Hell the spirit will uttterly sink under the the heavy burden and pressure thereof especially the pressure of that pure and weighty wrath which shall be immediately upon the soul. The terrours of conscience here and foretasts of wrath are intollerable in this World Prev 18. 14. The spirit of man will sustain his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can bear If the body be infirm and weak full of distemper and pain yet whilst the spirit is whole and sound whilst there is peace within the spirit may sustain this and bear up under it but if the spirit be wounded by the Arrows of the Almighty shot into it who can bear it if God let fall some scalding drops of his wrath upon the spirit if he kindle a spark of Hell-fire in ye conscience who can endure it no Balm nor Physitian on Earth can cure such wounds no Earthly riches or sensual delights can aswage these inward griefs and horrours which by the hand of God are imprinted upon the Spirit when the wicked are filled with dispairful agonies through apprehension of future approaching wrath and there remaineth nothing but a fearfull looking for of Judgement and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries Heb. 10. 26. this is enough to sink the heart of the stoutest under it's burden And if the wounds of the Spirit herebe so intollerable what will those be which the Lord with such mighty force and by his immediate hand shall give hereafter if you cannot bear some drops of God's wrath now what will you do when the full Viols of Gods wrath shall be poured out upon you if you be found under the guilt of sin if you cannot endure the sparks of Hell-fire how will you endure the flames and most burning heat thereof If the foretasts of Hell affect ye heart with such horrour and the fears thereof fill the Spirit with such amazement what will Hell it selfs do when the pains and anguish thereof is beyond the greatest fears and highest conceptions thereof Should you fall into the hands of the most cruel Men to torture and Massacre you this would be fearful should you fall under the power of Devils to tear and rend you this would be more fearful but to fall into the hands of God this will be most fearful this you cannot bear and yet if wicked you must bear it and that to eternity and can you sleep still in Sin under the thoughts of such danger Secondly Consider the sureness and unavoidabieness of Hell-fire nothing is more sure than what God hath revealed in his Word and nothing more unavoidable than what God hath threatned and such is the tormenting of the wicked and Ungodly in the flames of Hell-fire Whilst you are here upon the Earth there is a possibility of escaping future torments Pardon Pâ—…ace and Salvation are attainable If you lay your Sins to heart if you confess and forsake them you may find mercy if by faith you apply your selves unto the Lord Jesus you shall not perish but obtain eternal life But if go on still in your trespasse if you live and dye in a state of impenitency and unbelief it will be impossible for you to escape Indeed could you make you party good against God could you gather forces together and wage War against Heaven and obtain the Victory you might avoid the threatned punishment but alas God is infinite in power and will not permit any such attempts you will not be able to hold up head or hand against him who can stand in his sight when once he is angry God will bind all the Devils and wicked men and women together in chains of darkness stronger than any Iron chains and none shall be able to make any resistance Could you hide your selves at the last day from his eye could you fly from his presence into some remote corner could you creep under some Rock or Mountain and there be covered from his view you might think to escape but this cannot be Gods eye will follow you and his hand will reach you whither soever you go Could you by your Prayers and Tears move God to compassion and prevail for mercy as now you may do there might be some hopes of avoiding this punishment but 〈◊〉 Gods ear will be shut and the doors of mercy shut against you for ever your knocking at the door will be in vain it will never be opened your cryes and prayers will be no purpose they will receive no answer Hereafter the punishment of Hell will be unavoidable by the wicked Thirdly Consider the neerness of this punishment of Hell The sands of your life are running apace the time of your abode here is wasting very fast your bodies will quickly be in the Grave and if you dye in your Sins your soul will be as quickly in Hell You cannot long escape this punishment You may shuffle the thoughts of God and future wrath out of your minde for a time you may busie your thoughts about other thing whilst you are here but all these things will shortly shrink away from you and leave you naked and you must stand before God to be judg'd by him and to be condemned by him and to be punished by him God will meet you as a Bear bereaved of her whelps and rend the caul of your heart or like a roaring Lion and rear you in pieces when there shall be none to deliver God will take you into his hand and throw you out of his presence into the bottomless gulph of unquenchable burnings me thinks this should awaken you Fourthly And lastly consider the everlastingness of Hell-fire and your torment which there you must endure if you be found in the number of unbelievers The wrath of God will never be at an end the Worm of your conscience will never dye and the Fire of Hell will never go out but the smoke of your torment will ascend up for ever and ever when you have been the space of as many Years in Hell as there Stars in the Firmament as there are drops of dew upon the Earth in the morning as there are spires of Grasse which spring out of the Earth as there are drops of Water in the Ocean as are there Sands upon the Sea shore your torments will be as far from being aswaged and as far from being ended as at the first minute of your entrance into this dreadful place As there is an infinite space of place if I may so call it to help our apprehensions beyond the circumference of the Heavens and the visible World in comparison with which ten thousand Millions of worlds would not fill up the space of the least speck so there is an infinite space of duration beyond the circumference and bounds of time in comparison with which the duration of ten thousand Millions of worlds for ten thousand Millions of years would not be so much as a Minute or the least imaginable instant and this whole eternity you if wicked must
