are afflicted as well vpon the outward senses of the body as vpon the inward faculties of the soule and these paines are twofold the one remote or vvithout man the other propinque neere and vpon mans soule and body the outward paines remooued from the whole man are such externall torments as are accidentall and seize vpon him by reason of the place or prison it selfe and the company therein As for the place where the wicked shal bee tormented is called Hell the names thereof expresse the nature of the same and first the Heathen illuminated onely by the light of nature and rules of equity call it first a forgetting of all goodnesse 2. a desire of euil 3. the waters of greese and renouncing of all ioyes 4. weeping and lamenting 5. a Lake of misery and euerlasting loathing of the former workes 6. a darke place 7. darkenesse it selfe 8. a place of terror trouble and vexation vvhere dwelleth no order but confusion and euerlasting horror 9. wringing 10. an infectious hole 11. a place breathing exhalations of brimstone 12. a botttomles pit c. where we see how nature iustifieth the Lord in mens consciences how naturall wittes deuise acknowledge iudge of diuersities of torments due for sinners though they neuer were taught them out of Gods Word yet they iudge these to bee the worthy reward of sinne and sinners Secondly the Scripture termes the place by these names Hell Math. 10. 28. Euerlasting perdition 2. Thes. 1. 9. A Lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death Reuel 21. 8. the deepe Luke 8. 31. Gehenni or the valley of the sonnes of Himmon Ier. 7. 30. and 19. 6. Math. 23. 23. Tophet Isa. 30. 33. and 2. King 23. 10. vtter darkenesse Math. 23. 13. vnquenchable fire Mat. 3. 12. and 13. 25. a place without Reuel 22. 15. which names as fearefull as they bee expresse not the thousand part of the ineffable paines thereof onely as in a figure by these names the Scripture lispe to our capacity rather then in expresse termes doe vtter the full effect of Gods wrath vpon sinners and therefore in speaking of these torments we must carefully beware that that which is figuratiuely spoken in Scripture be not taken not expounded litterally as some doe but learne and aduertise our hearers that whereas vve cannot conceiue nor vtter the extremity of these torments nor the fulsomenesse of this horrible prison yet the Scriptures expresse them by the sharpest and most intollerable punishments we know or can conceiue as fire brimstone darkenesse weeping c. and yet when wee haue heaped together all the attributes and names we know all are insufficient to declare it being incomprehensible onely let vs beleeue what wee cannot vtter and carefully auoid that cursed place betimes lest then wee bee made to feele that which now wee will neither beleeue nor eschew which God forbid and so farre of the names thereof Secondly the nature of the place teacheth what shall be the tortures and torments of such sinners as shall be cast into it neither will I bee curious in this bloudy point which nature abhorreth to bee prolixe in but onely by some few circumstances referre the deeper consideration thereof to euery mans secret meditation praying Almighty God to worke in them and me heereby such effects that we may euer auoid the the things that bring vs to it as for the nature of the place 1. Hell is described to be a prison or dungeon prepared for the Deuili and his Angelis Math 25. 4. Christs his and our aduersaries must not God be reuenged vpon his enemies and the more Christ powreth the vengeance of his reuenge vpon Satan and all reprobates the more is he glorified and his power magnified and therefore hell must be such a wide place as shall containe the whole wrath of God in the highest and extremest degree and therefore the place must be terrible where is nothing but vexing and tormenting iustruments of Gods wrath 2. The best places and sweetest vpon earth if they be not kept cleane and sauoury will soon become fulsome much more will hell made a place of dishonor and of the execution of his wrath for wee see how all places wherein God inflicteth the iudgement of his wrath are full of horror as Ierusalem Math. 23. 37. Babel Isa. 13. 19. Bozra in Edom Isa. 34. 11. 12. Niniueh Zâ—ch 2. 13. 14. c. much more hell wherevpon light all Gods curses 3. If worldly prisons and dungeons become so fulsome that in short time men lose therein their health and liues for the stinch want of contentments much more in hell for all prisons be paradises to this and the horror thereof passeth all horrors so that the very deuils desire respit not to be sent thither Luke 8. 31. 4. Here are all the torments of Gods wrath as fire brimstone and such fire as burneth euen spirits surpassing all fires Oh what anguish and torment sustaineth he that is subiect to these instruments 5. This further aggrauateth the terror and horror of the place in that it containeth not onely all the tortures and instruments of Gods fearfull vengeance but is a place of vtter darkenesse and blackenesse that is voyd of all comfort farre beyond Pharachs plague of 3. daies palpable darkenesse Exod. 10. 