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Fifthly, how does lust blind and besot men? when the Adulterer prefers a filthy strumpet before his own chaste wife, though his own lawful Consort is known to be more comely, and lovely then the strange woman. Yea, when they shall confess the same (as it was the speech of one too great to name) That were she not his wife, he could love her above all women in the world; a word able to rot out the tongue that spake it. But take an instance of this nature, I will give you one amongst many very remarkable. We read, Judges 16. that Sampson cared more for his pleasure in this kind, then his life. O strange debauchednesse! his filthy lust of a Nazarite, leaves him scarce a man! He that might not drink wine, is drunk with the cup of fornication. How could he other then think, if lust had not blinded and bewitched him? She whose body is mercenary to me, will easily sell me to others? she will be false, if she will be an Harlot. Was there ever such a motion made to a reasonable man? Tell me, wherewith thou mayest be bound to do thee hurt? Who would not have spurned such a suitor out of doors? And when upon the trial he saw such apparent treachery, he yet willfully betrays his life, by her to his enemies. All sins, all passions have power to blind, and infatuate; but lust most of all. Never man that had drank flagons of wine, had less reason left him, then this Nazarite. Many an one loses his life, but he casts it away ; not in hatred to himself, but in love to a Strumpet. He knew she aimed at nothing but his slavery, and death, yet had not power to deny her. He had wit enough to deceive her thrice, not enough to keep himself from being deceived by her. Thrice had he seen the Philistines in her chamber, ready to surprise him upon her bands; and yet will needs be a slave to his Traitor. Yea, in effect, bids her bind • him, and call in her Executioners to cut his throat. O beware of a Harlot, as you would of the Devil! and the rather, for that under the habit of a woman, it may be the Devil in shape of a woman, as some have so been cheated. But
Sixthly, what can we think of an improvident Gamester? is not he a Fool? who will hazard his whole estate upon the chance of a treacherous die, that flatters him with his own hand, to throw away his wealth to another. And a Thief he is too, for if he wins, he robs another ; if he looses, he no less robs himself.
§ 57. Seventhly, let me refer it to any rational man, whether the Voluptuous Prodigal is not a sta • k Fool? who suffers himself to be stolen away for an Apple: For, for a little tickling of the palate, a kind of running Banquet, he will hazard the loss of eternal comfort, and expose himself to a devouring fire, an everlasting burning? Isa. 33.14. And what greater folly? Is it not a dear purchase? an ill penni-worth? yea, a desperate madness, to buy the merriment of a day, (yea, possibly the pleasure of an hour, may deterimine it) with ages of pangs, with eternity of unsufferable torments, that are capable of neither ease nor end.
Nor is this all, for they run upon God's judgments, as Balaam did upon the swords point in the Angels hand, and yet are so far from being afraid, that they applaud their own wisdom, for giving such liberty to their lusts; thinking no men in the world enjoy the like freedom. When indeed their bondage is much worse then the cruel and tyrannical bondage, and slavery of Egypt. For first, that bondage was of the body only, but the service of sin is of the whole man, body and soul.
Secondly, in the bondage of Egypt, they served men ; but in this bondage, service is done to sin & Satan, most vile Lord's, which command most base, and filthy works.
Thirdly, in the bondage of Egypt, the most harm was temporal, loss of liberty, smart and pain of body, in this service of sin, the loss is eternal, even destruction in Hell forever (without the inifinite goodness of God.) Fourthly, in this bondage under Pharaoh, they had a sense of their thralldom, and desired liberty ; in this of sin, men do not so much as suspect themselves to be bound, but think themselves free, and despise liberty. Lastly, in all outward bondage, they which are bound may possibly help themselves; as by running away, or by entreaty, or by ransom: In this bondage we lie still, as it were, bound hand and foot (till God by his mercy deliver us) not having so much as the least thought of relieving ourselves. By all which it appears, that such who take the most liberty to sin, are the most perfect slaves in the world; because most voluntary slaves: and that Christ's service is the only true freedom; his yoke an easy yoke ; his burden but as the burden of wings to a bird ; which makes her fly the higher. Wherefore, as we serve the laws, that we may be free: so let us serve Christ, and we shall be the freest people alive.
