſtrength; 'tis but ſport to be whipt by a child, but to be whipt and laſhed by a man, a Gyant, whoſe little finger is heavier then anothers loins, how painful muſt it be! The rod is for the back of fools, but when it ſhall be turned into Scorpions, and God himſelf ſhall lay on ſtroaks without mercy or pitty, oh how tormenting will it be! A ſtone thrown from a weak arm will not hit very hard, but when the hand and arm of God ſhall throw down that wrath from heaven, which is now but threatned againſt ungodly men, and turn them into hell, as a mighty man throws one over his ſhoulders, oh how will it ſink them deep into hell!
2 2Univerſal.The torments of hell will be univerſal, and univerſally inflicted.
1 The torments themſelves will be univerſal; 'twill be not a torment two or three, but all tormants met together; hell is the place of torment it ſelf, Luke 16 28. 'tis the center of all puniſhments, ſorrow and pain, wrath and vengeance, ſire and darkneſſe, all are there, as we proved before: If one diſeaſe put a man ſo much to it, what would a complication of diſcaſes? If one puniſhment, the Strapado, the Rack, or any other be ſo tormenting, what would all at once be? Oh what then will hell be?
2 The perſons on whom theſe torments will be inflicted; will be univerſally tormented; not one or two parts, but all, and all over; whole man hath ſinned, and whole man will be tormented; not ſoul alone, or body only, but ſoul and body after the Reſurrection and Judgment day: As for the body, all the members of it have been inſtruments of unrighteouſneſs, and therefore all the members will be puniſhed; as man is defiled, ſo man will be plagued, from the crown of the head to the ſoal of the foot: The ſenſes which men have indulged and gratified, will be filled with pain and torment, that ſhall be clean contrary to thoſe pleaſures wherewith they were gratified in this world. The eye which took ſo much pleaſure in, and was enamour'd of beauty, ſhall then ſee nothing but ugly Devils, and deformed Hags of damned wretches, &c. What ſhall the ear (that was delighted with Muſick and Love-ſongs, what ſhall it) hear? but hideous cryes and gnaſhing of teeth, the howlings and yawlings of damned Fiends. The ſmell, that was gratified with Roſe-buds, and ſweet perfumes; ſhall have no pleaſing ſents, but unſavoury brimſtone, and a ſtink. The taſte, that was refreſhed with eating the fat, and drinking the ſweet, muſt have nothing but the dregs of the cup of Gods wrath: The touch and ſeeling ſhall be ſenſible then, not of fine and ſilken things, but of burning flames, and ſcorching fiery indignation.
Ann as to the ſoul and all its faculties, it and they will ſpeed no better; their underſtanding will be tormented with having the truth underſtood in miſerable effects; that which it laught at as fooliſhneſs, it will then find true by the loſs of it, viz. Goſpel happineſs: The conſcience will be like a ſtinging Adder, a gnawing worm: The will will be vex'd that it had its will ſo long; Here men think it a Princely thing to have their will, but there they'l find it a devilliſh thing.
3 3Without intermiſſion.Yet further, theſe torments will be without intermiſsion; they ſhall be tormented day and night, Rev. 14.11. and have no reſt: Here our ſleep is a Parentheſis to care, and ſorrow, and pain, but there's no ſleeping there; the God that executes wrath, and they on whom wrath is executed, neither ſlumber nor ſleep: here they have ſome intermiſſions, and lucid intervals in their madneſs, but there they will be e'en mad continually for vexation of heart.
Methinks I cannot go on till I have a little expoſtulated with thee, who ever thou be that readeſt; needs there any more to fright thee from ſinning, which is the way to damnation, then the thoughts of damnation (ſuch a damnation!) which is at the end of the way of ſin? for thy Souls-ſake hear and fear, and do no more wickedly: What! wilt thou be damned? canſt with patience think of going to hell? haſt thou no pity on thy precious Soul? Oh if thou ſhouldſt go from reading of hell into hell, thou wouldſt ſurely ſay, there was a Prophet, I would not believe it, but now I feel it: Think of it, and
3 3The durationThink of what's now to be added concerning the duration of theſe torments, they will be for ever; though they were great, univerſal, and without intermiſſion for a time, yet if they were to have an end, 'twere ſome comfort: but here lies the miſery, they will be to day as yeſterday, and for ever; as in the beginning, ſo all along, and for ever, alwayes the ſame, if not encreaſing: This is the woe of woe, the hell of hell, that 'tis woe and hell for ever. After ſinners have been in hell, millions of millions of years, hell will be as much hell as at firſt; the fire that burns will never go out: the worm that gnaws will never die, which is three times repeated by our Lord and Saviour in one Chapter, Mark 9.44.46.48. 'twill be a laſting, yea an everlaſting miſery; 'tis everlaſting puniſhment, and everlaſting fire, Mat. 25.41.46.
