your selves upon him with a renouncing of your own righteousness accepting of him and his righteousness resigning up your selveâ—… unto him putting your neck under his Yoke have you received the spirit enabling you to pray mortifying Sin and quickning you unto all the duties of new obedience Hereby you may know the change of your estate If your hearts remain unhumbled unbroken for 〈◊〉 If you are strangers unto the work of Faith â—…nd never truely closed with Jesus Christ if you â—…re without the Spirit of Christ and under the power the reigning power of any Sin if you live in the neglect of prayer secret and with others and of the great Salvation which the Lord Jesus hath purchased if you have a form of Godliness but are without the power thereof you will be found foolish Virgins at last which will have no admittance into the Bride-chamber you will be found hypocrites whose portion is the burning Lake and it will be impossible for you to escape the damnation of Hell Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation CHAP. VII 2. Use of admiration at the security the wicked showing the cause thereof ARe the burnings of Hell so certain being threatned by God! are they so dreadful beyond any burnings that ever have been both in regard of feirceness and duration and are they indeed prepared for the wicked and all graceless Christless persons as their deserved portion and are the most of the children of Men wicked ungracious unrighteous unregenerate unbelievers who are already condemned to this place of torment Ioh. 3. 18. And by consequence every moment while such in danger of being drag'd sorth to execution Here then we may sit down and wonder at the senslesseness and carnal security of such persons especially of those who sit under the light of the word which doth make discovery of all thiâ—… most plainly unto them what ever their danger be what ever their Sins which have deserved Hell what ever Gods threatnings of everlasting burnings what ever execution there is and hath been upon other Sinners like themselves yet they are without any fear they are fast asleep in Sin and very secure though their conscience be full of guilt their hearts full of lust their lives full of Sin though their steps are carrying them forward in the broad way which leadeth unto destruction though death hath them upon the chase and is at their heels though the wrath of God pursueth them hard and is at their backs though the day wherein they must give an account and be punished for their iniquity hasteneth greatly and the Judge standeth at the door yet they care not they fear not none of these things do move them none of these things do trouble them they eat and drink and sleep and buy and sell and plant and build and go on in a sinful course as if they should live here eternally or as if their Soul should perish with their body and all these things foretold in the Word concerning future retributions were but meer fables First Some are thus secure through an Athistical perswasion that there is no God because they are enemies unto God and live in a course of Rebellion against him and so it is their Interest and desire that there should be no God therefore they do what in them lyeth to work themselves unto this perswasion there are too many in our age who endeavour to wear off all sentiments of a deity from their mind 's that they might Sin freely without any check and control that hereby they might arm themselves against the thrusts and wounds which the Sword and Arrows of Gods threatnings would otherwise give unto them and that by this means they might still the noise of their clamorous and accusing consciences which otherwise would give them no rest under such Heaven-daring provocations as they daily are guilty of But such persons if they will not believe the engravings of God which are upon the face of the Universe the impress of infinite power and an invisible Deity on his works which are visible unto the eye they shall not remain long under their Atheistical apprehensions but he will make them to know and feel that there is a God by the immediate impressions of his wrath upon their Souls and the dreadful flames of Hell-fire which his breath will kindle to burn their bodies everlastingly Secondly Others are secure notwithstanding their danger through a fond perswasion that there is no Hell that there is no account to be given no judgement to be passed no punishment to be endured after this life but that death puts a total end to their being and that for ever We read in the Book of Wisdom Chap. 2d of the reasonings which such have Our life is short and in the death of a man there is no remedy neither was there any man known to return from the Grave For we are born at all adventure and we shall be hereafter as though we had never been for the breath in our Nostrils is as smoke and a little spark in the moving of our heart which being extinguished our body shall be turned into ashes and our spirit shall vanish as the soft Air our life shall pass away as the trace of a Cloud or like a Mist driven by the Beams of the Sun our time is a very shaddow that passeth away and after our end there is no returning for it is fast Sealed that no Man cometh again Hence they are secure and encourage themselves in wicked and licentious practices Come on therefore let us enjoy the good things that are present let us fill our selves with costly Wines and Ointments and let no flower of the spring pass by us let us crown our selves with Rosebuds before they be Withered let none of us go without his part of our voluptuousness for this is our portion and our lot is this Such persons they live like Beasts and they would perswade themselves that they shall dye like beasts that there is no immortality of the Soul that there will be no resurrection of the body and by consequence no punishment of both in Hell whereas right reason will evince that the Soul being a spiritual substance will survive the Body which the wiser Heathens have acknowledged and the Scripture doth clearly reveal this and that the body shall be raised again at the last day and both the soul and body of the wicked be eternally tormented in Hell which Scripture being the Word of God which no carnal reason could ever yet disprove these things are as certain as God as true Thirdly Others if they have not drunk in those Atheistical and Anti-Scriptural perswasions which some are besotted and intoxicated withall yet are secure and senseless of their danger through their ignorance or misapprehensions of God they conceive him to be made up all of mercy that there is no fury in him that however sinful they are or have been yet that God is more