FIRE AND BRIMSTONE From Heaven From Earth In Hell OR Three Discourses I. Concerning the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah formerly II. Concerning the burning of Aetna or Mount Gibel more lately III. Concerning the burning of the Wicked Eternally with Fire and Brimstone By Thomas Vincent sometime Minister of Maudlins Milk-street London Rev. 21. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving and Abominable and Murderers and Whore-mongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death London Printed for George Calvert and Samuel Sprint and are to be sold at the Golden Ball in Duck-Lane 1670. To the Reader THe occasion of my Writting these few Sheets concerning these three great Burnings was the breaking forth of such Flames and Streams of Fire the last Year at the Mouth and sides of Aetna or Mount Gibel being willing to take hold of any occasion especially so sutable as this to awaken Sinners that they might endeavour their escape from the future and everlasting burnings of Hell and this I thought the rather to do because in the Relation given us of those stupendous burnings of Aetna the hand of the Lord was not in the least minded his Name not once mentioned and no improvement thereof at all attempted by him or them that drew up the Narrative which to me seemed a shame and quickned me when others who might have done it better were silent in my endeavours to make some advantage of this Providence for the good of Souls The chief of what I had drawn up was several Months since which I purposed to Preach upon in the course of my Ministry as an Appendix unto the Doctrine of Contrition but being diverted from that Subject by some sevearer and threatning Providences I looked upon my self as called at that time rather to Preach upon such Subjects might tend to the support of Gods people under those sufferings which they were like to undergo if they would perseveer in his ways Thus my Papers were laid aside and laid asleep and I did think to bury them in my Closet and never to suffer them to come forth into the light But since the Fires which have broken forth of late in the City and Suburbs and Southwark and the general impression of fear of Fire upon the Sptrits of London's Inhabitants I thought it might be seasonable at this time to treat of Burnings that so I might prevail with all in danger especially the Inhabitants in and about London that if they should not escape the burnings of their Houses here for the preventing of which all diligence should be used yet that they would above all things endeavour to escape the burning of their Persons in the everlasting flames of Hell If this little Book be made use of by the Lord to keep any of you out of Hell give God all the praise and be mindful at the Throne of Grace of him who prayeth for the Salvation of all your Souls Thomas Vincent Fire and Brimstone from Heaven in the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah Psalm 11. 6. Upon the wicked he shall rain Snare Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup. CHAP. I. The Text opened and a general Doctrine observed THe Lord is known by the judgements which He executeth whereby he giveth Sinners to understand even in this World that as he is patient and long-suffering merciful and gracious and ready to be reconciled so that he is Holy and jealous just and righteous and that he can be angry and expresse his anger in furious rebukes when by sin he is exceedingly provoked hereunto And as the anger of the Lord in the height and feirenesse of it is compared unto Fire unto a flaming Fire which devoureth round about Lam. 2. 3. So his most dreadful judgements the expressions of his anger are by Fire especially by Fire mingled with Brimstone Such showers of Fire and Brimstone God doth threaten to rain upon the wicked in the Text Upon the wicked he shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup. In this Psalm is set forth first the â—…hatred and indignation of the wicked towards the righteous which is expressed both in their scoffing at them and their preparing the bow and arrow to shoot and destroy them Ver. 1. 2. 2. the hatred and indignation of God towards the wicked which is expressed in his threatning to rain Snares Fire and â—…mstone and an horrible Tempest upon them to devour them Ver. 5. 6. Upon the wicked that is upon all the wicked who go on still in their trespasses especially such as are haters and persecutors of the righteous He shall rain Snares that is God will entangle and hold them so fast even like Birds under the snares and nets of the Fowler that they shall not be able to fie from and escape the destruction which he will bring upon them Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest No Tempest is more horrible than a tempest of Fire and Brimstone which God will rain on the wicked this hath an allusion unto the real Fire and Brimstone miraculously Created by God and rained down from Heaven upon the wicked Cities of Sodom and Gemorrah something like unto this God threatneth in his destructions of other places Isa. 13. 19. And Babylon the glory of Kingdoms the beauty of the Caldees excellency shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah Amos 4. 11. I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah And if the wicked do escape real Fire and Brimstone and any temporal judgement like it on Earth be sure the Lord will rain an horrible Tempest of fire and brimstone upon them in Hell This shall be the portion of their Cup. The Lord hath received a portion and prepared a Cup for all the children of Men he hath a portion of good things for the righteous and he will give them the Cup of blessing and Salvation but he hath laid up a portion of evil things for the wicked and will put into their hands the Cup of his Wrath and Curse he hath reserved ruine and destruction for them by Fire and Brimstone Hence observe Doct. That an horrible Tempest of Fire and Brimstone God threatneth to rain on the wicked as their deserved portion I shall not here speak concerning all the dreadfull temporal judgements of God upon the wicked which may have some similitude unto destruction by Fire and Brimstone But treat concerning fire and brimstone it self and the destructions of it both what hath been and what shall be My chief design is as the Lord shall enable to set forth Gods vengeance on the wicked which shall be hereafter by Eternal fire and brimstone in Hell in order to the awakening of sleepy sinners out of their carnal security there being no greater awakening consideration in the whole Christian Religion than this of the