4 There's yet to be conſider'd the Tormentors, 4The tormentors.or inflicters of theſe torments: The Devil, Conſcience, and God himſelf will torment the damned.
1 The Devil, 1The devil.the Tempter will be the Tormentor; they will be tormented not only with, but by Devils: They will be deliver'd to the Goalers, the Tormentors, as 'tis Mat. 18.34, 35. So likewiſe ſhall my heavenly Father do to you, viz. deliver you to the Tormentors: When the Church Excommunicates, (which is an Embleme of this) it doth deliver to Satan; and when God Excommunicates, he gives up to the Devil, take him Goaler, torment him Tormentor. The Apoſtle thought it a great miſery to fall into the hands of unreaſonable men, and therefore prays and begs prayers againſt it: But if the tender mercies of wicked men are cruelties, what are the cruelties of the Devil and his Angels? eſpecially when God delivers men up into their hands; Oh what a miſery is it to fall into the Devils clutches, to be tormented by the Devil. If he do ſo much now by permiſſion, what will he then do by Commiſſion, when he ſhall be under no reſtraint? We may gueſs by what he doth do now, what he is like to do, and will do then.
We have many inſtances of his malice, rage and power, take one and another: In Mark 9.17.—22. there was one poſſeſſed of a dumb ſpirit; and whereſoever this ſpirit taketh him, he teareth him, that he foameth, gnaſheth with the teeth, and pineth away: and v. 20. when he came into the preſence of Chriſt Jeſus, he care him, that he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming; oftentimes it hath caſt him into the fire, and the water, to deſtroy him. You know alſo how the Devil dealt with Job, and went to the utmoſt extent of his Commiſſion, and tantum non almoſt prevail'd, for he brought him to curſe the day of his birth, though he did not curſe God: If the Devil do ſo much now to the tormenting of any, when he is in Chains, and under reſtraint, Ah how ſad is it like to be with men when the Devil ſhall have them in his hands by Commiſsion from God! When God ſhall ſay, take him Devil, take him Gaoler, into the fire with him, do thy worſt with him: Oh who can ſtand before the Devils rage, and envy thus whetted by Commiſſion! Oh ſinful ſin, that thus gives up to the Devil!
2 2Conſcience.The ſecond Tormentor is Conſcience; a reflecting, an accuſing, an upbraiding Conſcience; which I may ſay is in ſome ſort a greater torment then any the devil can inflict, becauſe Conſcience is within us, but the devil is without us: That which is within hath the greateſt influence on us, whither for comfort, as 1 Joh. 4.4. or for torment, Mark 9.44. The worm that never dies, which is within a man: 'twere a dreadful thing to be eaten up of worms, to be continually fretted and vexed with the gnawing of worms; but this worm gnaws the ſpirit, which is more tender then the apple of ones eye: a wounded ſpirit who can bear? Judas ſunk under the weight and burden of it, and ſo have many more: but if it be ſo terrible when awakened here, what will it be, when a man ſhall be fully convinced, and have all his ſins ſet in order before his face, Pſa. 50.21. How will Conſcience laſh men then? As Schoolmaſters reckon up their Boys crimes, imprimis for this, and then a laſh, item for this, and then another laſh, &c. So ſaith Conſcience, Salvation was held forth, Grace was offer'd, and then laſheth for neglecting ſo great Salvation, and turning Grace into wantonneſs: Item, ſaith Conſcience, you knew that the wages of ſin was death, and the judgment of God is juſt, and yet you would do ſuch things; and then Conſcience pricks and torments, whips and laſheth them: Item, after thou hadſt vomited up thy pollution, and wer't waſhed from thy filthineſs, thou didſt return like the dog to thy vomit, and like the Sow to wallowing in the mi…e, and then laſheth him: If a man were falſly impriſon'd, 'twould be a mitigation, and ſome relief; but when a man is foreign ſelf-condemned, and finds that his perdition is of himſelf, that his own wickedneſs doth correct him, this will be the ſting of death and damnation.
