The Immortality of the Soul, Part 4
The pain of loſſe and ſuffering.
BUt yet, alas, with ſorrow I am forced to mourn in this world when I ſee wicked and ungodly men to run headlong to hel, and deſtruction: for hell is prepared for wilfull rebellious ſinners; aſſure as Heaven is prepared for faithfull repenting ſinners; our Saviour, the Prophets and the Apoſtles, proves it plainly, the fearfull puniſhment and torment which our Lord and Saviour Chriſt Ieſus hath foretold ſhall come to ungodly, unfaithfull, and obſtinate ſinners, ſhould make them feare and repent, and ſeeke for mercy, while they are in this world before that fearfull day of judgement to come when there ſhall be no more mercy for them that would not ſeeke it in this life, but the fooliſh worldlings of this world will not repent, The foole hath ſaid in his heart there is no God, the fool hath ſaid that the Al-ſeeing God doth not ſee all his bad works, and the evill thoughts of his heart he will not repent; the foole hath denied in his heart Gods power, will and juſtice; hee thinks God will not rayſe up the dead bodies of mankind ſpiritually reſtored in more ſtrength and nimbleneſſe, the good and faithfull to be partakers of his mercy in Heaven for ever; and the unfaithfull, the fearfull, the adulterers, the ſlanderers, the murderers, the covetous the envious the Idolaters, the unthankfull, the careleſſe people of Gods true worſhip, and ſuch like to be puniſhed in hell torments for ever, except they repent and amend their lives, and r…n to God for mercy in the name of Chriſt Ieſus his well beloved Son and then will Chriſt Ieſus gather them as the Hen gathereth her chickins under her wings, and ſave them from the wrath of God and from the power and envy of the Devill: and Chriſt Ieſus will waſh away their ſins in his precious bloud, and make them as white as ſnow and wooll, beloved to God for ever: bet if rugodly men will not repent their ſins and returne to God for mercy and judge themſelves worthy to dye for their ſins, then thoſe wofull threatnings and curſin…s which are written in the word of God muſt needs fall upon them, Go you curſed into everlaſting hell fire prepared for the Devill and his angels, and take the unprofitable ſervant, and caſt him into utter darkneſſe, where ſhall be weeping wailing and gnaſhing of teeth. And againe, take the man which had not on the wedding garment of faith and repentance or the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt Ieſus, binde him hand and foot and caſt him into utter darkneſſe, where ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth: It is better for thee to pull out thy right eye, and to caſt it from thee, that is thy deareſt, darling and beſt belovedſt ſins that will offend and diſpleaſe thee: then having thy ſins to be caſt into hell fire, where the worme dyeth not, and the fire never goethout. And again, Tophet is prepared of old for ungodly, faithleſſe men, the burning of it is great, and the wrath …f the Lord like a river of brimſtone ſhall kindle it. And again Hell beneath is moved to meet thee, and the wicked people go down to Hell: and all the people that forget God; and God will wound the hoary ſcalp… of him that goeth on in his wickedneſſe, and upon the ungodly God will rain ſnares of fire and brimſtore, ſtorme and tempeſt; this is their … to drinke, and tribulations horrour and anguiſh ſhall be upon the head of every one that doth evill: Hell is a darke priſon large and great, and the wrath of the Lord doth afflict divers torments upon them, beſides the pain of loſſe, whereof commeth the w…me of conſcience, which grief is as great as the other when they ſhall remember the loſſe of Heaven that large, great and glorious place of pleaſure and refreſhing, which they juſtly and madly have loſt by their greedy ſins, and have ſold their birthright to Heaven for trifles, if they world have truſted in Chriſt and have loved his laws, and now they know all is gone, becauſe they loved lying vanities and looſe behaviour: now all hope is gone for ever too late repentance will doe them no good, at this remembrance grief the worme of conſcience will byte them, and they will curſe themſelves, and curſe their wicked acquaintance which drew them on to ſins in this world, and wiſh that their torment might make an end of them, but that is impoſſible they muſt lye in priſon for ever: Death gnaweth upon them for ever; the ſecond death of body and ſoul: ſo ſtrait was Dives in Hell, that he asked but for a drop of water to coole his tongue, and could not have it, whoſe fare in this world was delicious, and his drinke of the beſt wine: alſo The Lord Ieſus will come from Heaven in flaming fire, rendring vengeance to them that obey not his Goſpell: and another grief followeth to the damned, God and his Angels, and his Saints ſhall laugh them to ſcorne; for in this world they grieved the good ſpirit of the holy ghoſt which put Gods thoughts in their hearts, and they gave place to the Devill and his evill motions, they grieved the good Angels with their ſins in this world, and they grieved and vexed the Saints in this world, the godly Miniſters that taught them the word of God, wept and prayed for them, they vexed their godly Neighbours and godly friends, which gave them good counſell, and mourned for them in this world: but when the day of judgment came, and when the Angell of the covenant hath ſworne that that time ſhall be no more, then the Saints and Angels ſhall all rejoyce at Gods righteous judgments: For in Heaven is no mourning, although they ſee their brothers, ſiſters, fathers, ſonnes and acquaintance ſent to hell by Gods juſtice, but they ſhall ſay; Juſt and true are thy judgments, ô Lord God, King of Saints! for their deſtruction is from themſelves, they have made themſelves the children of the Devill: but while time laſteth in this world, wiſdome ſtretcheth out her hand all the day long, ſaying, Turne yee from your evill ways, Why will yee die, Prov. 1.20, 21, 22, 23.