doth trouble disturbe the minde and disables it that it cannot orderly quietly dispose it selfe unto godly comfortable meditations but being overcome with impatiēce frets murmures is tossed up downe without fruit Therefore are these extremities of anguish compared to a cup of intoxicating wine making men as it were drunken with greefe Esa 51.17 21.22 Lam 4.21 and even mad with woe sorrow that they know not what to doe Deut. 28.34 Ier. 25.16 Eccles 7.7 And what folly is it then for men to be unprepared through forgetfulnes of their latter end to remaine drunken with security all their life till they be drowned in a gulfe of misery Perplexity extreme anguish may justly come as a snare upon them that abuse their present peace ease promising themselves liberty power to dispatch all that is needfull for their salvation in one moment of their last distresse g And commonly when death approcheth our adversary the devill that prince of darknes that hath gone about as a roaring lyon watching to devoure us at all opportunities before doth thē especially rage knowing that his time is short Rev. 12. 12. and withall seekes to take advantage by the present infirmitie of the sick persons insinuating himselfe into each of the former troubles adding fearfull dreames to their slumbers strong fancies to their distraction aggravating their paines with divers terrours Experience shewes what great temptatiōs many have undergone upon their death-bed And therfore the consideratiō of this last great combat should warne every one betimes to arme thēselves to gather strēgth every day against the last day to furnish thēselves with grace to seek truth righteousnes faith patience store of comfortable promises out of the word of God layd up in their hearts kept in readines to nourish themselves in hope to watch pray uncessantly that having concluded this last combat obtained the victory they may then be translated from a state militant to a state triumphant for ever h THese forewarnings are such as serve chiefly for the instruction of those that feele them on whose persons they are inflicted but beside these forewarnings the dead leave unto the living many after-warnings of their mortality which admonish the succeeding generation that they must follow their praedecessours And here first of all observe how it is ordered by divine providence that in death the soule body be separated one from the other In this separation the Soule is carried away invisibly no man knoweth how nor whither No humane sense cā discerne the spirit of man ascending Ecc. 3.21 The Lord in his unsearchable counsell would have the opening of the gates of the second world to be kept secret close from us If godly parents should see the soules of their children carried away to destruction in the clawes of an hellish dragon crying unto them with a lamentable and desperate voyce what horrour woe would this be unto them to make their dayes more uncomfortable so lōg as they should live on earth God in great mercy conceales it from them If wicked ungodly men should see their children or companions soules haled away by evill spirits after they were separated frō their bodies withall should heare thē shrike cry curse their cōpany what a stroke of terrour might this be unto them but God in justice hides these things from thē will not satisfy the curiosity of profane men that despise his Gospell and the means of life revealed therein This secret manner of translating the separated soules in carrying some close prisoners to Hell and transporting others in covered wagons invisible chariots unto Glory serves to warne and admonish us by the very forme thereof so much the more to remember the other evident monuments of our frailety When secret things are restrayned to the Lord the things revealed are immediately thereupon the more enforced upon us to observe the same Deut. 29.29 When the Spirit recordes how some persons men or angels have vanished out of the sight of those they had spoken withall we are to observe how they were occasioned thereby to thinke the more of that which they had seene heard from such and not to prye into that which was withdrawne from them Luke 24.31.32 Act. 8.39 Iudg. 6.21.22 c. Yea the Lord appointed that they should not be suffered to live which went about to talke with the dead soule or to rayse the spirits Levit. 