some glimâ—…s of the Glory of Heaven and if thoâ—… looâ—…est dowâ—…ward wâ—…th it thou maist see some glimps of the Fire of Hell Look doest thou not see a horrible deep and large pit filled with horribly burning Fire and that Fire filled with damned Men and Women Lay thy ear to the mouth of this pit and harâ—… what the dolorous complaints what the shreeks and yellings be of that cursed company and doest thou not perceive thy self hastning forward in the way to this place of burning and wilt thou go forward still or wilt thou suffer thy self to be carried on furiously by thy impetuous lusts until thou art fallen into this pit and there be no poâ—…sibility of ever getting forth again But more particularly I shall lay before you some considerations for the awakening of the secure First Think how doleful a day of trouble and adversity is like to be to you if you be then in danger of Hell where will the quiet and security which now you have appear on that day possibly it may last and abide with you so long as the warm Sun of prosperity doth shine upon you in the spring of youth and sensual delights whilst you thrive and flourish in the World whilst your friends and flatterers are about you your health and outward peace doth remain with you but you may live to see all your outward comforts lye dead before you and hid in the Grave from your sight for ever your Sun of prosperity may set at the noon-day of your lives and a black night of adversiry may come upon you stormy Winds and a bitter cold Winter of trouble and affliction may assault you wither all your sensual pleasures like the herb and Flower of the Field some unlooked-for-providence may blast your estate and your name bereave you of your dearest Friends and Relations and withdraw all the fewel and provisions which you have been storing and laying up for your flesh and sensual satisfactions how well and strong so ever you are for the present an unexpected Sickness and Death-threatning distemper may suddenly invade you and bring you down to the sides of the pit and fill you with such pain and grief as no outward enjoyments shall be able in the least to aswage And then think with your selves you that are in danger of Hell what dread is like then to seise upon you like an armed man which you will not be able to resist then your carnal security will fly away like a Bird or a Cloud and vanish like smoke in the Air then your false peace will be broken and torn to pieces like the Spider Webs by the feirce Winds as being utterly unable to resist the feirce blasts and rougher assaults of an adverse estate And oh how doleful and dismal is a day of trouble like to be to you when all outward stays and comfort and all nward quiet and peace shall fail together when there are storms abroad and worser storms at home great trouble without and greater trouble within when you shall fall under the scourge of outward affliction and under the lashes of an accusing conscience the fear of Hell and everlasting burnings is like to be more lively and afflictive in a day of trouble than when prosperity doth restrain conscience from doing it's Office Secondly Consider if you should escape the greater storms of outward affliction in your life yet you cannot escape the stroke of death and think how the apprehensions of future wrath and burnings are like to consume you with terrours at your later end Psal. 73. 19. Death hath a grim aspect and looks with a feirce countenance upon guilty Souls and when this enemy shall assault and wound you when your last sickness shall come prove mortal to you when the Phisitian shall give you over and leave you your friends shall mourn and stand weeping about you when death hath seised upon the extream parts of your body and the cold clammy sweats are upon you and then you apprehend the second death near yoâ—… which will immediately follow upon the first death when you think that whilst Friends are conveying your body to your Grave that Devils shall drag your Souls to Hell how are you then like to awake in horrour despair and utter confusion the dying sobs and Gâ—…oans of some guilty Sinners when awakened at their entrance in at the port of death are dreadful but the inward anguish of the heart is beyond all compass of conceit or expression of tongue Thirdly But think how fearful the seperation of your Souls and Bodies will be think with what dread your spirits will appear before God when your consciences shall furiously charge you with guilt of all the Sins which ever you committed and you have not one pardon to show nor one word to answer for your selves when being examined and accused and found guilty you shall be condemned unto eternal punishment think oh think what your horrour is like then to be Fourthly Think of the day of doom when the Lord Jesus shall come I mean when he shall come down from Heaven to judge the World when the Graves shall be opened and you called forth to appear before him and