certain danger which all unbelieving sinners are in of Hell Fire and because such as are most concern'd in the danger are hardly brought to conceive but most hardly induc'd to consider this Fire it being so far remov'd at present from sense therefore by way of introduction unto the discourse concerning the burning of Hell I shall treat first of the fire and brimstone which formerly was rained from Heaven upon the wicked Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah Secondly of the fire and brimstone which more lately issued forth of the bowels of the Earth in the last years eruption of Mount Aetna that hereby I may both facilitate the conception and entice unto the consideration of the fire and brimstone in Hellâ—… which eternally shall burn the wicked whose portion that dreadful place is appointed to be CHAP. II. The Historical Introduction unto the Iudgement of Sodom DReadful were the showers of fire and brimstone which came down from Heaven upon the wicked Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim the History whereof we have recorded in the Scriptures the most ancient and most certain of all Histories where only this record is originally to be found But before I speak of this judgement I shall give the Historical Introduction to it shewing what the Scripture relateth concerning the places and people and some transactions before it's last ruine and desolation by Fire from Heaven The first notice we have of Sodom is in the 13th Chapter of Genesis It was in the early yeers of the World that Sodom flourished the sinners of Sodom were coâ—…emporary with Abraham the Father 〈◊〉 the Faithful none was like Abraham upon the Earth for goodness and none were like the Sodomites â—…on the Earth for wickedness the Text saith they â—…re sinners before the Lord exceedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We read that Abraham had upon the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 â—…r saken his Fathers House and Kindred â—…d camâ—… iâ—… Canaan with Lâ—…t his Brother 〈◊〉 Son who so journed together for a while in 〈◊〉 Land which God promised to give unto tâ—… Pâ—…sterity of Abraham for a possession here the wealth and substance the Flocks and Herds â—…th of Abraham and Lot through God's blessings wâ—…re encreased greatly insomuch as they could not longer live well together because of the abundance of their Cattel and some strife which did arise between their Herdmen therefore Abraham that all occasions of contention might be avoided desires Lot to devide and separate himself with his Cattel and chuse either the right hand or the left and himself would take that way which he should refuse Lot complyeth with this motion and reasonable proposition and lifting up his eyes beholdeth the Plains of Iordan that they were well watered even as the Garden of the Lord and therefore making choice of these Plains for his Cattel he journeyeth East-ward towards Sodom one of the Cities of the Plains where himself did take up his habitation It was not long after Lot's sojourning in the wicked City of Sodom that Wars break forth and they are invaded by four great Kings namely Amraphel Arioch Chedarlaomer and Tidal because of their Rebellion against Chedarlaomer whom they had served twelve yeers before The history of which Wars with the event thereof we have in the 14th Chapter of Genesis Against which Army of the four Kings were gathered together the five Kings of the Cities of the Plain and their people who joyned together in battel with their enemies in the Vale of Siddim But the four Kings were too mighty for the five and smiting them obtained Victory over them Whether the Army of the four Kings were too numerous or more Warlike and expert in battel or whether the guilt of the people under the five Kings weakened their hands and enfeebled their Spirits it is not said but this we may reasonably judge that their sins were the cause of their overthrow and that God did hereby warn them to repent and turn from the evil of their doings lest a worse evil should overtake and utterly destroy them The four Kings having conquered and dispersed the Army of the five Kings they sack the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and amongst other captives they take Lot with his goods and depart Abraham hath notice quickly by one that had escaped of these sad tidings and what had befallen Lot and though he could not muster up so great force as to match these four great Kings in number yet because of the great love which he did bare unto Lot who for his sake had come forth from amongst their own Kindred into Canaan with him and being filled with courage having as little black guilt within to appale his spirit as any man alive he armeth his three hundred and eighteen trained servants and without any other help only Aner Escol and Mamre which were confederate with him he pursueth these Kings laden with their rich booty and in the night when they were drowned it may be with sleep and security he devideth his little company and assaulteth them which being so sudden and unexpected and at such time when the Host of these Kings were unready and unprepared they are struck with dread and amazement and without any great resistance which we read of they confusedly flee before Abraham who maketh a great slaughter amongst them and pursueth them to Hoba Thus Abraham rescueth Lot and the other captives out of their Enemies hand and recovereth all the goods which they had taken away In Abraham's return with the spoils of these great Kings the King of Sodom who had escaped in the battel cometh forth to meet him who maketh proffer unto him of all the goods which he had recovered the persons only excepted but Abraham what ever he had deserved yet would not accept of so much as the worth of a thred or shoe-latchet of what had before belonged unto so wicked a people as the Sodomits were fearing possibly that such goods mingled with his own might prove like a Moth unto them however he would not give the King occasion to say or any to think that Sodom's goods had made Abraham rich This bringing back of the Sodomits from captivity and reinstalling the King of Sodom beyond what he could have lookt for by such unlikely means was a wonderful work of God and laid a great obligation upon the Sodomites not only to respect Lot upon whose account Abraham had thus ventured himself but 〈…〉 of â—…heir sins against God who 〈…〉 Abraham for this work and delivereâ—… 〈…〉 â—… their enemies into his hands as 〈◊〉 King of Salem and Priest of the High God who came forth to meet Abraham acknowledgeth with praise and thanksgiving how little the Sodomites did answer their obligation either unto God or Man will appear in the 19th Chapter of Genesis where their sin and punishment is set forth But before this in the 18th Chapter we read that Abraham having entertained three Angels he afterwards bringeth them forward on their way which lay towards Sodom
