Hell with the Everlasting Torments Thereof Asserted, Text

Hell with the Everlasting Torments Thereof Asserted · Text

p. 1HELL, With the everlaſting Torments thereof Aſſerted.

THere are three wayes propoſed by S. Bernard for our apprehending of divine Things; The firſt whereof is the Underſtanding, which relies upon Reaſon. The ſecond is, Faith, which relies upon ſupream Authority. The third is Opinion, which relies upon Probability, Et veri Similitudo. Now there may ariſe in ſome men, ſome miſtakings, ſome miſapprehenſions of the ſenſe of ſome place of Scripture, there may ariſe ſome paradoxical imaginations in them, and yet theſe never attain to the ſettledneſs of an opinion, they float in the fancy, and are but waking dreams. Yet ſuch Imaginations, and Fancies, and Dreams, receive too much honour in the things, and too much favour in the p. 2perſons, if they be queſtioned or reproved.

By this means it comes to paſs ſometimes, that that which was but ſtraw at firſt, being blown by vehement Diſputations, ſets fire on Timber, & draws men of more learning and authority to ſide with, and mingle themſelves in theſe impertinencies; Therefore it is good councel that the wiſe Man gives, Prov. 26.4. Anſwer not a fool according to his folly, leaſt thou be like unto him. Every bewildred fancy that ariſeth, muſt not be ſo much as reproved, or called in queſtion.

And though Fancies grow to be Opinions, and that men come to think, that they have reaſons for their opinions, and to know that they have other men on their ſide in thoſe opinions; yet ſo long as they be but opinions, of a little too much, or a little too little, in matter of ceremony or circumſtance, as long as they are but deflectings and deviations upon colloterall matters, no foundation being ſhaken, no Corner-ſtone diſplaced, as long as they are but preteritions, not contradictions; but Omiſſions, not Uſurpations; they are not worthy of conviction; and there may be more danger then profit, in bringing them forth into an over-vehement agitation: p. 3For thoſe men whoſe end is Schiſm, Sedition, and Diſtraction, are brought near their own ends, and the accompliſhment of their deſires, if they can ſet other men together by the ears, and make ſober men to wrangle.

They muſt be Opinions then, not Fancies; and thoſe opinions muſt have a contrariety, an oppoſition to certain Truths; they muſt be held, maintained, peſiſted in, and publiſhed, before it be fit to call them in queſtion, or to afford them a confutation. A man admits an opinion ſometimes to lodge in him ſo long, as that tranſit in intellectum, it faſtens upon his underſtanding; and that that he did but think before, he now ſeems to know and believe; and then, Fides ſi habet haeſitationem, infirma eſt, as that faith that admits a ſcruple is weak: So, Opinio, ſi habet aſſertionem, temeraria eſt, When that that is but an opinion comes to be publiſhed and avowed for certain, yea, for a neceſſary truth, then it becomes dangerous: and that grows apace; for ſcarcely does any man believe an opinion to be true, but he hath a certain appetite and itch to infuſe it into others.

This Itch, I ſuppoſe, hath troubled this p. 4appetite ſtirred up, and provoked a certain confident Anonymus, in whom all theſe pieces meet, and make up a body of error, which he ſtifly holds, and publickly perſiſts in; otherwiſe I had never troubled, either my ſelfe, or the Reader, with this confutation; whoſe great endeavour it is, to undermine and blow up Hell in the beliefe of others, becauſe he himſelf is perſwaded there is no ſuch place. I have therefore ſet my ſelf Diametrically oppoſite to what he hath written to that purpoſe, and in the management hereof, ſhall proceed by the conſideration of theſe Three Circumſtances.

1. Quod ſit, That there is ſuch a place of miſery prepared and appointed for the wicked.

2. Quid ſit, What this place of miſery is.

And 3ly, To ſatisfie (if poſſibly) the curious enquiries of thoſe who make moſt queſtion of it; I ſhall with as much light as the Father of Lights hath afforded me, determine Ubi ſit, where this place of Miſery and Torment is.

Firſt, That there is a Hell; which place, though ſome think God never made, but that it grew out of our ſinnes; yet it is manifeſt p. 5it had a being even before ſin; and that God made it before he had preſent occaſion for it, or actual uſe of it. It was, without queſtion, conſtituted ere the Angels fell.

Hell was framed before ſinne was hatched, as Heaven was formed and fitted hefore the Inhabitant was produced. For we muſt obſerve, that God created Angels and Men after his own Image, Ratione ſapientes, vitâ innocentes, dominio potentes, wiſe, innocent, powerful. But withall be gave them flexibilem naturam, a mutable condition, which had power of ſtanding, and poſſibility of falling: Power to ſtand, was of God the Creator; poſſibility to fall, was of themſelves as Creatures. If God had given them an immutable nature, he had created them Gods, not Creatures. Now out of the whole hoſt of Angels, he kept ſome from falling; and when all Man-kind was fallen, he redeemed ſome by his Son. As he ſhews mercy upon ſome in their ſalvation, ſo it is fit he ſhould ſhew juſtice upon others in their condemnation. And becauſe there muſt be diſtinct places, for the exerciſe of the one, and for the execution of the other, which are in God equally infinite, by an irrecoverable p. 6decree from the foundation of the world, a glorious habitation was ordained for the one, and a terrible Dungeon for the other, Mat. 25.46. Theſe ſhall go into everlaſting puniſhment, and the Righteous into life eternal. So certain are both theſe places, that they were of old prepared for that purpoſe, Mat. 25.34. Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world, verſ. 41. Depart yee curſed into everlaſting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels. As God fore-ſaw the different eſtates and conditions of Men and Angels: ſo he provided for them diſtinct and different places. That there is a Hell.

Firſt, The Scriptures do plentifully teſtifie, and that both in the Old and New Teſtament, though Anonymus ſee it not; But who ſo blind as he that will not ſee? In the old Teſtament, Pſal. 9.17. The wicked ſhall be turned into Hell, and all thoſe that forget to turn to God. If School here ſignifie the Grave onelyonly, what puniſhment is here threatned to the wicked, which the Righteous is not equally liable to? I am ſure Mollerus was of another mind, who ſaith; The Pſalmiſt there declars the miſerable condition of all thoſe who live and die in their ſins, Aeternis punientur p. 7paenis, They ſhall be everlaſtingly puniſhed. And Muſculus reads the place thus, Animi impiorum cruciatibus debitis apud inferos punientur, The Souls of the ungodly ſhall be puniſhed in Hell with deſerved Torments. Alſo, Pſal. 18.5. The ſorrows of Hell compaſsed me about. Some read the bands or ropes; for Chebel ſignifies both, but in the plural number Cheblee, rather ſignifieth Sorrows, as of a Woman in Travail. The word Scheol is Tranſlated Hell. Oſiand. Pellican. So the Septuagint foreign, the Ropes or Bands of Hell. And they ſo apply it firſt to David, Credebam me ob peccata mea inferno proximum. I thought ſometimes by reaſon of my ſinnes, that I was nigh to Hell. So Pellican. And what let but that this good man might juſtly fear the indignation of God, when he conſidered the heynouſneſs of his impieties? Then to Chriſt, as prefigured in David, Qui peccatum & maledictum factus propter nos inferni dolores & cruciatus ſenſit; Who being made a ſin and curſe for us, did feel thoſe ſorrows and torments of Hell, which we had deſerved. So Oſiander alſo, Videbar captus in laqueis inferni, & quaſi in infernum detrudendus, &c. I ſeemed as taken in the p. 8ſnares of Hell, as like to one thruſt down and deteined there, becauſe of the burden of ſin which lay upon me.

But if it be Objected, that this puniſhment, and theſe ſufferings, and that death, which our Saviour Chriſt endured, cannot be ſaid to be eternal, becauſe they laſted but a time, which being expired, they were likewiſe finiſhed. I anſwer, that a thing may be ſaid to be eternal two waies, either in reſpect of the Subſtance, or in reſpect of the Circumſtance, the being or continual being of a thing in the former ſenſe, Chriſt ſuffered eternal death, not in the latter; He ſuffered the eſſential part of thoſe Torments, which all the Elect ſhould have ſuffered unto all eternity, though not the circumſtantial in reſpect of duration. Beſides, eternal death, in the phraſe and dialect of the Scriptures, doth not ſignifie the perpetual diſſolution of body and ſoul, as ſome do underſtand it, for ſo the damned themſelves do not ſuffer eternal death, but either the immeaſurable greatneſs of infernal torments, or the everlaſting continuance of the ſame. The firſt of which is Eſſential, the other but accidental, that Chriſt ſuffered; this he could not, ought not to undergo.

p. 9Could not, becauſe he is Eternal Life it ſelfe, God bleſſed for ever. Amen. Ought not, becauſe it was his office, and his great undertaking in the ſame, to free us from death, by conquering the power, and taking a way the ſting thereof.

Laſtly, Chriſt may be ſaid to ſuffer eternal death potentially, (if we may borrow that expreſſion to declare our full and direct intention) though not actually; that is, a death alwayes enduring; though not by him alwayes to be endured. There is this proportion between that death which we ſhould have ſuffered, and that which Chriſt did ſuffer for us; the one being infinite in time, the other infinite in weight and meaſure. The Son of God then truly ſuffered eternal death in reſpect of the greatneſs of thoſe miſeries which he endured, and the ſenſe of Gods wrath in thoſe ſufferings which he ſuſtained.

This may be more clearly illuſtrated, if we conſider wherein this eternal death of which we ſpeak, doth principally confiſt, which on all hands is acknowledged to be in theſe two things, namely, the puniſhment of loſs, and the puniſhment of ſenſe, both which Chriſt our Redeemer ſuffered for us: Of loſs, p. 10when being faſtned to the Croſs, he was as it were, at leaſt for a time, caſt out from the preſence of God, and deprived of the apprehenſion of his favour, as appears by that ſad complaint, and doleful exclamation, which he made, Mat. 26.46. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? Nor are they competent Judges of the condition of the Lord Jeſus, who thus ſadly cryed out, that ſay it was becauſe God had left him in the hands of the wicked Jews, to uſe him at their pleaſure; for many of Gods ſervants have been expoſed to like malice and miſchief, and yet never ſo paſſionately affected with it, as to cry out in the midſts of their ſufferings, that God had forſaken them, becauſe their enemies have prevailed againſt them. No, no, it was the ſenſible apprehenſion of Gods dereliction, that conſtrained him to break out into that dolorous exclamation. Of ſenſe, when he drank ſo deep of the Cup of divine wrath, that as Mark 14.33. expreſſeth it, he was ſore amazed; and he himſelf complaineth, Mat. 26.38. that his very ſoul was heavy unto the death.

And in this ſenſe, if there were no other, may we maintain that Article of our Creed, p. 11and in ſpight of Oppoſition, truly affirm, that Chriſt deſcended into Hell: At which Anonymus doth ſhrewdly carp, and with which boldly quarrels, ſaying, Theſe words are not to be found in the moſt ancient Creeds, and ſo would beat us with our own rod: But admit they be not; yet can we not believe (as ſome do think, and ſay) that they crept into our Creed by negligence; for they came not in at a heat, or hand over head, but with grave advice, and great deliberation were there inſerted. And as Calvin Juſt. 2.16.8. ſaith of them, They were received with the common conſent of all the Godly, and that there are none of the Fathers, but do make mention of them. So that it matters not when, or by whom they were inſerted, ſeeing there is nothing therein contained (ſetting aſide ſome unneceſſary interpretations thereof) but what is conſonant to the analogy of faith propoſed to us in the moſt ſacred word of God. And if the bitterneſs of ſome againſt them be ſuch, that they will not ſuffer them to have admittance: Calvin in the place fore-cited, doth undertake to make it plain, that there is ſo much of our Redemption interreſſed therein, that p. 12they cannot be omitted without an apparent loſs of much fruit and benefit conveighed to us by the ſufferings of our Saviour, who in the working out of our Redemption, underwent the heavy burden of Gods wrath, and felt thoſe very infernal pains (as an effect thereof) which we had deſerved, that we might everlaſtingly be freed from the ſame. Thus David, Pſalm. 116.3. ſpeaking in the perſon of Chriſt, ſaith, Anguſtiae infernales invenerant me, The pains of Hell gat hold upon me: Nor is it impoſſible (ſaith Willet) to feel the Toments of Hell, though not in the proper place. For the place conſidered in it ſelf, conduceth little to the ſuffering of the wrath and curſe of God, ſaith Polyander; If Chriſt (ſaith he) tormented the Devils, as themſelves complain, Mat. 8.29. in the Land of Judea, out of that infernall place: God could bruiſe Chriſt for our ſinnes, by the heavy weight of his wrath, in the ſame land, out of that place of torment, as he did, and is manifeſt by that propheſie of Iſaiah, 53.10.12.

What contrariety then is among the learned, concerning the deſcent of Chriſt into Hell, is principally in oppoſition to the Papiſts, p. 13who affirm, that he went down in Soul to deliver the Patriarks, and the Souls of juſt perſons there detained in bondage, till his death and paſſion; for, otherwiſe it is fully agreed among them, that Chriſt by virtue of his death and ſufferings, did vanquiſh and overcome Hell and the Devil, with all the powers of Darkneſs. This (ſaith Willet, pag. 1050.) being taken for granted, that Chriſt by his deſcent into Hell, ſhook the infernal Powers, and triumphed over them, as is by ſome of our Reverend Fathers, and Learned Brethren, upon great perſwaſion of many forcible Reaſons and Arguments affirmed, is not by me impugned. So then I ſhall proceed.

Solomon, Prov. 5.5. ſaith of his Harlot, That her feet go down to death, her ſteps take hold on Hell; where Scheol is tranſlated Hell, and in the judgement of Lavator, is well tranſlated to Foveam vel infernum paſſus ejus tenebunt; which (ſaith he) is ſpoken, not ſo much of natural death, as of ſpiritual, and that eternall deſtruction, which followeth thereupon: And he gives this for a reaſon of ſo underſtanding the place; Whoredom being an abominable ſin, defiling the members p. 14of Chriſt, diſſolving and making void the Covenant between God and Man, muſt needs be accompanied with an equivalent judgement, even excluding thoſe that are guilty thereof without repentance, the Kingdom of Heaven, into which pure and undefiled place, no unclean thing can enter, Heb. 13.4. and mark the words, Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge: If man will not, God himſelf will, and give them a portion of miſery anſwerable to their tranſgreſſion. To ſecond this, we read, Prov. 9.18. Neſcit convivas tandem in profunda tartara deturbari, ut in aeternum cum impiis & ſceleratis affligantur: So Lavator; and is well tranſlated by us; ſhe knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her gueſts are in the depth of Hell. What can be plainer then this? and yet Anonymus ſees it not.

That the Greeks Tranſlate Scheol into Haides, is moſt true, but that Haides comes from Adam, is far fetcht, and very ſuſpicious; who would not rather conclude it to proceed from the primitive particle, foreign, non videre; not to ſee: or from foreign, by reaſon of the darkneſs and obſcurity of that place. And if the word Hell be not (as he p. 15either ignorantly, or impudently affirms) to be found in Greek, I would fain know how he would better Tranſlate theſe words of our Saviour Chriſt, Mat. 16.18. foreign, The Gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt it: Beza and Pareus read it, Portae inferorum non ſuperabunt eam: That is, ſaith the one, Quicquid conſilio vel viribus poteſt Satan, Whatſoever the Devil by policy or power can bring to paſs; potentia aut Machinae Satanae, ſaith the other, The ſtrength, or the crafty and ſubtile devices of the Devil, ſhall not be able to prevail againſt that Church, which is ſo founded upon the Rock Chriſt.

In the New Teſtament, the Phariſees having put a falſe gloſs upon thoſe words of the Law, Mat. 5.21. Thou ſhalt not Kill; our bleſſed Saviour as the heavenly Doctor, doth ſtrenuouſly oppoſe it by his authority, ver. 22. But I ſay unto you, that whoſoever is angry with his Brother without a cauſe, &c. teaching them, and in them us, that a ſimple forbearance of the real and actual ſlaughter of our Neighbour, is not ſufficient to ſatisfie the ſtrictneſs of that command; but that the violation thereof is to be extended, even to the p. 16very heart and tongue: For, beſides exterternal murder, there are three kinds of internal murder, which are all forbidden by the ſame; every one of which makes a man liable to the judgment of God. Now as theſe three degrees of internal Murder do differ in weight, ſo doth he proportion a puniſhment agreeable to the heynouſneſs of the ſame.