3 3God alſoNot only the Devil and Conſcience, but God alſo will torment them; for though God in this life ſuffer himſelf to be preſſed with their ſins, as a Cart is preſt with ſheaves, yet at laſt he will ſhew his power in revenging himſelf on wicked men: though now he ſeem to have leaden feet, and be ſlow to wrath, yet then he will be found to have iron hands: Here God is patient, and if he judge, yet in the midſt of judgment he doth remember mercy, and doth not deal with men as their wickedneſs deſerves; but then he will be extreme in puniſhing; the Lord himſelf will rain upon the wicked ſnares, fire and brimſtone, and an horrible tempeſt, Pſal. 11.5, 6. This ſhall be the portion of their Cup from the Lord; they ſhall drink of the wine of the wrath of God. which is powred out without mixture in the Cup of his Indignation, and they ſhall be tormented with fire and brimſtone, in the preſence of the holy Angels, and of the Lamb, Rev. 14.10, 11. As many times, when Judges ſuſpect their Officers, that they will not do it home enough, they will have it done in their preſence, the whole Court and company looking on: So ſhall it be, and the ſmoak of their torment aſcendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no reſt day nor night. Yet further
5 5The aggravations.Let us conſider the aggravations of theſe torments: As ſin hath been aggravated, ſo will the torments be; there will be degrees of torment, 'twill be, though intollerable for all, yet more tollerable for ſome then others, Mat. 11.21.—24. their torments will be aggravated.
1 Who have lived long in ſin: The longer men have lived in ſin on earth, the greater will their torments be in hell, Iſai. 65.20. The ſinner being an hundred years old ſhall be accurſed, with a witneſs; for he hath been long treaſuring up wrath (much wrath) againſt the day of wrath: he hath a great account to make for all the patience and forbearance of God: Some men grow rich by having other mens goods in their hands, not called in: when men forbear their money, and leave it in their hands, they grow rich by it; ſo do wicked men grow rich in wrath by abuſing the goodneſs and patience of God, becauſe God forbears them, and doth not take out executions againſt them, and enter into judgment, they grow rich, but alas! 'tis in wrath. See Rev. 21.22.
2 The more means men have had, the more coſt and charges God hath been at, the more pains God hath taken with men, and yet they continue impenitent, the more ſevere will his judgment be upon them: If Chriſt had not come, they had had no ſuch ſin; this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkneſs. Capernaum that was exalted to heaven, by means, will be thrown to hell in the end, Mat. 11.23. To ſall from earth to hell will be a great fall, but to fall from heaven to hell will be a greater: To go from Turky to hell will be ſad, but to go from England to hell, and from London to hell, ah how rufully ſad!
3 The more knowledge men attain to, the more convictions men have had; without practiſe and improvement, the greater will their condemnation be, Luke 12.47. That ſervant which knew his Lords will, and did not according to his will, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes: And 2 Pet. 2.21. it were better they had never known the way of righteouſneſs, then (to know it, and not walk in it, or) having walkt in it, to depart from it: to him that knows to do good, and doth it not, to him it is ſin, great ſin, ſin with a witneſs, and condemnation with a vengeance. How can they eſcape the great condemnation, that neglect the great ſalvation; theſe become inexcuſable under the judgment of God, Rom. 1.32. with Rom. 2.1; 2, 3.
4 The further men have gone in a profeſſion of Religion, without the power of godlineſs, the greater will their condemnation be! Formaliſts and hypocrites will-know the worſt of hell, how can ye eſcape, not only hell, but the damnation of hell, the hell of hell? Mat. 23.33. The form of godlineſs, and the power of ungodlineſs, will fare alike, as Mat. 24.51. with Luke 12.46.
5 Apoſtates will meet with aggravated torments in hell: the backſlider will be filled with his own ways; his latter end will be worſe then his beginning, 2 Pet. 2.20. better for them they had died in their ſins at firſt, then to be as now twice dead, Jude 12. If we ſin wilfully after the knowledge of the truth, (if we do nuncium metere pietati, turn our backs on Chriſtianity and godlineſs) there remains no more ſacrifice for ſin, but a certain fearful expectation, or looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which ſhall devoure (them that by Apoſtaſie become) adverſaries: He that deſpiſed Moſes Law died without mercy, and yet of how much ſorer puniſhment ſhall he be thought worthy, who treads under foot the Son of God, and counts the Blood of the Covenant, wherewith it was ſanctified, an unholy thing, &c. Oh what fearful vengeance will ſuch meet with! See Hebr. 10.26.-32. and this little ſhall ſuffice to have ſpoken to the aggravations.
