A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 67 (Question 19 cont.)
SERMON LXVII.
III. THEY are made liable to the … He after ever. This is the laſt are moſt diſmal part of the Tradegy. After miſerable life, and a curſed death, they … over to endleſs torments. This alſo is on… prized in the threatning, Gen. 2.17. and … this head belongs the whole puniſhment … of loſs and of ſenſe, which falls upon ſome after a bodily death hath taken them … from the preſent life. The former were … ſteps to this, and the inch…atio…s of the d… to which man was doomed for ſin, here … we come to the perfection of it; and it is that which is called the ſecond Death.
THERE are three things here to be wh… notice of, viz.
1. The place where this … is to be ſuffered.
2. The miſeries that are … be undergone in this place.
3. The d…rain … them. Of theſe in order.
1. THE place where this miſery is to be ſuffered, is called Hell. The Hebrews … many words to expreſs Hell by, uſed in the Old Teſtament; the moſt whereof are in… rently uſed for b…th the grave and hell, … both for the ſtate of the dead and the da… but there are two words which are me… rically uſed for hell it ſelf; viz. T…pher, and The valley of Hinnem: the reaſon of the metaphor was, becauſe there was a place, a little without the city of Jeruſalem, in which the idolatrous Jews had erected the image … …, where after a barbarous and moſt cruel manner they burnt their children i… ſacrifice to the Idol: which place was … T…ph…t, becauſe of the ſounding of the … pets which was uſed at theſe inhance… butcheries, to drown the noiſe of the dolo… cries of theſe poor innocents, under their is tollerable tortures: And the valley of H… n…m, from the ancient land lords, Joſh. 15.…. And the border went up by the valley of the … of Hinnom, unto the ſouth ſide of the Jo… the ſame is Jeruſalem. And becauſe there could not be a more lively repreſentation … hell upon earth than this was, theſe word were made uſe of to expreſs it: for the former ſee Iſai, 30.33. the latter is once and again made uſe of by our Saviour Chriſt, Mat. 5.22, 29, 30.—T… thy done body ſhall be caſt unto hell. and elſe…r…; as the beſt …ks underſtand the word; wh…ch doubtleſs he did, becauſe it was more to underſtand by the Jews to whom he ſpa…e. Whether the word, Hell, be uſed in the Scripture to ſignify a place, or only to …mate the after ſtate of man, is diſputed by ſome; but I think without reaſon. That it may be uſed met…ny…ically, for the ſtate, needs no debate; but that it firſtly and moſt properly intends a place may be made appear in the clearing up the deſcription of it, which may be this: Hell is a place purpoſely prepared by God, for the at…ment of the glory of has Juſ…e in the ever…ting puniſhment of Devils, and wicked men. When we have taken a ſcantling of this deſcription, we ſhall ſee what a fearful thing hell is. Here then,
1. HELL is a place, or it is in a place. Beſides thoſe Scripture expreſſions which infer this truth; when it is called a take burning, &c. Rev. 21.8. ſaid that the wicked ſhall be thrown or o…t into …, Pſal. 9.17. Math. 5.2…. and there is a diſta…e ſaid to be between it and heaven, Luk. 16.20. all which expreſſions do intimate a place, nay and that it is in words called a place of torment, ver. 28. there are two Concluſions which may be eaſily made to appear. viz.
(1.) THAT the puniſhment of the damned muſt needs be in ſome place. If we ſuppoſe men and devils to be puniſhed, we muſt allow them ſomewhere to be puniſhed. I ſhall not …ciſe on the food notions of men about place, and the nice diſtinction between locas and abi. It is out of doubt that a finite being cannot be every where at once, or unlimited, for then it were not finite, and why we may not call its abi its place, I know no reaſon. Devils indeed, and Souls, are ſpirits, but they are creatures; and if they be here, they cannot be there it was only the rich mans ſend that was in hell, Luk. 16. and yet he calls it a place: but beſides, the bodies of the wicked are alſo doomed to this puniſhment, …. 10.28. which all acknowledge muſt …py a place. To talk of an hell, and deny it a place, is to feign an imaginary hell, and ſo to bring the article it ſelf into queſtion.
