and in it self Death is the separation of life from its subject Death is not only a cessation from action but a negation of existence for the soul may in a swooning fit cease to operate not to animate There may be a suspension of action where there is not a privation of its principle but death separateth the soul the fountaine of vital action from the body the subject thereof Secondly We will view death in what it is Accidentaliter ad aliud Accidentally and in reference to somthing without it self And that to 1 The Godly 2 The Wicked First To the Godly And so it is a rest from their labours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 51. de Sanct. Mar. Boren Proâ—â—â—c Blessed are they that die in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works follow them Rev. 14.13 They rest from 1 Sin 2 Sorrows Both which the holiest of men are exercised with and subject to whilst they live in the world they labour under the former in the latter whilst in this dying life But when they dye that which doth separate them from their bodies doth unite them closer unto God Their death is the Funeral of their sins the resurrection of their Graces that which doth unpinion them of mortality doth also translate them into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God So that Death is but a change to a holy Job Job 14.14 Act. 7.60 2 Cor. 5.10 a sleep to a blessed Steven a dissolution of the earthly house to a holy Paul whilst by it he accounteth not to be found naked but to be cloathed upon with his house which is from heaven to have mortality swallowed up of life and by the death of his body Rom. 7.24 to enjoy his wisht for deliverance from the body of death And this for the first Death to the godly is a rest from their sins 2. It is a rest from their sorrowes Josephs feet shal no longer be detained in the stocks neither shal he complain of the iron which entred into his soulâ— Nor any of the Saints and holy Martyrs shall at all complain of the incessant malice of their enemies Death shal give them a resting-place for in the grave the weary shall be at rest There the prisoners rest together they hear not the voice of the oppressor Job 3.17 18 And all this shall not be the effect of a Stoical apathy or stupefactive cessation from sense and motion But by an introduction into real joy That soul which was before glewed unto the body shal therefore be dissolved that it may be with Christ and that which whilst it was in the world was but at best a prisoner of hope shall then be set at libertie and have eternity wherein to expatiate in the enjoyment of those mansions of glory which God hath provided for such whom he shall account worthy to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vâ—ri Septu The righteous also are taken away from the evil to come Isai 57.1 and their graves are but beds wherein they rest in the evening of their dayes And thus you see that as to live is Christ so to die is gain to believers whilst by it they rest from sin and sorrow Our next work is to consider death in its reference to the Wicked And to them it is the beginning of evil the entry of their woe They are the men who have hope only in this life and therefore are of all men the most miserable That death which in its intention is to put out the candle of a good mans life doth but snuff it and make it burne the brighter whilst their life of grace is consummate by being swallowed up in a never-ending life of Glory This shall cause the candle of the wicked to go out in a stench their Sun to set in a cloud their flattering day of prosperity to end in a dismal night of black eternal horror whilst by it they shall at once be separated from their bodies and from the presence of God in whose favour is life and from his right hand where are pleasures for evermore And thus I have answered this Question Quid sit What death is Secondly Quotuplex sit Of how many sorts it is And Death in its complexe notion represents it self under a threefold respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Serm. 56. 1 Corporal 2 Spiritual 3 Eternal These three unnatural branches spring from one root to wit Sin The First is by sin The Second in sin The Third for sin The First is competent to both the Godly the wicked and hath been spoken to already Let us consider a little the second Spiritual Death and this also hatha double consideration 1. A Death in sin 2. A Death to sin The Apostle speaks of the former to the believing Colossians Col. 3.13 where he tells them that they being dead in sins and trespasses God hath quickned them together with Christ And thus the wicked are said to be dead whilst they live there being a separation between God the Author of Spiritual life and their souls the due subjects thereof by reason of their sins Psal 59.2 And this is the estate of every one of us until God saith unto us Live A Death to sin Secundum Spiritum â— mors est non credere vina quae câ—edebâ—t non jacere vana quae faciebat August Serm. 121. de Resurrect more And this is the estate of a lively Christian of one who is passed from death to life This is to be dead with