the Book of your conscience shall be opened and all your Sins made manifest to the whole World and having nothing to answer when you shall be Sentenced to everlasting Fire Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Dâ—…vil and his Angels and when the Lord shall then drive you out of his presence into Hell O what will you shreeks and out-cryes be at that day See my Book of Christ's certain and sudden appearance to Indgement Fifthly Think of the punishment of Hell it self which you will be condemned unto and that First What will there be taken from you Secondly What there will be denied unto you Thirdly What there will be inflicted upon you First Think what in Hell will be taken from you all your riches will be taken away riches will then take the wing and be gone and you shall never set your eye upon them any more you shall never buy and sell and get gain any more never purchase Houses and Lands and Inheritance more and not then have so much Land left as whereon to set the sole of your foot all your money and estate wlil perish with your selves and oh how poor and miserable will you perceive your selves then to bâ—… when you are deprived of all your riches and treasures on Earth and instead thereof are made to possess treasures of wrath your honour also will be taken away and everlasting shame and contempt shall be poured upon you Although you may be raised to a higher seat than the ordinary rank now then you must stand upon even ground with the meanest even such whom you would think scorn to set with the Dogs of your Flock or to employ in the meanest office about you the crown will then be pluckt from the Head and the
help or relief refuge faileth them and there is no escaping no enduring of this pain and yet they must endure it until extremity of pain doth take away all sence of pain The terrour of the Sodomits through apprehensions of their present and unavoidable death before them was great but surely the way and manner of it namely by Fire from Heaven did cause greater terrour If it had been an ordinary Fire of which some natural cause might have been assigned it had not been so much but when it was a miraculous fire from Heaven created on purpose by the Lord to destroy those Cities surely their dread was extraordinary they could not chuse but see the more immediate hand of God in it and withall his frown and dreadful displeasure with the Fire â—… Brimstone which fell down from Heaven upon their houses and bodies they had scalding drops of Gods wrath â—…ch fell down upon their consciences we may think what impressions they had of the wrath of the Sin-revenging God on their spirits which caused a greatâ—… horror within than the bare apprehension of death in any shape could of it self effect when the guilt of so great Sins and the apprehensions of so great wrath did meet together in their consciences and they had no time nor way to get the guilt of Sin removed and the wrath of God appeased when conscience before asleep was awakened in the midst of flames when there was a Fire above the Sodomits the Fire of Gods anger Fire about and upon the Sodomits the fire which came down from Heaven Fire beneath the Sodomits the fire of Hell and fire within the Sodomits the fire kindled in their consciences O the horrour when Hell was already begun within them in the flashes and sparks of it words cannot utter the horrible anguish which then they had upon them CHAP. VI. Concerning the Persons that escaped 4 THe persons that escaped this dreadful judgement were Lot and his Family Like as it was in the Old World Noah was an upright man in his generation when the whole world besides were wicked and God provided an Ark wherein he saved Noah and his Family when all the kindreds and Nations of the world besides were drowned in the Deluge of Waters which was brought upon the Earth so also Lot being the only upright and righteous man in Sodom when all the City together with the neighbouring Cities were wicked God provided a Zoar for Lot whilst he brought a Deluge of fire upon those wicked Cities which consumed them and all the wicked together which dwelt in them 2 Pet. 2. 5 6 7 8. When the destroying Angels were sent unto Sodom God remembred righteous Lot and a mark for preservation was set upon his forehead because he did sigh and cry out for the abominations which were committed in the midst of the City And God remembred Abraham his Friend who had made intercession for Lot therefore he sent him out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the City wherein Lot dwelt CHAP. VII Concerning the Spectators of Sodom's burnings 5 COncerning the Spectators of this Judgement Abraham however remote his habitation was had a plain prospect of this Fire and burning of Sodom We read Gen. 19. 27 28. And Abraham gat up early in the morning unto the place where he stood before the Lord and he looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the Land of the Plain and beheld and lo the smoke of the Countrey went up as the smoke of a Furnace Abrahams heart did misgive him that those wicked Cities would not escape destruction what ever conditional promise the Lord had made unto him of their preservation therefore it is likely he arose and came to this place that he might see what became of the Cities and quickly he 〈◊〉 them to be all in flames by the great smoke which mounted up from them what his thoughts were is not mentioned but it is likely he was more than ordinarily affected with this more than ordinary Judgement such an appearance of God in the World clothed with such wrath and vengeance might well make even Abraham himself whatever Interest he had in God to quake and be astonished When he looked up to Heaven he saw God all in flames of anger when he looked down to the Earth he saw Sodom and Gomorrah all in flames