Psa 16. 11. but shewe you now what Saint Augustine speaketh of the ioyes of Heauen and so will I passe vnto that which followeth Wee may saith hee sooner tell you what they are not then what they are Yet take a surusie of those manifolde benefits which GOD bestoweth vpon our base and ignoble bodies Shed out both vpon good and badde from the Heauens from the Ayre from the Earth from the Waters from light from darkenesse from heate from coldnesse from all the creatures shed also out by succession to exclude a loathing Doth GOD bestow vpon our bodies and promiscuaily vppon all these excellent benefits Then O Lord howe great and wonderfull are those good things which thou hast laid vp for thine Elect in the Kingdome of Heauen if these be so good which thou hast giuen to good and badde what shall they bee which thou hast reserued onely for the good if they bee soe pleasant which thou sendest to friendes and enemies howe sweete are those which thy friends shall enioy if there bee so many comfortes in the valley of teares what shall there bee in the day of marriage if thou beest so kind vnto vs in this prison of ours how wilt thon imbrace and hugge vs when we come into thy Kingdome Into that euerlasting Kingdome where euerlasting glory shall bee vpon our heads where that which we would haue shal be present with vs and that we would not haue shal be as sent from vs where there shal be a measure of ioy heaped vp shaken together pressed downe running ouer mensura sine mensura as Bernard speaketh a measure without measure Where we shall haue health without sicknesse strength without weakenesse freedome without bondage beautie without blacknesse Knowledge without ignorance plenty without want peace without trouble safety without feare life without death glory without shame Where wee shall be filled with ioy yet beeing filled wee shall still desire least our fulnesse procure a loathing and in desiring wee shall alwayes bee filled least our desire beget a greeuing to conclude neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor heart of man can conceiue those excellent things that are prepared for vs. Neyther can GOD giue more nor man receiue more then we shall there inioy And is not this then a most lamentable losse to bee debarred from these ioves of Heauen Mee thinkes the remembrance of it should dismaye the heart of a wicked man When hee recounteth with himselfe that hee shall bee shutte out off doores with Dogges that hee shall be excluded from those vnspeakable ioyes which CHRIST IESVS hath bought with his pretious heart bloud that hee shall bee bereft of that glory whereof the beauty of the most glorious Creatures is but a simple shadow that hee shall be cast out from that pure bright and large place of happinesse from an Eternall Kingdome Did the losse of the Arke of 1. Sam. 4. GOD cause Elye to breake his neck This then is inough to breake a Pharaohs heart in peeces to know that after troubles heere there is no hope of harbour of rest of safty in the world to come that he shal be depryued of the face of GOD the sight of CHRIST the fellowship of the Spirit the company of holy Angells and blessed Saintes finally that hee shall haue no part in that great measure of ioy which is so infinite as it cannot enter into vs but wee must enter into it Thou good and faithfull Mat. 25. 21 seruant enter into thy Maisters ioy O wofull and vnsufferable losse more then can bee counternayled by the gayning of ten thousand Worldes Nay all the teares which shall be in Hell will saith Chrisostome neuer be sufficient to bewayle the losse of Heauen And is this all the punishment the impenitent shall sustaine shall they onely loose the ioyes of Heauen we may not stay heere They shal perish they shall likewise feele the terrible paines of Hell Many motiues are there saith Saint Hierom to stirre vs vp to amendment of our liues The consideration of the teares and of the bloud which CHRIST shedde for sinners our owne ennumerable offences the weaknesse of our bodies and frailty of our liues GODS continued mercy towardes vs his Iustice and reuenging power but especially the feare of loosing the ioyes of Heauen All these are as spurres to prick vs forward to repentance and as Trumpets to rowse vs vp from our carnall securitye Yet such is the dulnesse of many and so dead a sleepe are some in their sinnes as such motiues as these will worke but small effect in them Let CHRIST weepe till his Head and Heart ake let him suffer neuer so extreame Torments let sinnes bee as redde as scarlet and liues of all thinges most vncertaine shewe GODS mercies tell of his iudgments Preach of the losse of Heauen Yet were there no Hell to receiue them or Tortures prouided for them they would easily put off all these with a Tush and bee as resolute for their owne destruction as Hester was for the sauing of her people If wee perish wee perish Oderunt peccare mali formi dine paenae Wicked Hest 4. 