Christ and is a testimony to him in whom it is that he shall live with him Rom. 6.8 This is not as the former the result of sin but the gift of God and of this death there is a twofold testimony First A death to the Law That is to say when we are brought by the threatnings in the Law to know that there is no salvation or life to be found by the Law but in Christ and this I doubt not to assert for the meaning of S. Paul Gal. 2.19 For I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God Secondly A dying to the World A deâ—pising all things therein or whatsoever it counteth admirable for the excellencie of the knowledg of Christ And thus to do is to be made conformable to the death of Christ Phil. 3.8 9 10. But I haste to passe over these which though fair fruit yet never grew on this tree profitable Doctrine but not arising from the present Text spoken to by transition rather then regular deduction from the subject I am upon I proceed to consider death in its third acception Eternal Death This is the in-let of Hell the sum of misery the second death which I suppose is not excluded yet not primarily intended in the words and hath power over none but such as have had
winding-sheet That this which is called death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Serm. de Fid. Leg Natur. Psal 49.14 shall cool the valour of all the hot-spurs in the world who in their life time could not put up an injury without a challenge That they shall roll in the dust who sometimes did wallow in pleasures like the swine in the mire when like sheep they are laid in the grave and death shall feed upon them And how few of the heirs of life do walk as if they were to pass to an inheritance but after death whilst some do either with persecuted Elijah or peevish Jonah seek after death exceedingly desirous of the penny but yet so delicate that they they are loth to work in the heat of the day Others of them though they have set their faces towards the new Jerusalem and are on their journey thither yet by the way they remember the flesh-pots of Egypt Num. 11.5 and their present enjoyments do make them the lesse active in the expectation of future felicity God is forced to cast wormwood upon the brests of the Creature that he may make them the more earnestly draw water out of the wells of Salvation Others of them conceive God may have honour by their lives and therefore they are loath they should be deprived of such an opportunity by their deaths For this cause possibly the Psalmist might say Psalm 102.24 O my God take me not away in the midst of my dayes And upright Hezekiah might beg for a reprieve after God had said unto him Thou shalt dye and not live All these though their intentions might plead an excuse yet their actions are not commendable Yet we know a found constitution is consistent with some qualmes and we ought to conclude that strength of grace is consistent with some weakness in this particular Gods people cease not to be men by becoming Christians as they are the former they may be afraid as the latter they do dare to dye Aaron upon Mount Hor can be stripped of his clothes Num. 20.18 and without repining go to bed Blessed Simeon wil depart in peace Luke 2.29 30. after his eyes have seen the Lords Salvation Act. 21.13 The holy Apostle is indifferent whether to live or dye but if it be for the name of the Lord Jesus he is ready not to be bound but to dye also Thus we see the Shepherd of Israel hath sheep as well as Lambs in his fold men of riper years as well as babes in Christianity Such as dare encounter the King of terrors as well as such who are afraid at his presence Vide Bullinger in 1 Thess 4.8 Morteâ—n mali vitant sancti in vitant quibus non tam vitae hujus interitus quam aeternae interitus est Heidfel Sphis Theo Phil. c. 38. p. 908. But all believers have this happinesse though few live in the comfort of it that death to them is but a sleep the grave an hiding place both a resting from their labours their passage from this vale of misery is but an entrance into their Masters joy This notwithstanding is not sufficient for a Christian to know that though he die yet his life is hid with Christ in God He must so dye that God may be glorified by his death the which that every one of us may do we must prepare our selves for so great a change The which preparation consists in three things 1. Dying unto sin 2. Living unto righteousness 3. Mortification to the world A word to each of these First Dying unto sin * The sting of death is sin 2 Cor. 15.56 he then that dyeth unto sin destroyeth death And frequent reflections upon death would prove an excellent meanes hereunto But oh how hard is it though we have daily Spectacles of others mortality to live under convictions of our owne we should live more in heaven if we did believe we were to die and so to goe from hence This would season our discourse lives and check the exorbitancy of our rising lusts to consider it is appointed for all men once to die and consequently alleviate the feare of death For that which maketh death terrible to a considerative mind is not so much the pain which is