20.27 1. Sam. 28.8 9. c. But by all this we are so much the more led to observe the common visible memorials of mortality shewed unto us in them that die before us i It is further to be observed that when the spirit is carried away presently to God that gave it yet the body remains behinde returnes to dust from whence it came Eccles 12.7 If God by death had taken away both the soule the body together at the same time if it had pleased God to take away all men as Henoch Elias were Heb. 11.5 Gen. 5.24 2. Kin. 2.11.17 or to bury all men so as Moses was Deut. 34.6 namely so that their bodies should be seene no more among men yet even then there were cause enough to remember that wonderfull great finall translation but now seing every man departing this life leaves a peece of himselfe among his friends on earth yea the one halfe of his person and that halfe which is the visible part even the body that was best knowne among men the Lord by this fragment of man that is left gives us occasion to thinke what is done with the rest and to keepe in memory the death past to prepare us for death to come As Elias ascending to heaven let his mantle fall for a remembrance so much care for our bodies as we doe for the soules according to this example of God who shewes more love respect to the soules taking them first into his heavenly Kingdome glory when as he suffers the body so long a time after to lodge in dishonour to remaine in the pit of corruption 1. Cor. 15.43 l The sequestration of the body from the place where the soule is and the corruption of it being separate are memorialles wrought immediately by Gods owne hand beside these there are other after-warnings of death effected by the providence of God mediately by the services of men that seeke the honour of the dead comfort of the living For honour of the dead holy men of old have shewed great care to provide sepulchers tombes monuments for them Such were the cave of Machpelah purchased by Abraham Gen. 40.30.31 and 23. the pillar on Rachels grave that Iaakob set up Gen. 35.20 that continued so many generations to Samuels time 1. Sam. 10.2 the title on the sepulcher of the man of God that prophesied of Iosias 2. Kin. 23.17.18 the sepulcher of David that continued twise fourteene generations from David to
without the body are like angels goe without feet embrace without hands see without eyes heare without eares speak without tongues for al these we leave in the grave But above all friends we then see God face to face whom here we could not behold Exod. 33.20 here we are as in a dungeon then we begin to looke about us Is there any losse in this change Ob. II. Others are troubled to thinke that they must leave house lands Ans He that teacheth bees to make such cabines closets for themselves will not suffer his owne children to be destitute of comfortable mansiōs nay the Lord hath promised they know it to be so that glorious pavilions chambers are provided for them Ioh. 14.1.2 2. Cor. 5.1 Every heart shall then be a pavilion chamber of rest delight unto each other yea the Lord himselfe shal be their house mansion for ever 1. Ioh. 4.15 Ob. III. Another sayth happily I care not so much for any outward things as to see the good of Gods Church in the accōplishment of his promises Among these there are three special things which a Christiā might wel desire above all other things to be seen enjoyed in this world viz. 1. The fall of Babylon destruction of Antichrist Rev. 18.20 2. The destructiō of Gog Magog the Turkish monarchy 3. The full conversion of the Iewes as a new Ierusalem comming downe from heavē as a bride trimmed for her husband It may wel be counted a happines to waite and come unto the sight of such dayes Dan. 12.12 1. Cor. 15.56.57 II. The freenes of Gods grace unto infants is applyed by the H. Ghost unto men of yeares that they also may depend on the same grace through faith Rom. 9.11.16.30 III. Many are called at the eleventh houre and God doth by such meanes greatly set forth the freenes of his mercy in pardoning sinners Matth. 20 6-9 Rom. 5.20 The sight of Christ by faith gives title unto all comfort happines Luk. 2 30-32 And therefore the theef on the crosse seeing Christ at last was suddenly trāslated into glory Luk. 23.43 Neither let any say That is but one example for in effect there are many very like unto that even in the conversion of many theeves in prison in the hands of justice yea after they have received the sentence of death when they die better give more signes of true repentance then multitudes that die in their beds And besides every mans conversion is in a certaine houre or moment suddainly as well as the theefes on the crosse though it be not marked and it is as great a work the same in substance to be translated out of the state of nature into the state of grace by true conversion as to be translated out of this world into heaven the one following infallibly upon the other So Pauls suddaine conversion from a blasphemous persecutour of Christ to be a member and minister of Christ was as great as the theefes translation from the crosse or gibbet to paradise or rather greater The same may be sayd of those thousands of murderers of Christ suddainly converted at Peters sermon Act. 2. the conversion of each of these was as great as that of the theef and may as well serve for the comfort of sinners Christ is the doore whosoever knockes by faith whensoever is sure to enter Ob. VI. Besides this the paine and pangs of death are objected by many as a cause of their feare why they are loth to die Ans I. We have commandements comforts and promises from Christ to arme us against such feares Iohn 14.1 Revelat. 