of Fire He knew that Lot did dwell there and he did not know it may be but that Lot with his Family might be burning there and this might cause him to lift up his voice and weep be sure he knew that the wickedness of the Sodomits was very great and that the righteous of the place were very few if any when the Lord had promised him to spare the whole City for the sake of Ten righteous persons could they there have been found Ah Lord thought he what a wicked place is Sodom that it should not yeild Ten righteous persons O what an evil thing and a bitter is it to Sin against God and hereby to provoke him unto anger and what a fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God when his anger is stirr'd up and doth burn thus like fire And if Abraham could so clearly discern the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah the Inhabitants of Zoar who dwelt so near might more clearly discern it An allarm they have in the morning which doth startle and awaken them they are called forth out of their houses to see this dreadful and tremendous sight The noise of Fire Fire Fire doth sound in their ear Fire from Heaven Fire in the Air Fire on the Earth Sodom on Fire Gomorrah on Fire Admah and Zeboim on Fire every place near them on Fire this they hear this they see the flames all about are very visible and very terrible O with what ruful countenances do they look upwards towards Heaven from whence the Fire did come and forwards towards Sodom and Gomorrah where the Fire was kindled they see all the Cities together in flames which being all cituated upon the Plain without any Mountain or Hill between they might in the Fields or on the tops of their houses have an easie prospect of And surely the Sinners of Zoar are now affraid and fearfulness doth exceedingly surprize the guiltâ—… surely their consciences now are awakened â—…nd do cause a trembling within them when they see God's vengeance executed in flaming fire upon their fellow-sinners before them Alas wo be to us who can endure such devouring fire who can bear such horrible burnings Hath Sodom and Gomorrah provoked God to destroy them with Fire from Heaven what then will become of us who have shared with them in the same guilt and have deserved the same punishment O whether can we flee to hide us from the wrath of God and shelter us from his fiery indignation Lot also who though he did not look back as his Wife did before he got into Zoar yet from thence no doubt
any place or Town which was in it's way remains nothing being to be seen but confused heaps of ragged stones which yeilding a noisom fume strick terrour and astonishment in all that behold it The first breaking forth of this burning Flood of Fire was on the Munday tâ—…e 11th of March which in it's progress devided it self into several lesser streams and filled the whole Countrey therebout with Fire and Brimstone in many places where these streams did come great flames were seen to arise together with thick smoke as from the moâ—…ths of so many great Furnaces After the Flood of Fire was come down the Mountain and towards the foot which is not so steep it did not move with that swiftness as before yet nothing could divert it's course but it overturned and consumed all where ever it came The first streams continued their course for twelve days together and after hopes that the fury was now spent on Fryday the 22d of March the Mountain Aetna roared and thundered smoked and flamed again most hideously at the mouth shook trembled throughout most dreadfully unto the very foundations and cast forth such heaps of scinders stones and ragged Rocks out of it's bosom and bowels at those breaches before made in it's sides that they grew together and were raised into two large and high Hills and this acccompanied with another stream of it's liquid melted matter which overtook the former currents and thrust them forward with great fury But on the 25th of March the Mountain bellowed with a greater noise than ever before and was shaken with such violence and force that a large part of the head and top fell into the breast aâ—…d bowels and that the depth of half a miâ—…e as some do judge And then issued forth fiery streams in so great abundance that joyning forces with the former they made great havock and desolation destroying the habitations of no lesse than seven and twenty thousand persons the Towns of La Guardia Malpassa Campo Rotundo La Potielli Antonino Pietro Mosterbianco Monpileri Falicchi Placchi were wholy consum'd and ruin'd Yea the Image of the blessed Lady of the Annunciata â—…o highly reverenced by the Superstitious Papists unto which many resorted in Pilgrimage from remote parts was not spared whatever power the Intercession of that Virgin Lady hath with her Son in Heaven for persons here upon the Earth as the Papists ridiculously fancy yet nothing could now avail to secure her Image from being swallowed up by this devouring fiery stream whereby all may see that there was no difference between the stones of that Image and those of the other buildings in that place which equally felt the foâ—…ce of the fire Other places were ruin'd in part as Maâ—…calucia Giovanni de Galermo with many other and at length the burning streams do approach near unto Gates and Walls of the City Calania in their course destroying Fields Gardens Orchards and Vineards about it which filled the Inhabitants with such fear that far the greatest part of them removed themselves and their goods out of the City Yet what ever the danger and fear was the Lord preserved the City from being swallowed up by these devouring streams part of these streams were congealed on the Land one of them emptied it self under the Wals of the Castle into the Sea in four fathom Water which held it's current in the Sea two fathom high above it