The firſt is raſh anger againſt our Brother, by which we are moved to an unlawful revenge: and for this allots the danger of judgment, declaring thereby, that look what puniſhment they in the Sanhedrim inflicted upon actual and apparant Murderers, the ſame were they liable to, and did deſerve at the hands of God, who were guilty of this ſecret kind of Murder, being angry, even to revenge againſt their brother; which Doctrine the Scribes and Phariſees were altogether ignorant of, and did not, would not apprehend.

The Second kind of inward or ſecret Murder, is to ſay to our Brother, Racha; which word, be it Hebrew, Syriack, or Caldee, it matters not, we ſuppoſe it, and that upon very good grounds, to be ſome apparent manifeſtation of a mind beyond meaſure incenſed p. 17againſt our Brother, by outward countenance, geſture or motion, either of the mouth or hand, declaring thereby the rancour and malice that we have conceived in our heart againſt him; ſuch an one our Saviour ſaith, is in danger of the Council; That is, contracts as great guilt unto himſelf, and is ſubject to as ſevere a judgement in the Court of Heaven, as any capital Crime that is cenſured in the Sanhedrim, or high Court of the Jews. For here again (as before) is an alluſion to the great Sanhedrim, which took a cognizance of ſuch notorious crimes as were committed, and inflicted, deſerved puniſhment upon ſuch offenders for the ſame.

The Third kind of ſecret Murder, is an open reviling and reproaching of a Brother; for the word in uſe among the Hebrews, doth not onelyonly ſignifie one bereft of Reaſon, as we commonly underſtand it, but alſo a wicked and ungodly wretch, Pſal. 14.1. The Fool (ſo Tranſlated) or the wicked and wilful Atheiſt, hath ſaid in his heart, there is no God: Now ſuch an one, ſaith Chriſt, is in danger of Hell fire. In which he again alludes to the great Sanhedrim, and the higheſt degree of puniſhment that was inflicted by them, p. 18namely, to be burned in the valley of Hinnom, which by a known Metaphor is tranſferred to Hell it ſelf, and the inexpreſſible torments thereof. For as thoſe poor wretches being encloſed in a brazen Idol heat with fire, were miſerably tormented in this valley of Hinnom: ſo the wicked being caſt into Hell, the priſon of the damned, ſhall be eternally tormented in unquenchable fire. This valley, by reaſon of the pollution of it, with ſlaughter, blood and ſtench of carkaſſes did become ſo execrable, that Hell it ſelf did afterwards inherit the ſame name, and was called Gehenna, of this very place. And that, 1. In reſpect of the hollowneſs and depth thereof, being a low and deep valley: 2. For the fire which poor ſouls here did, the wicked there do miſerably ſuſtain: 3. Becauſe all the ſoil and filth was caſt into this place, and ſo are all unclean and polluted perſons into Hell. To this laſt judgement of the Sanhedrim, doth Chriſt appropriate that kind of murder, which is by open reviling of a Brother, that he might notifie the heynouſneſs of this ſinne, then which (more is the pitty) none commonly is accounted lighter, nor more familiar. And that no p. 19man might juſtifie himſelf, but that every man laying his hand on his heart, may acknowledge, that by evill will, rancour and reproache againſt his brother; he hath violated the commandement, and thereby hath deſerved death and damnation in the judgement of God, as much as open and notorious murder did deſerve condemnation in the judgement of men. The Gloſs that Anonymus puts upon the words, thereby to carry them to another ſenſe, and wring from them another ſignification is corrupt, and his reaſons alledged to that purpoſe, not worth the anſwering. Again, Luk. 16.23. ſpeaking of that rich Man, And in Hell he lifted up his eyes being in torments, &c. This, he ſaith, is no proof, nor the leſs becauſe he ſaith it; but why not? becauſe, ſaith he, it is a Parable, not a Hiſtory. We have but his bare word for it; for Marlorate calls it a Hiſtory, in which, ſaith he, Chriſt deſcribes ſpirituall things under ſuch figures, and in ſuch terms as he knew would be moſt obvious to our capacity, and ſo beſt apprehended and applyed by us. Beſides, Tertullian contra Marcion. Hillar. in enar. Pſal. 2. Ambr. on Luc. and many others call it ſo: Now whether we p. 20ſhall believe Anonymus, his ſingle report and repute of it, or all theſe pious and learned Authors in their joynt iſſue concerning it, let the Reader judge. For my part, I think it no leſs then blaſphemy, to ſay, that it is a fabulous and feigned ſtory; for Chriſt, who is truth it ſelf, uſed not to ſport with fictitious tales, to allure with vain pollicitations, or terrifie his Auditors with idle diſguiſes, or phantaſtical appearances, as the Poets of old in their Fables of Siſyphus, Tantalus, and the Eliſian fields, theſe were the whole heaven wide from truth; but this of our Saviour was moſt true.

Yet grant it to be a Parable, why then (ſaith Anonymus) we are not to grant a Doctrine upon it; to which I reply, that the ſcope and proper intent of Parables, is either manifeſt and certain, or elſe conjectural and uncertain; if uncertain, then may not a Doctrine be founded thereon, unleſs we have ſome ſupply from other places of Scripture, for the clearer illuſtration and more firme confirmation of the ſame, and in this ſenſe it is, as is commonly affirmed. Theologia parabolica non eſt argumentativa: Parabolical Divinity is not Argumentative; That is to p. 21ſay, when the ſcope of a Parable is doubtful, as concerning thoſe things which beyond the purpoſe are collected from the circumſtances of a Parable. But if the purpoſe and drift of a Parable be apparent, why may not ſome certainty be collected, and ſomething proved thence, ſo we paſs not the bounds, or wander from the purpoſe & the ſcope thereof. The words then of Chriſt in this Parable, do evidently declare, that the ſouls of the faithful, immediately after they are ſeparated from their bodies, are tranſported to a place of joy and happineſs, and that the ſouls of the wicked ſo ſeparated, are caſt into miſery and torment. As for other things, which are but (as it were) circumſtantially added, they are not, ought not, ſtrenuouſly to be urged in proving Doctrines of Faith, ſeeing they ſerve for illuſtration onelyonly, and make little to any other purpoſe.

Moreover, if all thoſe places, which conſiſt of figurative and parabolical ſpeeches, be doubtful and uncertain, and ſo prove nothing: What certainty I pray you may be gathered out of the Scripture, ſeeing that very many, and the very neceſſary and material truths, in the ſcriptures are parabolical and figurative?

p. 221. If no Doctrine may be built upon Parables, many excellent Sermons of our Saviour Chriſt, the great Biſhop of our Souls, were preached and penned in vain, and to no purpoſe, which were ſpoken in Parables to the people, and are in and under the ſame parables commended unto us; but this is moſt abſurd to think. And therefore that,

2. If all Scripture, given by divine inſpiration, be Profitable for Doctrin, for Reproof, for Correction, for Inſtruction in righteouſneſs; then that ſcripture which is contained in Figures, and comprehended in Parables, is profitable for Doctrine, and will alſo afford certain ground for the ſame. But the firſt is true, Rom. 15.4. Whatſoever things were written aforetime, ſaith the Apoſtle, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Therefore the latter alſo, 2 Tim. 3.16. All the reaſons by Anonymus alledged to the contrary, not being worth one figge.

I will add one Scripture inſtance more, and then draw to a concluſion of this firſt circumſtance, Rev. 14.10. The ſame (ſpeaking of thoſe wicked ones which worſhipped the Beaſt and his Image, &c.) ſhall drink of the wine of p. 23the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the Cup of his indignation, and ſhall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the preſence of the holy Angels, and in the preſence of the Lamb. We have here in this denuntiation, or divine Anathema, theſe particulars to be conſidered.

1. What is denounced, to wit, That they ſhall drink of the wine of the wrath of God.

2. The quality of this wrath, to wit, Without any mixture of mercy.

3. The meaſure of it, to wit, A Cup of indignation.

4. The effect of it, to wit, Torment by fire and brimſtone.

And 5. In whoſe preſence, to wit, Of the holy Angels, and of the Lamb.

Firſt, That which is denounced is, That as they drank of ſinne, which was the wine of Babylons fornication: ſo they ſhould drink of Puniſhment; wine for wine, but wine of the wrath of God: It was ſweet, though poyſonable wine of which they drank firſt; but it ſhall be ſharp and ſowre of which they ſhall drink next, and that moſt juſtly too: becauſe as the Lord ſayes, Iſai. 5.4. He looked for ſweet Grapes at their hands, who p. 24owned the Chriſtian name, and claimed the priviledge to be of his Church, but behold ſowre Grapes: therefore of ſuch Grapes as they gave to him, ſuch wine he returns back to them, foreign, indignation and fury, as Pſal. 75.8. In the hand of the Lord there is a Cup, and the wine is red, &c. And Ier. 25.15. Thus ſaith the Lord, Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand.

Secondly, The quality of this wrath, It is without mixture, to wit, of any Mercy: So Ribera, Non erat mistum divinis miſerationibus. There was a time when mercy might have been had without any mixture of juſtice, which being neglected, now juſtice muſt be executed without any mixture of mercy. God hath ſuffered much, and he hath ſuffered long too; much in burden, long in continuance; he hath not been eaſed by repentance, he is conſtrained to eaſe himſelf by his juſt vengeance. For though he ſuffer long, in mercy: there is no reaſon that he ſhould ſuffer alwayes, in juſtice. Mercy having had her time, Juſtice muſt have hers alſo: Indeed, the Cup that God gives to his own for their ſins, is full of mixture, as Pſal. 75.8. tempered by his medicinal and p. 25fatherly hand, with the ſweetneſs of mercies, and comfort in the end, whereas it is far otherwiſe with wicked and impenitent ſinners.

Thirdly, the quantity of it, It is a cup of indignation full to the brim; in which God ſeems to deal equally, and proportionably with them: as they filled the cup of their iniquity, ſo he fills the cup of their miſery: They ſhall ſee, I and feel too, with what a proportionable Analogy, their ſinning meets with their ſuffering, whereby he manifeſts a very great difference between his puniſhing of the wicked in wrath, and the correction of his own in love, upon whom he will lay no more then they are able to bear, and whom he ever corrects in mercy and in meaſure.

Fourthly, The effect and operation of this direful and dreadful draught, The Cup of the Lords indignation, and that is Miſery and Torment, and that in the higheſt degree, as of burning by fire, mingled with brimſtone, as the fewel thereof, which is found to be, 1. Moſt obnoxious to the eyes. 2. Moſt loathſome to the ſmel. And 3. Moſt fierce in burning; well therefore doth he ſpeak of it, p. 26who ſaid, Facillimè incenditur, pertinaciſsimè fervet, & difficillimè extinguitur. It is eaſily kindled, violently fewelled, and hardly (very hard indeed, which is never) extinguiſhed

Fifthly, This their tormenting ſhall be in the preſence of the holy Angels, and of the Lamb. 1. Of the holy Angels, becauſe in their ſight they ſinned, and in their ſight they ſhall be puniſhed. And 2. Of the Lamb, againſt whom they ſinned in ſiding with his Enemies, while they profeſſed themſelves his followers: Therefore, ſaith Ribera, Ipſi magis crucientur, intelligentes ſe ab eo videri: It is an addition to their miſery, when they ſhall conſider that he beholds them, that was once ſlighted and contemned by them.

Thus we ſee as clearly as if it were deſcribed with a ray of the Sun, that there is a Hell, a place of torment provided and prepared for all wicked and ungodly wretches, and that plainly by Scripture proved. I know there are and have been, many beſides our Anonymus, that have vi & armis oppoſed it, and wrangled againſt it. Danaeus reckons up nineteen ſeverall ſorts of Hereticks that denyed it. But ſay what they will, the p. 27wicked would give much to be ſure that the ſcriptures in this particular were not true, Credere nolunt, & non credere nequeunt; they will not believe, and yet they cannot chuſe but believe; truly their caſe is fearful.

The very Heathen, though he deny it, have preſcribed to the truth thereof, that there is a Hell, a place of torment for thoſe that rebel aginſt the Gods, Homer Iliad 8. not far from the beginning, ſaith,

foreign,

foreign, &c.

Where Iupiter ſpeaking to the other Gods concerning the Grecians and Trojans.

If any ſhall ſo hardie be,

To aid each part in ſpight of me;

Him will I tumble down to Hell,

In that infernal place to dwell.

For Tartarus Obſcurus, was then, and ſo ever ſince, hath been taken for hell, that place of Torment appointed for the wicked. Alſo Horace, lib. Ode. ſpeaking concerning Ioves Thunder-bolts, ſaith,

p. 28Quo bruta tellus & vaga flumina,

Quo ſtyx, & inviſi horrida Taenari,

Sedes, &c.

With which Earth Seas, the Stygian Lake,

And Hell with all her Furies quake.

Nor was Virgil ignorant thereof, when he ſaid,

—Dent ocyus omnes,

Quas meruere pati (ſic ſtat ſententia) paenas.

—They all ſhall pack,

Sentence once paſt, to their deſerved rack.

The horror of which place he acknowledgeth he could not expreſs.

Non mihi ſi centum linguae ſint, ora que centum,

Omnia paenarum percurrere nomina poſſum.

No heart of man can think, no tongue can tell,

The direful pains ordain'd, and felt in Hell.

They ever retained ſo much light, as ſufficed to make ſome diſcovery of that place of darkneſs; yea, ſome of them have been p. 29terrified with their own inventious concerning it, and diſtracted with the ſenſe of thoſe very Torments, which their own Pens have deſcribed. As Pigmalion doted on his own Picture: ſo were they amazed with their own Comments. How much more if they had known thoſe unſpeakable miſcries, and intollerable horrors, as they are in themſelves, and inflicted upon thoſe damned ſpirits, that muſt for ever undergo them? Par nulla figura Gehennae, Nothing can truly reſemble Hell.

Beſides, many wicked wretches are puniſhed, and many as wicked eſcape unpuniſhed; now juſtum eſt, ut qui pariter peccarint, eaſdem paenas luerint: It is fit that partners in ſin, ſhould not be parted in judgement: God doth not puniſh all here, that he may ſhew his mercy, in allowing ſome ſpace of repentance; nor doth he forbear all here, that he may manifeſt his juſtice, leſt the world ſhould turn Atheiſt, and deny his providence. Parcit ut puniat, punit ut parcat: He ſpares that he may puniſh, and he puniſheth that he may ſpare. He afflicteth ſome in the ſuburbs of Hell, that they might never come into the City it ſelf. But thoſe evill p. 30perſons, which he ſuffers to paſs on uncorrected here, he reſerves to be condemned for ever hereafter. Sin knows its doom, it muſt ſmart, either in this world, or in the world to come.

Yet further, in all things natural and ſupernatural, there is an oppoſition and contrariety. There is good, there is evil; light and darkneſs, joy and ſorrow. Now as there are two ſeveral wayes, ſo are there two diſtinct ends; Heaven, a place of admirable and inexpreſſible happineſs, whether the good Angels tranſport the ſouls of the Saints, ſuch as by a holy and rectified converſation have glorified God, and adorned their profeſſion; Hell, a place of horror and confuſion, whither the black and griſly ſpirits do hurry the ſouls of wicked incorrigible and impenitent wretches, when they are once ſeparated from their bodies.