16. ones must bee scarred from sinne with feare of punishments let them then set before their eyes the fearefull and horrible paines of heil These in the Scriptures are expressed by diuers Apoc. 10. names Sometimes they are called fire hee that is not written in the booke of life is sent into a lake of fire Esa 66. 14. Sometimes they are tearmed a Worme their worme shall not die Verme roditur conscientia igne cremantur corpora saith Bernard with the worme is their consciences gnawed and with the fire are their bodies burned Sometimes againe are they set out by the loathsome stench of Brimstone vppon the wicked hee Psal 11. 6. will raine fire and brimstone Otherwhiles by weeping Mat. 13. 42 and gnashing of teeth Weeping because of the fire that will not be quenched and gnashing because of the worme that wil not bee killed the one comming from Esa 65. 13. 14. griefe the other from rage Sometimes they beare the names of thirst of hunger of sorrow of shame And such penury is there in hell as there is nothing to relecue the damned which are therein The rich man begged a droppe of water and could not haue it guttam petijt saith Gregory qui micam negauit hee craued a droppe that denied a crumme Neyther is it a little torment to bee imprisoned and tortured by the vgglie Fiendes of hell by those Etheopian Angelles as Cyrill calleth them whose armes saith Cassian are like the heades of Dragons whose eyes shoote forth arrowes of fire whose teeth are like the teeth of Elephants whose tayles are like the tayles of Scorpions that is gushfull and grisly Diuils if the sight of one of them be able to bereaue a man of his wittes O how great will the horrour be when they shall all appeare And what doth the
A SERMON OF REPENTANCE Preached By GEORGE MERITON Doctor of Diuinity and one of his Maiesties Chaplaines in Ordinary Imprinted at London for Thomas Clarke and are to be sold at the signe of the Angell in Paules Church-yard 1607. To the Right Honourable the Lord Sheffeild Lord President of Yorke and Knight of the Honorable Order of the Garter increase of Comforts in this life and after death a Crowne of Glory RIght Honourable my desire is to cast my Mite into the Treasury of the Church and for want of Gold Pearle or Pretious stones to bring a Rams skinae or twaine and a little Goats Exod. 35. 23. haire to the building of the Lordes Tabernacle I may seeme perhaps to passe the boundes of modesty in crauing your Honors protection for so smal a thing The smaller it is the more needefull to be protected And sithence you vouchsafed not long since to heare part of it with patience I will now presume vpon your L fauoure for the whole I doe not dedicate it vnto you as doubting of your Honours care in this point of Repentance your loue to Religion Zeale to the Truth practise of Piety haue made you Honourable not in your selfe alone but also as Samuel 1. Sam. 9. 6. was in the heartes of the people Yet giue mee leaue 2. Pet. 3. 1. Ibeseech you to stirre vp and warne your pure mind That as you haue begun to cleaue vnto CHRIST with a good purpose of heart So you would continue to aoe it still and to do it more and more Remember alwayes Noble Lord that bloud vnstayned before Men is stayned bloud before GOD if it be not continually restored by the bloud of CHRIST This Sermon then I commend vnto your Honour and it to the good blessing and holy protection of GOD. Hadleigh in Suffolke May the 26. 