A godly man being demanded, what he thought was the strangest, and foolishest thing in the world, answered, an impenitent sinner, or an Vnbeliever: For, said he, that a man should provoke God, so gracious and mighty, that he should believe Satan the father of lies and cruelty, forget his own death so imminent and in-evitable; obey the command of his Flesh, a Drudge so ignoble, admire the world so fickle and dangerous, prefer it before Heaven so blessed & glorious; willfully cast himself into hell, a place so woeful and dolorous, and all for vanity, such a wretched emptiness; that he should fear the blasts of men's breath, and not the fire of God's wrath ; weep for the loss of friends, & not for his soul: And lastly, that Christ should stand at the door of his heart, craving for entrance, that he may remedy all, and make him everlastingly happy; and God call him every day, either by his Word in the mouths of his Messengers, or by strange judgments, or extraordinary mercies upon himself, or others, and all in vain Such an one, says he, is the most foolish and degenerate creature alive:
Thus I might go on to Traitors, Murderers, Back-byters, Seducers, Drunkards, Blasphemers, Persecutors of the godly, proud persons, Hypocrites, Thieves, Atheists, and what other sinners you can name: and prove them all fools alike. But I have already (upon one occasion or other) done it in some other Tract. Nor do I love to tautologize, except it be for a great advantage to my Reader, and for others good: though in such a case, I can, I thank God, dishonor myself, that I may honor my Maker. The which if men did well ponder, they wou • d be more sparing of their censures; How-ever I could wish, that our Reverend Divines would afford themselves more liberty in this case then they do. There be some expressions, that we borrow from our Predecessors, that deserve to be mentioned, or used (by a Minister that remains perhaps twenty, or thirty years in a Parish ) more then once, though it be to the same Congregation (for that which takes not, or is not minded at one time, may at another: and how many have been converted, by that only argument? that God seeth all things even in the dark, when the doors are shut, and the curtains drawn. ) Nor do I think, that a dull and flat tool, or instrument would be used, when a more quick, and sharp one may be had at as easy a rate, and perhaps nearer at hand. But we are mostly (even the best of us) • oth to deny ourselves; though it be for our Masters, (& many of our Brethren's great gain and) advantage. But of this by the way only, a word or two more, that may reach to all, that are in their natural condition, and I shall conclude.
§ 58. In the last place, Are not all willful sinners arrant fools? who Adam -like, will receive whatever comes, or is offered them? be it bribe, or other sinful bait, not once thinking this is forbidden fruit, and thou shalt die the death. That think the vowed enemy of their souls, can offer them a bait without a hook? you cannot but acknowledge them stark fools, though thou thyself beest one of the number.
Again, for men to dishonor God, and blaspheme his Name, while he does support and relieve them, to run from him, while he does call them, and forget him, while he does seed them. To imitate the Common Protestants in Queen Mary's time, who laughed the Martyrs to scorn, and esteemed them superstitious fools, to lose their lives and fortunes, for matters of Religion, accounting faith, holiness, immortality of the soul, &c. mere fopperies and illusions. To be quick-sighted in other men's failings, and blind to their own. Are not these so many infallible properties of a fool? and yet these are the lively characters, of every sensuallist. In so much, that if I should give you a list, or Catalogue of all the fools in one City, or County: You would bless yourselves, that there are so few Bedlam houses, and yet so many out of their wits, that cannot perceive or discern the same. And yet no wonder; for as I told you-ere-while, Sensual men are so be-nighted, and puzzled with blindness, that they know no other way, then the flesh leads them. Yea, many by loss of conscience become Atheists ; and by loss of reason, Beasts. Yea, to anything that is spiritually good, the natural man is blind, and deaf, and dead, as ye may see by these ensuing Scriptures, 1 Tim. 5.6. Rom. 1.21, 22, 25. Ephes. 5.14. Isa. 6.9, 10. John 12 40. Psal. 69.23. Matth. 4.16 & 15.14. Ephes. 4.18, 19. & 5.8. 1 Pet. • 9. Acts 28.27. Rom. 11.8. Matth. 23.16, 17.19.24.26. & 27.3, 4, 5. 2 Pet. 2.16. Revel. 3.17. Rom. 6.13. & 8.11. Micah 7.16. Psal. 58.4. Eph. 2.1. If our Gospel he hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the god of this world hath blinded, 2 Cor. 4 • 3, 4.
But it is otherwise with the godly: as let Satan, or the world offer a wise Christian the bait of pleasure, or profit: his answer shall be, I will not buy repentance so dear: I will not lose my soul, to please my sense. If affliction comes, he will consider, that God's punishments for sin, calls for conversion from sin: and in case God speaks to him by his Word, to forsake his evil ways, and turn again to him, he will amend his course, lest if he hear not the word, he should feel the sword. Whereas nothing will confute a fool, but fire and brimstone.
The Lord spake to Manasseh and to his people; but they would not regard: Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the Captains of the Host of the King of Ashur, that took Manasseh, and put him in fetters, and brought him in chains, and carried him to Babel, 2 Chron. 33.10, 11.
Fools, saith holy David, by reason of their transgression, and because of their iniquity, Psal. 107.17. From which words, Musculus infers, that all willful transgressors are arrant fools. And it is the saying of Cardan: That dishonesty is nothing else but folly and madness. Yea, Solomon throughout all his Proverbs, by a fool, means the natural man ; and by a wise man, a man sanctified. O that it were rightly learned, and laid to heart by all, that are yet in the state of un-regeneracy! for it is everyone of their cases. To conclude in a word, Without knowledge, the soul is not good, Prov. 19.2. The ignorant cannot be innocent. I am the light of the world (says our Savior ) John 8.12. & 12.46. Where light is not, Christ is not: for Christ is light.