2.10 The feare of death is one of the greatest paines in death and yet a feare not to be feared II. If the paine of death be sharp yet it is quickly over it is but one stride and at one leap it transports a man over the gulfe of all sorrow into everlasting glory III. To God Our Samson teares this Lyon as a kid destroyes death out of the carcasse of death brings life honye hony combes of eternall comfort Let us therefore be cheerfull in the exspectation of this happy conquest with comfort entertayne the signes of death drawing neere unto us as dimnes of sight deafnes of eares weaknes of limmes whitenes of head hoare haires Oh how welcome should these the like be unto the faithfull As the children in our streets when they first see the stork the messenger of the Spring doe welcome thesame testify their pleasure with manifold joyful acclamations so should the godly congratulate themselves when they see the forenamed messengers of their Winter past Summer approching or els both children and the very storkes in the aire knowing the times of their comming shal be witnesses against us When the fig-tree putteth forth his leaves the Summer is nigh Matt. 24.32 when the almond-tree flourishes thē it hastens the comming of other fruits Eccl. 12.5 Ier. 1.11.12 when the heralds of death approch then is it time for us to lift up our heads knowing that our redemption is neere When the eyes of the body the windowes of our prospect into the world beginne to be dark then must we so much the more open the eyes of our minde the windowes of the soule for our prospect into heaven to see things otherwise invisible When the daughters of singing are abased then especially we should labour to open the eares of faith that we may heare afarre off the songs of the virgines that have the harpes of God ready to entertayne us into the fellowship of their sweet melodies When the grinders are flow beginne to cease let us then be more frequent in grinding the wheat of heaven chewing the cudde ruminating the manna of the Evangelicall promises that should be the old mans milk the old mans wine sweeter then that of the muscadell grape to warme his cold breast to revive his decayed spirits Having thus entertained the messengers of death we shal be the readier to welcome death it selfe The neerer we grow to our journeys end the greater will be our desire and longing to arrive at that Rendevous of friends after a long march that generall meeting-place after a wearisome vvandring over hilles and dales in this our pilgrimage As the diligent husbandman plowes harrowes sowes his seed waites for the first latter raine is glad when it begins to grow when the blade the stalk the eare appeares gladder whē it is ful growne when the regiōs are white unto the harvest when sithe sickle are taken into the hand but is then especially filled with joy when the last load of corne is brought home with shouring singing like to the custome that seemes to have bene in Israel in their harvest vintage Esa 16.9.10 so in like manner they that have broken up their fallow ground have sowed in righteousnes have not been weary in well doing but stedfast unmooveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord shall then know see that their labour hath not been in vaine in the Lord shall then have cause to shout sing for joy when the Angels that are called reapers Matt. 13.39 shall gather these wheat sheaves into the heavēly barne where the righteous shall shine foorth as the Sun in the kingdome of their Father O that we were wise that we understood this so should we ever with comfort remember our latter END Printed at DORT BY HENRY ASH M.DCXXXIX
us further by applying unto us the merit of his sufferings Then as the childe neesed seven times so the new creature the converted soule doth manifest the truth of life received by severall degrees at the first neesing a new disposition appeares at the second new motions at the third new affections at the fourth new will purpose at the fift new fruits and workes at the sixt new thankesgiving and praise in joy of the holy Ghost so much in this life at the seventh neesing the old man is utterly abolished the flesh shaken quite off and the spirit caryed into a heavenly kingdome clothed with a white robe of perfect righteousnes in Christ the fulnesse of spirituall life Therefore all is to be sought principally in Christ c The outward meanes whereby the Spirit quickeneth are the ordinances and workes of God The primary ordinances of God are his Word Prayer Sacraments and Discipline The word of God is the word of life Deut. 32.47 Ioh. 5.25 6.63.68 Act. 5.20 a tree of life Prov. 3.18 the immortall seed 1. Pet. 1.23 that quickeneth the soule which cleaves unto the dust melteth for heavines Psa 119.25.28 By prayer men finde life for themselves Ioel. 2.32 Rom. 10.13 Esa 38 2-5 give life to others 1. Ioh. 5.16 Baptisme shewes us the laver of regeneration or new birth