1607. Your Honours to bee commanded GEORGE MERITON Except yee amend your lines yee all shall likewise perish Luk. 13. vers 5. OTher Mens afflictions are our instructions and the punishments which are laid vpon some are or should be profitable vnto vs all The Dogge is beaten in the presence of a Lyon that by the stripes and cries of a Dogge a Lyon might bee tamed The Thunder bolt falleth and burneth but in a narrow Iud. vers 7. compasse yet is it terrible to a great number round about so the calamities of a few are set forth for ensamples vnto the rest to worke amendment in them This true vse of iudgements did not many of the Iewish people make Pilate had destroyed some and mingled their blood with their sacrifices The Towre of Siloam fell downe vpon others and bereaued them of Vers 4. their liues Those who escaped these punishments as the Nature of man is fauouring them selues too much beeing wise abroad and fooles at home as the Poet speaketh hauing their eyes in their purses when they should behold their owne deformities like Lamia in the Fable and staring in their heades to gaze vpon the sinnes of others with the proud Pharesie in the Gospell concluded from hence like badde Logitians from weake and slender premises that Therefore they were more righteous and holy then their fellowes Our Sauiour CHRIST to crosse this vaine supposall answereth them heere Laconically 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay And least that beeing ouer-blinded in themselues they should all fall into the ditch to preuent their ruine hee denounceth out a threatning that Vnlesse they amended they should all likewise perish Threatnings they are forcible meanes to draw sinners vnto GOD For although good promises are alurements vnto good men yet such for the most part is the corruption of our heartes as that wee are more mooued with feare then with loue more with the rodde of Aaron then with heauenly Manna more with seuere threatnings then with friendly promisings Injuries do worke a deeper griefe in vs then benefits do affect vs with delight Sicknesse doth more weary vs then health doth refresh vs and wee are wont to esteeme rightly of prosperity by the harmes of aduersity For this cause therfore are these misdeeming Iews fore-told that vnlesse they amēded their liues their destruction was at hand CHRIST launceth them for to heale them hee threatneth them for to draw them hee denounceth iudgements against them for to saue them his wordes are like the Arrowes of Ionathan which were shot after Dauid not 1. Sam. 20. to wound him but to giue him warning In olde times thus was GOD accustomed to reclaime his people The writinges of the Prophets are euen stuffed with woes Take a booke saith GOD vnto Ier 36. 16. Ieremy and write therein all the euill that I determine to doe vnto the house of Iudah that they may returneeuery man from his euill way and in the same Chapter it is recorded that when they heard the wordes of the booke they were amazed The like course hath GOD vsed in latter times Iohns manner of preaching was as rough as himselfe Now is the Axe saith he laid vnto the rootes of the trees and euery tree that bringeth Mat. 3. 5 6. not forth good fruit shall bee hewen downe and cast into the fire What followed herevpon Ierusalem all Iudea and the region about Iordaine were baptized of him confessing their sinnes CHRIST also in this place threatneth the Iewes and in them euerie one of vs for that which stoode good against them standeth still in force against vs Except we amendour liues we shall all likewise perish How this wrought to the conuersion of these Iewes it is not mentioned in the Scripture how farre it will preuaile for the bettering of vs I am not able to coniecture This am I sure of that in former times threatnings haue preuailed and I beseech our GOD to make them profitable now The partes of my Text are these foure First there is a duty required Amendment of life Secondly the necessity thereof inforced vnlesse Thirdly the time prescribed Amend not haue amended and fallen againe not will amend I know not when but vnlesse you Amend doe it speedily and continually without delaye or interruption sorrow for sin without hope of grace where there is knowledge of guiltinesse without amendment of life where there is a killing of the old mā without a quickning of the newe where there is the sentence of death in the Soule not of life in the Sauiour Though we should recount vnto GOD all our sinnes ouer ouer againe euen in the bitternes of our soules M. ch 1. 8 though we lament with Dragons and mourne like Ostriges yet had we but that part of this grace which euen the wicked and reprobates haue Cain Saul Iudas Heb. 12. 17 were greatly grieued for theyr sinnes Esau lift vp his voice and howled out yet found hee no place to repentance though hee sought a blessing with teares What was the cause of this my beloued but that there was in him penance without desire of repētance griefe