Again, all men naturally do honour the good, and puniſh the evil. The Barbarians themſelves have Laws of Caſtigation, and Inſtruments of execution to cut off irregular and exorbitant perſons. And ſhall the great Creator come ſhort in juſtice of his Creatures, and thoſe Barbarians too? The Law p. 31of Nations doth require, that Malefactors, if they eſcape with life, be baniſhed for ever. And ſhall not God baniſh ſuch as have been Rebels on earth, from his glorious preſence in Heaven, dooming them to that dreadful place of eternal torment? If this were not, ſtabit cum Nerone Paulus, Nero were as good a man as Paul, Eſau ſhould ſtill have his birth-right in bliſs, and Cain be a Saint as well as Abel. As believers ſay, If in this life onelyonly we have hope in Chriſt, we are of all men moſt miſerable; ſo might the wicked ſay, If in this life onelyonly we have ſenſe of ſorrow, we are of all men moſt happy.

Laſtly, Every Prince is allowed this concurrence to his ſtate, that as he hath a pleaſant Palace for himſelf, his Nobles, and his Attendants: ſo he hath a Goal and Dungeon for Theeves and Traytors. That Heaven is glorious, where the great King keeps his Royal and Magnificent Court, the outer ſide of whoſe pavements we delight to behold, and admire the tranſcendent beauty thereof. So is that Hell a diſmal Dungeon, where he ſecures his Enemies, the out-ſide whereof men are not permitted to have a ſight of, leſt they ſhould be preſently ſtruck p. 32dead with the horror of the place. They that have ſeen the flames, and heard the roarings of Aetna, the flaſhing of Veſuvius, the thunderings and burning flakes evaporating from thoſe marine Rocks, have not yet ſeen, no not ſo much as the very glimmerings of Hell. A painted Fire is a better ſhadow of theſe, then theſe can be of Hell torments, and the miſeries of the damned therein. Having then cleared our paſſage thus far, let me in ſober terms ask Anonymus this queſtion: Doſt thou verily (whoſoever thou art) believe as thou writeſt, that there is no Hell? Quis daemonum it a credit? What Devil doth believe ſo?, they know it and feel it. Why art thou come to torment us before the time? torments they knew were prepared for them, and a time when theſe torments ſhould be fully and fatally inflicted on them, and loath they were to ſuffer before that time. Shall not men tremble to deny, what the Devils are forced to confeſs? What, eat, drink, and play, Epicure, Poſt mortem nulla voluptas? No pleaſure after death? none indeed to reprobates; there is nothing but Hell for them, and they will find but ſmall pleaſure in that. O Anonymus, Anonymus, take that Councel p. 33which the Father gives, Crede & fuge, credendo fugies, Believe it and avoid i…: by believing thou ſhalt avoid it. We are ſure there is ſuch a place, let us be but half ſo ſure that we may eſcape it & we ſhall do well enough. Fear it, that we feel it not. If we tremble at theſe torments, while the wicked laugh and are jovial, we ſhall put off our fear of them, laugh and be merry, when trembling and aſtoniſhment ſhall ſeize upon them, as Daniel 4.19. ſaid to that Monarch, Let not the Dream trouble thee, the dream ſhall be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation to thine Enemies: So may I ſay, Let us from the bottom of our hearts repent and bewail our former iniquities, believe the exceeding great and precious promiſes of mercy, which God in Chriſt hath ſet before us, and then the terrours of this place will not be terrible unto us; the terrours ſhall be to the devils that hate God, and to the Reprobates his Enemies, that daily provoke God. For their tormenting cares, we ſhall have flouriſhing Crowns in the communion of Saints and Angels.

2. And ſo I come unto the next queſtion; namely, What Hell is? Though it were p. 34far more eaſie to enform the Reader, what it is not, then what it is; yet will I make the beſt diſcovery thereof that I am able, according to our firſt Propoſal. And if any complain of want of Method, let him know, that the nature of the place admits of none. For who can ſpeak orderly and methodically of that, Quod nec modum, nec methodum novit, that knows no Method, keeps no Order? And if any man expect an abſolute deſcription of this place, I excuſe my ſelf, with that of the Poet fore-cited, Non mihi ſi centum linguae. But as Pythagoras gueſt at the ſtature and pitch of Hercules, by the length of his foot; and we ſay in the Proverb, Ex ungue leonem: ſo by ſhadow and reſemblance, we may a little conceive what it is in ſufferrance. It is then that place to which the Juſtice of God confineth reprobates for their eternal puniſhment. The plagues whereof are external, internal and eternal; External, which conſiſts, 1. In a privation of all comfort, a privative cauſe hath a poſitive effect. Tully baniſhed from Italy, though it were into Greece, the Academy of the world, wept bitterly, when he remembred Rome. Exiled Demoſthenes, though he found much kindneſs p. 35among his Enemies, yet would ſhed tears in abundance, when he looked towards Athens: The captive Jews hung up their Harps, when they remembred Sion▪ Ovid laments, that Roma relinquenda eſt, he muſt leave that famous and flouriſhing City; but when he conſiders Scythia eſt quo mittitur, he could not be comforted. It is the moſt unhappy part of unhappineſs to remember former welfare. 2. In a ſenſible paſſion of univerſal anguiſh; the ſight being puniſhed with weeping, ſmoke, and the direful aſpect of ugly Devils, and their damned crew; the ears with the dreadful howlings, horrid blaſphemies, and horrible roarings of thoſe miſerable Caitiffs that are there tormented; the taſte with thirſt and hunger, even hot and dry, empty and unſatisfied; the ſmell with noyſome ſcents and filthy ſavours; the feeling with ſcorching and burning, even as it were to the frying of the very marrow in the bones; yea the whole frame and fabrick of their once trimmed bodies, ſhall be defaced and deformed, dull, heavy, and unweildly, as a brand in a great fire, no part free from burning; ſuch is the extremity, & univerſality of thoſe pains. Internal, That conſiſts p. 36in a plenary deſertion of God; they ſhall be utterly deprived of his glorious preſence, in whoſe favour is life, and at whoſe right hand there are pleaſures for evermore, but never to be ſeen or taſted by theſe damned wretches, nor ſhall they behold the ſweet and amiable countenance of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, or enjoy communion with his Saints; but ſhall be as continual ſinners, ſo continual ſufferers: Two contrarieties being reconciled in them, which otherwiſe would be impoſſible; the one extream Preſumption, the other extream Deſpaire. Preſumption, for with bitter malice, and a curſt heart, they ſhall perpetually blaſpheme, and deſpitefully ſinne againſt the ſpirit of grace, Rev. 16.11. Deſperation, without all hope of mercy, or admitting one thought of Peace. The one being a ſin againſt the juſtice of God, the other againſt his Mercy; both theſe proceeding from that ſting of conſcience, which they continually feel, and is that worm which never dyeth. Eternal, not determinable with time, for then time ſhall be no more, everlaſtingneſs ſhal make their ſorrows abſolute. If all the lives (I ſay not men, women, and children onelyonly, but of all) p. 37and every of the Creatures, that ever lived upon the earth, or ſhall live to the worlds end, were all added one to another, and all ſpun into one life, this one life of theſe damned wretches exceeds them all. Ubi per millia millia annorum cruciandi, nec in ſeculo ſeculorum liberandi, ſaith S. Auguſt. Myriades of years ſhall not determine, or put a period to their ſufferings. The gulph is ſo deep, there is no getting out; Ex inferno nulla redemptio. Therefore it is called Infernus, ab inferendo, of caſting in; for the wicked are ſo caſt in, that they can never be able to get forth. As no Habeas Corpus from death; ſo no Habeas animam, out of Hell: That rich Man, Luk. 16. ſolicited for his Brethren: why did he not beg his own deliverance, who was able to have taught them by his own ſad and woful experience? O he ſaw Ingentem hiatum, a vaſt interpoſed Gulf. He muſt let that alone, and alone for ever.

Thoſe laments muſt needs be comfortleſs, which afford to the diſtreſſed no hope of any kind of conſolation; neither the comfort of mitigation; for Luk. 16.24. all hope of foreign, relief, is there denied, even to a drop of water to cool the tongue of the tormented. p. 38Nor the comfort of liberation, no deliverance, no not at the laſt; for ver. 26. …he is given to underſtand by reaſon of the great partition, their caſe is ſuch, Ut non poſſunt, they cannot for ever look for any freedom thence, but muſt there remain in torments everlaſtingly. So neither the comfort of relief in, or delivery from the miſeries of this place. Not the poor comfort, which in all the calamities of this life, doth ſtill ſtick by us, and never leave us.—Dabit deus his quoque finem, an end will come. Here an end will never come; which (never) is never deeply enough imprinted in us, nor ſeriouſly enough conſidered by us. That this (now) ſhall be now ſtill, and never have an end; and that Cruciaris, Luk. 16.25. be Cruciaris for ever, and never declined into a preter-tenſe, is an exaltation of this ſad contemplation, and the greateſt aggravation of their unhappineſs.

Now becauſe it is the main deſign of Anonymus to overthrow, (if it were poſſible) this truth. I ſhall therefore fortifie it with the greater ſtrength, and prove by divers (I hope) conſiderable arguments, that all Reprobates ſhall be tormented with the Devil p. 39and his Angels, and that everlaſtingly, never admitting either caſe or end.

1. The Scriptures, ſetting forth the nature of theſe torments by divers emphatical expreſſions, do evidently declare the ſame, as (1.) per foreign, moſt exquiſite pains, ſuch for the ſuddenneſe and ſharpneſs, as the pains of women travelling in Child-birth, Luk. 16.24, 26. (2.) per foreign, moſt miſerable tortures, ſuch as are inflicted upon the moſt notorious malefactors, Apo, 20.10. (3.) per foreign, moſt dangerous and deadly plagues, Apo. 22.18. Whoſoever then are liable to, and reſerved for ſuch pains, tortures and plagues, ſhall never be annihilated, but for ever remain in and under the ſame. But the firſt is true of the wicked, and therefore the latter.

2. The continued ſucceſſion, or rather the perpetual continuation of Hell torments, is notably expreſſed, Apo. 14.11. which is the amplification of the former judgement, from the eternity thereof; ſhewing, that it is ſuch as ſhall be both eaſeleſs and endleſs.

1. He ſaies, that the ſmoke of their torment aſcended up for ever and ever; not (to ſpeak properly) that there is any ſmoke in p. 40Hell, becauſe ſmoke proceeds from the reſolution of the matter, which by fire is conſumed. Now if there were any ſuch thing in Hell, it were probable that the fire would ſometimes be extinguiſhed; but ſmoke here is. 1. Either a Metonymie of the ſign for the thing ſignified, as ſmok is a ſure ſign that there is fire, and ſo the ſenſe is, that the fire wherein they are tormented ſhall remain for ever. Or 2. That with this fire, wherein they are tormented, is perpetual ſmoke, and darkneſs, ſo that they have not ſo much comfort therein as a little light may afford; and this ſmoke ſhall be a torment to them, if not equal with, yet not much inferior to the fire it ſelf; and therefore it is called the ſmoke of their torment, that is, the ſmoke that troubles and torments them.

And indeed it is but juſt; for as the ſmoke of their unrepented ſinnes aſcended firſt, by which God was ſorely diſpleaſed, and exceedingly provoked to take vengeance on them; ſo that the ſmoke of their eternal torment ſhould aſcend next, to ſhew that God had now given them ſmoke for ſmoke, Apoc. 20.10. And the Devil that deceived them, was caſt into the lake of fire and brimſtone. p. 41Here is ſet before us, the full and final deſtruction of Satan himſelf, which may be called his ſecond impriſonment for ever in that infernal pit; where likewiſe the beaſt and falſe Prophet are, and ſhall be tormented day and night, which the very next words expound, ſaying, for ever and ever, according to the like uſual phraſe, Chap. 7.15. & 14.11. For there is no viciſſitude of day and night in eternity, nor is there any day in Hell, but eternal night: This kind of expreſſion therefore is uſed to declare, that thoſe torments which the Devils and the damned do there ſuffer, ſhall be without any ceſſation or intermiſſion.

3. The grace of repentance for ſins paſt, and amendment of life for the time to come is eternally denyed to them; As the Tree falls, ſo it lies, Mat. 25.10. The door ſhall be ſhut, the gate of mercy, by which they might have entered; ſhall for ever be ſhut againſt them. Theſe Chains can never be broken, were they of Cords, of wreathed Trees, of Iron, they might be burſt aſunder, but the chains of vengeance never; beſides, a great gulph doth interpoſe, by which they are for ever diſabled to paſs unto the habitations p. 42of the bleſſed. Now they to whom Grace is for ever denyed here, and glory hereafter muſt neceſſarily be detained in miſery unto all eternity; The firſt is true of all Reprobates and impenitent wretches; and therefore the latter:

4. That infernal Dungeon hath no back doors, no egreſs at all, Mat, 5.28. Verily, I ſay unto thee, thou ſhalt not come forth thence, till thou haſt paid the utmoſt farthing, which can never be done unto all Eternity; why then thoſe that are faſt bound in Chains in ſuch a place, out of which there is no getting, muſt needs abide by it for ever: the firſt is true, and therefore the latter.

But here it is ſaucily objected by Anonymus, &c. How ſtands this with the juſtice of God, to puniſh temporal offences with eternal ſcourges? It was the rule of his own law, that paena non debet excedere culpam, Deut. 25.3. How can he then inflict eternal damnation for a momentary and temporal tranſgreſſion.

I anſwer, 1. There is a double quantity conſidered in puniſhment; the one according to the intention of pain; the other according to the duration of time. In reſpect of the p. 43former, the quantity of puniſhment muſt be anſwerable to the quantity of ſinne, Revel. 18.7. How much ſin, ſo much ſorrow: the more peſtilent iniquity, the more torturing fire. For the other, we muſt not think that the continuance of puniſhment is limited with the continuance of the fact. Among men, Adultery is but a ſhort pleaſure, yet often purſued with a long pennance. But the duration of torment reſpects the diſpoſition of the delinquent. Poenae ſingulorum inaequales intentione, poenae omnium aequales duratione, Aquin. The pains of all are equal in continuance, unequal in grievance.

But Secondly, and more particularly, I anſwer, It will appear to be moſt juſt, both in reſpect of the mind, and intention of the ſinner, of the matter wherein he ſinneth, and of the perſon againſt whom he ſinneth.

Firſt, The mind and intention of the ſinner conſidered, it will appear to be moſt juſt; for though the act it ſelf, the ſin committed, be but temporal and finite, yet the mind of the ſinner is eternal and infinite; inſomuch, that if he could live ever, he would ſin ever; and therefore, as Gregory ſaith, Quia mens in hac vita nunquam voluit carere peccato, juſtum p. 44eſt, ut nunquam careat ſupplicio: Becauſe the mind of man in this life would never be without ſinne, it is juſt that it ſhould never be without puniſhment in the life to come.

2. If the matter and ſubject of ſinne be conſidered, we ſhall find it to be of, and in the ſoul; like as then the wounding of the body, cauſeth the death and deſtruction of the ſame, by reaſon of which there is no returning unto life again: ſo ſinne being the death of the ſoul, it muſt neceſſarily follow, that it be perpetual and everlaſting.

3. Sin, as it is a tranſgreſſion of the Law of God, is ſo much the more heynous. As he that ſmiteth the Prince, to whom principally and eſpecially he ows his Allegiance, doth more grievouſly offend, then he that ſtriketh a private perſon: So every ſin is of an infinite nature, becauſe of the infinite dignity of the perſon, and his glorious Majeſty, againſt whom it is committed; and therefore it deſerveth an infinite puniſhment; which becauſe it cannot be infinite, ſecundum intentionem, in the intention and greatneſs of it, it remaineth that it ſhould be infinite, ſecundum durationem, in reſpect of the duration and continuance of the ſame.

p. 45Now further, the equity of Gods juſtice in puniſhing the temporal act of ſin with eternal torments, Hugo doth fitly illuſtrate by theſe examples; Like as (ſaith he) when marriage is contracted, per verba de praeſenti, By words uttered in the preſent-tenſe, though the contract it ſelf, in reſpect of the ceremony thereof be ſoon done, yet the marriage as the ſubſtance thereof remaineth in force all the life long: So when the Soul and Sin are contracted together, it is no marvell this contract holding ſo long as the ſoul endureth, if it deſerve everlaſting puniſhment. And like as where the fewel and matter of the fire continueth, the flame ſtill burneth: So ſin, leaving a blot in the ſoul, being the matter of Hell fire, is eternally puniſhed, becauſe there is ſtill matter for that everlaſting fire to work upon.