(2.) THAT hell is a place fixed and determined. It not only ſhall be in place, but it is aſſigned where it ſhall be. This is evident, in that it is ſaid both to be ordained, and prepared by God, Iſai. 30.33. Math. 25.41. The firſt Hebrew word ſignifies to diſpoſe or put a thing in order; the latter ſignifies to at a thing for its uſe; the Greek word ſignifies both to appoint and make ready: now this could not be, unleſs the place it ſelf were pitched upon: beſides it is the ſame word that is uſed concerning the place of the bleſſed, ver. 34. and we know that that is heaven, a fixed, and determinate place: as therefore that is called a place, ſo is this a priſon, 1 Pet. 3.19. becauſe the Souls of the wicked are there detained till the day of Judgment.
IF any ſhall enquire, Where this place is? I anſwer; The Scripture was not deſigned to gratify mens needleſs curioſity, but to profit them for eternal life; and becauſe it more concerns us to ſeek how to eſcape it, than to know where it is, it rather tells us what is the woful unhappineſs of the place, than points us where to find it.
BUT yet there may be ſome ſober conjectures made about it. There are many wild gueſſes made on this account, which I over paſs; only give me leave briefly to ſay thus much; That when a number of the glorious Angels by their apoſtacy made themſelves Devils, Heaven was ſhut againſt there, that they could no more return thither, and they were thruſt down into the lower world, as into a priſon houſe; hence are ſaid to be reſerved, &c. Jude 6. Here then is their hell at preſent. That the Souls of the wicked, when they depart from their bodies, fall into the hands of Devils, with whom they are to be for ever, is very likely, as the Souls of the righteous do into the hands of the bleſſed Angels; as theſe therefore carry their precious Souls to heaven, ſo do the other their curſed Souls to hell, and that is to be with them, and it is called their own place, Act. 1.25. and that is in this lower world. And indeed, the ſin that was committed here below, might well turn the earth into an hell. That for the preſent there is ſome place aſſigned for the damned Souls to be kept and reſerved and tormented in, is not to be doubted; whether it be in ſome ſubterranean receptacle, provided for that purpoſe, is not to us certain, but ſeems to be intimated from ſuch Scriptures 25, Pſal. 49.19. He ſtill go to the generation of his fathers, they ſhall never ſee light. Prov. 21.16. The man that wandereth cut of the way of underſtanding, ſhall remain in the congregation of the dead. The word dead, is ſometimes tranſlated Giants, ſometimes Devils; and is here interpreted of the Devils and the damned. Prov. 9.18. But he know…th not that the dead are there, and that her gueſts are in the depths …f bed. Iſal. 14.9. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it ſtarreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth…, at hath raiſed up from their thrones all the king, …f the nations. That after the day of Judgment, this lower elementary world ſhall be the hell of the Devils and damned, is to me more than probable: how far it will be fitted for it from the great conflagration, of which, 2 Pet. 3.10. we may conjecture; when it will be a place of confuſion, and burning: and what other uſe will be made of it, we have no fair proſpect of it. To think, as ſome do, that it ſhall be renewed with all the creatures which once were on it, is not only with …ut Scripture, but againſt reaſon; as if thoſe temporary things, were to be turned into eternal things. As for the Saints they have another home, and ſo it will … he for them to c…verſe in, ſo that only Devils and wicked men are left behind, when the judgment is ever. Let us further conſider, that here they finned, here they are impriſoned, and here they ſhall be judged, and here ſhall the ſentence be put in execution; and we know that the place of execution; is treat to be near the place of judgment. Beſides in the hiſtory of the creation, that work is connued to the making of but two places, viz. Heaven & Earth. Gen. 1.1. So that in one of theſe hell muſt be; but it cannot be in the former, and therefore we muſt aſſign it to the latter. Finally, the ſtate of hell is expreſſed by a ſeparation from the comfortable preſent …f God. 2 Theſ. 1.9. and by a departing from him. Mat. 25.21. Now the place of his glorious manifeſting himſelf is the third Heaven; and this lower world is at the moſt remote diſtance from it. But this may ſuffice.