ô ye ſons of men, The Lord deſires not the death of a ſinner, but that he ſhould turn from his evill ways, and lay faſt hold on the promiſes of his Son Chriſt Jeſus, and if thou wilt turn away from thy evill works, and love all Gods laws with an upright heart, thou ſhalt ſurely live, and have all thy ſins forgiven thee; for the Lord Ieſus ſuffered moſt cruell torments, and ſhed his moſt precious bloud for thoſe people which are truly humbled before him, and which do ſee their ſins and confeſſe them to God, and are weary of them, and deſire God for Jeſus Chriſt ſake, his only ſon to forgive them all, and pray to God for help and grace, to ſtand in his feare and love to all thoſe people, the Lord Ieſus our Seviour hath made moſt great and precious promiſes, wherein ſtands our very life and comfort, and an aſſured hope of eternall life and ſalvation, if we take heed unto them, then be not fearfull to obey Chriſt Jeſus commandements, ô doubtfull ſoul, For he calleth all thoſe that be weary and heavy laden with their ſins, and hee will refreſh them: and again, Fear not little flock, it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdome: and again, If the Son of God ſhall make you free, you ſhall be free indeed: and again, The houre commeth when all that are in the graves ſhall heare the voyce of the Son of God, and they ſhall ariſe, the good that have done good to the reſurrection of life eternall, the bad that have done evill to the reſurrection of condemnation: and again, I goe the Father to prepare a place for you, that where I am, there you may be alſo: and again, I am the living bread which came down from Heaven, if any man eat of this bread with the ſpirit of faith, he ſhall live for ever: and again, I am the good ſhepherd, the good ſhepherd giveth his life for his ſheep, and I give unto them eternall life, and they ſhall never periſh, ne…ther ſhall any man pluck them out of my hand, the Father which gave them to me is greater then all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand: and again, Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you, not as the World giveth, give I unto you: Let not your hearts be troubled, neyther let them be afraid, as my Father hath loved me, ſo have I loved you, continue you in my love if you keep my commandments, yee ſhall abide in my love, theſe things I command you, that you love one another: and Saint Peter ſayth, Give all diligence to make your calling and election ſure, add to your faith vertue, and to your vertue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godlineſſe,2 Pet. 1.5, 6, 7. and to godlineſſe brotherly kindneſſe, and to brotherly kindneſſe charity, for if theſe things be in you, and abound, they will make you that you ſhall not be barren nor unfi…full in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt. But hee that lacketh theſe things is blind and cannot ſee afar off, and hath forgotten that hee was purged from his old ſins: Wherefore, Brethren, give all diligence to make your calling and election ſure: for if you doe theſe things yee ſhall never fall, for ſo an entrance ſhall be miniſtred unto you abundantly into the everlaſting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt; and Saint Paul ſayth, That the fruits of the ſpirit is love, joy, peace, long-ſuffering, gentleneſſe, goodneſſ, faith, godly meekneſſe, temperance; againſt ſuch there is no law, the more men have of theſe graces in faith, in Chriſt Jeſus, the more the holy Ghoſt doth witneſſe unto us our aſſured hope of eternall ſalvation; God in mercy will bring alſo to Heaven many innocent children born within the covenent of grace by the vertue of Chriſt Ieſus meritorious workes; and many men and women of all Nations, whoſe graces were but few, and their faith but ſmall; If their faith were true, and if they uſed their ſmall knowledge, or two talents well, Chriſt Ieſus will have them enter into their Maſters joy, yet Chriſt Ieſus ſayth. Not every one which …, Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven, and many will ſay in that day unto Chriſt Ieſus, We have done great work in thy name, but he will ſay unto them, Matth. 7 21, 22.Depart from me ye workers of iniquity, your workes were vain, counterfeit and falſe; depart from me, I know you not: but, ô Lord for Ieſus Chriſt ſake grant us true humble hearts, upright before thee, that when the Bridegroome Chriſt Ieſus ſhall come with thouſands of Angels, that wee with the reſt of his Church;Matth. 25. the Bride may enter in with him: where wee may behold his moſt glorious Majeſty,Pſal. 17. to prayſe and magnifie his holy bleſſed and name for evermore. Amen.