Thus then we ſee it's no injuſtice in God to puniſh ſin eternally, he doth but reward them whom he ſo puniſheth, according to their works: For though the action of ſinne be temporall, Voluntas tamen peccandi, quae per paenitentiam non mutatur, est perpetua, ſaith Gorrhan: Yet the will to ſinne which is not changed by repentance, is eternal and p. 46perpetual. For the further deſcription of Hell, the Scripture uſeth three principall terms; The Worm that never dyeth; Outer Darkneſs; And fire that cannot be quenched, Mark. 9.44.

Firſt, The Worm; This muſt not be underſtood of a corporal worm; which, if it were, would be terrible enough; for a man to live alwayes dying, and die alwaies living, with an adder ſucking and ſtinging his vital parts. But we muſt know, that after the worlds diſſolution, there ſhall remain no mixt body, but only man: no generation or corruption in the revived bodies. Therefore this worm cannot be corporal, but ſpiritual, the ſtinging of a vexed, gauled, tormented, and tormenting conſcience. This, oh this is even Infernum in mundo, a Hell on earth; and conſider, O conſider, Qualiter ſentient in inferno, what it ſhall be to their ſenſe, who ſhall be tormented therewith in Hell it ſelf. It is ſo eſſential a part of their torment, that Chriſt Jeſus makes a threefold repetition thereof in one, yea at the cloſe of one Sermon, Mark. 9.44. Where their worm dyeth not: And again, ver. 46. Where their worm dyeth not; and again, ver. 40. Where their p. 47worm dyeth not, and their fire goeth not out. Great, yea very great, and inexpreſſible muſt this puniſhment needs be, which our Saviour doth ſo often inculcate, within ſo ſmal a ſpace. The Heathen Poets made this one of thoſe three furies, which they fictioned to torment the damned.

—Scindes latus una flagello,

Alter a tartareis ſectos dabit anguibus artus.

Tertia fumantes incoquet igne genas.

One brings the Scorpion which the conſcience eats

T'other with Iron whips the back fleſh beats.

While the third boils the ſoul in ſcalding heats.

But if the teſtimony of a Heathen will not paſs for currant, or bear no weight at all with us; hear then what an ancient Chriſtian Poet, Prudentius by name ſaith to this purpoſe.

Praeſcius inde Pater liventia tartara plumbo,

Incendit liquido, piceaſ que bitumine foſſas,

Infernalis aquae furvo ſuffodit Averno,

Et Phlegethontaeo ſub gurgite ſanxit edaces,

Perpetuis ſcelerum paenis obrodere vermes.

p. 48The preſcient Father black hell burns,

With ſcalding lead, and ditches turns

Into a flame, with ſulphur mixt,

Th'internal ſtreams rolling betwixt;

And gnawing worms hath put therein,

To torture wretches for their ſin.

Some take this worm to be recordatio prateritorum, the remembrance of things paſt; and they are either ſins committed, or good things enjoyed; Of ſins, which ſhall ſo long gnaw their ſouls and bodies, like a vulture preying on their hearts, as the remembrance of former iniquities committed ſhall continue, which will be for ever. Of good things enjoyed; S, Auguſt. obſerves, that of the rich mans pleaſure, Omnia dicit, Abraham de praeterito, He ſpeaks of all in the time paſt and gone. Dives erat, veſtiebatur, epulabatur, recipiſti; There was a rich man, did lare, did go, had received, all paſt, and vaniſhed away; all (like the counterpane of a leaſe) expired, or like wages received and ſpent before hand. This fuiſſe felicem, the remembrance of what he had been, muſt need; be a ſharp corroſive to him. So that for theſe poor rejected and damned wretches, to remember p. 49the evils they have done is bitter, the good they once had more bitter, the good they might have had, moſt bitter. Therefore fore it is good councel for us now, pravidere mala futura, ne recordemur bona praeterita, to foreſee with fear the evil that ſhall be hereafter, leaſt we remember with grief the good that hath been heretofore. O that our fore-ſight were but half ſo ſharp as our ſenſe! Let us now conſider ſeriouſly the pains that ſhall be, that we be never put to remember ſadly the joyes that have been.

Secondly, Outer darkneſs, Mat. 22.13. ſpeaking of the unprofitable ſervant caſt him into outer darkneſs. But God made not darkneſs; and whereas in the beginning of the Creation, it is ſaid, Gen. 1.2. That darkneſse was upon the face of the deep; This was not a thing created, but a meer privation, abſence, or not being of that light, which was made afterwards. Nor do we think this miſt of darkneſs, into which the damned ſhall be caſt, and in which tormented in Hell, to be a poſitive thing: but as when the Sun is hiden, darkneſs neceſſarily follows: ſo here, not any emanation of any beam of Gods countenance, not a ſpark of his light comes into p. 50this priſon of Hell, therefore where there is ſuch a privatio lucis, there muſt needs be intollerable darkneſs.

A good day makes amends for a bad night; but to this night belongs no day, it is everlaſting darkneſs. The rougheſt tempeſt, the wearieſt journey, is not without ſome comfort, becauſe there is hope of an end: but theſe pains be as endleſs in quantity, as they are eaſele…e in quality. Ioſhua. 10.13. had a long day when the Sun ſtood ſtill in the Firmament; yet that day had an end, the Sun fell to his courſe again, and at laſt did ſet: but here, the Sun and Moon ſhall utterly ceaſe to meaſure time by any motion. That is a long ſentence that hath no period, a doleful night which hath no morning, a woful darkneſs where no ſtar ſhall afford a glimpſe, no Taper befriend it with its light; yet with ſuch night, and ſuch darkneſs, doth God puniſh all wicked and ungodly wretches, that ſhun the light here, —clauſi tenebris & carcere caeco, In darkneſs and blind priſon ſhut, ſhal they remain unto all eternity.

Let us then decline the works of darkneſs, as we deſire to eſcape this place of darkneſs, and the darkneſs of this place. Inferior p. 51darkneſs muſt be doomed to inferior darkneſs. What is more juſt, then that they who refuſed the light when they might have had it, ſhould be deprived of it, when they moſt deſire it? There are two many of theſe among us, that nuzzle themſelves up in ignorance, as if they meant to make their own beds in Hell: Alas, it is a fearful place to take up a lodging in, and ſo much the more fearful, by how much it is more then a lodging, even an everlaſting habitation. Voluntary blindneſs ſhall be confined to neceſſary blindneſs: and they that might now ſee, if they would but open their eyes, ſhall there open their eyes, yet ſhall not be able to ſee; not ſee what they would, yet ſee what they would not, even to avoid the ſeeing of which, they would wiſh themſelves to have no eyes. Now the God of Grace and Mercy, the ſweet Father of Lights, defend us from the Prince, and from the power, and from this place of outer darkneſs.

Laſt of all, Fire unquenchable. Five ſeveral times doth our Saviour Chriſt make mention of this Fire, at the cloſe of that Sermon of which we formerly ſpake, Mark. 9.43, Into the fire that never ſhall be quenched, p. 52and v. 44. And the fire is not quenched; as alſo ver. 45.46, & 48. as if he could never ſpeak enough of it, to terrifie all that heard him from it, that they might not betormented in it, which continually burns the ſouls of the damned, and yet ſhall never convert them into aſhes. A fire indeed it is, but neither tolerable nor terminable. The breath of the Lord like a river of brimſtone doth enflame it, and the breath of ten thouſand Reprobates ſhall never be able to blow it out. Scalding Sulphur, and burning ſtench univerſally ſhall rack them; where heat doth follow ſmoke, and fire heat, and ſtench fire, and torment ſtench, and burning ſhall be added to burning, The Prophet, Iſai. 33.14. puts that to queſtion which is out of queſtion, who among us is ſo hardy as to dwell with the devouring fire? who among us can dwell with everlaſting burning? ſurely none.

I know Anonymus cannot away with the word ever or everlaſting, if it do come in his way, as come it will, he endeavours to carry the ſenſe of it another way then is intended by the holy Ghoſt. But he hath very ill luck in it: for he exceedingly bewrayes his ignorance by it. It is ſometimes (ſaith he) uſed for a limited time, therefore it muſt alwaies p. 53be ſo uſed, good Logick. But let him give me one example where foreign is ſo uſed. Sin is like oyl, and torment like fire, ſo long as the oyl laſteth, ſo long the fire burneth, and that is for ever. If after ſo many millions of years, as there be drops in the Ocean, there might be deliverance, there might be ſome hope; Alas in Hell there is no limitation, when the Lord ſhall give over his being, they ſhall have eaſe, and not before. An infinite Majeſtie is offended; therefore an infinite penalty is impoſed, which theſe miſerable Caitiffs muſt for ever undergo, unleſs ſome better enformed, and more merciful man, ſuch as Anonymus, ſhall get the keyes of this place of horror, unlock the doors, and for meer pitty let them out of this place of torment. I know alſo, that it hath been much controverted among the Learned, Whether the Fire in Hell be ſuſtantial, or onelyonly Allegorical. Calvin, and ſome others are for the Allegory, and they give this for a reaſon. There is mention of Wood, and of Worm, as well as of fire: now theſe are Allegorical, and therefore the fire. But in Scripture things ſpoken together, are not alwaies taken in the ſame nature and manner: As for p. 54example; Chriſt is called the Rock of our ſalvation; the Rock is Allegorical, is our ſalvation, therefore Allegorical? Likewiſe, Luk. 22.30. Ye ſhall eat and drink (ſaith our Saviour) at my Table in my Kingdom: Eating and drinking is Allegorical, is therefore the Kingdom Allegorical too? For my part, I think we may ſafely conclude, that there is true and ſubſtantial fire in Hell, Iſai. 66.15. The Lord will come with fire to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. Si in igne damnabit reprobos, quare non in igne cruciabit damnatos? ſayes that Father. If he will judge the Reprobates in fire, why not condemn them to fire?

Grant it then to be ſubſtantial Fire: yet another queſtion will be, whether it be material, corporal, or ſpiritual. It is not material; for that kind of fire muſt be continually ſupplyed and nouriſhed with fewel. Yet he that makes the damned live without food, is able to maintain this fire without wood. Not ſpiritual; Indeed, Gregory calls it an incorporeal fire: but it paſſeth the nature of fire to be ſpiritual; yet if with fear, and without curioſity, we may look upon thoſe flames, we may at tribute a ſpiritual nature, to that p. 55more then natural fire. Though ſpirits have nothing material in their nature, which that infernal fire ſhould work upon: yet ſuch is the powerful judgement of that Almighty Arbiter of the world, juſtly willing their torment, that he can make Spirits moſt ſenſible of thoſe fiery tortures: and ſuch is the obedible ſubmiſſion of their created nature, that they may be immediately wrought upon by thoſe appointed pains. And as this inſpection cannot be with too much caution, no more can the concluſion that is drawn there from, be with too much heed: for he that makes it ſpiritual fire onelyonly, goes about to make it no fire at all. It is therefore by the conſent of many of the Godly learned, held to be a coporal fire; which being granted, there ariſe notwithſtanding ſome exceptions againſt the ſame.

Object. 1. If it be corporal, how can it diverſly torment divers Reprobates? There is but one fire in Hell, but yet that fire doth not excruciate and torment all the wicked, which are therein after one manner and meaſure: the more wicked men have been here, the more wretched ſhall they be there; The mighty ſhall be mightily tormented.

p. 56Reſ: For Anſwer; For the better underſtanding hereof, we muſt know; that this fire is the inſtrument of divine Juſtice: now no inſtrument works onelyonly by its own virtue, and after its own manner, and in its own meaſure: but is regulated, ordered, and diſpoſed according to the will and power of the firſt Mover. The Fire in a Furnace is augmented or qualified, according to the will of him that kindles it, or hath to do with it: ſo is this enflamed or mitigated by the power and will of God, Iſai. 30.33. The breath of the Lord, like a River of Brimſtone, doth kindle it. One and the ſame fire doth otherwiſe burn Iron, then Wood or Straw, and that (as one ſaith well) Secundum duritiem vel durationem materiae, According to the nature of the incenſed matter, is the rage and fury of the fire. Gregory in the Fourth Book of his Dialogues, hath a notable ſaying to this purpoſe: Quod hic diverſitas corporum, illic agit diverſitas peccatorum; That which is wrought here by the diverſity of bodies, is wrought there by the diverſity of ſins: one and the ſame fire may be common to all yet may it afford a ſeveral degree of pain to every one according to the pleaſure of the great diſpoſer.

p. 57Object. 2. If it be corporal fire, it muſt be maintained with fewel, or elſe it will quickly languiſh and be extinguiſhed; But there is no fewel in Hell, at leaſt no ſuch fewel as can maintain it to eternity; for (ſaith Anonymus) the wicked are compared to chaffe and ſtubble, and ſo are quickly conſumed and come to nothing: but will he ſay, they are ſuch, becauſe they are compared unto ſuch: would he be contented that any man ſhould inferre, becauſe he (as a man) is compared to a beaſt that periſheth, therefore he is a beaſt. I ſuppoſe he would rather reply, nullum ſimile eſt idem; For that Similitude and Identity are different things; as, He that is like me, is not my ſelf; Indeed, man is compared unto ſuch, in reſpect of his fading condition in this life: but this mortal ſhall after put on immortality. Theſe bodies ſhall be ſo rarified, as they ſhall not admit of a diminution, much leſs of an annihilation.

Anſ. We let him paſs, and anſwer, that the bodies and ſouls of the damned ſhall be loco carbonum & lignorum, inſtead of fewel; and becauſe thoſe materials (as they are qualified) are everlaſting; it follows, that Hell fire muſt be everlaſting alſo; for it is againſt the nature of fire to ceaſe, ſo long as it hath p. 58any combuſtible matter to feed upon.

Obj. 3. If it be corporal fire, then it is of the ſame ſpecies with our fire: now we know what the nature of this fire is, but not of that.

Anſw. In the bodies, which are the matter of the fire, there may be a difference, as lignum igneum, & ferrum ignitum; burning Wood, and burning Iron differ, ſtill it is fire though diverſe from ours in certain properties, which are unknown to us; and (if it be the bleſſed will of God) may we never know them. But ſeeing it is ſubſtantial and corporeal fire, it will not be amiſs to take notice of ſome particulars wherein it differs from this elementary fire of ours, which may be conſidered in theſe five reſpects.

1. In regard of Heat; our fire is hot, nor is there any element in the extreameſt fury more afflictive to the ſenſe, then fire; but the fire of Hell is far more hot and more afflictive. The fire in a Lantſckip, which is ignis pictus, a painted fire, or that purgatory fire, which is ignis fictus, a feigned fire, yet hath ſo warmed the Popes Kitchin, is a better repreſentation of elemental fire, then elemental can be of that fire, which is eternal. That furnace, whoſe heat was ſeptupled, Dan. p. 593.19. inſomuch that the flames thereof licked up them, for whom it was not meant, was raging, very raging, and of great violence, but not a glowing ſparkle compared to the everlaſting fire of Hell.

2. In regard of Light; our fire comforts in ſhining, that is oppreſſed with horrible darkneſs: Ardet noster & lucet, Our fire burns, and in burning ſhines: but this, as divine Juſtice hath diſpoſed it, burns, but ſhines not, unleſs it be for the greater torment of thoſe that are frying in it; Vim comburendi retinet, illuminandi amiſit, ſaith Baſil, It retains the property of burning, it hath loſt the property of ſhining. Therefore it is called Hades, Sine ſole domus, a Houſe without light. The Apoſtle Jude calls it, the black darkneſs. The darkneſs of Aegypt was ſtrong and horrid, ſo thick that it was palpable, yet nothing to the darkneſs of Hell. In Aegypt they had but an over-caſting, they enjoyed the glorious light of the Sun again: in Hell, Non videbunt lumen in aeternum, They ſhall never ſee light more.

3. Elemental fire burns the body onelyonly, Eternall the ſoul alſo. The paſſion of the body, is but the body of paſſion; p. 60the ſoul of pain, is the pain of the ſoul: yet if a conſumable body be not able to endure burning flames for a day, how will an unconſumable ſoul and body be able to endure the ſcorching flames of Hell for ever?