fashion doth shee now make serue in steed of a napkin her precious ointment that was her wonted perfume she now powred vpon CHRISTS feete which her eyes had watered her hayre had wiped her mouth had kissed The Philistins being plagued with Emrodes offered Emrodes vnto the Arke 1. Sam. 6. The Isralites being stong with Serpents erected a serpent in the wildernes serpens momordit serpens curauit Num. 21. a Serpent did bite a serpent did heale Those that gaue their Iewels to the making of a Calfe did afterwards Ex. 35. bestow them vpon the Lords Tabernacle And this was Maries practise so many sinnes so many sacrifices such sinnes such sacrifices her eyes her lippes her hayre her ointment all the instruments of her death were turned at her conuersion into the means of life Notable examples to teach all their duties Haue you delighted in pride of attire put on sackcloth haue you offended in surfetting drankennes fast and drinke water hath your mirth beene immoderate weepe strangle that sinne with the streame of teares haue you robbed or wronged your brethren make restitution no restitution no attonement Exo. 6. 7. Nay further reuenge that sinne vpon your selues by giuing some-what of your own haue you beene vncleane fleshly liuers chastise your bodies with Paul demete aliquid de hordeo as it is in the Poet keepe 1. Cor. 9. 27. before his couenant as Amend and Enter but Nis◠vnlesse you amend Regnum amittitur the Kingdome is lost ye shall surely perish Repentance is as Necessary a condition to life as a Shippe is needefull to him that will sayle ouer the Sea or as a medicine is necessary saith S. Ambrose vnto a wounded body Neither is it necessary to some but to all All shall perish vnlesse there be amendment The whole race of Adam stand bound to this strict condition Not Moyses Not Abraham Not Dauid not the Patriarches not the Apostles of CHRIST Not any who may challenge vnto them-selues eyther by Birth or bringing vp the greatest prerogatiues in the world can plead exemption from this Condition Hast thou fayled in thy faith and repented behold GODS mercy towards repenting Peter Hast thou robbed thy Neighbour and repented behold GODS mercy to the repenting Theefe Hast thou couetously gained and repented behold GODS mercy to repenting Zachy restored Zachie Hast thou burned in vncleane lust and repented behold GODS mercy to repenting Magdalen Hast thou committed Adultery and repented behold GODS mercy to repenting Dauid But hast thou done these and many more and not repented take heede to thy selfe if the condition bee still broken thou shalt surely be damned GOD accepteth of no mans person he feareth no mans power hee is deceiued by no policie he is corrupted with no money he is allured by no flatterie Who would not haue thought but that the Pharisies should haue beene saued which made a shewe of a precise life or that Esau should not haue beene respected who lift vp his voice and wept bitterly Or that Ahab had not bin Heb. 12. in good case who humbled him-selfe exceedingly Or that Herod should not haue gon to Heauen who 2. King 21 heard Iohn Baptist gladly But wo vnto the Pharesies Mar. 6. 20. said CHRIST Esau did GOD hate Achab was a Luk. 11. 42 counterfeit Herod was a cruell Tyrant Will not a Mal. 1. 3. seeming precise life out-ward humility crying for 2 Kin. 21. Luk. 3. 19. 20. a blessing hearing of GODS word with some gladnesse serue our turnes No verily I may say of this condition as S. Paul speaketh of Charity Though 1. Cor 13 wee spake with the tongues of men and Angells though we had the gift of Prophesiyng and knew all secrets though we had faith to remoue mountaines though we should feed the poore with all our goods though we should giue our bodies to be burned and want Repentance all would be nothing worth but like the Golden Apples of Caligula which might please the sight of his Ghests saith Plutarch but not slake their hunger or like the gold on the out-side of the Tēple which as Origen writeth was neuer sanctified Say what wee can beleeue what wee can doe what wee can suffer what wee can vnlesse we repent wee shall surely perish As CHRIST IESVS is a Lambe full of mercy Ioh. 1. meeknesse so is he a Lyon full of wrath fiercenes Apo. 5. Vnto the repenting person he giueth a soft heart for his mercy indureth for euer he sendeth the comfort of his spirit for his mercy indureth for euer hee giueth peace of conscience for his mercy indureth for euer and bestoweth on them the ioyes of Heauen for his mercy