and to the astonishment of all spectatours burned in the Sea it self for a great while and making progress into the Sea a mile in length and a mile in bredth was not quenched by the water of the Sea until having spent it self it did of it self congeal CHAP. V. Concerning the Concomitants of the Eruption and burning of Aetna WHilst the Mountain of Aetna or Gibel did thus vomit flames of fire at the top and streams of fire at the side accompained with such horrid noise and cracking in the Air such dreadful trembling and shaking of the Earth other things also were very observable at the same time such as the swelling of the Sea unto a great and unaccustomed height with great raging and roaring Waves the Floods of Water did seem to lift up their heads to see this dreadful spectacle of the Floods of fire and the Waves of the Sea did lift their voice in great tumult as being amazed at the horrid aspect of the Waves and Streams of Flames and Brimstone The Winds also which raised this Tempest in the Sea were high having broken loose from their habitation and with great noise and blustring whirled about the Land in fierce blasts beating upon the houses and unsheltred people in the Fields as if they would contend for force with the raging and irresistable fire The Clouds were gathered thick in the Sky and arrayed the Heavens with black attire hiding the comfortable and refreshing beams of the Sun from the sight which if sometimes it deed peep thorow the Clouds it was with a pale countenance as if it had been struck with fear and dared not to appear in such a dismal place Storms of rain often powred down from the Clouds which seemed in compassion to weep to weep Floods of tears endeavouring thereby to contribute some help for the extinguishing of the flames but all the Rain which fell was so far from quenching or allaying that it did but the more encrease and exasperate the fury of the Fire which hereby burned so much the more feircely In the City there was danger of the Houses overthrow by the Winds and Earth-quak or their being devoured and swallowed up by the Deluge of Fire In the Fields and Countreys there was danger of being destroyed by Thieves and Robbers who took advantage of the peoples confusions to set upon them murdering many and spoiling them of their choicest things which they had saved out of their ruin'd houses Great was the dread and terrour which now did possess the hearts of the people Our Saviour foretells Luke 21. 25 26. That on Earth there should be distresse of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waves roaring and menâ—… hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming upon the Earth Such was the distresse and perplexity of these people It is said in the Relation That people ran with cryes and lamentations about the City and Countrey expecting nothing but to be swallowed up or consumed by the Fire having no other apprehensions buâ—… of death and a general Conflagration Had the Christian religion taken place there in the purity and power thereof it might have born up the spirits of the sincere and established Christians against overwhelming fear and amazement in all those storms and danger If of the vertuous Man much more may it be said of the truely Religions Si fracitus illabatur orbis impavidum ferient ruinae though the frame of the Earth and World should crack and be dissolved yet such a one would be undaunted under it's ruines
and utmost diligence to enquire whether you are in danger and how you might do to escape The most Men and Women that live this day upon the face of the Earth are in danger of being thrown into the flames of Hell the whole World may be devided into two parts they are either such as are in a state of nature or such as are in a state of grace the former are many thousand times the greater number and the Apostle telleth us expressely that such are Children of Wrath Eph. 2. 3. And if children then heirs the children of God are heirs of Heaven the children of wrath who also are called the children of the Devil are heirs of Hell The later only I mean such as are in a state of grace are in a state of Salvation they only are free from all obligation to the punishment of Hell having Interest in Christ's satisfaction There are two ways in one of which all the Sons and Daughters of men may be found Math 7. 13. 14. One is a narrow way which hath a strait Gate and very few are to be found therein and that is the way of Holiness of self-denial of Mortification and Gospel-obedience and although this be the way of Life and Salvation the way to glory and honour and everlasting happiness yet it hath but few passengers few take this course the other is a broad way which hath the greatest crowd and throng although it lead unto destruction and this is the way of Sin the way of Profaness Licentiousness Unrightiousness disobedience this is the course of the World this way hath a wide Gate and many there be that go in thereat and the reason our Saviour giveth because the other way hath so strait a Gate because of the difficulty of it's passage namely the wicket of regeneration few attempt to go thorow this strait passage or if they do attempt they are quickly discouraged with the difficulty and so let it alone taking the broader because the easier way of Sin the steps of which will certainly take hold of Death and Hell I beseech you all with the greatest seriousness to examine your selves whether you be in a state of Nature or in a state of Grace you have been all born once have you been born again you have been born of the Flesh have you been born of the Spirit you have born the Image of the Earthly Adam do you bear the Image of the Heavenly Adam you are partakers of the Humane Nature are you partakers of the Divine Nature have you new and clean hearts are they changed