4. Elemental fire as it burns, ſo it conſumes, Hell fire rageth more, and waſteth leſs. The reprobate ſhall have the puniſhment Uri, to be burned, but not the happineſs Exuri, to be burned out. So Proſper when he ſaith, Poennae gehennales puniunt, non finiunt corpora. Hell torments puniſh, but do not finiſh the bodies. In Hell there is no ceſſation of fire burning, nor of matter burned: The Poet, Prudentius, ſpeaks thus ſadly of it.

Vermibus & flammis, ſummis cruciatibus aevum,

Immortale dedit, Senio ne flamma periret.

To Worm and Fire, to Torments there,

No term he gave, they cannot wear.

If this fire were terminable, it might then be tolerable, but being endleſs, it muſt needs be eaſleſs.

Laſtly, Our Fire may be quenched, but the fire of Hell never goes out. Our Fire is maintained with Wood, and put out with Water: but that, as it hath nothing to maintain p. 61it, ſo nothing to extinguiſh it. All their weeping cannot mitigate the fierceneſs of thoſe flames. And if there be any tears, they ſhall rather be like oyl to feed it, then like water to quench it.

The ſum then is this: The Torments of Hell are compriſed under fire, becauſe that is the moſt violent and vehement of all the elements whatſoever. Water doth only kill, Fire doth vex, terrifie, and torment in killing; yea, which is worſe, this fire doth never kill

Let fools then ſolace themſelves with a conceit, that there is no ſuch place, they will one day find it, and feel it to their miſery. Without doubt it is good for us, Semper cogitare gehe…nam. And as we deſire to eſcape the fire of Hell, let us avoid the fire of ſin. There are certain fiery ſins, that ſhall find fiery puniſhments. S. Paul calls luſt a burning ſin. It is better to marry then to burn; who then would burn in luſt here, that fears to burn in Hell hereafter? Rage and Malice are burning ſinnes, therefore anger is called Excandeſcentia, a waxing hot. They that nouriſh this fire within them, are nouriſhed for a worſe fire without them. Blaſphemy p. 62is a burning ſinne, let thoſe whoſe mouthes flame with Oathes, and whoſe Tongues are ſet on fire of Hell, venting nothing but curſed ſpeeches, fear theſe torturing and tormenting flames. Drunkenneſs is a burning ſin, too much wine is the oyl of Hells own lamp. They inflame the reckoning till they enflame their brains, enflame their bloods, enflame their bodies, purchaſe as much ſickneſs as comes to a burning fever, and as much ſin as ſerves to enflame their own Hell. All the world is on fire with ſin, to make work for the fire of Hell. And there is but one only way to put it out: The water and blood that came out of the moſt precious ſide of the Lord Jeſus: only that water can quench the fire of ſin in us here, and that blood quench the fire of Hell againſt us for ever hereafter.

I might here enlarge my ſelf with the conſideration of the dire and diſmal effects of theſe torments, which are principally two, to wit, Weeping, and gnaſhing of Teeth, Mat. 8.12. Fletus de ardore, ſtridor dentium de frigore, ſaith Rabanus, Weeping cauſed by the hear, and gnaſhing of Teeth, by reaſon of the cold. This declares that there are p. 63theſe two extremitis in Hell, intollerable Heat, and incomparable Cold, Greg. on Mat. 8. Called therefore, Avernus abſ que vera temperatura: where the freezing cold ſhall not mitigate the ſcorching heat, nor the ſcorching heat qualifie the freezing cold.

It is obſervable, that while we are here, the expence of Tears outwardly mitigates and allayes the ſorrow that lies hard and heavy within, and gives an eaſe to the ſurcharged heart: So the Poet, —eſt quaedam flere voluptas, The burden of indigeſtible grief (as it were) venting and emptying it ſelf at the eyes: but Hell by eternal tears could never yet qualifie eternal pains. Beſides, if we do admit of weeping here as the Text is plain for it, it ariſeth from the extream perturbation of the ſoul, and the horrible anguiſh of the body, and may be ſaid to be rather a howling like Dragons, then any true ſhedding of tears. Yet ſeeing one effect of the horrors in Hell is weeping, and ſuch weeping as ſhall never be comforted: Let us prevent our weeping there, by weeping here, where we may be comforted. The time of living is the time of repenting; if we die without repentance, repentance is dead to us for ever. p. 64Weep then here, and the time will come when God will wipe away all theſe Tears from our eyes: For God hath diſpoſed, Flentes ad riſum, ridentes ad fletum; weepers to laughing, and laughers to weeping.

Gnaſhing of Teeth; This is another effect of theſe Tortures, and ariſeth from the ſenſe of ſome ſorrow mixed with indignation: a juſt and fit puniſhment, that they who once gnaſhed their Teeth at others, ſhould gnaſh their Teeth at their own Torments, they ſhewed their teeth in deriſion; They ſhall gnaſh their teeth in indignation. O the dreadful horror, and fearful terror of this ſad and direful place, where there is neither help nor hope! No help, God will not, Saints or Angels cannot; nor would the damned themſelves help one another, if they could: for they rather wiſh all others damned with them, then that any ſhould be freed from them. No hope; Men ſay in extream paſſions, if it were not for hope the heart would break: there is no hope in Hell, & yet the heart muſt hold: It is a miſery to theſe damned ſouls that it cannot break, ever in a dying condition, yet without any hope of expiration. Seeing then there is no help, no hope p. 65of help in that place of torment: Let us ſeek help while we may have it, and make much of hope, that we may be enriched by it. The Apoſtle tells us, Rom. 5.5. That hope maketh not aſhamed, becauſe it is never diſappointed: for if it could be illuded, it would be aſhamed. Now if we would hope wel, we muſt do well. He that tempts God, does not hope in God; that hoping, thruſts all upon God, and will out of a lazie devotion do nothing for himſelf. Many ſtretch themſelves upon their beds, as Lepidus in the ſhade, and cry out, O utinam hoc eſſet ſalvari! but you know who ſaid it, Take that unprofitable ſervant, and caſt him into outer darkneſs. It is in vain for a man to hope to do well hereafter, as moſt men do; when he continues doing nothing but that which is evil here. The means muſt be uſed, where hope is nouriſhed. Hope is onelyonly for the preſent, it hath nothing in reverſion: the Saints in heaven have no hope; for they are in full poſſeſſion of joy, the damned in Hell have no hope, for they are in full poſſeſſion of torment. OnelyOnly the living have hope, and in the living God is their hope, which he encreaſe p. 66here, that it may be comfortably conſummated hereafter.

3. The laſt queſtion is, Ubi ſit, Where the place of torment is? I know that to reſt within the bounds and limits of precedents, is to over-active, and to curiouſly inquiſitive perſons, a thing very contemptible: nothing is accounted wiſdom with ſuch, but what is exalted above the reach and pitch of thoſe that went before us. To reſt in poſitive divinity, and Articles confeſſed by all the Churches, to be content to know that there is a Hell, wherein tortures and torments are provided for the damned, and there is a Heaven too, wherein ſalvation is prepared for the juſt, and raiſe no eſtimation, no emulation, no opinion of ſingularity by the way, onelyonly to edifie, and not to amaze; onelyonly to bring men to an aſſent, and to a practiſe, and not to an admiration, is now adayes reputed but home-ſpun divinity, made up onelyonly of humane Learning, ſo much decryed, as that they hold it not neceſſary for carrying on the great work of inſtruction and edification.

Let us know (ſay theſe high-flown men) p. 67what God meant to do with man, before ever God meant to make man; we care not for that Law, which Moſes hath written, that every man can read, and that he might have received from God in one day: Let us know that Cabal, that which paſſed between God and him, and all the reſt of the forty daies. We care not for Gods revealed will, his Acts of Parliament, his publick Proclamations; Let us know his C…binet Councels, his boſome, his pocket diſpatches. Is there not another kind of Predeſtination, then that which is revealed in the Scriptures? May not a Man be ſaved though he do not; and may not a man be damned, albeit he do perform thoſe conditions, which ſeem to make ſure his ſalvation in the Scriptures? How many miles are there between Earth and Heaven? and where is that very place that is called Hell? Our Country man Holkot upon the Book of Wiſdome, ſayes well of that Wiſdom which we ſeek in the Book of God. All wiſdome is nothing to me, if it be not mine; and I have title to nothing that is not conveyed to me by God in his ſcriptures: And in the wiſdom manifeſted to me there: p. 68I reſt, as in other things, ſo in this, concerning the local being of Hell.

Now the Scripture ſaith, and that frequently too, that it is downward, Pſa. 140.10. Let them be caſt into the deep pits, that they riſe not up again. Bring them down into the pit of deſtruction, Prov. 9.18. They are in the depth of hell, Prov. 15.24. The way of life is above to the wiſe, that he may depart from hell beneath. So the terms declare it, and the words deſcribe it. Scheol is ſometimes taken for a pit, ſometimes for the Grave, and ſometimes, and that ſignificantly too for hell, as we have already ſhewed, all down-wards. Mercerus upon Gen. 37. ſaies, that Scheol generally ſignifies all places under the Earth: whence perhaps ariſes that conceit, that Hell is in the heart of, or under the earth: without doubt it is below, becauſe it is every where oppoſed to heaven, which is above. It is therefore called Abyſsus, a deep Pit, a vaſt Gulf, ſuch a pit as by reaſon of the depth thereof, may be ſaid to have no bottom. The Devils entreated Chriſt, that he would not ſend them to this place, Luk. 8.31. In abyſſum, which is, ſaith Beza upon Mat. Immenſae profunditatis p. 69vorago, quaſi abſ que fundo: A Gulf of an immeaſurable depth, &c.

The Apoſtle that preached to the Jews, uſed the word Gehenna, Jam. 3.6. Where ſpeaking of an unruly Tongue, ſaith, It is ſet on fire, à Gehenna, of Hell, foreign. So Piſcator, that is, it is ſet on fire by the Devil, and that by a Metonymie of the ſubject, as on the contrary, we find Coelum, Heaven, put for God in Heaven, Luk. 15.21. I have ſinned againſt Heaven: So Hell is put for the Devil. But Piſcator upon James, tells us, That foreign is by the Hebrews corruptly called Gehinnom, that is the valley of Hinnom. For ſo in the time of Chriſt and his Apoſtles, was the place of the damned called, which is vulgarly termed, Infernus, and by prophane Authors is called Orcus: and ſo indeed (as Anonymus affirms) the Apoſtle ſpake to them in a known Dialect, and uſed an expreſſion that was familiar among them.

They alſo that preached to the Gentiles, when they ſpake of this place, uſed the word Haides, which they then took (and ſure they could not be miſtaken) for a place of darkneſs and obſcurity, wherein the wicked p. 70were everlaſtingly to be tormented. The Apoſtle 2 Peter 2.4. ſpeaking of the Angels that ſinned, ſaith, God caſt them down into Hell; So Beza in his Annotations, telleth us, the Greeks called that place, which was ordained for the Priſon and torment of the damned. And reaſon it ſelf doth teach us, that it muſt needs be oppoſite and contrary to that place, in which the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect do reſide, which on all hands is granted to be above, therefore Hell muſt needs be below.

But againſt this it is objected: That Dives in Hell ſaw Abraham and Lazarus, which he could not do, if Hell were ſo deep and ſo remote a place as commonly is affirmed. I anſwer, That albeit Hell is below, and down-ward in reſpect of Heaven; yet (as ſome think) it may not be ſo in regard of Earth, Rev. 12.12. Woe unto the Inhabitants of the Earth, for the Devil is come down among you: ſo that he was caſt no lower then the ſurface of the Earth. I know there are divers Arguments on both ſides. As that they that live know not the ſtate of the dead: ſo the dead know not the ſtate of the living, much leſs of the Saints in heaven.

p. 71But againſt this is oppoſed. That if they in Hell had not the ſight of Heaven, their own ſufferings would leſs afflict them: for their moſt grievous torment ſhall ariſe from the viſion of what joyes they have eternally loſt, Wiſd. 5.2. When they ſee it they ſhall be tormented with terrible fear, and be amazed at the Saints ſalvation. So Ber. The faithful ſhall have a ſight of Hell, and the Reprobate a ſight of Heaven, Ut illi magis laetentur, videntes quid evaſerint, & hi gravius crucientur, videntes quid manſerint. That the one may be the more comforted, by ſeeing what miſeries they have eſcaped: the other the more afflicted, by ſeeing what happineſs they have forfeited, Pſal. 112.10. The wicked ſhall ſee it, and be grieved: he ſhall gnaſh with his teeth and melt away. Bar then the ſight of their eyes, and you mitigate the grief of their hearts. That weeping and gnaſhing of Teeth, of which our Saviour ſpeaks, Luk, 13.28. proceeds from ſight; when you ſhall ſee Ahraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, and your ſelves thruſt out. It is their exile from the preſence of the Lamb, from the ſociety of Saints and Angels, from the felicity and joyes which they behold, p. 72that ſhall moſt bitterly moleſt and trouble them: elſe could they not be under the miſery of that which is called paena damni, the puniſhment of loſs. On the other ſide, it is ſaid, That the ſight of Heaven is never afforded, no not to Saints, but as an high, an ineſtimable favour. It was S. Pauls greateſt grace, and that which had like to have tranſported him beyond the limits of his holy profeſſion, to be wrapt up into the third Heaven; and to behold the life which the bleſſed live with God. But what extraordinary grace or favour is this, if it be alſo granted to the Reprobates? The anſwer is eaſie; S. Paul ſaw that life, and had a ſight of thoſe joyes, experiendo, by taſting them, and hoped again to ſee them participando, by a bleſſed partaking of them: ſuch a ſight is not permitted to the children of perdition. They ſee them to the grief of their hearts, and terror of their ſouls that they cannot enjoy them, but are for ever deprived of them.

But how could that rich Man, ſpoken of in the Goſpel; or how can other damned ſpirits be ſaid to ſee the glory of Heaven, when as they want thoſe luminary Organs of the p. 73body, the diſpoſition of ſight; beſides, the great diſtance between the ſeveral places, and the the thick darkneſs interpoſed? which is a great queſtion with Anonymus. I ſhall eaſily remove this block out of the way: for even Spirits ſee, though not with bodily eyes; they have the eyes of intelligence and apprehenſion, by which they are able to diſtinguiſh matters of intricacy and perplexity, and that at diſtance too; much more between Light and Darkneſs. They apprehend this Glory either univerſally or particularly. An univerſal apprehenſion they have, whereby they perceive the Saints to be in great glory: in particular, what this Glory is, they know not. They ſee it, and they ſee ſo much of it, as ſhall augment their torment, Tam propter invidiam alienae faelicitatis, quàm propter carentiam illius quietis, both in regard of others gain, and their loſs; the tranſcendent happineſs which the Saints are for ever made partakers of, and their own want of the ſame. Now if it be granted, That the damned ſhall ſee the glory of Heaven, then it will probably follow, that Hell is in the Air, onelyonly ſeparated with a great unpaſſable gulf, that either p. 74may not come to other. And I have read of certain Hills, whoſe tops have bin ſo near one to another, that men might talk one to another; but could not without many days travel come one to another. If they do not ſee it, then it is as probable, that it may be in the bowels of the Earth. However, it is below, down-wards, in the more inferior parts of the workmanſhip of him, who as the Poet ſtyles him, is Ille opifex rerum, the great Creator of all. But preciſely to determine, whether in the Air, or in the Water, or on the face of the Earth, or in the Center of the Earth, or in the center of the worlds Center, Tegitur, non legitur, periculoſe diſquiritur, tutò ignoratur, is kept ſecret, and not diſcovered; is ſafe to be ignorant of, cannot but be dangerous to diſpute. That ſaying of Scaliger would be a ſeaſonable curb to reſtrain us from a curious indagation, and ſcrupulous enquiry after the place it ſelf, if it were minded of us.

Neſcire velle, quae Magister optimus,

Docere non vult, erudita inſcitia eſt.

p. 75What the great Maſter will not have made known,

Our greateſt Wiſdome is, to let alone.