indureth for euer But as for the impenitent hee giueth them ouer vnto hardnesse of heart for his iustice indureth for euer Hee leaueth them in a Reprobate sense for his iustice indureth for euer Hee sendeth into them the horror of Conscience for his iustice indureth for euer And cafteth them at last into the torments of Hell for his iustice indureth for Jud. 6. euer Did not GOD spare his Angells but reserued Gen. 7. Num. 14. them in Chaynes vnder darkenesse did hee not spare the olde World but drowned it with a flood did hee not spare his owne people but destroyed them in the Wildernesse And will hee spare vs without our conuersion Is there nowe an other waye to Heauen or a newe tricke to escape danger Let no Man flatter him-selfe there is no Atheist no Drunken swil-tubbe no Couetous wreatch no doting Dreamer who despiseth gouernment and speaketh euill of those that are in Authoritie no Swearer no For-swearer no Theefe no Adulterer In one word no kind of sinner without Repentance shall escape GODS vengeance CHRIST IESVS hath spoken it the Life that fayleth not the Way that misleadeth not the trueth that deceiueth not Vnlesse yee amend your liues yee shall all likewise perish Thus much of the necessity of this duty 3. The time is prescribed Amend instātly cōtinually In omnibus obligationibus in quibus dies non ponitur presente die debetur In all Obligations sayth the Lawyer where no time is specified the Condition is presently to bee performed Vppon this Theame the Holy-Men of GOD spent many of their Sermons Looke into Esay Ieremy and the rest and you shall finde that they euer beate vppon the present time Now turne vnto the Lord. Now Efa 55. whilest it is called to day to day if you will heare his Ier. 35. Heb. 3. voice this is the acceptable time c. What were Psal 95. they so barren headed as that penurie constrayned Heb. 4. them to harpe alwayes vpon the same string GOD forbid wee should thinke so But iniquity did then abound as now it doth and procrastination was euer dangerous and therefore they iudged no Doctrine so fit as oftentimes to vrge repentance without all delay GOD will
not permitte vs to giue the prime dayes vnto the Deuill and the Dogge dayes to him to poure out our wine to the world and serue him with our dregges Amend saith my text heere is no time speciall annexed and therefore is our payment presently required And as we must amend without deferring so must wee continue without back-sliding Wee may not repent by quames and startes but go through stitch Fatte promisings may not haue leane performances It is a principle in the Ciuill Law Nihil praesumitur fuisse actum dum aliquid superest ad agendum To begin a thing is pleasant and for varieties sake many will do so much but the prise and praise is at the end Some in the world resemble Snayles which push out a long payre of hornes but beeing touched neuer so little they drawe them in againe Such a one was 2. Chr. 15. Asa carefull to doe good till the goute did take him 1. Sam. 14. 27. Others are like Ionathan who will follow the chase hard till they come where hony is But true repentance may not be by lease or after the manner of Bethulia Iudg. 7. 30. a composition for fiue dayes wee may not say one day Gloriapatri the second filio the third spirituo sancto and after that come to sicut erat in principio Dan. 2. 32. 33. this were Nabuchadnezers image the head of brasse the breast of baser mettall and so neerer the ende Luk. 18. worse and worse still But we must follow repentance Gen. 32. as the widdow did her sute keepe our hold as Iacob did in wrestling Amend to day amend to morrow runne on not for a time but euen our whole time actu continuo with a continued act Moderately at the first constantly in the middest cheerefully to the end All the trees in GODS Orchard must bee Palmes and Cedars Palmes which bring forth fruit betimes Cedars whose fruites lasteth very long Consider well the manifold dangers which followes the want eyther of speed or of continuance First our liues of all things are most vncertaine Short are Iob. 13. the dayes of man saith Iob who also amonst the Philosophers is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of a day old Salomon Eccle. 2. surueying mans life calleth it Vaine and then thinking not that word sufficient correcteth himselfe and calleth it vanity but Dauid goeth yet further and Psal 6 2. tells vs. That man is lighter then vanity too Euen as Psal 90. 