21. but this for euer the soarest punishment that can be inflicted vpon man is to cast him to a dungeon or darke place and yet this is nothing to that a plague of plagues fitting such as sinne in darknes and that call darkenesse light Iohn 3. 19. Ezech. 8. 12. Isa. 5. 20. Ephes. 5 8. 11. c. 6. Then the company they finde there be the Deuill and his Angelis all Reprobates and badde people as full of malice hatred and all villeny as euer they were when they liued vpon earth albeit the close prison keepes them from practising it and what a death is it for a man to bee constrained to liue euer in such a company where Satan and his Angells hatred to man is now greater then euer it was for now to their eternall confusion they feele the full reward of their wickednesse wrought to man who might haue stood in their Angell-like state had it not beene for man and therefore ceaseth not in all they can to maligne all Reprobates and the like do one Reprobate to another as agents of one anothers misery 7. Their exercise in hell is weeping and gnashing of teeth so that they cannot speake nor thinke any one good thing Thus we see both the name nature and circumstances of this fearefull place and therefore being so terrible it were wisedome for all men to beware of it and labour for heauen to dwell in euer The other sort of the paines positiue bee called the internall paines inflicted vpon both soule and body which may bee guessed partly by that which hath beene spoken of the prison and partly by the
more of heauen then any of vs yet the thinking of that country much encreaseth his sorrow and so will it be to the wicked in the midst of their iollities a sting in their soules as a tart sawce making their sweetest melodies sowre deadly If this meditation were holpen with the light of a liuely faith it would as Elishaes salt sweeten all the waters of Iericho and as Elias fiery Chariot soone lift vs vp to heauen and the vvhile make al the bitter pains of this life comfortable to vs for if the loue of Lands and desire of Riches cause the paines taken for them to seeme nothing vvhat should the loue of Heauen effect in our soules should vvee for this Countrey refuse any toyle vvee know how all condemne Esau for selling his birth-right for a messe of redde pottage and what are the very best things in this world but vanity and vexation of spirit and God forbid wee should loose our birth-right in heauen for the loue of vncertaine pleasures a wise pilgrime will forbeare all delights that hinder his return and reserue all pleasures vntill hee come home and so should we else we will not come thither in haste Abraham obeyed God calling him out of his country Heb. 11. 9. because he looked for a City whose maker was God and Paul vvas content to beare all afflictions because hee looked for things that were not seene 2. Cor. 4. 17. and 5. 1. 2. and vvhosoeuer assureth himselfe of heauen will little regard this sinfull life which one point should cause worldlings to looke about them The second Vse serues for thankefulnesse to our good God for redeeming vs from hell and all miseries whereunto by our sinnes and the sinnes of our sorefathers we had wretchedly plunged our selues and of his vnspeakeable loue and mercy made vs his elect children heyres of his kingdom and if thou take this to be but a slender benefit then coÌ„der what a damned soule would giue if he had wealth to be thus freed and do thou now the like for by nature thou wast the childe of wrath as well as hee Ephes. 2. 3. And therefore if Noah escaping the Deluge wherein millions were drowned and Israell deliuered from Pharaohs tyranny and Dauid from Saul forgat not due thankefulnesse much more ought wee deliuered from the flouds of Gods wrath tyranny of Sathan and cruelty of all enemies yea and from the euerlasting paines of hell be euer thankefull in this and the life to come for this most gracious deliuerance and blessed aduancement to his holy kingdome in heauen The third Vse serues for comfort to the Elect which goe to euerlasting life and to heauen and that in three respects 1. Of the ends why eternall life was ordained 1. that God might manifest the riches of his grace to his Elect 2. that the godly might enioy the full fruits of Christs death and the promised rewards of their labours and indignities in this life sustained 3. that they might magnifie the great vvorkes and mercies of God wrought for them 2. In regard of the effects of eternall life 1. that they may be as the Angells of God Math. 22. 