Act. 2.38 with Tit. 3.5 Ioh. 3.5 and the dead-harted are quickened by meditation of the grace represented sealed thereby By the Table of the Lord the fainting spirits are relieved revived through that spirituall food which is there exhibited 1. Cor. 11.24 The admonitious of Discipline are the corrections of life Prov. 15.31 therein is consolation for those that are ready to be swallowed up of sorrw 2. Cor. 2.7 By these things men live in all these is the spirit of life vivification Esa 38.16 therefore as we would have the life of the new creature to be dayly increased within us so are we to attend upon that word of life night and day to pray incessantly to watch thereunto with all perseverance and thankesgiving to sanctify ourselves for an holy use of the Sacramēts from time to time to submit unto Discipline for mutuall edification so to wait for spirituall life thereby to be ministred unto us d The secondary ordinances of God for vivificatiō of the new man are an holy Feast a holy Watch unto the Lord. As mirth is compared to the song in the night when a holy solemnity was kept Esa 30.29 Paul Silas sang together at midnight Act. 16.25 till midnight did Paul continue his speech unto the disciples at Troas Act. 20.7 And such meanes are the godly still upon occasion to use for their quickening in their spirituall life sitting under the shadow of him that is the true vine Ioh. 15.1 drinking the wine of his promises plucking the grapes of his consolation cōforting the poore heavy hearted communicating their joy one to another using his gifts in all sobriety and thankfulnes for their mutual support in this time of their pilgrimage e After these follow the tertian ordinances so to speake meanes of an inferiour order rank to wit Vowes and Covenants for the helpes of spirituall life As a religious feast and watch serve for the quickening of the soule in the use of the first and primary meanes so these in the third degree serve to binde us to the use of the secondary each supporting an other Vowes promises to God serve to binde us to the observance of other godly exercises at a certaine time we see how the godly upon occasion vowed to offer unto God a bullock a ramme a lamb or goat male or female more or lesse insomuch that the sacrifices are sometimes called by the name of vowes the Lord accepted that vow of so small a matter Lev. 7.16 22.18 23.38 Num. 15.3 18.14 29.39 Psa 116 12-19 Mal. 1.14 with Act. 5.2.3 ch 21.23.24.26 And so now when men vow unto the Lord and binde themselves unto any particular work of mercy towards the poore or to keep a love-feast or any watch or to performe any labour of love unto the Lord for the quickening of themselves others the same is a sacrifice of sweet odour unto the Lord. Phil. 4.18 2. Cor. 8.4.5 Heb. 13.15.16 In like manner the covenants promises made unto mē whereby they binde themselves to one another for the performance of some dueties of religion or mercy together are also approoved meanes of mutuall comfort and vivification David bound himself by covenant to Ionathan 1. Sam. 18.3 to the Elders of Israel 1. Chro. 11.3 to other worthies cap. 12.17.18 And what his covenant was with the man of his covenant that profaned it we see in the Psalme of his complaint namely to be as guides to one another to take sweet of this way application of the former truth the Lord hath in his word given further light and direction by certaine peculiar workes which himselfe hath cōmended unto us as having pregnant special reference to our latter end to procure some more distinct certaine comfort by the particular observatiō practise of thē And therefore whereas some godly and christian friends doe mutually desire of one another some directiō counsell for their preparation to their end to such besides a general resolute purpose to have respect unto all the commandements of God in al things to keep fayth a good cōsciēce I would cōmend these dueties following I. In the first place a dayly invocation of the name of God for his help and assistance in this particular poynt that they may be prepared to die to leave this world come with comfort into the presence of God to stand undismayed before the throne of his grace The comfort of a happy end is worthy a speciall prayer every day for that particular benefit The maine blessing that Paul could wish unto Onesiphorus that had so oft refreshed him was this that the Lord would grant unto him that he might finde mercy of the Lord in that day 2. Tim. 1.18 And this he prayes for the Thessalonians that their hearts might be stablished unblameable in holines before God evē our Father at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ with his Saints 1. Thes 3.13 againe that their whole spirit soule body might be preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Thes 5.23 Now that which Paul so earnestly desired for his dearest friends that is also worthy to be desired of us for ourselves every day If Paul prayed night and day exceedingly to see the faces of his godly friends 1. The. 3.10.11 and that by any meanes he might have a prosperous journey cōming unto them for their mutual comfort how much more cause have we to pray night day with exceeding longing to see the Lord face to face to