Yet thus far may we boldly conclude concerning it. That as juſt Spirits ſeparated from their bodies, do preſently aſcend into the Emperial Heaven, there to poſſeſs joy and happineſs: ſo the Souls of hard, obdurate, and impenitent ſinnets, whoſe hearts neither the mercies of God could mollifie, nor his Judgements terrifie, are confined below to the inferior Elements, there to remain in everlaſting miſeries and torment. And this (as I take it) is, foreign, to be wiſe to ſobriety, according to the wholſome advice of the Apoſtle; But to determine poſitively where Hell is, and to meaſure out, and to diſpoſe of every foot conteined in the ſame, is foreign, audacious curioſity; and is carefully to be avoided by us.

Now becauſe there is a difference among ſome, that are more nice then wiſe about the Ubi: Anonymus concludes againſt the Quod: to the bewraying either of his ignorance, or infidelity, or both; becauſe men p. 76will not be raſh in it, therefore ſuch Atheiſts will raſhly deny it. If any then ſhall ask further concerning the local place of Hell; I anſwer, with Socrates, I was never there my ſelf, and my hope is never ſhall be; nor ſpoke I with any that came from thence, and therefore cannot ſatisfie his curioſity: herein I confeſs many doubt concerning Hell, Ubi ſit, where it is: none can deſcribe Quid ſit, What it is; but all (all I mean in their right minds) do agree, Quod ſit, That there is ſuch a place, where the damned ſhall be impriſoned, and in which tormented unto all eternity.

Seeing then (as we have upon good reaſon concluded) that Hell is a deſcent, downwards; let us keep our ſelves ſo far as we can from it, while we live, that it may never devour us, when we dye. Sin is a burden that preſſeth down-ward. The Prophet Zachary 5.7. compares it to a Talent of Lead; how heavy was it on the back of Judas? it never left him, till it had preſſed him down to his own place. As the heavieſt bodies draw to the Center of the Earth: ſo do the ſaddeſt and heavieſt ſpirits, ſuch as the mercy of God hath quite forſaken, p. 77draw down to the Center of Hell. Sinne brings a man eaſily down, Facilis deſcenſus Averni.

Things neareſt Heaven, take leſs care for Earth; The Fowls of the air neither plow nor ſow, nor carry into Barns. But men moſt love that which they muſt ſhortly leave, and think ſeldom or never of that place, where they muſt, after the conſummation of a ſhort time here, abide for ever. O Lord give me the grace to conſider the evil of my wayes; Et ſemper cogitare Gehennam, ne in gehennam incidam; If nothing elſe will work me to repentance, to think often of Hell here, that I may not fall into hell for ever hereafter.

The life of the damned is a death without end; the death of the damned is to live in eternal Torments. VVhen the wrath of God ſhall ceaſe towards them, then ſhall Torments ceaſe to be inflicted on them. But the wrath of God is Eternal, therefore their plagues muſt needs be eternal alſo. VVhen thoſe damned wretches ſhall repent of their impieties, then ſhall they be freed from their miſeries; But the ſpace of repentance was by them neglected, and the p. 78grace of repentance is now denied. Therefore there is no deliverance to be expected. O Eternity, eternity, thou alone doſt add to, and aggravate the puniſhments of the damned beyond all meaſure. Their miſery is grievous in reſpect of the acerbity and ſharpneſs thereof; more grievous in reſpect of the variety and diverſity thereof, but moſt grievous in reſpect of the eternity and everlaſtingneſs thereof.

Anonymus (how adviſedly, and upon what grounds I know not; for all his pretended reaſons make nothing to that purpoſe) ſaith, That this opinion (as he calls it) to wit, of the everlaſting duration of Hell torments, hath cauſed much ſin. I anſwer, How lightly ſoever he ſeems to ſet by it, by the term he puts upon it, it was a real & ſubſtantial truth before his Cradle was made, and will be ſo when his Coffin ſhall be rotten. And if corrupt men will draw helliſh concluſions from heavenly inſtructions, who can help it? ſuch bad conſequences are not the legitimate Children of Gods ſacred Truth; but the baſtards of mans own corruption, to whom they are to be brought, and by whom to be fathered for their p. 79maintenance. Sure I am, if we take a right courſe with it, there is good uſe to be made of it.

1. The glory and comfort of eternal life doth more, and the more manifeſtly appear hereby. This is a ſignificant and delightful demonſtration, which one contrary gives to another, when they are diametrically oppoſed. The day would not ſeem half ſo clear, if the departing Sun ſhould not leave night to follow it. The foil adds grace to the Jewel. It (no leſs then) glorifies Learning, that the malicious Tongue of ignorance doth bark at it. He knows the benefit of heat, that hath felt the ſharpneſs of a freezing cold: If there were no ſickneſs to trouble us, health it ſelf would not be precious to us. Even their oppoſition is an Expoſition of their nature: The conſideration of the deformity and darkneſs of Hell, doth add a greater, and more glorious luſtre to the beauty and brightneſs of Heaven, and thoſe heavenly Manſions, which the merits of Jeſus have purchaſed for the righteous.

2. This Doctrine (for ſo Alſtedius calls it) is very neceſſary for the Godly, that p. 80they may be moved in the ſerious conſideration thereof to acknowledge with the greater affection the mercy of God in Jeſus Chriſt, by which they are freed from ſo great a miſery, as this of eternal damnation, which we affirm (though Anonymus do deny it; and by that, if there were nothing elſe to do it, Ex ungue leonem, diſcovers what he is) that Chriſt our ſurety, in our place and ſtead did ſuffer for us. And that this is an undoubted truth, at which none but the Children of darkneſs can take exception, that which followeth, will (I hope) ſufficiently teſtifie.

Firſt, That Prophetical ſpeech of David, Pſal. 88.4, 5. &c. where are fully and emphatically deſcribed, the grievous torments and infernal dolours, which Chriſt our Saour ſuſtained in the time of his paſſion: being ſuch, as no Saint was able to undergo. And that the Pſalmiſt doth there propheſie of the ſufferings of Chriſt, the circumſtances of that Pſalm do evidently declare.

Secondly, The Type and Figure thereof in the perſon of David, who by the inſtigation of wicked men, the Sons of Belial was p. 81exceedingly troubled; and of which in many of his Pſalms he ſadly complained, manifeſtly prefigured the future ſufferings of the Lord Jeſus, in eſpecial, Pſalm. 18.6. The ſorrows of Hell compaſſed me about, and the ſnares of death prevented me: compared with that of Pſalm. 116.3. where we have the like expreſſions.

Thirdly, The deſcription it ſelf of the paſſion of Chriſt, what horrible anxiety he ſuffered in his Soul; what conſternation and contriſtation, in regard of thoſe infernal torments with which he violently conflicted even to this death, for the ſinnes of all the Elect, and the wrath of God due unto them for the ſame, which lay ſo hard upon him, that his ſweat was great drops of blood, and an Angel was ſent to comfort him, Mat. 26.36. Luk. 22.43.

Fourthly, The ſurrogation of Chriſt in our place, foraſmuch as he ſuffered inſtead of all the faithful, and all thoſe things which ſhould have been ſuſtained by us, he in our place ſuſtained for us, as Mat. 20.28. The Son of man came to give his life a ranſom for many, Ioh. 11.51, 52. ſpeaking concerning the propheſie of Caiaphas; he foretold p. 82that Jeſus ſhould die for that Nation, and not for that Nation only, but that alſo he ſhould gather together into one all the Sons and Daughters of God, that were ſcattered abroad, 1 Tim. 2.6. Alſo 1 Pet. 3.18. For Chriſt alſo hath once ſuffered for ſins, the juſt for the unjuſt. But among all thoſe things which he ſuffered for us, the chief was the infernal death, which by reaſon of our tranſgreſſion was due unto us, without which, all his ſufferings had been to no purpoſe. And to this our Doctrine tends, what ever wicked men think of it, or ſpeak againſt it; and therefore confidently and comfortably affirm, that Chriſt our Mediator in our ſtead hath undergone this alſo for us.

Fifthly, The ſuſception and taking of our ſin, which was by imputation laid upon him; ſeeing he hath taken our ſinnes upon himſelf, and born them for us, as plainly appears by that place of Iſai. 53.6. and 2 Cor. 5.21. It is neceſſary alſo, that he bear the puniſhment of the ſame; the principal part whereof is this infernal death and condemnation, Deut. 27.26.

6ly, The execration which he underwent, for he was made a curſe for us, who were p. 83under the curſe of the Law, Gal. 3.13. Concerning which, I have already declared my ſelf elſe where: ſith then this Curſe doth inferre, that we were liable to eternal death and condemnation, from which, Chriſt becoming a curſe for us, did graciouſly deliver us; It is manifeſt, that the death of Chriſt was different from the death of any, of all Saints whatſoever; who in all their ſufferings, were neither made ſinne, nor a curſe, nor were they forſaken of God, nor taſted the cup of his indignation; but were onelyonly fatherly chaſtiſed by him; nor did they colluct or wraſtle with Hell, and the powers of darkneſe, unleſs it were, as with Enemies already foiled, whom Chriſt by his death had vanquiſhed and ſubdued.

Laſtly, The confeſſion of Crellius (and other of the Socinian brood, to whom Anonymus, though he vviſh vvell, muſt neceſſarily ſubſcribe, as not being vvorthy to carry their Books after them) vvho ſaith, that Chriſt ſuffered death, inſtar maledicti à Deo (let him crack that Nut) the effect vvhereof muſt have been our puniſhment unto all eternity.

We had ſpoken to this purpoſe before, p. 84and had then done vvith this Argument, but that Anonymus vvould needs make the vvorld believe, that vve are they that labour to over-flow the ſufferings of Chriſt, when indeed we are ſo far from overthrowing them, and the ſufficiency thereof, by leaving any part thereof unperformed by him, or to be compleated by us, that we magnifie them rather, and his love to us, that undergoing ſuch miſery for us, we might thereby be eternally freed from the ſame.

This is a truth, againſt which the Gates of Hell ſhall never be able to prevail, much leſs the ſlight aſſaults of ſuch poor and feeble undertakers as Anonymus; who, while he chargeth us with undervaluing the ſufferings of Chriſt, doth himſelf (by a Socinian trick that he hath) undervalue the perſon of Chriſt, by that corrupt gloſs which he puts upon the words of S. Paul, Rom. 5.19. By the obedience of one, many are made righteous. It is not (ſaith he) by the obedience of God, nor by the obedience of God-man, but by the obedience of one man (vvhichwhich vvord (man) is not expreſſed in that verſe, though it be, vvith note p. 85of diſtinction, or oppoſition in ſome verſes before) are many made righteous. 'Tis true, not by the obedience of God; for God cannot be ſaid either to obey or ſuffer; but by his favour, by the obedience, teſtified both by the Action and Paſſion of that one perſon, which was God and Man, many are made righteous. For the Apoſtle there uſed the term, man, not underſtanding thereby hominem merum, meere man, ſed hominem verum, but true man. It was fit, that the Redeemer of man ſhould be true man, in regard of the juſtice of God, vvhichwhich could not puniſh ſinne, but in that nature which had offended: It was fit alſo, that he ſhould be more then man, in regard of the heavy burden of Gods wrath, which vvas to be ſuſtained by him. The righteouſneſs of vvhom, by vvhichwhich we are conſtituted righteous, is therefore by the communication of properties (ſaith Downam) called the righteouſneſs of God, being the righteouſneſs of that perſon, which is God, as vvell as man; It is not the obedience of the God-head; no, nor the obedience of the Man-head, but the obedience of Chriſt our Mediator, conſidered as God p. 86and Man, by which vve are made righteous.

I cannot, but by the vvay, lament the growth and inſinuation of this peſtilent Hereſie of Socinianiſm, vvhichwhich under pretence of giving glory to Chriſt, doth rob him of all that true glory that belongs unto him. It will allow him to be a holy, a thrice holy man, an unreproachable, an irreprehenſible, an admirable, an incomparable man; a man, to whom, he that ſhould equal any other man, were worſe then a Devil; A man worthy to be called God, in a farre higher ſenſe then any Magiſtrate, any King, any Prophet; But yet he was no God, ſaith this Hereſie and theſe Hereticks, no Son of God; A Redeemer by way of example, but no Redeemer by way of equivalent ſatisfaction. S. Paul ſaies, Ephe. 2.12. He is an Atheiſt that is without Chriſt. And he is as much an Atheiſt ſtill, that pretends to receive Chriſt, and not as God; for if the receiving of Chriſt muſt redeem him from being an Atheiſt, there can no other way be imagined, but by receiving him as God, for that onelyonly, and no other good opinion of Chriſt, overcomes, and removes his p. 87Atheiſm. After the great day, whatſoever is not Heaven, is Hell; He that then ſhall be where the Son is now (if he be not in Heaven) ſhall be as far from heaven, as if he were where the Center of the Earth is now: He that confeſſes not all Chriſt, confeſſes no Chriſt. And this is the wickedneſs that keeps down Anonymus, and the reſt of that Heretical brood, that they cannot, will not be raiſed up to the conſideration of Chriſt as God. But we proceed.

3. The ſerious meditation of this Doctrine, doth reſtrain wicked men from their impieties: Oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae. — Bad men for fear of pain, do ill deteſt — The Apoſtle, Rom. 2.4. ſaith, The goodneſs of God leadeth to repentance: and well are they that will be led; But ſome there are that will not lead, with whom there is another courſe to be taken, ſuch muſt be driven on whether they will or no. John Baptiſt, Mat. 3.2. propoſed the goodneſs of God, as a ſpecial argument to perſwade his Hearers to repentance; do it, repent, and the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, hard by you.

One would think this would have done p. 88it, have even led them to it, but it ſtirred them not: He is fain to lay Heaven by, and the life, joy, glory to come; And to betake himſelf to Hell, to the anguiſh, tribulation, torments there, for all theſe are in the eighth verſe, under thoſe words, the wrath to come; ſo to drive them (if it may be) to it, ſince leading would not ſerve the turn. How ſtrangely doth ſinne beſot men, that the Kingdom of Heaven works not ſo kindly with them, as doth the wrath to come? The loſs of Heaven, if that were all, would never reſtrain any from it: if no, Ira ventura, wrath to come, they would never care for the loſs of Heaven. Repent, or you loſe Heaven; alas, this works not any change or alteration: Repent, or you muſt to Hell, the place of endleſs and eaſeleſs torments, that bites ſoon: This doth ſtrike fear in their hearts, and that fear bringeth forth repentance. So that this fear, even the fear of puniſhment is good, though it be ignorantly condemned by ſome. 'Tis true, that the Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 8.15. That the Sons of God have not received the ſpirit of bondage again to fear, but the ſpirit of adoption, whereby they cry Abba, Father: The ſpirit of Bondage p. 89is inferior to the ſpirit of Adoption; yet that ſpirit is better then the ſpirit of Belial, or that ſpirit of ſlumber, which the Prophet mentions, Iſai. 29.10. whereby mens eyes are cloſed up, that thy cannot ſee the judgments of the Lord.

It is a Maxime, that actio perfecta non recipitur, niſi imperfectè primo; there is no perfect action, but at firſt it is imperfect, and is perfected by degrees. It is a good thing to be a Son, yet it is better to be a Servant; A door-keeper in the houſe of God, then to dwell in the Tents of ungodlineſs. It is good to be in Canaan, the Land of promiſe, but (in the mean time) it is better to be in the Wilderneſs then in Aegypt. So fear and ſpare not, ſayes S. Auguſt; for, Sinondum potes amore juſtitiae, at timore poenae: Do it, if it be not for love of goodneſs, yet for fear of puniſhment; & his ground is out of Deut. 5.29. O that there were in them (ſaith God) ſuch an heart that they would fear me, and keep my Commandements. Nothing brought the Jews to the love of God, but the terrour they conceived of his judgements, which they viſibly ſaw before their face; yet God wiſhed that they might have ſuch an heart p. 90in them alwayes, that they would ſo fear him; which for ought I can perceive from that place, was but a ſervile fear, procured by the terrible ſights at the delivery of the Law.