do you lead new and Holy lives are they reformed I beseech you examine which of the two ways you are walking in is it the broad way of Sin and wickedness or is it the narrow way of Faith and Holiness these are questions of great moment to be resolved in your everlasting weal or wo your Salvation or Damnation doth depend upon them if you be brought into a state of Grace and are got in thorow the strait Gate into the narrow way you are made Men and Women happy you that ever you were born you not shall perish with the wicked but most assuredly attain eternal Life and glory but if you be in a state of Nature if you be in the broad way and continue therein to the end of your lives you are undone Men Women wo be to you that ever you were born Heaven will be shut upon you and Hell will be opened unto you where you shall be unconceivably and eternally tormented in the flames of that unquenchable fire Take heed that you do not mistake your state and way thousands have gone to Hell through a mistake it is very easie to mistake it is difficult not to mistake and no mistake is worse than this mistake all is not Gold that glisters all is not grace that hath the show of it all are not in the way to Heaven that pretend to it many deceive others much deceive themselves much more Nothing is likely to hinder you more effectually from attaining grace than ungrounded conceits that you already have it if you should nourish in your selves a false Faith and false Hope they would be so far from saving you that they would fasten you the more strongly in Sathans Chains whereby he will the more unperceivably and inevitably drag you unto Hell And think if you should go out of the World under a mistake with fair but groundless hopes of Heaven and shall find your selves unalterably judg'd by God unto Hell how this will render the lose of Heaven the more bitter and the pains of Hell the more grievous the disappointment of happiness especially so great happiness and to be overtaken with misery especially so great misery and that when all means are cut off for ever of attaining the one or avoiding the other this will be unspeakable vexations And let me tell you that it is better to be mistake on the other hand than on this it is better to fear when you are gracious than to hope when you are ungracious a dangerless fear is better than a fearless danger the former may cause you to go droopingly for a while towards Heaven the later if it cause you to go merrily it will also cause you to go securely and surely to Hell I need not spend time neither may I least this Volume swell to big in telling you that Idolaters and Adulterers and Drunkards and Swearers and Blasphemers and Scoffers of Religion and Persecuters of Gods People and Thieves and Murderers and Lyars and Apostates and profane persons and all the more notorious Workers of Iniquity shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone amongst whom if any of you who â—…ast your eyes upon these lines be numbered and your conscience with a slight reflection do accuse you herein give me leave to hold you a little by the arm and ask you why so fast what meanâ—… this hast why so furious what means this eager pursuance of lust Do you know whom you serve and do you think what your wages will be do you know what is before you do you see the end of a sinful course do you know what Hell is Is it desirable to dwell with devouring Fire do you think to escape in this way But the awakening Use is afterward But let me beseech you that are more sober and although professors of Religion to examine your state take heed you do not deceive your selves and thereby undo your selves irrecoveably Have you been under convictions of Sin and these followed with contrition and that backed with found humialiation such as hath rendered Sin above all things most odious and your selves of all other persons most vile in your own eyes have you had conviction of Christ's Righteousness and this working hungering desires after him and these accompained with Faith and that bringing you to Christ choosing him as â—…ost precious and needful for you casting
merciful and nothing more easie than to obtain a Pardon and if they call on his name and cry for mercy though at the last gasp what ever their wicked lives have been they shall be saved not considering that God is Holy and jealous just and righteous as well as merciful and gracious and that such as go on still in their trespasses have no share in his mercy or any of his promises Fourthly Others do lull themselves asleep upon the Bed of security because of their own and others impunity thus abusing Gods patience and long-suffering which should lead them to repentance to grow more hardned and impenitent hereby Rom. 2. 4 5. Because Sentence against their evil works is not speedily executed therefore their hearts are fully set in them to do evil and they are secure Eccles. 8. 11. Not considering that though God be long-suffering yet that he is not ever-suffering that patience long and much abused will at length break forth into fury not considering that Gods vengeance though it hath leaden heels yet it hath Iron hands and though the Fire of Gods anger be long kindling yet that it will be longer yea for ever burning Fifthly Others quiet themselves for the present and arm themselves against fears of Hell through their intention of after repentance and reformation however they indulge themselves for a while in their sinful course yet they resolve shortly to become new Men and Women to turn over a new leaf and lead a new life and to become as Holy and strict as the best not considering that repentance is not in their own power and how they provoke God hereby to deny the grace to them hereafter and to remove from the means of working it not remembring how many thousands