and ungodly here you that are righteous shall escape God will hide you in the day of his anger when a Deluge of Judgements shall break in upon the ungodly God will provide an Ark for you when God raineth a horrible Tempest of Fire and Brimstone upon the wicked he will provide a Zoar for you God will either keep you from the judgement it self which befalleth others or else he will keep you in it and from that fiery indignation which is mingled with it be sure you shall be kept from the horrible Tempest of Fire and Brimstone which shall beat upon the head of the wicked at last when the Heavens shall be on Fire and pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall be on Fire and melt with fervent hâ—…at and the Earth shall be on Fire and all things here below in flames when the wrath of the Sin-revenging God shall break forth like a Deluge upon the Ungodly World and they shall be cast together into the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone Heaven shall be youâ—… Ark your Zoar where you shall be in safety and made happy in the full enjoyment of God unto 〈◊〉 eternity Away then with fear and dread whatever the fâ—…owns and threatnings of men be though 〈◊〉 oâ—… the Ungodly may inveron you though the wrath of wicked men like fire be kindled against you yet being righteous you are safe since God is for you neither men nor Devils shall be permitted to do you real hurt God is your dwelling place and God is your hiding place you are under his wing whilst you remain here and you shall hereafter lye in his bosom for ever Fire and Brimstone from Earth in the burning of Aetna or Mount Gibel CHAP. I The Introduction THe History of Sodom and Gomorrah's flames and destruction by Fire and Brimstone from Heaven may seem incredible unto some who either are ignorant of the Infinite Power of God whereby he can do whatever he pleaseth as evidently appeareth in the mighty works thereof which could not be effected without the hand of Omnipotency and know not how feirce and hot his anger is which burneth in his breast against Sinners especially such Sinners as the Sodomits were which would quickly put the whole world into flames did not his infinite Patience restrain it for a while from breaking forth in it's rage and fury or whâ—… give no credit unto the Divine Authority of the Scriptures of whom there are too many in our age and Nation which doth relate this judgement on those wicked Cities which however being indeed the Word of God as might be proved by many unaswerable Arguments the record of them is undoubtedly true and may as firmly be believed as any thing may certainly be known which is the object of sence or demonstrable by reason Even as the future flames of Fire and Brimstone in Hell are discredited by such Atheists and Antiscripturists and little effectually believed of the most as appeareth by their secure walking in the broad way of Sin which leadeth to this place of most dreadful and eternal burning Therefore by way of Appendix unto Sodom's burning and by way of Introduction unto the burning of Hell I shall treat of Aetna or Mount Gibel's burning with Fire and Brimstone out of the bowels of the Earth especially in the eruption of it the last year which being a thing so late and so nâ—…ar and so attested by eye-witniss and so easily disproved yet not disproved as it would have been by this time had it been false I suppose will find credit with the most and may be of greater use than hath as yet been made of it from the relation we have had so barely of the thing without any mention made of the name of God or his hand or the end which he may have in such wonderful and stupendous burnings It is from the soul that the body hath it's life and motion it 's beauty and lustre when the soul is separated the body becomes a carkasse breathless lifeless ghaâ—…y and subject to putrefaction The whole world is full of God Praesentemque refert quaelibet herba Deum every pile of Grasse yea the meanest thing which is the object of our eye or any 〈◊〉 doth carry an Imprâ—…sse of God especially the greater works of Creation and Providence do bare large characters of the Deity and have Praise unto the Lord written more legibly upon them and although God be not the Soul of the World as some have affirm'd yet the whole Creation hath it's beauty from him and so far are any work truly admirable and great as God is taken notice of in them The Sun Moon and Stars and the whole frame of the Heavens are most great and illustrious as by their brightness and motion they declare the glory of the Lord their maker and ruler The Earth and Sea and all things in both as they set forth Gods infinite power and wisdom and goodness so far they are most worthy our observation and admiration All the good things we receive are onely so far truly good to us as we perceive them handed to us by God and Gods hand in afflictions also doth sweeten them to us when we are perswaded of the Author and God's love and design for our good in them To leave out God therefore in the consideration of any work is to leave out that which is chiefly remarkable without him we see but the carkasse without the Soul without the the life and beauty The design therefore of this Treatise concerning Aetna's late burning is to turn our eye upward towards God that we take notice of him and give him the glory of this work which is the wonder of all unto whom the notice thereof hath come There are six things under this subject which â—… shall briefly creat of First Concerning the Mountain of Aetna or Gibel in the general Secondly Concerning the Antecedents of the late Eruption of this Mountain Thirdly Corcerning the eruption of Fire and Brimstone it self from the Mountain Fourthly Concerning the concomitants of this eruption Fifthly Concerning the cause of this eruption Sixthly And lastly concerning the use and improvement which we should make of it CHAP. II. Concerning the Mountain of Aetna or Gibel in the general AETna is a Mountain in the Island of Sicily which Island is inviron'd round by the Tyrâ—… Sea but a small distance from Italy in one part of it up to which ancient Writers think it was joyned by an 〈◊〉 or neck of Land like as Pelepâ—…sus to Greece unto the continent of Italy but by the violent beating of the Sea upon that neck was devided asunder 〈◊〉 iâ—… so Iustin. lib. 4. cap. 1. and others are of the sâ—…me mind The heigth and bigness of this Aetna or Mount Gâ—…b is very great some 〈◊〉 it to be ten 〈◊〉 others fifteen mâ—…les distant from the head and top above to the foot and plain 〈◊〉 â—…nd perpendicular in a strait line to