30. not in substance but in conditions 2. that wee may be made partakers of the dignity of Christ in his three offices as Kings Priests and Prophets though not in the same excellency 3. In regard of certaine degrees of heauenly ioyes vvhereof the first degree of our comfort and ioy shall be in respect of the generall resurrection 1. For it shall bee a ioyfull day to vs. 1. For the Angells will awake and comfort vs in the Lord. 2. Ioyfull it shall be for that our soules and bodies separated by death shal now againe be ioyned together and glorified together eternally 3. Ioyfull shall it be in respect of the holy communion of Saints whereunto we shall be ioyned to praise the Lord. 2. A second degree of glory will this he that wee shall appeare before Christ our Sauiour be absolued and sit vvith him to iudge the wicked enter vpon his sweet promises of eternall life 3. A third degree of glory is that he will iustifie and saue vs from our sinnes 4. The fourth degree of ioy is in that wee shall be honoured with the dignity of Iudges 5. A fift degree is after we haue thus triumphed and troden our enemies all vnder feet in most glorious and triumphant manner we shall with Christ our head and all his Angells and Saints goe to life eternall which is the end of all our wishes and desires where for euer we shall enioy the presence of the holy Trinity where the inhabitants of the heauenly Ierusalem bee all Angells and Saints for Nobility all the Sonnes of God for vnity brethren for wisedome and knowledge all taught of God for experience they al ouercame the world for multitude they cannot be numbred for amity they liue in coÌ„tinuall peace their work praising seruing the Lord for piety they keep a perpetual sabbath euery day an holy day to the Lord. 6. The 6. degree is in regard of our continuance in heauen which is euerlasting without end but if these ioyes had had an end then had it not been an heauen but it is eternall without end greefe wearinesse oldage or any corruption for vvhen Death is swallowed vp in victory how possibly can wee die our Sauiour being life it selfe 7. The seauenth degree is that the Lord will poure into our soules and bodies all the communicable graces of his Spirit for when we are vnited to Christ our head and then by vertue of this vnion and communion mysticall wee be in all created gifts and graces belonging vnto all and euery part of our soules and bodies like him but not in the same degree 8. The eight degree of ioy is a freedome from all miseries whatsoeuer belonging to body and soule and in stead thereof be enriched with the contrary blessings which the Lord grant vs. And thus farre of the thirteene Motiues for watchfulnesse against the day of iudgement and of the timely vses wee are to make thereof Hauing dwelt thus long vpon these Motiues I will now draw in my sailes and hasten to the shore exhorting euery man in the Lord that as this triple watchfulnesse is necessary and concerneth euery man that euery Christian particularly watch and prepare himselfe accordingly for while the arrows of the Lords wrath flie ouer euery mans head and are not yet fallen euery man may see and prouide for himselfe and escape were it proclaimed that for some priuy fault onely known to himselfe the King whole life the Lord long preserue would execcute in euery town some 100. â—0 or 10. persons nay but two in euery towne whom pleased him all would feare and by all meanes labour to exempt and secure themselues least he should be one of that number but we know that the fewer number in euery Towne or Hamlet shall bee saued Mat. 7.
punishment which shall be layed vpon the soule it selfe and all the faculties thereof as the cogitation memory vnderstanding will and affections c. then of the body and of euery member therof for wherein euery man sinneth therein is he tormented But these torments are partly vnknown and so I pray God they may euer be and partly so lamentable that no Christian heart can abide to dwell long vpon so dolefull a subiect and therefore I referre you to others that writ largely thereupon beseeching Almighty God to giue vs all grace to consider wisely and in time of all that hath beene said and to make a ready vse thereof to Gods glory and our saluation and not to run sottishly vpon Gods iudgements denying there is an hell as doe Sadduces Atheists Ideots Infidels and Nullifidians and vngodly liuels whose liues proclaime it 〈◊〉 and 2. such as deny there is any heauen as Epicures Belly-gods Worldlings Sodomites Inordinate liuers idlers out of a calling c. 3. all Theeues Oppressors Sacriledgers poore Cony-catchers 4. all Protestants at large Christians without faith or good workes Selfe louers Hypocrites Mis 〈…〉 cordists Origenists c. but let vs watch and pray The first vse wee are to make of this thirteenth Motine serues to shew how necessary it is for all men to know this principle concerning hell the reward of the wicked that in these respects 1. It bringeth the wicked to the knowledge and feare of God for when they consider the vnspeakeable power that is in the mildest word proceeding from Gods mouth they must needs accuse the hardnesse of their owne hearts vpon which it cannot worke vnlesse it be to their destruction whereas here we see the commanding voyce of God to depart from him to be so forcible and powerfull that neither man nor deuill is able to withstand it but all as slaues from the whip will runne to hell fire and therefore should they now not sin against the Lord whose very voyce is more terrible then hell it selfe and this reason vseth Dauid in Psal. 29. 