2. THE ſubjects for when this place is app…, … Devils, and wicked men. Our Sa…our indeed ſeems to …timate as if it were pri…pally deſigned for the Devils, …laſh 2….…1. but however, the ſentence then paſſed ſign…es that it was for the wicked too: and other Scriptures do plainly allot it to them, … 1.25. Iſai. 30 33. Pſal. 9.1…. Jule a They are the enemies of God, and ſuch as are abhorred of him, who muſt have their abode here a he hath provided another place for his friends, and beloved: and by the company that is to be there, we may make a gueſs at the wretchedneſs of the place. There were indeed at the firſt, no Devils nor ungodly men, they all came out of God's hands in creation very good; but he, by his infinite fore knowledge, ſaw that there would be thoſe who would make themſelves ſuch, and he accordingly allotted this place for them, as being moſt fit for ſuch vile creatures, as had made themſelves wholly u… fit for communion with him in the holy place. We have ſuch a character given us of ſuch as are for the place, in that catalogue. Rev. 21.8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and marderers, and wh…e is angers, and jorcerers, and idolaters, and all hart, ſhall have their part in the lake which burneth with pre…and brimſt…ne: which is the ſecond death. Chap. 22.15. For without are d…gs, and ſorcerers, and where mongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoſoever loveth and maketh a lie.
3 THE end or deſign of their being in this place, is to undergo everlaſting puniſhment. So our Saviour Chriſt expreſſeth it, Mat. 25. ult. Hence we read of the ſorr…tes of hell, Pſal. 18.5. the damnation of hell, Mat. 23.33. being tormented in hell, Luk. 16.23. and of hell fire, or the fire of hell, Mat. 5.22. Touching the eternity of theſe puniſhments, it belongs to an after conſideration; but that it is a place of puniſhments, yet further beſpeaks the terribleneſs of it: eſpecially if we conſider that here they are to be compleated. All puniſhment is a miſery, elſe it could not bear that name: thoſe that are undergone in this life are experienced to be ſo; but alas! they are but the beginnings of ſorrows; and here they are to receive their perfection. There is nothing elſe but puniſhment to be heard of in hell; it is the place where God will inflict all his wrath upon his enemies. Here ſinners had a great deal of mercy mixt with their miſery, but there ſhall be none at all. Iſai. 27.11. He that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that f…rmed them will ſhew them no ſavour. There is nothing to be heard of in this place but endleſs …rments. It is an eternal rack on which the creature is kept without any intermiſſion or breathing while. If there had been no ſin, there had been no puniſhment and conſequently no hell.
4. THE higheſt end of this puniſhment, and of God's allotting of this place for it, is the of v…ncement of the glory of his Juſtice. There is a twofold Juſtice which we attribute … God; Sovereign Juſtice, which is nothing elſe but his abſolute liberty and authority over the works of his hands; of this, Rom. 9.20. Nay but O man, who art thou that replieſt againſt God, ſhall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, Why bact thou made me thus. And this eminently appears in his eternal purpoſe. And his Relative Justice, which is exerted in his proceeding according to the rule con… tuted between him and the reaſonable creature; of this, Rom. 9.22. What if God, wi… to ſhew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long ſuffering the veſſels of wrath fitted to destruction. Relative Juſtice, among men is diſtributed into, commutation, and diſtributive: Commutative juſtice con… in righteouſneſs obſerved in the dealings or traflick which men have one with another; and in the proper notion of it, there is to room for it between God and the creature, becauſe we can give nothing worth what we have of him, but receive it all of his bounty hence that, Rom. 11.35. Or who hath fi… given unto him, and it ſhall be recompenſed a… him again? Diſtributive Juſtice conſiſts in the rewarding or puniſhing perſons according to law and equity: and this God aſſumes to himſelf, and it belongs to our preſent conſideration. The foundation of this is in the covenant which God tranſacted with mankind at firſt; in which he gave them a law, and ratified it with a promiſe and a threatning: which were to take place according as he either kept or violated that law. Hence relative and distributive juſtice is ſaid to be either rewarding or revenging; and we have both of them expounded in, Rom. 2.6, 7, 8. Who wil… render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing ſeek for glory, and honour, and immortally eternal life: but unto them that are contention and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousneſs; indignation, and wrath. It is the latte… of theſe which the conſideration of hell belongs to. Here obſerve,