be three or four miles Towards it's head it is rocky and steep and some part of it is always covered with Snow towards the middle it is beautifyed with Trees and Woods towards the bottom it is enriched with Corn and Vines and exceeding fruitful The Hill hath two shoulders Eastward and between both an eminent head in the middle which may be seen at the distance of fifty leagues as some affirm by Sailors on the Sea But that which hath rendered this Mountain most famous hath not been so much the height and bigness of it as the smoking head and flaming mouth thereof of which both ancient and modern Authors have written I shall instance in some few Dâ—…genes Laertius in his 8th Book de viris Philosephorum maketh mention of Mouâ—…t Aetna into the 〈◊〉 mouth of which Emâ—…edocles the Philosopher he saiâ—… was â—…am'd to have thrown himself that not 〈◊〉 found by his companions they might think he was translated to Heaven and made an immortal God but the Fire of the Hill casting forth one of his brâ—…zen Sanâ—…ls the dâ—…ceit was discovered and so insteaâ—… of purchasing to himself the repute of a God he discovered himself in that respect to be beneath a man Horaâ—…e also recordeth the same lib. de Arte l'â—…etica Deus immortalis hal eri Dum cupit Empedocles ardentem frigidus Aetnam Insiluit Empedocles himself into the mouth doth thrâ—…w Of burning Aetna that not being found below He might be fam'd a God immortal Pliny in his second Book of natural History doth discourse of this Hill In montium 〈…〉 Aetna noctibus semper tantoque aevo ignium materiae sufficit Amongst the miracles of Mountains Aetna doth flame always by night and doth afford matter for perpetual fire Iustins in his 4th Book of History Chap. 1st giveth the reason why Aetnae Montis per tot secula durat incendium the burning of Mount Aetna hath lasted for so many ages Strabo in his sixth Book of Geography telleth us of Aetna's open mouth whereby it doth breath forth flames and cast forth fiery stones Ovid concerning Aetna saith Flammam fero vomit ore It vomits fire out of it's feirce mouth Seneca in his Thyestes describeth Aetna Ignis aeternis resâ—…nans caminis Resounding with eternal tunnels or breathing holes of fire Claudian de raptu Proserpinae lib. 1. Aetnaeos apiâ—…s sols cognoscere visu Non aditu tentare licet Quae tanta cavernas Vis glomerat quo fonteruat Vulcanius igniâ—… None may approach Mount Aetna's head to know With foot 't is only reacht with th' eye below Great force within round caverns makes From whence rush forth Vulcanian flakes Of fire as from a Fountain But Virgil giveth the most notable decription of Aetna's burning in his third Book of Aeneids Sed horrificis juxta tonat Aetna ruinis Intâ—…rdumque atram prorumpit ad aether a nubem Turbine fumantem piceo candente favilla Attollitque globos slammarum sidera lambit Interdum scopulos avulsaque viscera montis Erigit eructans liquefactaque saxa per aur as Cum gemitu glomer at fundoque exaestuat imo Fama est Enceladi semustum fulâ—…ine corpus Urgeri mole hâc ingentemque insuper Aetnam Impositam ruptis flammam expirare caminis Et fessum quoties mutat latus intremere omnem Murmure Trinacriam caelum subtexere fumo In English thus Through horrid falls within like noise of thundeâ—… Mount Aetna sounds as if 't would break asunder Thence first a cloud break forth as black as night With pitchy curls with sparks like stars to sight Then follow globes of flames which mount a loft As if to kisse the Orbes of Heaven they sought The bottom-fire like boiling furnace glowes Which melts the hardest stones and upward throwes Great Rocks through th' air with groans The fame doth go That great Enceladus do lye below Who being thunder-struck and on him thrown Huge Aetna Mount with weight to keep him down When weary he shifts sides and turns about He shakes the Mount his breath in flames goes out As at a Furnace mouth the Heavens above Are cloth'd with smoak Trinacria trembles I shall add but one Author more and that is of a late Geographer namely Varenius who in his first Book of Geography page 105. doth both describe this Mount and giveth relation of one noâ—…able eruption of fire not much above a hundred years since Celeberrimus est Aetna Siciliae Mons hodie Gibel e cujus vertice flammae fumi longissima distantia in Mari Mediterraneo cernuntur Etsi continua sit flammarum fumorâ—…m ejaculatio tamen interdum majori impetu furit Anno 1537 a primo die Maii ad duodecimum tremuit 〈◊〉 Sicilia deinde ingens horrendus 〈◊〉 fragor auditus est quasi magna tormenta bellica exploderâ—…tur 〈◊〉 est multorum aedificiorum per totam insulâ—…m 〈◊〉 Haeâ—… saeâ—…itia per undecim dies cum contiâ—…nasset 〈◊〉 fuit vel hiatu se apâ—…ruit hic indâ—… terra unâ—… magna vis sâ—…amma igâ—…is prâ—…rupit quâ—… intra quatuor dies omnia absumpta sunt 〈◊〉 quae 〈◊〉 ultra quinque leucarum distantiaâ—… ab Aetna aberant Pâ—…lo pâ—…st crater qui est in vertice montis per tres intâ—…gros dies ingentem copiam Faâ—…illae â—…inerum ejecit quae non tantum per totam inâ—…ulam aispersa fuit sed etiam trans Mare in Italiam delaâ—… Naves in Mari cum ducentis leucis a Sicilia abessent Venetias tenderent damnum passae sunt That is Aetna in Sicily now called Mount Gibel is most famous from whose top the flames and smoak may be seen at a very great distance on the Mediterranean Sea and although the casting forth of fire and smoak be continual yet sometimes it breatheth forth with more force and fury In the year 1537. from the first day of May until the 12th the whole Island of Sicily trembled and then was heard a great roaring and cracking noise as if great pieces of Ordinance had been discharged after this followed the ruine and overthrow of many buildings thorowout tâ—…e whole Island This raging continued for eleven whole days together in which time the Earth on the side of the Mount was rent and opened it self in wide clefts from whence did issue forth flames of fire with such force and strength that all things within 15. miles of Aetna were thereby consumed and burnt up A little after the Cup which is on the top of the Mount for three whole days together did cast forth such a large quantity of burning coals and ashes that they were dispersed not only throughout the whole Island but they were also carried over Sea into Italy yea some Ships two hundred leagues from Sicily received damage hereby in their voyage to Venice Thus Varenius There have been other great eruptions of fire from this Mountain besides what is ordinary which Writters record but none that I ever read of like unto this