have perished with such intentions which never have been put into execution Sixthly Others are quiet and secure through want of serious consideration what their guilt and danger is they fill and throng up their time so full with worldly business and secular employments that they leave themselves no room or leasure for to think of Sin and their near-approaching death and future wrath and the eternal burnings of Hell which they are in danger of The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches do choke their Meditations in the first springing forth of them that no fruit doth come from them to perfection Did but guilty Sinners sit down one quarter of an hour every day and look upward to the angry God who frowns upon them and down-ward to the flames of Hell which are preparing for them and forward to the last judgement when they will be sentenced by the Judge to dwell with devouring Fire and Inhabit everlasting burnings and were perswaded that if they continue in Sin they can by no means escape surely the could not be so secure Seventhly Others are secure though they are going on in the way of Sin which leadeth to Death and Hell because the most of the children of Men are going on in the same course and they hope they shall fare as well as others their Fore-Fathers trod in these steps and their neighbours are their companions in Sin and if they be punished at last in Hell they think they shall have company enough and bear it as well as others not considering how intollerable the wrath of God is by any and that their company in Hell will be so far from alleviating that it will exceedingly heighten and aggravate their pain and torment Eightly Others and the most are secure through their frequent practice of Sin custom in Sin hath taken away the sense of Sin their lusts have enthralled them and their lusts have stupifyed them however conscience did grumble at first especially when they first ventured upon some more notorious Sins yet now they have shut the mouth of conscience they have charm'd and feared it as with a hot Iron 1 Tim. 4. 2. Ninthly Others are quiet and secure under their danger of Hell because they are not so bad as others because they do not run with others unto the same excesse of riot and have escaped the more grosse pollutions which are in the World through Iusts especially if they carry some face of Religion too if they have a form of Godliness and employ themselves in all the ourward exercise of Devotion and withal have had some inward flashy affections and a counterfeit of all saving grace though they never were truely humbled for Sin emptied of themselves cut off the old stock and truely by Faith engrafted into Christ and from him draw vertue and spiritual influence which is proper to all those that are in Christ and are freed from condemnation through him Rom. 8. 1. Thus the Devil and the deceitful hearts of men do bewitch and befool the most some of these ways to sit still in peace and security until destruction come upon them suddenly and that without remedy and they are not awakened out of their spiritual slumber until they are awakened in the midst of the flames of Hell CHAP. VIII 3. Use of Reproof and Terrour for the awakening of the Wicked and Ungodly out of their carnal security HOw long will ye sleep O ye Sinners How long will ye slumber in such imminent danger ye Graceless and Christless persons what sleep under the light what sleep upon the brinks of the burning Lake and will nothing rouze you and awaken you out of this sleep are you resolved it shall prove the sleep of death shall it insensibly and effectually usher you to Hell before you are aware have you been called already so long so loud so frequently so fervently and yet do you deafen your ear have you been told so often of your guilt and danger and yet harden your â—…art yet will you hold fast your sins resolving not to let them go what ever they cost you have your hearts been like so many brazen walls beating back all the Arrows of reproof and threatnings which have been shot at you or are they like Cley and Mud which groweth the more hard and obdurate under the Sun and Light of the Gospel which hath shined upon you have no Heavenly dews and showers of the Word yet melted and softned you no Fire and Hammer new-moulded and framed you have you been threatned with Death and Wrath and Misery for ever and yet not startled yet stupid and senseless O that yet at length you might be awakened and by the Spirit of the Lord effectually perswaded â—…o lift up your eyes and look a little before you Younder Younder look Sinner younder is a horrible burning Tempest driving towards thee a dreadful burning Lake preparing for thee but canst not thou see it look thorow the perspective of Sodom's burnings when fire came down from Heaven and Aetna's burnings when Fire came forth of the Earth and this will discover something but the perspective of the word will show it plain if thou looâ—…est upwards with this perspective thou maist see