wisedome power goodnes of God shining in his creatures even the least of them the many profitable lessons which may be learned from them whereabout he had many singular observations and secondly the blessed condition of the Saints glorifyed touching which he had many divine and heavenly speculations towards his end spake so effectually of these things what appertaines thereunto that to them that were with him he seemed to be in heaven already insomuch as they wished themselves in the same way wherein he was carried on so cheerfully His sufficiency abilities for the worke of the ministery wherein he laboured above fourty yeares how mighty he was in the Scriptures how skilfully profound in expounding difficult places applying them to the benefit of soules with what evidence and power his preaching wrought into the consciences of his hearers how cleerly and fully he could refute convince an adversary of the trueth how prudent and judicious he was in mannaging Church affaires giving counsel advise in weighty businesses these the like pearles shining in that crowne of pastorall endowments wherewith he was qualifyed above many others are abundantly testifyed by those that have bene most interessed therein doe in great measure appeare in what is here and elswhere published may be in like manner further manifested as occasion serves if need were could be confirmed by the testimonies of the learnedest of our age For other maine helpes whereby men are fitted for the ministery his skill was rare in the languages that conduce unto the understanding of the Originall text of the Scriptures the severall interpreters thereof Besides what is ordinarily required in this kinde he could to good purpose with much ease make use of the Chaldean Syriack Rabbinicall Thalmudicall Arabick Persian versions commentaries Now whereas the station which God had appointed unto him was for the chiefe latter part of his time at Amsterdam yet as the godly learned have professed none hath more soundly oppugned that insolent sect for which that place hath bene so much reproached by many in our native country Witnesse his Arrow against the Separation of the Brownists which yet stickes in the sides heart of their cause though some impenitēt of their Schisme gnaw their tongues and cease not to blaspheme the Churches of Christ If he had bene as forward to send forth what he had done in those controversies as they are to trouble the presse with their pamphlets the world had seen at least thrice so much as it hath already of his paines in this kinde As for the unhappy differences raysed of later yeares in about the Church committed to his charge what ever some have deemed they that have bene rightly informed and impartially weighed what hath bene done have approoved his wisedome faithfulnes uprightnes in the whole carriage of those businesses We that have in great part bene privy to his retiredest thoughts demeanour at those times have had assured evidence of the integrity of his heart therein which he hath also witnessed unto the end For the controversies themselves God hath therein greatly pleaded his cause sundry wayes both at the very time of their rising since especially And as opportunity shall require others may in due time behold what he hath done in defence of himselfe the trueth against that which is published by others But of those and the like his paines in their season now somewhat must be sayd of this Treatise which is here put into thy hands It containes the summe of that which was delivered in divers sermōs to his owne flock in the yeare 1628. At the same time it was penned in such manner as we found it after his decease Divers passages especially towards the end were reserved for second thoughts when he might returne to a further survey Though he had bene often importuned by others to publish these his Meditations yet partly by his owne slownes to come abroad in that manner partly by the urgency of other occasions their desires could not then take place But being moved againe when his end drew neere his weaknes would not suffer him to review it and perfect what was wanting he was content I should set it forth in such manner as I could Albeit I have had some trouble in bringing together what was scatteredly set downe in some places extending into plaine words what was left in concise notes and short intimations yet I have purposely avoyded the adding of any thing that was not in the Authors Manuscripts though I should leave some abruptnes in the discourse and harshnes in the phrase I have onely adventured to set downe the contents at the beginning of every Chapter so as thou mayest with ease possesse thy minde with the whole matter of it readily turne unto what thou