felt in the separation of soul body for I doubt not but men undergo more sharp agonies as to fense in a fit of the stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost expos Psal 116. or gout or such acute diseases then at the moment of their dissolution nor is it altogether that natural abhorrency of an annihilation or destruction of being which maketh death formidable but that which represents death sitting upon a pale horse as described Rev. 6.8 is conscience of sin and thereby obligation unto hell following after death but a beleever may use with a holy confidence what sometimes presuming Agag said 1 Sam. 15 32. Surely the bitternesse of death is past and with the blessed Apostle may close his eies in peace with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Rom. 8.83.39 I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers c. shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. Living unto righteousnesse Mala more putâ—nda non est quâ—m bona vita praecesserit August de civit Dei lib. 1. cap. 11. A holy life will usher in a happy death This is that which doth also evidence our dying unto sin and will make us die more peaceably in our beds We find that they who lived most up amongst the heathens to the principles of morality were least afraid to die when those who lived the most rudely were most unwilling to leave the world Seneca or Cate when about to die seem exceeding ready when a wicked Nero whose conscience told him what his mouth did utter Sueton in vita Neronis Vivo deformiter ac turpiter doth depart the world with an Vsque adeone mori miserum est and encourageth himself to his own ruine with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It becometh not It becometh not thee O Nero to be so daunted go to encourage thy selfe Upright Hezekiah had not such cause to weep when the Prophet brought those tydings to him Isai 38.1 2 that he should dye and not live seeing he was so well prepared for death that he could appeal to God that he had walked before him in truth and with a perfect heart and done that which was good in his sigh David his father also a man after Gods own heart did thus prepare for death and after he had served his own generation by the wil of God fell asleep Act. 13 35. Thirdly Mortification to the world this will prepare us for the stroke of death Those things which are glewed together are not without much difficulty dis-united and when our affections are set upon earthly things we shall not willingly
it is our greatest happiness not at all to run upon the score especially when God hath told us certainly The Soul that sinneth shall die 2 Tim. 2.25 but hath left it at a peradventure whether or no he will give us Repentance to the acknowledgement of the Truth He therefore that exerciseth himself to keep his Conscience void of offence taketh the surest course to be one who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 5.24 though he may appear before Gods Tribunal yet he shall not come into Condemnation It is through Faith we are saved but our Faith thus working by Love herein is made perfect 1 Ioh. 4.17 that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgement MAT. 25.46 And these shall go away into Everlasting Punishment but the Righteous into Life Eternal III. Of HELL I Have formerly spoken of Death and its consequent Judgement the which seeing it is terminated in a definitive Sentence of Absolution or Condemnation I have chosen these words wherein we have described the different estate of the Wicked and the Righteous after Judgement They shall go away into everlasting punishment but these into life eternal And because we judge of Contraries best Ideo autem hunc tenere ordinem malui ut postea disseram de faelicitate Sanctorum nec à divinis ordo iste abhorret eloquiis c. Aug. de Civit. Dei lib. 21. cap. 1. where they are opposed each to the other we know the pleasure of light by experiencing the terrors of darkness the worth of health by feeling the woe which is in sickness I shall endevour to represent to your thoughts the nature or estate of Hell that so we may with greater vehemency aspire by our thoughts and actions towards Heaven The subject then of my present Discourse is To Treat of Hell in the Suburbs whereof every Son of Adam is born and therein doth inhabit till being born again he becometh the Son of God and consequently an Heir of Eternal Glory In these words we have these parts FIRST The Persons which are two sorts expressed under these terms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Wicked those on the left hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Righteous on the right hand Secondly Their Places which are as different as their Persons The one shall go 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former of which is Everlasting the latter Eternal I shall endevour to speak to both in their order Doct. The Proposition I observe from the first part is That the Portion of the Wicked is everlasting Punishment Or in the words of the Psalmist The Wicked shall be turned into Hell Psal 9.17 I suppose I need not multiply places to