Robe be torn from the back and all the honour of wicked great ones belaid in the dust and they will find no more respect in Hell than other men wicked Princes and Noblemen wicked Knights and Gentlemen will have none to bow to them there and do them homage and the most High-born Ladies that are not New-born what ever they have here will find no Courtship hereafter but will be handled as roughly ns meanest of their attendants All your sensual delights and pleasures will then be at an end they are now but for a season Heb. 11. 25. Yea but for a moment Iob. 20. 5. Sometimes they fail before the life is at an end be sure hereafter they shall have an eternal Period In Hell there will be no Feasting and delicious fare to pamper the Flesh no carowsing and drinking Wine in Bowles no chanting to the sound of the Viol no singing dancing and making merry the glutton shall there have no sweet morsels the drunkard no sweet draughts no â—…or so much as a drop of Water to cool and refresh him the wanton shall no more melt in laâ—…ivious embraces nothing will remain of all your sweetnesses and pleasures here but the bitter remembrances accompained with unutterable grief and and grâ—…ans and the intollerable sting and bitings of the never dying-worm of conscience what ever you have prized and pleased your selves withal here you will then be stript of all and oh how bitter will this be to lose all that which you now so much esteem and love and place your chief happiness in Secondly Think what in Hell will be denied unto you you shall be denied admission into the Kingdom of Heaven when you see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and many from the East and West and North South come and sit down in the Kingdom of God when you shall see all the Saints of all ages shine like the Sun and be caught up in the Clouds to meet the Lord and be crowned by him and received to inherit the Kingdom prepared for them ye shall be shut out no room will be found for you there you could find no room for Christ in your hearts here and he will find no room for you in his Kingdom hereafter The loss of Heaven of that unspeakable happiness which the Angels and Saints shall have in the immediate Vision and Frâ—…ition of God when you come to understand what it is will appear as many observe to be greater than the punishment of sense especially this lâ—…sse will be most grievous unto you who have had discoveries and proffers of it but neglected and refused it preferring some base lusts before it O how will you then be ready to tear your selves to piâ—…ces for madness and vexation Thirdly Think what punishment in Hell will be inflicted upon you First The soreness and intollerableness of it Secondly The sureness and unavoidableness of it Thirdly The neerness of it Fourthly The everlastingness of it First Consider the soreness and intollerableness of Hell's torments and that both of the pain which there you shall feel in your bodies and of the anguish which shall be put upon your souls If you be found amongst the Wicked and Ungodly at the last your bodies shall be tormented in every part in the flames of Hell-fire no pain is more grievous now to the body than the pain of Fire but what is the extinguishable Fire on Earth in comparison with the unquenchable Fire of Hell what is the Fire of Mans kindling in comparison with the Fire of Gods kindling what is Fire fed by Wood in comparison with Fire fed by the breath of God no Fire here can torment like to the fire which God hath prepared for the bodies of the wicked hereafter You have seen fiery Ovens and you have heard of Nebecadnezzars fiery furnace should your bodies now be thrown into such fires you would find them horribly painful but the pains of Hell-fire will be ten thousand times more horrible and tormenting your bodies now cannot endure much pain without expiring which puts an end thereunto but hereafter God will strengthen your bodies to endure they shall have greater strength and quicker sense and so more capacity for pain and they shall be filled to the uttermost of their capacity your bodies shall never dye and they shaâ—… be filled with pain in extremity and that to eternity this will be very sore All the tortures that ever were invented by the most mischievous mind or executed by the most cruel Tyrant on any whom they have had the greatest spleen unto are not so much as the least gentle touch in comparison with the torture which the least member of the damned shall endure in Hell Some of you have had extream pain in your heads others have had extream pain in your bowels others have been extreamly afflicted with pain in your legs others have felt much torture with the pain of your teeth but if you live and dye in Sin you shall be extreamly and eternally tortured with pain in every part your eyes shall be full of pain your tongues full of pain your hands full of pain your heads full of pain your backs full of pain your bellies full of pain your feet full of pain from the crown of your head unto the sole of your feet no part shall be free your bodies shall roul and tumble in flames and there burn with horrible pain and yet never be consumed But the anguish of your Soul will far exceed the tortures of your bodies and here words fail conceptions fall short who can tell how the worm of conscience will bite how dreadful the lashes of your consciences will be when they are let loose as Gods executioners with full rage upon you who can utterthe anguish you shall endure under the immediate impressions of God's wrath upon your souls this will exceed what ever can be inflicted by the means of any second causes The punishment of Hell fire will be very sore and intollerable such as are tender cannot without unutterable fear and grief bear the thoughts of being burned alive here on Earth and oh the shreâ—…kings of such persons when they have been brought to the fire and the flames have begun to seise upon them O I cannot endure it O I cannot endure it how intollerable then will Hell-fire be many Martyrs have endured great tortures in their bodies with much patience some were slain with the Sword some burnt with fire some scourged with whips some stabbed with Iron forks some their skins pluckt off whilst alive some their tongues cut out some stoned to death some starved with hunger cold some dismembred and naked to the shame of the World and yet in the midst of all their pains they have had a composed minde yea sometimes have been filled with joy God hath not suffered man to inflict upon them more than he hath given them strength to beaâ—… but there will be no patience to undergo the pains of