desirest I need not here discourse of the excellency usefulnes of this Treatise When thou hast read it attentively without prejudice then judge whether the matter intended be not carried along with all soundnes of judgement and demonstration of the spirit of life power whether here be not pithily comprised the summe of what the Scriptures afford of life death whether most poynts of Christian Religion be not here illustrated with some singular observations and in a word whether the whole doe not argue that he was a Scribe excellently instructed unto the kingdome of God The God of all grace glory make thee wise in closing thy thoughts with these Meditations happy in the enjoyment of that blessed end unto which they give directions Thine in the Lord R. PAGET The order observed in this Treatise The first part declareth How God calleth men to Remember Death in generall by the memorials of it in Gods shortening the dayes of man Cha. I. pa. 1 Persons times places of all sorts Cha. II. pa. 18 Man himself what appertaines to him Cha. III. pa. 44 The approch of death about the dead Cha IV. pa. 72 Particularly the death latter end of the Godly the happines of their condition Cha. V. pa. 93 compared with the primitive estate of the old world Cha. VI. pa. 112 Vngodly their woefull wretched end Cha. VII pa. 154 beheld in the visible memorials of Hell Cha. VIII pa. 188 The second part prepareth for death by Generall instructions touching Life and happines the Well fountaine of it in God Cha. I. pa. 229 Sure onely way unto it by Christ Cha. II. pa. 269 The motions of grace in the exercise of Mortification the Nature acts enemies of it Cha. III. pa. 303 Meanes whereby it is wrought Inward the Spirit of grace Cha. IV. pa. 326 Outward the Ordinances Workes of God Cha. V. pa. 349 Vivificatiō the nature working of it Cha. VI. pa. 377 Particular directions concerning Peculiar preparatives unto death Cha. VII pa. 395 The feare of death helpes against it Cha. VIII
are we called of God to remember same offences of striking or cursing committed against others were not so though some childrē might happily have as much wisedome as their father mother yet their authority alone being despised brought such woe Now the authority of God the heavenly father over his creature being infinitely greater then the authority of any earthly father over his children the contempt thereof doth accordingly procure an infinite woe unto those that disobey God that reject his Law make their owne lust their law prefer the doing of their owne vile wills before the obedience of his holy heavenly will So in like manner the infinite evill of sinne appeareth distinctly in this that it is committed against the infinite goodnes mercy of God There are in creatures manifold degrees of love kindnes the love of one doth an hundred times exceed the love of some other both in tendernes of affection in multitude of benefits And in such case the treachery of such as deale falsely wickedly against their cheefest friends becomes an hundredfold greater evill then the sin of some others Now the Lord is love it selfe 1. Ioh. 4.8.16 herein is love not that we love God but that he loved us vers 10. his grace the gifts of his eternall free grace doe infinitely exceed all other love he gave himselfe to be our God portion his Sonne to be our ransome And therefore to sin against this high immeasurable grace to contēne this love to love that which is vanitie of vanities more then God doth make the sin of such to be out of measure sinfull deserveth an infinite hatred misery to ensue thereupon And thus the greevousnes of sinne is to be considered conceived in respect of the other divine attributes whereby we may see as it were ten infinites in one behold many windowes of contemplation opened before us through which we may have a huge vast prospect of the endles unsearchable woe of sinne that is to be felt in the second death Though there be many other aggravations of sinne yet this so farre exceeds the rest as if they all were nothing in comparison of this therefore doth the Spirit often urge this consideration upon men saying to the sinners Ye have lyed not unto men but unto God Act. 5.4 he that despiseth despiseth not man but God vvho hath also given us his holy Spirit 1. Thes and it containes more then a world of bookes can expresse c This fierce wrath of God is often in Scripture compared unto burning devouring fire Deut. 32.22 Ier. 15.14 17.4 Ezek. 21.31 22.21 36.5 Zeph. 1.18 accordingly is the tormēt in hell described unto us by the name of hellfire Matt. 5.22 18.9 The smarting paine caused by fire is well knowne by the common use thereof among us And yet above the nature of common fire which is made for the comfort of man to cheere him to make him laugh Esa 44.16 this dolefull fire of hell is propounded unto us of God by many strange descriptions It is a fire not like unto ours that may be quenched but an unquenchable fire Esa 66.24 Mark 9.44 Rev. 14.11 an