that place being so thin and hollow and penetrable by the Winds and the nature of the soil so Sulphurious and so fit matter for the begetting and nourishing of Fire the motion of the Wind closed in doth kindle the Fire which belâ—…heth forth in smoke and flames and hence it is that the burning of Aetna hath endured for so many ages Unto which he addeth a little after speaking of the fall of the Waters Eadeâ—… causâ—… etiam Aetnae Montis â—…erpetuos ignes fâ—…cit Nam aquarum ille conâ—…ursus râ—…tum secum spiritum in imum sundum trahit atqâ—…e ibi suffecatâ—… tamdiutenet donec per spiramenta Terrae diffâ—…sus nutrimenta ignis incendat The cause of Aetna's perpetual Fire is from the great and perpetual fall of the Water near at hand which carryeth down the Wind and Air and suffoâ—…ateth it at the bottom whence it breatheth away through some crevices of the Earth towards the Mountain and this kindleth and bloweth up the Flames Another assigneth the cause more clearly thus â—… tnam constat ab â—…a parte qua Eurus Affricus flant habere speluncas plenas Sulphuris ad Mare deduct as Haespeluncae recipientes in se flâ—…ctus ventum creant qui agitatus ignem gignit ex Sulphures Mount Aetna saith he that way which the East and South wind do blow hath Caverns and Vaults full of Sulphur which reach so far as the Sâ—…a which Vaults receiving into them the Waves of the Sea Wind is begot hereby which Winds being violently moved doth beget the Fire out of the Sulphur and therefore afterward he telleth us that as the East and South Wind do blow so this Mountain doth more on lesser vomit up sparks and fire Lucretius Lib. 6. doth set forth the cause Primum totius subcava Montis Est natura fere â—…ilicum suffulta cavernis Omnibus est porro in speluâ—…eis ventus are c. The Mountain Aetna hollow is throughout With stones of Flint it's Cave are lin'd about Whereby it is held up The wind is there In every Cave begot by moved Air Through motion heat's engender'd iâ—… the Earth Thence fire springs forth and flames have birth Besides against the Mountain's Roots the Main Break her swoln Waves and swallow them again From whence unto the top of it's ascent The undermining Caves have their extent Through which the Bellows breath and cast forth flames With showers of stones ashes Thus concerning the cause of Aetna's burning which as to the second cause may rather be guessed at then fully understood CHAP. VII The Use of the Burning of Aetna THese late dreadful Eruption of Fire and Brimstone from Mount Aetna should carry our eyes upward unto God the Author hereof The Lord hath been lately upon the Earth he hath shown himself in great Majesty a Fire hath devoured before him and it hath been very tempestuous round about a smoke hath gone out of his mouth and Coals have been under his feet he hath clothed himself with flames and of late appeared very terribly in these Europaean parts he hath not only kindled fires in houses and Cities turning them into ashes and ruinous heaps but he hath also kindled a fire in a great Mountain which hath broken forth with a great flame We read Psal. 27. The voice of the Lord is powerful and full of Majesty the voice of the Lord is upon the Waters the God of Glory thunâ—…reth the voice of the Lordâ—… upon many Waters the voice of the Lord shaketh the Wilderness and maketh Lebanon to Ship like a young Unicorn Such Majesty and Power hath been in Gods voice which was heard from this Mount the voice of the Lord hath sounded from the Earth the God of Glory hath thundered out of the bowels of a great Mountain whereby the foundations thereof have been so shaken as if he would have overturned it in his anger Formerly the Lord brought forth streams of Water out of the hard Rock and lately he hath brought forth streams of Fire out of the deep Earth This is the Lord 's doing and it should be marvellous in our eyes If we wonder at the work let us wonder more at the Worker if we admire to hear of such floods of fire we have more reason to admire Gods infinite Power who hath effected this Use 2. The Relation of Aetna's burning should awaken impenitent Sinners out of their carnal security whilst they consider the hand of God herein and that this God who kindled such a Fire in the Mountain is highly incensed against them so long as they allow and indulge themselves in any Sinful practices and that the Fire of Gods anger which is kindled in his breast against them is ten thousand times more dreadful than the Fire which was kindled in the bowels of the Mountain yea that God is preparing the Fire of Hell for them which shall burn them everlastingly if they do not repent that God who hath power to kindle a Fire in the Earth hath power to kindle the Fire of Hell and he that hath power to keep alive the fire of this mountain for some thousands of years hath power to keep alive the Fire of Hell unto Eternity this he can do and this he will do and oh how fearful a thing will it be to be thrown into everlasting flames of which more largely in the next discourse Awake then all ye Sons and Daughters of sleep and security ye children of night and darkness and all ye workers of iniquity Look up and see how powerful and terrible the Lord is and how unable you are to make resistance when once his hand shall take hold on vengeance Gods anger now doth but smoke against you ere long it will break forth into a flame which will burn to the lowest Hell and never shall be extinguished Let me therefore perswade you to break off your Sins by repentance and apply your selves to Christ by Faith that the anger of the Lord towards you may bâ—… appeased and that being reconciled you may escape the dreadful effects of his displeasure CHAP. VIII Concerning the burning of London that may be Use. 3. THe Relation of Aetna's burning should lead us unto the consideration of the Burnings which may be and the Burnings which will be First Consider the Burnings which may be our dear and beloved City of London may be burnt again with fire and that not only â—…he Suburbs and Southwark and remaining Timber houses which the last Fire spared but also the New-built Houses of Brick many of them have been tryed that they can burn for no Building on Earth is a sufficient defence against Fire I don't think we are in danger of any such Fire as that of Aetna to break forth from under our feet out of the bowels of the Earth but we may be in danger of a Fire Forged in Hell I mean some Develish wicked men may be contriving again the burning of the City It is not long since this