(1.) THAT God intended from eternity the declarative glory of his revenging juſtice. Rom. 9.22. This was one of thoſe Attributes which he purpoſed the manifeſtation of in his works of efficiency; and accordingly he made creatures capable of being tranſacted withal in order hereunto. It is a rule without exception, that whatſoever cames to paſs in time, was ordained before time; but we are aſſured that there is ſuch a thing in the event, and we are told, Prov. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for himſelf: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. And, Jude 4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into laſciviouſneſs, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
(2.) THAT be accordingly conſtituted a law of juſtice, between him and the reaſonable creature. That there was ſuch a conſtitution, between Him and the Angels is to be ſuppoſed, becauſe they are to be judged at the laſt day. 1 Cor. 6.3. Know ye not that we ſhall judge Angels. 2 Pet. 2.4. For if God ſpared not the Angels that ſinned, but ceſt them down to bell, and delivered them into chains of darkneſs, to be reſerved unto judgment. That he did ſo with men, appears from, Gen. 2.17. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou ſhalt not …t of it; for in the day that thou cateſt thereof, thou ſhalt ſurely dye. And elſewhere frequently in Scripture. Now in the conſtitution of this law, there was a preſumption of their breaking it, and a puniſhment threatned in caſe of ſuch a breach, which is called Death, and what a death it was, the whole word of God ſerves to inform us.
(3.) THAT God voluntarily permitted ſome Angels, and all Mankind to bring themſelves under the threatning by their tranſgreſſion. He left them to fall: there was his permiſſive providence in it, he could elſe have kept them from falling, as well as he made them upright; and by their ſo falling, they, ipſo j…tto, came under the ſentence of condemnation; they were made guilty. But of theſe things I have before ſpoken diſtinctly.
(4.) THAT God leaves all Devils, and ſome of mankind to abide under this ſentence. There is a way of recovery found out for man, according to the new Covenant; but there is none at all for the Devils, and therefore they are altogether deſperate: but all men are not recovered in that way, but multitudes are left under the condemnation, in which they were born, and that is, to be children of wrath, Eph. 2.3. and ſo the wrath of God doth ſtill abide on them, Joh. 3.36. And ſo revenging juſtice muſt take place upon them perſonally; for God will be as good as his word, and will give a full accompliſhment unto it. 1 Sam. 15.29. And alſo the ſtrength of Iſrael will not lie, nor repent: for he is not a man that he ſhould repent.
(5.) THE puniſhments appointed for them by …tence are righteous; Eſſe it could not be juſtice to execute them. The puniſhing a perſon according to law cannot be a righteous thing, unleſs the law appointing it be a righteous law, nor can that be ſo, except the offence be ſo great as to merit a puniſhment as high as is denounced; but ſo it is here, Rom. 6.23. For the wiges of ſin is death. And ſo it is declared concerning this very thing in, 2 Theſ. 1.6. Seeing it is a righteous thing with God, to rec…m…ence tribulation to them which trouble you. The truth is, the creation is not capable of ſuffering a penalty greater than ſin muſt needs deſerve, nor ſo great in quantity or meaſure, and therefore it muſt ſupply it in its duration.
(6.) GOD will have theſe to be everlaſting monuments of this Attribute. The creatures that are concerned with this justice are immortal creatures; at leaſt as to their ſpiritual part: and God would have this righteouſneſs of his to ſhine forth for ever in the ſubjects of it. As therefore he will have them to abide through eternity, ſo he will continue this puniſhment of theirs through the ſame duration. Hence that, 2 Theſ. 1.9. Who ſhall be puniſhed with everlaſting deſtruction from the preſence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. But more of this afterwards.