4. out to exhoxt all men and by name the mighty Nimrods betimes to obey his glorious voyce in his word 2. Satan would perswade all men that there is no hell thereby to set all to worke iniquity without remorse and therefore this doctrine must be often whetted vpon them to feare 3. Most men yea Professors though they can discourse heereof are so wicked euen in the very bosome of the Church and liue so loosely as if there were no hell at all for how few will for feare thereof forgoe on◠houres pleasure or one mite of profit or auoid any temptation Satan can cast at them and therefore needful it is to set before them often what dainty fare they shall finde in hell whether they hasten and if this will not reforme them nothing will seeing it is the last remedy in the Bible vsed to presse men with 4. Were there no heauen to enioy no God to reward no hope of immortality yet should men for feare to burne in hell forbeare now to sinne for vve see how men for feare of temporall penalties forbear to transgresse the Lawes of the land yet Gods lawes penalties nor promises which far surmount these are not regarded heere a felon or traitor may be pardoned there no obstinate malefactor shall and though for a while he respiteth him in this life it is but to reach his hand the higher to let the weight of his stroke in the life to come to fall vpon him the heauier and his deferring is the more to inferre the thicker and surer blowes and of no ill paiment shall he need to complaine that hath the wages of his wickednesse withheld from him in this life to receiue the totall summe together and for euer in hel this would breed in the most valiantest Atheist liuing such a gasping terror and quaking dislike that euer after hee should abhor not onely the least branch of sinne but withall euery thing alluring or aspecting thereto and vvithall should haue hell it selfe pictured in euery corner of his gardens orchards banqueting houses and places of delight in more carefull manner then euer had the Pharisies Gods lawes broydered vpon the fringed Phylacteries of their garments and so would notwithstanding now all parents and superiors doe well their duty it is often to relate to their families the paines ordained in hell fire and so admonish them to beware of that burning place 5. The knowledge that there is an hell is behoofefull in sundry respects as 1. it rectifieth the conscience when the neuer-dying worme gnaweth thereat and signifieth vnto vs that still we haue some vnrepented sinners summoning vs to iudgement and damnation 1. Ioh 3. 20. 2. this should cause vs in all our carriage to misdoubt our actions euery of them and euer setting the Lords blessed word before vs feare him who is able to cast soule and body to hell Math. 10. 38. 3. it should make vs wary neuer to forfeit but still to retaine sure our title to Gods kingdome and therefore be carefull neuer to commit any of those sinnes that depriue vs of Gods kingdome as be in 1. Cor. 6. 9. Galat. 5. 19. Eph. 5. 3. c. 4. It maketh vs thankefull for our Election withall teacheth vs to be careful to obserue the same in the whole course of our liues lest wilfully we relapse and euer feare all our waies Ephes. 1. 3. to 7. 5. This is a forcible meanes to weane vs from the world and all sinfulnesse and to cause vs to hasten to enter in couenant with God afresh and so open a doore to heauen and to all Christs treasures of grace which God grant we doe speedily The second Vse serues for reproofe of such as deny there is any hell and therefore will not watch these be Atheists Nullifidians Epicures Worldlings inordinate liuers malefactors c. but that there is an hell appeares by the aboue quoted titles of hell 2. By our consciences accusing when we sinne 3. the very Heathen in all ages and places how prophane soeuer affirmed that malefactors should to hell 4. Chysostome in his Homelies 48. and 49. and 50. Ad populum Antiochenum confuteth this error And therefore let all men stand in awe and sinne not but beleeue lest they approoue worse then the Deuils who beleeue and confesse it and tremble at the minding thereof Iames 2. 19. The third Vse is for admonition for all men generally that seeing there is an hell and the paines thereof vnspeakable yea so great as no heart can conceiue onely by the names of the extreamest punishments vpon earth as fire brimstone darkenesse death an euereating worme and neuer dying they bee shadowed because vvee can conceiue no soarer nor greater torments all vvorldly torments bee finite and temporall these infinite spirituall pittilesse easelesse remedilesse a paine beyond all paines and greefe surmounting all greefes at the very names whereof the