from thee it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell and if thy Right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell That this Hell is not meant of the Grave into which the body shall be thrown is evident because those who do cut off the right hand and pluck out the right eye which offend that is mortifie those offensive lusts which are as dear and as hard to be parted withal as the members of the body shall be exempted and delivered from this Hell whereas none shall be exempted though never so holy and mortifyed from the Grave Yea and in this Hell it is said that both soul and body shall be destroyed Math. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell Now the soul is not destroyed with the body in the Grave as they both shall be if wicked after the Resurrection in Hell Moreover this Hell threatned by our Saviour to those that don't cut off right hands c. will appear plainly to be the place of torment prepared for the wicked by the description of it repeated three times Math. 9. 43 44 45 46 47 48. To go into Hell into that fire which never shall be quenched where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched By the unquenchable Fire we are to understand the fire which shall burn the body by the never-dying worm the worm of conscience which shall eternally gnaw the soul. This Hell is called a Prison 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. By which also he went and Preached â—…nto the Spirits in Prison which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah By the spirits in Prison we are to understand the Souls in Hell the Souls of those wicked and disobedient persons in the old World who would not give â—…ar to the Preaching of Christ by his spirit in Noah and therefore a whole World on them were sent into the Prison of Hell together unto whom are gathered the souls of all that since have died in their Sins where they are bound up in chains of darkness and reserved unto the judgement of the great day Hell is also called a place of outer darkness where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Math. 25. 30. It is called a Furnace of fire where all those that offend and do iniquity shall be thrown Math. 13. 41 42. It is called the great Wine-press of Gods Wrath where all the wicked shall be crushed to pieces under the exceeding and eternal weight of his wrath Rev. 14. 19 20. But especially it is set forth as a place of fire of which in the next particular Many have been the conjectures of Divines concerning the place where Hell is Some have thought it to be in the bowels of the Earth because it is spoken of as a place below and called by the â—…ame of a pit the bottemless pit out of which the smoke and locusts did arise Rev. 9. 2. And in which Sathan was bound and held as in a Prison Rev. 20. 1 2 3 7. And they have conceited the pit spoken of Num. 16. 33 Into which Corah Dathan and Abiram went down alive when the Earth clave asunder and swallowed them up was the pit of Hell into which both their soul and body together were immediately conveyed and that which hath the rather established such in this opinion hath been the vast quantity of Subterranean Fire which they imagine to be in the Bowels and Caverns of the Earth others have rather conceited it to be beyond this visible World which will pass away at the last day and removed at the greatest distance from the sedes bâ—…atorum the place where the righteous shall eternally Inhabit But the Scripture being silent as to this whatever is spoken on this subject where Hell is must needs be only by conjecture the Lord grant that none of us may know by experience our chief care should be that we may escape the punishment and not be inquisitive about that which the Lord hath not thought fit to reveal let it suffice us to know that there is such a place as Hell where the wicked shall be tormented CHAP. III. That Hell is a place of Fire and Brimstone THere is nothing that Hell is described by in the whole Book of the Scripture so much as by Fire and sometimes by Fire mingled with Brimstone It is called Fire Math. 3. 10. Every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the Fire Hell-Fire Mark 9. 47. It is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than having two eyes to be cast into Hell-fire A Furnace of Fire Math. 13. 42. And shall â—…ast them into a Furnace of Fire It is called a place where the wicked shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 14. 10. And he shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the presence of the Holy Augels A Lake which burneth Fire and Brimstone Rev. 21. 8. And shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second death I know that it is a great question amongst Divines whether the fire of Hell which shall burn the Wicked will be a Real fire or a Metaphorica fire There are men of great name who assert it to be a Mataphorical Fire only and that because it is called a Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels who cannot be hurt by a real Fire because the worm which never dyeth is Mataphorically taken for the everlasting gnawings of conscience because the New Ierusalem which is above is Metaphorically described to be of pure Gold clear like Glass the foundations to be garnished with all manner of precious Stones and the Gates to be Pearls Rev. 21. 18 19. And by the same reason they say the description of Hell in the Scripture is Metaphorical those that thus affirm the Fire of Hell to be Metaphorical are so far from lessening the torment hereby which this Fire will inflict that they so much the more aggravate it because that Metaphorical fire they say will afflict more than if it were Real fire for as the glory of the New Ierusalem that Building of God made without hands eternal in the Heaâ—…ens doth far surpass all Metaphores whereby it is set forth which are made use of only to help our understanding in the conceiving of it's Glory so also the pain and torture of the damned in Hell will be more horrible and intollerable than if they were to be cast into Nebecadnezzars fiery Furnace when it was heated seven times more than it was wont to be heat insomuch as