everlasting fire Matt. 18.8 25.41 which so burnes the wicked as that it doth not consume them but keeps them alive in death that they may burne for ever and ever It is a fire that will not onely burne stones melt yron brasse but a subtile piercing fire that burnes even the spirits soules of men being a fire prepared for the devill his angels which are spirits Matt. 25.41 Rev. 20.10 and therefore farre more terrible then our fire by which tyrants burne the bodies of martyrs but cannot burne their soules Mat. 10.28 For the greatnes of it it is a bottomlesse pit Rev. 9.1.2 deep large Esa 30.33 a lake or sea of fire Rev. 20.14.15 for the names of lake or sea are sometimes in Scripture indifferently put one for another Matt. 8.24 with Luk. 8.23 and this burning sea is withall called a lake of brimstone Rev. 19.20 20.10 which makes the fire to burne more cruelly to choake strangle such as are plunged into this lake And for the forme of it it is sometimes compared to an oven or furnace of fire Mal. 4.1 Mat. 13.42.50 in which the fire being kept close strait may be made seven times more hote fierce then it was before Dan. 3.19 To make this fire yet more abhominable it is compared unto Tophet Esa 30.33 where children were burnt in horrible lothsome manner being sacrificed unto devils Ier. 7.31 with Psa 106.37 so more horrible would it be to see the soules sacrificed in Hell-fire Were there now but a witch to be burned at a stake how many thousands would flock together to behold the sight how many would loose a dayes work be content to misse their dinners rather then to misse the sight of it But if it were to see a King or an Emperour burnt to see a Pope or a Cardinall which having burnt many martyrs should at length have their owne flesh burnt with fire how many farre and neere would run and ride and spare no cost or labour to become spectatours of such a judgment how long how often how earnestly would men talke of it afterwards And yet this fire of the second death is for such by faith we see it faith makes us spectatours thereof if we beleeve the Scriptures which shew us how Tophet is prepared for kings Esa 30.33 how the beast and the false prophet the Popes are to be cast alive into the lake of fire and brimstone Rev. 19.20 20.10 and with them the multitude of their idolaters and other abhominable persons Rev. 21.8 And how are men bewitched that they forget this latter end of sinners that they more regard the light and momentany judgments of men then the eternall and severe judgments of the everlasting God This lake of fire is so forgotten and contemned of many which stand dayly at the brink of the pit ready to sinke downe into it for their sinnes as if that fire were already quenched yea the very common knowledge and confession thereof by all sorts hath quenched the thought of it and extinguished the memory and mencion of it with many as if it were so well knowne that it needed no more to be spoken of And for this cause are many tumbled into it overwhelmed in the depth of it before they be aware of it d The power of Gods wrath in kindling this fire may further be perceived if we behold the great variety of strange fires which God in his works of creation providence hath already kindled and set before us to shew what he is able to doe In the bowels of the earth below the Lord hath as it were sowne the seeds of fire in the divers minerals thereof as in the
of the earth on every side to tremble at this judgment to awake out of the snares of the devill to seeke a redeemer by whom the workes of the devill may be loosed they delivered from the tyranny of these wicked spirits in the everlasting Hell If in this life there be such torments for sinners then what is that woefull distresse anguish which in the world to come waites for them In this Torrid Zone though their miseries be great yet have they many comforts for the body they have sweet springs of water to refresh them goodly rivers to bath in great pleasant trees for shade fruitfull trees that yeeld both meat drinke they have spices sugar-canes the cordiall joyce of limons to quench their thirst the coolest fruits in the hottest countries and for their soules their case is not desperate while there is a time of repentance afforded yea seas they have huge mountaines of yce which dashing together make a fearfull noyse like the roaring of an hell to the astonishment of strangers that heare the same As the black Zone aboundeth with serpents so these snow-white regions doe abound with horrible fierce white beares that roare about the country for their prey and for a shield against the cold the inhabitants covering their skins with the beare-skinnes muffled with other furres doe appeare as if they were all Beares The Sunne every yeare hideth it selfe from them for divers moneths together then have they no day but continuall night their land is like that which Iob speakes of a land of darknes of the shadow of death a land of darknes as darknes it selfe Iob 