6 And laſtly, 6The effects of hell torments.let's take a view of the effects of theſe torments.
1 There will be inexpreſsible ſorrow, ſighing and groaning that cannot be utter'd; weeping, and wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth, Mat. 8.12. anger, indignation, vexation, even to madneſs and rage, will be the effects of them.
2 There will be intollerable horror and pain: if thunder, lightning, and earthquakes make men afraid, and ſhrink together, what will hell do! If the throbing Tooth-ach, the gnawing Gout, &c. put men to ſuch exquiſite pains, what will hell do! If ſickneſs make us fear death, and the fear of death be ſo dreadful, what will hell be! If you Felix-like tremble to hear of this judgment to come, what would you do, if you were to undergo it! If ſeeing ugly and devilliſh ſhapes affright us, what will it do to be with the devil and his Angels!
3 This will be the ſad effect of theſe torments, ſinal and eternal impenitency, and deſp…ir, even to curſing and blaſpheming: he that dies impenitent, continue; ſo for ever, and impenitency is attended with blaſphemy, Iſ. 8.21, 22. They ſhall paſs through it hardly beſtead and hungry, and it ſhall come to paſs, that when they ſhall be hungry, they ſhall fret themſelves, and curſe their King, and their God; which I quote to ſhew the nature of a fretting and vexing heart under torments, a thing very common with deſpairing (and thereby made deſperate) perſons, Revel. 16.9, 10. When they were ſcorcht with great heat, they blaſphemed the name of God, and repented not to give him glory: and v. 10, 11. they gnaw'd their tongues for pain, and blaſphemed the God of heaven, becauſe of their pains, and their ſores. We ſee that when the plagues of God are on impenitent ſinners, they are curſing, and though they may repent; i.e. be ſorry for the plagues, yet not for the cauſe of them: And hence many do infer this, that if theſe plagues (which are far inferiour to them in hell) do provoke men thus, that they will do it much more: Woe and alas! what a diſmal, doleful condition 'tis to be damned! and then what! Oh what a ſinful thing is ſin that brings this damnation!
I have now diſpatch'd the ſecond thing, viz. the contrariety of ſin to the good of man, and that not only in this life, but in that to come: Before I bring in the W…tneſſes to prove this Charge againſt Sin to be true, as I have ſaid in this Indictment, let me a little beſpeak thee, good Reader, to conſider of what hath been ſaid, and that thou wouldſt be more afraid of ſin then of hell, which had not been but for ſin, and where thou ſhalt never be, if thou repent and believe the Goſpel, for righteouſneſs is not by repentance, but by faith: Believe they, and love Faith as thou loveſt thy Soul, and Heaven; hate ſin, and avoid it, as thou wouldſt hell and damnation; ſin no more, leaſt a worſe thing come unto thee, leaſt the Rod be turned into a Scorpion, leaſt the next loſs be the loſs of heaven, leaſt the next ſickneſs be unto death, and death to damnation; for if thou die in ſin, thou art damned irrecoverably: 'twere ſad to die in an Hoſpital, in a Priſon, in a ditch; but as 'tis worſt living to live in ſin, ſo worſt dying to die in ſin; if thou go on, theſe Sermons will witneſs againſt thee, as much as if not more then if one had riſen from the dead; if two or three devils or damned wretches ſhould come from hell, and cry fire, fire, it might ſtartle thee, but if thou believe not Moſes and the Prophets, yea Chriſt and his Apoſtles, 'twill work no good upon thee: Oh mind the good of thy ſoul, and do not bring on thy ſelf this great, univerſal, intollerable and eternal damnation: Take heed leaſt, Prov. 5.11, 12, 13. when thy fleſh and thy body are conſumed, I, and thy ſoul damned, thou ſay too late, how have I hated inſtruction, and my heart deſpiſed reproof, and have not obey'd the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that inſtructed me! Oh! oh! How have I rewarded evil to mine own ſoul by doing evil againſt God! I made a piſh at theſe things, and mocked at ſin; now I would hear, now I would return, but hope is periſhed! Such will be the direful outcries of ſinners one day; take heed therefore, for if thou have not on the wedding garment, thou wilt be caſt out, Mat. 22.11. and if thou be found a worker of iniquity, thou muſt depart accurſed. But not to prevent the application, which I reſerve to its proper place; I now proceed to the third thing propounded.