There is no fear of God then, though it have ſome ſervility in it (ſo farre as ſervility imports but a fear of puniſhment) but is good; for timor eſt amor inchoativus, ſaith S. August. The love of God begins in fear, and then amor eſt timor conſummatus, The fear of God ends in love. God preſents to us the joyes of Heaven often, thereby to allure us, but we have ſeen how coldly we are affected towards them, and therefore as often the torments of Hell, thereby to terrifie us from the evill of our wayes. Gehennae timor regni nos affert coronam; even the fear of hell gets us heaven, and we thank that pain which gives us ſight. Though there may be difference between timor & tremor, Fear and Terror; yet the difference is not ſo great, but that they may both be found in, and fall upon the beſt of men. When God talked with Abraham, a horror of darkneſs, ſaies that Text, Gen. p. 9115.12. fell upon him. The Father of Lights, and the God of all comfort preſent, and preſent in an action of mercy, and yet a horror of great darkneſs fell upon Abraham, the father of the faithful. When God talked perſonally and preſentially with Moſes, Moſes hid his face; for ſaith that Text, Exod. 13.6. He was afraid to look upon God. When we look upon God in thoſe terrible judgements, which he hath executed upon ſome, and ſee that there is nothing between us, and the ſame judgements (for we have ſinned the ſame ſins, and God is ſtill the ſame God) what can we do, but ſtand in awe of him that we ſin not.

He urgeth that place in John, 1.4.18. to prove this fear and ſin, but to little purpoſe; for the wiſe man ſaith, Prov. 1.7. Timorem domini eſse initium ſapientiae, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wiſdome: and therefore Jonah to the Ninivites, Joh. 3.4. and John Baptiſt to the Jewes, Mat. 3.10. and all the Prophets to ſinners, have uſed to provoke them to this fear, by threatning the dangers that were imminent, if they repented not. But yet afterwards, when men are reclaimed from their iniquities, p. 92converted to God, and have made ſome progreſs in his ſervice; then do they change every day more and more their fear into love, until they arrive at laſt unto that ſtate whereof S. John there ſpeaketh; which cannot be ſuddenly, nor fully expected of any. S. August. hath a pretty expreſſion to this purpoſe: He ſaith, That fear is the ſervant ſent before, to prepare place in our hearts for his Miſtreſs's love, who being once admitted into, and poſſeſſed thereof, fear departeth, and gives place unto love. But where this fear never entereth at all, it is impoſſible that ever love ſhould take up a habitation.

And albeit this fear of puniſhment be not in thoſe that are come up to that degree of perfection, of which the Apoſtle there ſpeaks, or is at leaſtwiſe leſs in them, then in others; yet being joyned with that reverence that becomes it; it is moſt neceſſary and profitable for ſuch Chriſtians, whoſe life is not ſo perfect, nor love ſo great. This appeareth by that of our Saviour Chriſt, Luk. 12.5. Fear him, who after he hath killed, hath pomer to deſtroy both body and ſoul in hell. Alſo S. Paul teſtifieth of himſelf, p. 931 Cor. 9.27. That he kept under his body, and brought it into ſubjection, leaſt that by any means, when he had preached to others, himſelf ſhould be a caſt away; meaning thereby, that notwithſtanding all thoſe favours, which he had received from God, yet he retained ſuch a fear of God, as that he was careful of thoſe relapſes, which conſidered in their own nature, deſerved excluſion out of thoſe heavenly habitations, the glory whereof in a very great meaſure, he hath had ſome ocular demonſtration of.

Now (my friend Anonymus) if ſuch a man as S. Paul did thus ſtand in awe of the juſtice of God, notwithſtanding his Apoſtle-ſhip, and thoſe rare endowments, with which he was plentifully furniſhed for the execution and adminiſtration of the ſame, a man ſo holy as he, what ought we to be in whoſe conſciences remaines the guilt of many thouſand notorious impieties? This know, ſaith the ſame Apoſtle, Ep. 5.5. That no Whoremonger, or unclean perſon, or covetous man, which is an Idolater, hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Chriſt, and of God. And, as though this had not been ſufficient, he adds, Let no man deceive p. 94you with vain words; for becauſe of theſe things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of diſobedience. As if he ſhould ſay, Thoſe that flatter you in your ſinnes, and boulſter you up in your iniquities, with this, tuſh, God is merciful, and is eaſily won to pardon theſe or the like impieties, notwithſtanding a delightful continuance therein; Theſe men do but deceive you; for the wrath and vengeance of God cometh upon the Children of diſobedience for theſe very things: The Author to the Hebrews tells us, Horrendum eſſe incidere in manus Dei viventis, That it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God: The ſame Apoſtle rendring a reaſon, Deus enim noſter est ignis conſumens, for our God is a conſuming fire. They then that will not believe Gods juſtice, nor are in any meaſure terrified with his threats againſt ſin, but preſuming of his mercy, do continue in their impiety, ſhall ſuddenly be ſurpriſed, and irrecoverably be confounded, when Gods judgments do ſeize upon them.

I but, ſaith Anonymus, this cauſeth Melancholly, and exceeding trouble of mind: Truly if we conſider the condition that we p. 95are in by nature, we have very ſmall cauſe to be jovial: For 1. There is a captivity, wherein we are violently detained under the ſlavery of ſin and Satan. S. Paul knew it, and ſpeaks of it, Rom. 7.25. and in the ſenſe thereof cryeth out, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliver, me? I hope Anonymus will not be ſo fool-hardy as to ſay, this trouble of the Apoſtle was a ſinne, who being ſenſible of it, could, not but be troubled with it. Indeed there is no Turk ſo hurries his Gallie-ſlaves, and puts them to ſo baſe ſervices, as ſin doth her Captives. Give me one that hath been in this Captivity, and by the mercy of God is freed from it, & ſcit, quod dico: He knows what I ſay is certainly true. 2. There a Priſon too; Ask David elſe, who never was in any Goal, what he means, when he ſaid, Pſal. 88.8. I am ſo faſt in priſon, that I knew not how to get out? What elſe cauſed him to cry out ſo paſſionately, Pſal. 142.7. O bring my Soul out of Priſon: And S. Mat. 4.16. ſaith of ſome to whom Chriſt preached here, That they ſat in darkneſs, and in the ſhadow of death, even as men in a Dungeon uſe to do. 3. There are Chains too, A ſinner is tyed p. 96with the Chains of his own ſins, Prov. 5.22. With the bonds of iniquity, Acts 8.23. And theſe are they for which David gives thanks to God, Pſal. 116.16, That he had broken them in ſunder. A man need no other bonds, if once he come to feel them. The galls that ſinne makes in the conſcience, are the entering of the Iron into his ſoul.

But perhaps theſe are not felt by ſome; no, not felt? Take this then for a Rule. If Chriſt heal them, that be broken-hearted, broken-hearted we muſt be, ere he can heal us. He is Medicus cordis, the Phyſitian of the heart indeed; but it is cordis contriti, of the broken heart; it is a condition ever annexed to make us the more capable; and likewiſe a diſpoſition it is, to render us the more curable. It is our fault, and a great fault it is, that we are more ready to laugh with the merry Philoſopher, then to weep with the mourner; Mirth ſeldom knocks twice at our doors without entrance; but ſorrow ſhall not in, ſo long as we our ſelves, with all the miſerable helps that we can muſter up, can keep it out. He that ſees heaven loſt, Paradiſe vaniſhed, the Earth accurſed, Hell enriched, the World corrupted, all p. 97Man-kind defaced, will have ſmall cauſe to laugh. Man fell by affectation of joy, he muſt riſe again by the affection of ſorrow. That part of the world that ſhall be caſt into the bottomleſs lake, ſpend the days in laughter; that part which ſhall rejoyce for ever, muſt be firſt drowned in tears. For my own part, I am none of thoſe, that deſire to go merrily to hell; I had rather have Gods Vinegar, then Anonymus his Oyl; Gods Wormwood, then his Manna, Gods Juſtice, then his mercy; Sorrow and mourning here, then miſery and torment for ever hereafter. For a conſcience troubled in it ſelf, is Odor quietis, as Noahs ſacrifice was, a favour of reſt with God.

I but, ſaith he, this opinion (for he will not allow it any other term) provoketh to deſpair; I confeſs, to deſpair of the mercy of God, is a ſinne of a very high nature: but for ought I ſee, not ſo frequent as is by ſome imagined. I have read of whole ſects, whole bodies of Hereticks, that denyed the communion of Gods grace to others: The Cathari denyed that any man had it, but themſelves: The Novatians denyed that any man could have it again, having once p. 98loſt it, by ſome deadly ſin committed after Baptiſm. But I never read of any ſect that denyed it to themſelves; no ſect of deſpairing men. We have ſome, ſomewhere ſprinkled; one in the old Teſtament, Cain; and one in the New Teſtament, Judas; and one in the Eccleſiaſtical ſtory, Julian; but no body, no ſect, of deſpairing men. Therefore he that abandons himſelf to this ſin of deſperation, ſins with the leaſt reaſon of any; for he prepares his ſin above Gods mercy; and he ſinnes with the feweſt examples of any; for God hath diffuſed this light with an evidence to all, that all ſins (excepting that ſin, which is not without a great deal of difficulty, and ſome incertainty, defined, the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt) may be forgiven unto men, yea unto all men without exception.

But we muſt take heed, leaſt in magnifying the mercy of God, we decry his juſtice, while we ſeek to keep ſome few poor ſouls from daſhing themſelves to pieces on the rock of deſpair, we give not occaſion to thouſands to engulf themſelves on the quick ſands of preſumption. And ſo we caſt out one Devil with another, and the latter p. 99prove the greater. Preſumption is a ſin to which we are naturally prone, and therefore the more dangerous. Soon is a man invited to make much of himſelf, to approve and applaude his own endeavours, to look big upon his own performances, hardly won to his own affliction, or brought about to his own diſeſtimation. Deſpair is a thing grievous to trembling nature: Not often doth that Archer of Hell head his Arrows with ſuch diſpleaſing aſſaults. Beſides, this hath often turned (invito diabolo) to a hearty contrition for ſinne, and a holy converſion from ſinne; like a violent Fever, that hath boyl'd up all the choller and corruption of ſin, ſo that a man becomes the better after it. But to preſume is ſo ſweet a ſin to fleſh and blood, that it once foiled Innocence it ſelf. Satan hath not a more tryed ſhaft in all his quiver, then to perſwade men, while they are ſinning, to bear themſelves boldly upon the favour of God. Therefore as the wiſe Man eats moderately of the diſh which he beſt likes, becauſe he knows there is more danger of ſurfeit in that, then in all the reſt; So it becometh us to be moſt ſhie and heedful of that ſinne, p. 100which we know will ſooneſt take us, and take God from us. We may ſay of them both, Deſpair and Preſumption, as the Iſraelitiſh woman did of Saul and David in their harmony, after the ſlaughter of Goliah, Saul hath ſlain his thouſands, and David his ten thouſands: ſo where deſpair hath hurried away ſome, with a great deal of noiſe and clamour, preſumption hath engulfed more, many more, without any noiſe at all.

Together with this ſin of deſpair, in his Linſey woolſey diſcourſe, he links the performance of holy duties. I know the Devil and his inſtruments are profeſt Enemies thereunto: but after that way which they deny, ſo will we worſhip the God of our Fathers. The Tree is known by the fruits: It is not well ſaid, but well done thou faithful ſervant, that by the mercies of God, in the merits of Jeſus will gain acceptance and admittance. Hath not God promiſed to reward every man according to his works? Hath not Chriſt our Saviour confirmed us by the ſame promiſe? and will this fellow make them lyers? Doth not the Apoſtle enjoyn his Corinthians, 1.9.24. So to p. 101run, that they may obtain? Did not Jacob wreſtle with Chriſt, the Angel of the Covenant for a bleſſing, and prevail? And how did he wreſtle, but by prayer and ſupplication? As the Prophet excellently expreſſeth it, Hoſ. 12.3, 4. What is this, but with Diogenes, to trample upon Platoes pride with more pride, to condemn our preſumption (as he judges it) with greater preſumption? For by his new Divinity, or rather old fuſtian, he preſumes to croſs even the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, who wills us, Mat. 7.7. to ask, that we may have; And S. James 4.2. tels us the reaſon why we have not, even becauſe we ask not.

Methinks they ſhould be aſhamed to print and publiſh to the world, that which is ſo apparently croſs and contrary to the word of God, thereby ſeeking to bring men into a curſed condition, even to neglect & contemn the performance of thoſe duties which we are enjoyned for to do, in the name of the Lord Jeſus. What will he, what can he ſay to that of the Apoſtle, Phil. 2.12. Work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling? And that of the 1 Cor. 15.58. Be ſtedfaſt, unmoveable, alwaies abounding in the work of p. 102the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord? 1 Tim. 6.17, 18, 19. Charge them that are rich in this world, &c. laying up for themſelves a good foundation, Rev. 22.12. Behold, I come quickly, ſaith Chriſt, and my reward is with me, to give to every one according to his works. Therefore it is evident (notwithſtanding his negation) that we may eſcape Hell, and do our ſelves much good (though not for, yet) by our good works. Surely after we have prayed for hallowing Gods name, the coming of his Kingdom, &c. We may pray, not onelyonly for daily bread, but pardon of, and power againſt ſinne, and not loſe our labour. We are commanded to hear, Iſai. 55.3. that our ſouls may live: For though God hath promiſed, and Chriſt hath purchaſed all good things for believers, yet we cannot, not ſo ſoon at leaſt expect them, unleſs wee ſeek for them, by thoſe means which are appointed. See what the Prophet ſaith to this purpoſe, Ezek. 36.37. God hath an intention of good towards his people; Yet, ſaith he, I will be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael to do it for them.

Thus we ſee the Scriptures themſelves are p. 103point blanck for the performance of holy duties, But his intents and his purpoſe, his aim and his end, is to undervalue the Scriptures, by telling us, we have not the very Books that were written by the Prophets and Apoſtles: Nor is it enough (ſaith he) that we have Books in Hebrew and Greek, unleſs we could certainly know, that theſe Copies (as they are called) do agree word for word with thoſe that were written by thoſe Holy Pen-men.

To which I anſwer; If his ignorance be ſuch, that he knows not whether they accord or no, let him ſit by, and ſubmit to the judgment of the Godly Learned: let him not raiſe a duſt to blind the eyes of others, becauſe he himſelf cannot diſcern truth from falſhood. But yet forſooth, under a probable and plauſible ſhew of ſome learning, which God knows is very ſmal, which is to ſtrongly preſumed is none at all; under the pretence of zeal and devotion, holineſs and humility, labours to obtrude his paralogiſms unto the people, as ſugred baits of ſerpentine deceit, which he perſwades himſelf cannot be done, but by endeavouring to overthrow Religion, and the very baſis p. 104and foundation thereof, the holy Scriptures. But that he may not out-face us with a Card of ten, we affirm, that the original Text, the authentique Hebrew of the Old Teſtament, with the Greek of the New, is entire and incorrupt; and for proof hereof, do commend theſe enſuing Arguments to the Conſideration of the judicious and Chriſtian Reader.

The firſt whereof is drawn from the want of proof on their ſide, who endeavour to lay ſo foul an imputation upon the Scriptures, which they are bound to make good by ſome evident demonſtration, but hic labor. They are a Tree ſo firmly rooted, that all the cold ſtorms of humane reluctancy and oppoſition could never ſhake. They then deſerve, and that juſtly too, to be branded with a vain and prophane ſuſpicion of that, for which they never yet, nor ever will be able to give a reaſon.

Secondly, From the teſtimony of Chriſt himſelf, Mat. 5.18. Where he ſaith, that one foreign or tittle of the Law ſhall not paſs away; yea, Heaven and Earth ſhall paſs way, before the word of God ſhall ſuffer the leaſt diminution. Whence it is manifeſt, that God p. 105will not permit his word conteined in the Scriptures, to ſuffer any the leaſt depravation.