evince the truth of this Proposition if any man doubt of it let him consult his Conscience the secret rebukes whereof do sometimes anticipate Hell and give the sinner an earnest of that Sum of Misery the payment whereof never shall have end Let me ask such a sinner if he feel nòt that Worm crawling in his brest which shall never die If he is not sometimes even scorched in this life with some sparks of that unquenchable fire But I should be sorry to think my self speaking to any who are worse than the Devils who believe what I am about to speak and do tremble I therefore proceed to open this Abyss of Terror to bring to light the state of this place of Darkness by considering it in these respects 1 Secundum Materiam According to its Matter 2 Secundum Modum Its Manner 3 Secundum Mensuram Its Degree 4 Secundum Durationem Its Duration I shall speak to Hell and the Torments thereof according to all these respects For the First When I speak of this Materia Gehennae my purpose is not problematically to dispute or positively to assert any Corporeal fire in that place of Torment Aquinas Suppl ad 3. partem Quest 97. Art 5. Bellarm. de Purgat lib. 2 cap. 11. Eligat quisque quod placet aut ignem tribuere corpori animo vermem hoc propriè illud topice c. August de Civ Dei l. 21. c. 9. Qui ignis cujusmodi in qua mundi vel rerum parte futurus sit hominem scire arbitror neminem Ibid. de Civit. Dei l. 20. c. 16. which some out of choice rather than with clearness have possibly undertaken But my design is to treat of that Materîa circa quam that object upon which these internal flames are conversant as also the Materia ex qua that Pabulum ignis the fewel and foment of those everlasting burnings And as to the first we are to know That Soul and Body conjoyn'd are the adequate objects of this eternal fury They have been partakers in sin and therefore shall be sharers in suffering though the Soul as it was the Principal and Ring-leader of this Rebellion against its Creator shall have the first and deepest taste of this Misery Look as the Body whilst in this life by reason of the corruption of the Soul was made an instrument thereof to act impiety so when they are in Hell the Soul shall be the Efficient of that vexation and anguish which shall seize upon the Body Even as we see here they do sympathize together and partake of the weal or woe of either in this life Though I deny not but God doth positively inflict his wrath on the Body as well as on the Soul as we shall hear further ere long But Secondly Let us see what is the Materia ex qua that which doth kindle and doth keep alive those coals of fire which are heaped upon the heads of the wicked and that is Sin This is that which was the Parent of Hellish sorrow which did dig that Bottomless Pit and doth daily inlarge the Mouth thereof We lost our Right to Happiness when we let go our Title to Holiness and ever since we have departed from God our steps have took hold of Hell which is the production of the Creature not at all the operation of the Creator and though he execute it as an act of his Justice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in Mat. 23.41 yet he approveth not of it when it comes in competition with his Mercy for As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he turn from his iniquity and live Ezek. 33.11 And thus much for the first Consideration of Hell and its Torments SECONDLY We are to consider it Secundum Modum according to the Manner of that estate And this will further descry the nature of these Torments the manner of which consisteth 1 In privation of Infinite Good 2 In position of Vnspeakable Misery The First is that Paena damni The Second that Paena sensus which those miserable Creatures do lie under First That Privation is part of the nature of Hell seems to have some ground
as indeed he is as if Hell and Heaven were Nuga tricaeque the one not worth the avoiding the other not worth the enjoying But the heat of fire was never painted and the Devil is more deformed than represented on the wall there are unexpressible Torments in Hell as well as unspeakable Joyes in Heaven Some who write of Purgatory Bellarm. de Purg. l. 2. c. 14. Bellarm. de Aeter Faeli Sanct. l. 2 c. 11. Bosquier Dom. in festo post pentec tom 2. tell us the pains thereof are more exquisite though of short continuance than the united Torments that the earth can invent though of longer duration If the Popes Kitchin be so warm how hot is the Devils Furnace A Poetical Fiction is but a Meiosis Paena autem vehemens ac multo sevior illis Quas Ceditius gravis invenit aut Radamanthus Nocte diéque suum gestare in pectore testen Juv. Sat. 13. when brought to shew the nature of these real Torments The lashes of Furies are but petty scourgings when compared to the stripes of a wounded Conscience Tytius his Vulture though feeding on his Liver is but a Flea-biting to that Worm which gnaweth their Hearts and dieth not Ixion his Wheel is a place of rest if compared with those Billows of Wrath and that Wheel of Justice which is in Hell brought over the ungodly The task of Danaus his Daughters is but a sport