(7.) HENCE God appointed hell for the exaltation of this juſtice in. As the creature is deſigned for an eternity, ſo it muſt be ſomewhere diſpoſed for it; this place therefore God contrived for the endleſs abode of his enemies; and for that reaſon it is called their own place, becauſe as they have deſerved it, ſo God hath decreed it for them. As therefore heaven is a place where mercy and grace are to be illuſtrated in their glory, ſo hell is a place where juſtice muſt fit in ſtate and triumph, where God will ſhew his infinite hatred of ſin, and make it to appear that he is juſt in his diſtribution to the children of wrath. Pſal. 9.16. The Lord is known by the judgments which he executeth; the wicked is ſnared in the works of his own hands.
5. GOD therefore prepared hell purpoſely for this deſign. The infinite wiſdom of God is to be ſeen and adored in all his works: now there are two things in which this wiſdom is principally to be obſerved, viz. in appointing every thing for a ſuitable end, ſo as that he may have his honour by it; and in contriving it ſo as that it may beſt attain that end for which it was appointed; and this is called his preparing it, in Scripture; when therefore hell is ſaid to be prepared by him, it tells us, that he hath accommodated it to this purpoſe, that it may be a place moſt fitted for the ſhewing his wrath in the puniſhment of thoſe who muſt be the monuments of his indignation: and thereupon it ſhall be every way furniſhed for that deſign; it muſt therefore needs be a moſt diſmal and dreadful place. The invention of men hath been fearfully fertile in deviſing of tortures to afflict their fellows w…thal, and places for that …: what then muſt the …nite God d…, wh…e hath a m…d to make his wrath knew… in a place that …ad never been, it is had not …e… for that perp…ſe… How miſerable then moſt their lot be, wh…ſe portion it is to hand ſell that place… it …ſt …eeds be …tr…le beyond our preſent capacity of c…ce…v… 5. though there is enough … …red to make the … in Z…on a…a…d. But this will come under the next conſideration.
USE 1. LET this … ſinners l…ng and Col … the for … they …. You ſee here what an unhappy legacy your hill father left you, what a fearful inheritance you are born the heirs …. It the miſeries of this life, and a bodily death were all, the…h they alſo are terrible, it would not be ſo …rr…ng: but know it, your perdition from the hands of God is, to be d…pate… from a miſerable world, to a more miſerable hell; and if once the thread of your late b… …, in th… condition, you are then for ever without ſee very; and let me aſſure you this is not to be …ailled withal: believe that there is … a place, becauſe God hath aſſured you … it in his word; believe that it is your … by the … under which you are h…: think what a dreadful place it is, and how intollerable it muſt needs be, by reflecting on the eather of it, God, who doth all things like himſelf; the uſe of it, to be a place of puniſhment, and that for fin the greateſt evil; and by the end of it, to make the wrath of God known, and illuſtrate the triumphs of revenging juſtice: think how you ſtand every moment on the b…ink of this pit, ready to be th…rſt over the precipice a…d tutald into that land of dathneſs and confeſion; and now laugh at deſtruction if you can; ſay, is this a place to be dwelt in for ever? is there no hope to eſcape?
USE II. LET this n… make a Saviour prec…as, and his Salvation acceptable … you. One would think that ſhould be enough to raiſe the eſteem of Chriſt among a company of periſhing ſinners, to read that title of his, 1 Theſ. 1.10. Even Jeſus which delivered … from the wrath to come. That he is the great and only deliverer, that he hath the keys of death and hell, and is able to quench theſe everlaſting hereings for us, and free us from going d…wn to the pit. Oh then, if you would not have your everlaſting abode in that burning lake, look unto him now, that you may be ſaved. If once you come there, the gult will then be fixed, and there will be no coming thence again; and you are going apace to that congregation: now then, whiles a Saviour calls, and warns, and invites you, make taſte. give no reſt to your eyes, nor give him any reſt, until you are gotten under the ſhadow …f his wings, and ſet free from the condemnation of hell. On that you were now per…waded to fly as for your lives, that ſo you way never be made to know what it is to dwell with theſe everlaſting burnings, by your … doleful experience.
[NOVEMBER 28. 1….]