Thirdly, From the incredible devotion, even to ſuperſtition, which the Jews bore to the holy Scriptures; whence it was enacted by them, that if any one ſhould preſume to change or alter any thing therein, they were judged guilty of an unpardonable offence. Beſides, if they would have done it, they could not; for it muſt have been done either before the coming of the Meſſias, or after; If before any ſuch wickedneſs had been committed by them, they could not have have evaded the juſt reprehenſion of Chriſt and his Apoſtles: If after, the Copies thereof being diſperſed among the Chriſtians, would have rendred ſuch attempts vain and fruitleſs. And that they did it not, may appear by thoſe places concerning the coming of Chriſt in the fleſh, which above all, and before all others would have been corrupted by them.

Fourthly, From the care and vigilancy of the Fathers, who have ever had recourſe to, and made uſe of theſe ſpiritual weapons againſt Heathens, Hereticks, and prophane p. 106perſons, inſomuch that no manifeſt depravation of the Text could poſſibly creep in, without publick notice taken of it, and as publick clamor and ſcandal againſt it.

Fifthly, From the conſideration that almoſt every age hath afforded notable and famous Criticks, ſuch as Origen and Jerome of old, Eraſmus, Beza, and an infinite number of others in latter times, who with an Heroick induſtry and diligence, have weighed every tittle in the ballance of the Sanctuary, and ſound it entire; ſo that there cannot be any viſible corruption found in it, or apparent depravation of it.

Laſtly, From the providence of God. If God could and would preſerve the Original and Authentique Scriptures inviolate, and propagate them to poſterity; there is no doubt to be made but that they were preſerved: But that God could, none can, none dare deny; That he would, his providence to the Church doth teſtifie, to whom he ſo delivered his holy Word, that without any ſuſpition of error, it might receive inſtruction and information from it, Mat. 28. ult. Lo I am with you (by my word and ſpirit) unto the end of the world.

p. 107Now for Tranſlations, I confeſs, they cannot have that propriety, and delicacy, and harmony, and melody of language, which the Holy Ghoſt delighted in, and made frequent uſe of, in the penning of the Scriptures. We know, that when the Grecians and the Romanes, and S. Auguſt. himſelf undervalued and deſpiſed the Scriptures, becauſe of the poor and beggerly phraſe that they ſeemed to be written in, the Chriſtians could ſay little againſt it, but turned ſtill upon the other and ſafer way, we conſider the matter, and not the phraſe, becauſe for the moſt part, they had read the Scriptures onelyonly in Tranſlations, which could not maintain the Majeſty, nor preſerve the Elegancies of the Original. But howſoever the Chriſtians were at firſt fain to ſink a little under that imputation, that their Scriptures had no Majeſty, becauſe thoſe imbelliſhments could not appear in Tranſlations, with which the Originall did abound; yet now that a perfect knowledge of thoſe languages hath brought us to ſee the beauty, and to behold the glory of thoſe Books, and to come up ſo near unto the ſame in our Tranſlations: Let a man that p. 108is endued with the ſpirit of diſcerning, read the Books in our Tranſlation, he ſhall apprehend the Author to be God; the matter to be divine and abſolute that is therein contained, the manner and form to be no barbarous, or trivial, or market, or homely language, but as full of Majeſty as poſſibly could be rendred in the ſimplicity of words: And the end whereat they aim to be the glory of God alone, may thence conclude theſe are the Scriptures, and the very word of God. By the Scriptures themſelves then in the Original, and by Tranſlation as near and agreeable to the Original as the beſt and ableſt Expoſitors could poſſibly render them, have we proved, that there is a place prepared, wherein all wicked and ungodly wretches ſhall be tormented with the Devil and his Angels, and that for ever.

I but God delights not in the death of a ſinner, Ezek. 18. much leſs in the eternal damnation of any of his Creatures. Anſw. Yet as mercy hath had her place and day, ſo Juſtice muſt have hers, whom mercy ſaves, ſhe ſaves for ever, though their works were ſhort, and nothing unto God; yea, p. 109the very effects of his own grace. Therefore whom Juſtice condemns, ſhe condemns for ever, not ſo much reſpecting the perſons that have ſinned, as the perſon againſt whom they have ſinned: Almighty God, as he is good, is not delighted with their torments: but as he is juſt, he is not ſatisfied without their torments. Factus eſt malo dignus aeterno, qui hoc in ſe peremit bonum, quod eſſe poſset aeternum, ſayes Auguſt, He is juſtly plagued with an evil that is eternal, who hath corrupted himſelf in a good that might have been eternal.

But if Gods juſtice muſt be ſatisfied upon thoſe ſinners, for whom Chriſt ſatisfied not; why is it not rather in reducing them to nothing? Seeing the unthankful deſerve to be deprived of all benefits. Now one ſpecial benefit is Being; therefore ipſum eſse amittant, let them not be. Anſw. Its true, the Creature that diſobeyes the Creator, deſerves to loſe his being: but becauſe it was given him to this purpoſe, that he ſhould ſerve him; therefore it ſhall never be taken away, for God will have his homage and ſervice out of that very being, whether of grace and ſalvation, to the praiſe of his mercy, p. 110or of puniſhment and confuſion, to the praiſe of his juſtice.

But Anonymus is of an opinion, that the mercy of God will terminate their ſorrows according to that in Wiſd. 11.23. Thou ſhalt have mercy upon all, and thou loveſt all the things that are: and Rom. 11.32. God hath concluded all under unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all; Sed concluſit & daemones; he hath alſo concluded the Devils under ſin. Neither will his goodneſs ſuffer that, which he made for bleſſedneſs to periſh for ever in torment. Alas, theſe be but the plauſible conceits that over-mercifull Origen did firſt bring forth for the recovery of loſt ſpirits; who notwithſtanding the doom of Chriſt, Depart ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, would have theſe words rather, Minaciter quàm veraciter dicta, ſpoken by way of threatning, then by way of truth. But the Scripture delivers it plain, ac plenè, Rev. 20.10. The Devil ſhall be tormented in the Lake of fire day and night for ever.

Beſides, this opinion doth both extendere & extenuare miſericordiam; as it ſtraineth, ſo it reſtraineth mercy. It extends it to the p. 111future deliverance of the damned, it extenuates it in regard of the happy condition of the bleſſed. For if the loſt be ever to be releaſed out of Hell; then will it follow that the Saints are one day to be excluded out of heaven; And ſo, what the bad ſhall gain, the good ſhall loſe: yea, the very mercy of God cannot get more glory by the one, then it ſhall loſe by the other,

But though the Devils be everlaſtingly chained up, yet there may be mercy for reprobate men they may get looſe, Gen. 6.3. My ſpirit ſhall not alwaies ſtrive with man; therefore his indignation ſhall ceaſe. And he doth often threaten, but not do as we ſee in the caſe of Ninive. Anſw. God doth many times menace and not ſtrike, becauſe our repentance ſteps between: But when everlaſting burning hath waſted all the moiſture of repenting, will he do ſo then? Here indeed we may ſpeed as well as Ninive, and find God in mercy enclining towards us: for we cannot chuſe but ſtand, ſo long as our ſins fall: but we muſt needs fall, if our ſins ſtand. But at that day, the date of repentance will be quite out. I but as David puts the queſtion, Pſal. 77.7. Will the Lord p. 112caſt off for ever, and will he be favourable no more? No certainly, while there is life, there is hope: for that is ſpoken onelyonly of temporal afflictions, with which the Church is exerciſed while it is militant here below. But ſtill as the joyes of heaven, ſo the pains of Hell are eternal. If they that ſay otherwiſe, Anonymus and his gang can tell us when, and at what time they ſhall expire, then will they ſay ſomething to the purpoſe.

For the concluſion of the whole matter; methinks God may juſtly ſay to Anonymus, as he did to that wicked and unreformable perſon, Pſal. 50.16. What haſt thou to do to declare my ſtatutes, or that thou ſhouldſt take my Covenant in thy mouth? ſeeing thou not only hateſt it it in thine heart, but alſo perverteſt it with thy lips? It were fit and neceſſary that ſuch men, before they be ſuffered to meddle with the Scriptures, ſhould put in ſureties, that the ſenſe which they give of them, ſhould be Orthodox and conſenting with the Church. For the truſting of every man upon his ſingle bond, to interpret any place of Scripture, is the occaſion of much error: So grow they bold to utter their own fancies, and look to be believed upon p. 113their own bare word, which is Dominari fidei, to take upon them to be Lords over the faith of others. If Satan come to us in broad terms, charging us to renounce Chriſt, we ſhould openly and utterly defie them; Therefore he creeps in like a Serpent, and as our Saviour tells us, Mat. 13.25. Superſeminat Errores, ſowes Tares: that theſe growing together with the ſeeds of truth, may in time choak them.

The things that were ordained for a means, whereby the Gentiles might come to know God, by Satans illuſion became occaſions of their more offending him, Rom. 1.20. By the viſible things of the Creation, they might have underſtood the inviſible things of the God-head. But they fell to worſhip the Sun, Moon, and Creatures, omitting the knowledge of the Creator: Where ſhould we know Chriſt but in, and by the Scriptures? Joh. 5.39. Search the Scriptures, ſaith he, they teſtifie of me. Yet as it often happens, that in the very high-way we cannot ſee for duſt; ſo upon the face of this ſacred Spring, the Devil collects ſuch clouds of errors; that many men do loſe Chriſt even in the very place where they are p. 114appointed to find him. Or, as in dark nights, Pyrates uſe to kindle fires, and make great lights upon the Rocks, and maritime Coaſts: whether, when poor Seamen ſteer, in hope of harbour, they meet with nothing but wrack and ruine: So Hereticks flouriſh with Scriptures, or at leaſt with ſome flaſhes of it, like falſe Lights, to which when diſtreſſed ſouls repair for ſuccour, theſe peſtilent ſeducers feed them with nothing but pernitious errors. Fowlers by ſetting up a dead Tree, beſmeared with Lime, and beſet with dead birds, as if they were living, allure the live birds to them, as to their friends and acquaintance, and ſo bring them to deſtruction. The application is eaſie; the experiment too common. Dead errors are made ſnares for living ſouls.

This is the cunning of theſe wicked Impoſtors, ſomething they will have good, to draw down the evil, the greater part ſhall be evil to poyſon the good; Miſcent recta perverſis, ſaith Gregory in his Morals, Ut oſtendendo bona auditores ad ſe pertrahant: & exhibendo mala, latenti peſte corrumpant. They ſeem Saints at a diſtance, and ſpeak well, if you may believe them; p. 115but if you approach near to them, and make a more narrow diſcovery of them, you ſhall find they are in ſheeps cloathing. If Rome had not ſome truth, ſhe would never be believed: if ſhe were not full of errors, her followers could not be deceived. As the Apoſtles from God, ſo the faithful Miniſters of God, from the Apoſtles, by the commandment of God, do warn us of theſe things, that we fall not into the error of the wicked. It may be that we ſlight them ſpeaking: but they of whom they warn us, would give much to have them hold their peace. You know the ſtory; Philip of Macedon beſieging Athens, ſent Legates to the City, that if they would deliver into his hands ten of their Orators, ſuch as he ſhould chuſe, whom he pretended to be diſturbers of the Common-wealth, he would raiſe his ſiege, and be at peace with them. But Demosthenes quickly ſmelt out his plot, and with the conſent of the Athenians, returned him this Apological anſwer. The Wolves came to Treat of a League with the ſhepherds, and told them thus; All the fraud and diſcord betwixt you and us, ariſeth from a certain generation of Dogs, which p. 116you maintain among you: deliver up thoſe Dogs, & we will be good friends with you, neither will we any wayes wrong you. The Dogs were delivered up, & the Peace was concluded, the ſhepherds ſecure: But O the woful and cruel maſſacre that was preſently made amongſt the poor Lambs: they were all devoured, the Shepheards undone, and all by parting with their Dogs. If the Popiſh and Schiſmatical faction, who like Sampſons Foxes, are joyned together by the tayls, though their heads ſeem to be different one from the other, could once get the Miniſters of the Goſpel to hold their peace, or procure them to be muzzled by Authority, or to be delivered over to their wolviſh cruelty, woe were to our poor ſouls. Error would then play Rekes, Darkneſs triumph, Hell make play-days, Truth would languiſh, and all goodneſs lye proſtrate on the Earth. As little as they are now regarded, or as much as they are ſlighted; we ſhould then dearly miſs them, and earneſtly wiſh for them; and ſay, bleſſed are they that come to us, not onelyonly in the name of the Lord, as moſt ſeducers do, but ſent from the Lord, to his glory & our eſtabliſhment.

p. 117Let us then, while we do enjoy them, gather ſtrength from them againſt vacillation and inconſtancy. There be ſome, of whom the Apoſtle Paul ſpeaks, 2 Tim. 4.4. That will turn away their Ears from the Truth, unto Fables, very toyes will lead away fools. Alas, a quid novi, carries them any where. A new faſhion does not more take your proud Lady, a new Play your roaring Gallant, a new Tavern your deep Drinker, a new Trick your nimble Cheater, nor a new Drug your gulling Emperick, then a new opinion does your light-heel'd Schiſmatick. Chriſt queſtions the Jews, Mat. 11.7. What went ye out into Wilderneſs to ſee? a Reed ſhaken with the wind? yea rather, O ye Reeds ſhaken with the wind, what vvent ye out into the Wilderneſs to ſee? a vanity lighter then your ſelves? yet as the golden Calf took the Iſraelites, becauſe it vvas made of their Earings: So a fictitious conceit tranſporteth too many among us, becauſe it is made fit for their Ears.

Let us truly vveigh the folly of inconſtancy, Heb. 13.9. Be not carried about with ſtrange Doctrines, for it is a good thing for the heart to be eſtabliſhed with grace. To p. 118be looſe then in the main joynts, of Religion, muſt needs be very bad. The tottering wall is ſoon blown down, but being down, who ſhall erect and ſet it up again? The righteous ſoul is like a body of a ſquare figure: turn it on which part you will, lay it how you liſt, it will ſtill be conſtant, and like it ſelf. An unſtable Chriſtian is the worlds worſt movable: a little reſembling the Silk-worm, but not of ſuch profit: one day you ſhall find him a fly, another a Maggot, very ſeldom twice in the ſame ſhape. Take Gold, and throw it into the water, yet it loſeth neither value nor colour, caſt it into the fire, and it comes forth the purer; but dirt is hardned with the fire, and diſſolved with the water: The Sons of levity are ſuch, as that which they are joyned withall would have them to be: hard or ſoft, cold or hot, tall or low, great or ſmall, of any temper. Their ſouls are like common ſtrumpets, they take in all ſuggeſtions: If one ſay there is no Hell, they believe it: If another ſhall come and ſay, there is no Heaven, no Angel, no God, they are apt to be taken with it. For ſhame let us be ſteddy, before we be laid in the ſteddy Earth, where there is no p. 119motion at all. In the Grave the moſt pragmatical buſie-body ſhall be quiet. There is no ſhifting of ground, no changing of ſides there. They that troubled all the Country with their fantaſtical Opinions, to get themſelves a name, ſhall there lie as quiet as their fellow-clods. The body ſhall be confined to one place, the ſoul to another, without ſhifting or removing, till the time come that they be removed to the Bar, and brought before the Tribunal of the Lord Jeſus, to receive ſecundum opera, according to their works.

I confeſs, we are Sheep, apt to wander, but we ſhall not if we keep our Shepherd; We are Chickens apt to ſtray, but we may be ſecure under the wings of our Hen. God is our Shepherd, let us keep cloſe to him, never any truſted in him, and did miſcarry. The Holy Catholick Church, ſhe is the Hen, under whoſe Wings we have been hatched up hitherto, let us carefully brood our ſelves under the ſame, from the danger of the Kite. Let us keep in the one, and depend upon the other by our Faith and Prayers; and all the forces of Satan ſhall p. 120not remove us from the Truth. Which God of his mercy Grant we may to his Glory, our own Comfort, and the good Example of others. Amen.

There is an Excellent Piece of the ſame Authors Extant, againſt the Socinians, with an Hiſtory of their Lives and Deaths.

FINIS.

End of the text · Nicholas Chewney, Hell with the Everlasting Torments Thereof Asserted (1660)