9. a thought in the braine wherof there may be no fewer then ten thousand in one day What answer was made vnto him that promised ease vnto his soule many yeares thou foole this night shall thy soule be taken Luk. 11. 19 20. from thee Young men saith Seneca haue death behind them olde men haue death before them and all men haue death not farre from them Mee thinkes the Lord threatneth an vtter ruine vnto all the World The Earth not long since hath trembled the Lightes of Heauen haue beene often darkened Rebellions haue beene raised Treasons haue beene practised Plagues haue beene dispersed Windes haue blustered Waters haue raged and what wanteth there now but fire for vs from Heauen to bee consumed And is it nowe time to buye to sell to eate to drinke to liue securely in sinne as they did in the dayes of Noah and thinke of nothing else Is it nowe time to say vnto GOD as the Niggard doth Prou. 3. vnto his neighbour Cras reuertere come againe to morrow or as that drowsie sluggard doth yet a Prou. 6. 10. little sleepe yet a little slumber yet a little folding of the handes The foolish Virgins supposed that the Bridgroome would not come like an Owle or Baâ—te in the night there is time enough saide they what needes all this hast but poore fooles they were excluded O My beloued many thousands are nowe no doubt in hell who purposed in time to haue turned from their sinnes but being preuented by death are for euer condemned Let therefore the vncertainety and shortnesse of our liues teach vs to watch because we know not the houre to do good whilst we haue Mat. 25. Gal. 6. time to make hast into the promised rest and alwayes Heb. 4 let vs esteeme it as an imminent danger to line in that estate wherein wee would bee loath that death should finde vs. Secondly badde customes are dangerous and Iob. 20. 11 greatly to bee feared Hee that from his youth hath liued wickedly in his old age shall haue sinne in his bones Can the Black-moore change his skinne or the Ier. 13. 23. Leopard his spottes no more may hee doe good sayth GOD who is accustomed vnto euill It is a true speech vsed amongst Physitions Custome is another Nature A Child brought vp in closse prison can there sport and play when hee that lately saw light and had his liberty can do little else but bewayle his Captiuity The Isralites beeing long in bondage Luk. 13. were loath to depart the Woman which had an infirmitie eighteene yeares called not vpon CHRIST Luk. 19. as the Leapers did Sinnes are not like Disseases in the body The older the sorâ—r sed consuetudine plus quam ciues studio plus quam hostes saith Saint Augustine the older the sweeter and yet the more toothsome the more troublesome for Custome not resisted becommeth a Necessity Olde Sinners are compared to Lazarus in his graue First they stinke they are corrupt and become abhommable Ps 14. 1. 3. as the Psalmist speaketh Secondly they haue a greate stone of Custome rowled vpon them which can hardly be remoued Ioh. 11. 43. CHRIST must grone and crye aloud before Lazarus can bee raised Thirdly their seete and handes are bound they cannot imploie them to any good action And lastly their faces are couered hauing by the darkenesse of their sinnes lost the sight of GOD. Againe ancient sinnes are by the Prophet compared vnto Chaynes where one lincke one sinne doth draw on another First commeth secret suggestion after suggestion Cogitation after cogitation Affection after affection Delight after delight Consent after consent an Act then many actes make a Custome Custome bringeth Despayre despaire a Defence of sinne defense a Boasting in it and this is the next steppe to condemnation Here is the Chaine of sinn wherein euerie lincke is more heauye then an other the former are the easier the latter alwayes the harder to bee shaken off Peter at the first did but denye CHRIST afterwardes hee denyed him with an oath at last hee did curse and swcare and for-swore him-selfe The Disciples of Mat. 26. CHRIST could not caste out a Foule Spirit that had remayned in one from his child-hood Hee that hath had long possession will plead prescription Mar. 9. A Language saith Bassill first learned is not soone forgotten and a custome long retayned is not quickly changed It is therefore very dangegerous