compared to the torture of those whose Souls are filled with bitterness within whom are the Arrows of the Almighty the poison whereof doth drink up their spirit Look as men did drink iniquity like water so God will pour out the vials of his wrath they pressed him under their sins he will load them with his fury and indignation Deut. 32.22 they heaped up their sins as high as Heaven the fire which is kindled in his anger shall burn unto the lowest Hell their sins have been increased his wrath is treasured up the measure whereof appears from the several Names it is intitled with Mat. 13.42 Luk. 16.28 It is called A furnace of fire which speaketh intolerable heat A place of Torment which speaketh a total privation of ease A Prison Mat. 5.25 5.22 which speaketh restraint Gehenna from the Valley of Hinnom where the unnatural Parents did sacrifice the fruit of their bodies for the sin of their Souls to their merciless Idols The which word Gehenne vox Gallica by a Neighbour Nation is retained to signifie a Rack than the Torture of which Rev. 20.10 what more exquisite It is called A Lake of fire and Brimstone than the torment of the former what more acute than the smell of the latter what more noisom There is heat yet no light for it is termed Mat. 25.30 outer darkness In a word he hath made it deep and large 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Hom. 25. de fut jud tom 6. the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone doth kindle it Isa 30.33 But yet if I have not sufficiently set out the measure thereof if we believe not Moses and the Prophets which are with us let us impannel a Jury from Hell let them from the dead speak and see if their Verdict amount not to this It is an evil and bitter thing to depart from God and that his fear was not in them What saist thou O Cain is the fire of Hell more delightful than the flames of Bretherly Love thou didst abhor to live in whilst in the world Thou also O Achitophel is thy Treason and Conspiracy against the Lords anointed Nihil proderit damnatis quod in hac vitâ in perpetuâ saturitate ebrietate vixerunt quia tunc ne guttu am quidem aquae obtiuere possunt Nihil proderit eis quod vestibus usi fuerint splendidis quia induentur confusione corpora ipsâ—rum vestientur ignoâ—â—â—â—iâ Nihil proderit 〈◊〉 quod in hac vitâ constituti fuerint in honoribus quia in inferno nullus erit honor sed 〈◊〉 inuus gemitus dolor Ger. Med. 49. rewarded with that repute thou didst expect What thinkest thou O Belshazzar is the Cup of the red wine of the fury of the Lord as pleasing to thy taste as thy wine drunk in thy sacrilegious bowls Tell us O Judas will thirty pieces out-value the loss of an immortal Soul or countervail the misery of sixteen hundred and odde years in that place of darkness Or resolve us O Herod whether the breath of the Lord which keepeth alive these eternal Coals doth tickle thy fancy as sometimes vulgar air or popular breath now thou art proved a Man and no God by being brought down to the sides of the Pit The Fore-man speaks in these and the rest of their Names My punishment is greater than I can bear Gen. 4.13 I now proceed to consider it Secundum Durationem In its continuance and we need not go far for the resolution of this for it is called in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ad Theod. laps Paraeâ— everlasting punishment the end thereof is not known its duration is undetermin'd Hell is a bottâ—mless pit and therefore shall never be fathomed It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unquenchable fire and therefore the smoke of their torments doth ascend for ever and ever Rev 4.12 Hell is a Prison from whence is no freedom because no Ransom to be paid no price will be accepted for one in that estate When we lie under great sorrows sinking troubles yet this strengthens us Dabit Deus his quoque finem God will put an end to all these But this is that which will augment the misery of a damned creature he is sensible his case is sad he is sure God hath decreed it shall be no better the sorrowful reflection upon which shall wound his Soul and in the anguish thereof cause him to utter with his mouth what his heart is astonished at Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings This is the portion of those whose Souls are removed far off from peace and forget prosperity in the bitterness whereof they complain My strength and my hope is perish'd from the Lord. Whilst I have been thus reasoning of Judgement to come possibly some Felix may tremble the thoughts of Hell may have kindled some affection towards heaven and he whom the love of Christ could not constrain yet the terror of the Lord may have almost perswaded to be a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyr. Chat. 15. p. 389. being fore-warned he may desire to flee from this wrath to come Such I shall send to John Baptist for direction in this case Mat. 3.8 Bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life Avoid those sins which do in a principal manner lead to these chambers of death and bring forth the fruits of Holiness the end whereof is Eternal Life