10 21.2◠But that which darkens it most of all makes it to be a more lively image of Hell is the great rudenes ignorance of God that is among them in speciall their familiarity with the Devils abundance of witches wizards that by generall testimony are sayd to be among them Oh that those which are frozen in the dregges of their sin Zeph. 1.12 could duely consider the unsearchable judgments of God in this frozen Zone Extremity of cold doth sometimes rotte off the flesh outer parts of the body extinguish the sparkle of naturall life as well as fire As in Island the mount Hecla Helga are at the same time oft covered with frost snow on the outside yet burne within casting out cynders flames of fire many miles from the place or as in the same Ague God sometimes afflicteth men both with a cold fit that crusheth the bones maketh the teeth to gnash that first makes the body to quake shiver then kindles a burning heat therein that first makes the lips the fingers ends to be blew with cold afterwards red with an hote inflammation so God can as well torment sinners with an intollerable cold with a freezing Hell as with a hote frying Hell It is no more wonder to see men live a painefull life being frozen in the midst of an yce then to see men live ever in the midst of a flaming fire If Hell be described by the gnashing of teeth Matt. 13.42.50 then this frozen climate where there is such continuall cause of the teeth hacking in the head for cold may well serve for remembrāce of the latter end of reprobates Devils the cup of Devils 1. Cor. 10.21 seeing every habitation of the Devill is a kinde of Hell it follows that their Churches Temples are mere Helles houses of Devils As it is with the places of their worship so is it with the places of their jurisdiction governement the spirituall courts of their Popes Cardinals Bishops Deanes Chancellours Commissaries Officials with their Doctours Proctours being so many swarmes of locusts that oppresse persecute vexe sting men to make them weary of their lives Rev. 9.3.5.6 And when the power of the seduced civill Magistrate is assumed unto them like Pilate joyned with Cajaphas then their authority becomes as the Throne of Satan Rev. 2.13 who by these instruments casteth mē into prison killeth them vers 10. Hereby the Harlot becomes druncken with the blood of the Saints with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus Rev. 17.6 thus their glorious Cathedrall Churches and holy places Courts Consistories are made Hellish Slaughter-houses of Satan Babylon becomes the habitation of Devils the hold of every foule spirit a cage of every uncleane hatefull bird Rev. 18.2 so are to be esteemed of all that passe by looke upon them Thus also are all the assemblies meeting-houses of Mahometists Arrians Anabaptists other Heretickes to be accounted of in respect of their pernicious errours that by the verdict of Christ himselfe who pronounceth such to be the Synagogue of Satan Rev. 2.9 Hence may we conceive how many thousand intemperate Helles are to be found in this our Temperate Zone k After these more publick Helles if we search into private houses we may there finde many habitations of Devils Some houses as experience shewes and rhe Lord hath threatned are haunted with evill spirits that affright those that dwell therein Ohim Zijm doe lodge there the Satyres or devils doe dance there Esa 13.21.22 with Lev. 17.7 orig Hereby God calles men to thinke of the future Hell of the terrours that shall come upon the wicked in their end Another worse Hell then this is to be observed in the houses of witches wisards which have familiar spirits doe willingly entertayne them call for them make a covenant with them Levit. 20.27 1. Sam. 28.7 c. for whereas the other were haunted with them against their will to their great greef these voluntarily eagerly seeke them keepe them so their houses become like the Oracles of the Devill that men sought unto in old time 2. Kin. 1.2.4 Such houses were and are wheresoever they be like so many porches portalles of Hell or mouthes of the infernall pit which how abominable soever they be yet doe they serve for a conviction of atheists desperate wretches which either thinke or live as if they did thinke there were no Devill no Hell With these devilish houses are to be joyned the disordered Innes Tavernes that are the nurseries of all impietie wickednes the very staires trappes by which men descend into Hell For though there be a lawfull use of Innes for the commodity of strangers passengers for the necessity of some others yet the disordered Harbours inordinate ordinaries which are the ordinary Rendevouz of drunkards of blasphemers swearers receptacles of skorners mockers of gamesters of riotours of wantons of idle persons unthrifts of theevish robbers of their owne families the like of these is verifyed the common saying that Ale-houses are Hell-houses There haunt the clamorous Ohim Zijm there doe the lascivious Satyres daunce together thither