place of punishment afford that place of confusion of darknesse of chaines of most horrible shapes but euen Math. 22. Ecchoes of woes Well then suppose one to be burning in a lake of fire hauing a Viper at his heart alwayes gnawing and stinging his soule imagine boyling brimstone to bee powred vppon him that with the heat thereof hee is scalded with the smoake thereof hee is stifled and with the noysome sauour continually choaked let him weepe wayle wring his handes and stand gnashing of his teeth let him be euer languishing and pining with want of foode denay him all things which may any waie ease him Conceiue yet further that he is bound handes and feete that he is affrighted and tormented with vgglie Diuells and compassed round about with horrible darkenesse Thinke well of the misery of such a man and know that these are the paynes of an impenitent wretch in hell These the paynes nay my beloued these are not the tenth part of Hels torments CHRIST calleth them Euerlasting paynes As they are extream without decreasing so are they endlesse without all redemption Math. 25. There are sighes with-out pittying cries Verl last without moning lamentation with-out relecuing a flood of black flimes euer flowing ibi dolores torquent animas non extorquent puniunt corpora non finiunt as Prosper speaketh there is a Death which alwayes liueth and a Life which alwayes dyeth there hee that tortoreth fainteth not and hee that suffereth fayleth not There is Euer parching fire for warming loue Euer banishment for reconcilement Euer heauinesse for singing Euer darknesse for shining Euer fetters for crownes Euer gnashing of teeth for clapping of handes Euer miserable immortality and immortall miserve Alasse who is able saith Esay to dwell in euerlasting burnings Esa 33. 14. It were some comfort in the middest of afflictions to thinke that one day they will come vnto an end and the damned spirits in hell had they but a little hope that after the space of manye thousand thousand yeares they should bee released this little sparke in the middest of their flames would in some sort make them ioyfull but Euer to burne Euer to boyle Euer to weepe Euer to wring Euer to bee in chaynes to suffer vnsufferable torments Euerlasting paynes This is that which cutteth heart-strings a sunder Yet is not this all For as they are eternall with-out redemption so are they Generall with-out exception For first all suffer them and iudge you what a dolefull sight it will bee to see infinite millions of males and females continually without any intermission hacking and hewing their teeth together to heare howling and crying Woe woe be vnto vs that euer wee were borne to heare one Diuel one damned Ghost calling vnto another to strike to rend to kill to spoyle to heape on coales to poure on Brimstone like one that is pressing to death who calleth for more waights to bee cast vpon him Secondly as they all suffer in all parts in all the members of their bodies in all the powers of their soules they haue corporall flames with-out and spirituall flames with-in no part no power is free Hast thou offended with thy Head thou shalt haue scalding hast thou offended with thine Eyes thou shalt haue weeping hast thou offended with thy Mouth thou shalt haue howling with thy Tongue thou shalt haue scorching with thine Eares thou shalt haue yelling with thy Nose thou shalt haue stincking with thy Feete thou shalt haue fettering with thy Handes thou shalt haue wringing with thy Heart thou shalt haue gnawing in thy Soule and Body burning and boyling Pro disparibus generibus peccatorum sunt disparia tormenta suppliciorum saith Saint Augustine euery man shall receiue according to his seuerall 1. Pet. 1. workes Coniecture yet further of Hells tortures by things of no accompt Put thy foote into a seething bath and how dost thou grieue what sorrow dost thou conceiue if thou beest vexed with a sharp burning ague how dost thou tosse and tumble and art out of quiet is the scalding of thy foote or a fit of an Ague so grieuous vnto flesh and bloud which are but Flea-bitings no though thou did dest abide them thy whole life long O howe then wilt thou bee able to endure euerlasting burnings Will CHRIST now profit thee who stretched his armes out â—pon the Crosse for sinners No hee will now NOW IESVS CHRIST our Lord and GOD Euen the Father which hath loued vs and giuen vs euerlasting consolation by his spirit and good hope through grace purge our dead consciences and stablish our hearts in euery good word and worke vnto the end that beeing made the seruants of GOD wee may haue our fruit in holinesse and in the end eternall life Amen Laus DEO