not so much as the smel of the Fire was upon their Garments but none shall be preserved from burning in this fiery Furnace indeed the wicked shall not be burnt up and quite consumed but they shall be always burning For Fifthly Hell-fire will be a continual Fire other firessometimes are in and sometimes out but this fire will be always in always burning without any intermission and always burning in the same high degree of intension there will be no aswagement of the Flames of Gods anger no abatement of the Fire of Hell this Fire will be always alike hot and always hot in the highest degree Sixthly Hell-fire will be an unquenchable Fire Math 3. 12. But will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire Mark 9. 44. Where their worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched Now the fire of Gods anger before it break forth into so vehement a flame may be quenched by the Blood of Jesus Christ and the Fire of Hell may be prevented but hereafter it will be too late no Sacrifice will be accepted then to appease Gods wrath and if all the Waters of the Sea could be poured upon the flames of Hell-fire they would not put them out And therefore Seventhly Hell-fire will be an everlasting Fire Math. 25. 42. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Rev. 14. 11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever This Fire will be ever burning and the damned will be ever tormented therein Extremity and Eternity are the two most bitter ingredients of the damned's torments who can set forth the Eternity of the wicked's punishment in Hell-fire this Eternity is immeasurable it is incomprehensible all the Rays of the Sun may more easily be comprehended in a small room and all the Waters of the Sea contained in a small nutshel than boundless Eternity be conceived by our finite and shallow understanding none have shaddowed Eternity and set it forth better than those who have shown how infinitely short all measures and numbers do fall when they are applyed to the space of it's duration One expresseth himself thus on this subject in another language suppose ten thousand years past after that an hundred thousand Millions of years past after that ten hundred thousand Million of Millions of years past and yet you are not come to the end of Eternity no nor to the middle of Eternity yea you are but at the beginning of it add unto this the number of all the thoughts of Angels and Men of all the motions in every Creature of all the grains of sand which would fill ten thousand Worlds gather all the minutes of time from the beginning of the Creation of the World all the numbers of Arithmetick that can possibly be conceived and all this is but the beginning of Eternity How long will Eternity last Always When will Eternity end Never As long as Heaven shall continue to be Heaven and God shall continue to be God and the Saints shall be happy in the enjoyment of God so long shall the wicked be tormented in the Fire of Hell We may apprehend the everlastingness of this Fire of Hell but we cannot comprehend it CHAP. V. Concerning the Persons that shall burn eternally in the Flames of Hell IT is upon the wicked that the Lord will rain this horrible Tempest of Fire and Brimstone in Hell all the workers of iniquitie all that live and dye in their Sins must suffer the vengeance of Eternal fire These are the Chaff which shall be cast into the unquenchable Fire Math. 3. 12. These are the tares which shall be bound up in bundles to be burnt Math. 13. 30. These are the Goats which shall be condemned to everlasting fire Math. 25. 41. Look into a few places where in the plain Letter of the Scriptures the persons are described that shall be the subject of everlasting torment in Hell-fire Math. 13. 41 42. The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire there shall be wailing and guashing of teeth Rom. 2. 6 8 9. Who will render to every man according to his deeds to them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of Man that doth evil of the Iew first and also of the Gentile 2 Thess. 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his Power Take one place more amongst many Rev. 21. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and Murderers and Where-mongers and Sâ—…rceers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Baimstone I shall spake more of the persons when I come to the application which I would chiefly insist uâ—…n the Doctrine being so well known and therefore I shall but briefly touch upon the reason why the wicked shall be eternally tormented in the flame of Hell and so come to the Use which I mainly intend R. The torment of the wicked in Hell is a punishment and therefore hath a respect unto Sin the guilt of which doth lay the wicked under an obligation hereunto and layeth God under an Obligation to inflict this punishment upon them Sin is the violation of a Holy and Righteous Law and an offence of an Infinite Majesty whose Justice requireth infinite satisfaction which it can receive no other way from Sinners themselves than by their undergoing the punishment of Hell although this punishment be not infinite in regard of the quality yet it is infinite in regard of it's duration and therefore the torments of the wicked shall have no end CHAP. VI. Application 1. Use of Examination WHen you had the relation of Sodom and Gomorrah's burning you might think this was done long ago and look upon your selves as unconcern'd when you had the Relation of Aetna's burnings you might think this was done a far off and look upon your selves as unconcern'd but when we come to discourse of Hell-burnings here you all are concern'd those burnings are past these are burnings to come those were burnings for a while these will be burnings for ever the greatest part of the children of men will be cast into these burnings and very few comparatively will escape O what a vast number of all kindreds and Nations and Languages will there be tormented for ever in Hell what a vast number of Christians yea of professours of the Gospel you had need to look to it that none of you be found in the number The dreadfulness of these everlasting burnings me thinks should stir you up with all sollicitousness