§ 59. And so according to my skill, I have performed what I at first promised. It remains before we leave it, that some use be made thereof, that so both wise and weak, may learn something from what hath been spoken of this subject. Wherefore, in the first place, If it be so, that both the sensual and rational, even all that are yet in their natural estate, are uncapable of divine, and super-natural knowledge, that they are blind touching spiritual things. Then let not any carnal wretch hereafter dare to speak evil of the things, actions, or persons, that are out of the reach of his capacity, but silently suspend his judgment, until he be better informed: For as it pertaineth not to the Rustic, to jugde of letters: So it belongeth not to natural men to judge of spiritual things. Yea, let those ignorant ones, that have used to speak evil of the way of truth, learn to kick no more against the pricks, lest they bring upon themselves the same curse, that their fellows did, who brought up an evil report of the Holy Land, Num. 13 32, 33. & 14.23, 14. Yea, put case they shall think they do God good service in it, as many do in persecuting, and putting to death his children and Ambassadors, John 16.2. as a world of examples witness. Yea, the Jews thought they did marvelous well, in crucifying the Lord of life. But what says the holy Ghost, Prov. 14. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man: but the end thereof are the ways of death, verse. 12. Even the Powder-traitors thought they merited, when they intended to blow up the whole State.
Alas, Natural men are no more fit to judge of spiritual matters, then blind men are sit to judge of colors. And yet none more forward then they; as you may see by those blind Sodomites, that dealt so roughly and coarsely with Lot and his two Angels, Gen. 19.1. to 12.
That they are ignorant, and so unfit, is evident of what is recorded of • ich • l, 2 Sam. 6.16. Of Nicodemus, John 3.4. Of Festus, Acts 26.24. And lastly, of Paul before his conversion. I was, saith he, a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an opposer of Christ and his members; but I did it igno •••• lie through unbelief, 1 Tim. 1.13. It's worth your observing too, that 〈◊〉 no sooner enlightened with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, 〈◊〉 was of a contrary judgment, and preached that faith which before • e ••• demned and persecuted. And this will be everyone of their cases, 〈…〉 ; if not in this life, yet hereafter, when Hell flames hath opened their eyes, they will confess. We fools thought his life madness, and his end to be without honor: How is he now numbered with the children of God, and his lot among the Saints? And when they shall see it, they shall be troubled with horrible fear, and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his salvation, so far beyond all that they looked for: and groaning for anguish of spirit, shall say within themselves, This is he whom we once had in de • ision, and in a proverb of reproach, therefore have we erred from the way of truth, we wearied ourselves in the way of wickedness and destruction: but as for the way of the Lord, we have not known it. The light of righteousness hath not shined unto us, nor hath the Son of righteousness arose upon us. What hath pride profited us? or what good hath our riches and our vaunting brought us? with more of the like, for which read, Wisdom 5. And what is the cause they acknowledge not the same now, but their blindness and folly? and because they put their own faults in that part of the wallet that is behind them ; but ours in the other part, or end which is before them: For self-examination would make their judgments more charitable. Read also these Testimonies, John 15.21. & 16.2, 3. Mar. 16.23. & 22.29. 1 Cor. 2.8. Isa. 5.20. But I will give you other instances. Was it not an argument that Haman was blind? who thought Mordecai's not bowing the knee to him, a more heinous offense, then his own murthering of thousands? Were not the Jews, Scribes & Pharisees blind, who could see more unlawfulness in the Disciples plucking a few ears of Corn on the Sabbath-day? and the Palsy man 's carrying his bed ; then in their own devouring of Widows houses? who thought they might better murder Christ, then others believe in him? and be themselves the greatest of sinners, then our Savior to be in company with sinners? Was not Ahab blind? who thought Elijah more troubled Israel, in doing the will of the Lord, then himself in provoking the Lord above all the Kings of Israel that were before him. And the like in our days. Is it not the manner of thousands with us? not only of Clownes, and ill-bred people, who walk after the flesh, in the lusts of uncleanness (whom St. Peter calls brute beasts, led with sensuality, and made to be taken and destroyed. ) But of proud wits, who one would think should have more brains, and know something, to speak evil of the things which they understand not, 2 Pet. 2.12. Yea, how severely will they censure, not only things indifferent, but the most holy and approved good duties in the godly? while they will patiently pass by the most heinous crimes, as cursing, blaspheming, &c. in themselves and others ; an infallible sign of a man not born a-new. Yea, will they not more deeply censure our serving of God, then their own blaspheming of him? and think it a more heinous offense in us to be holy, then for themselves to be profane, and persecute holiness.
And what one does, is a law to the rest, being like a flock of sheep ; which if they but see one take a wrong way, all the rest will follow. As you may see in the Example of Corah, and his two hundred and fifty followers, in Demetrius and his fellows, in their quarrel against Paul and his companions. And lastly, in Lots neighbors, Gen. 19. where you shall read, that when some Godlesse persons had assaulted him, and his two Angels; before night, all the men of the City, from the young even to the old, from all quarters compassed the house round, seeking to break it open, railing upon, and reviling him. Yea, though they were struck with blindness, they would not leave off, until they had wearied themselves, and felt fire and brimstone about their ears, verse. 4. to 2 5.
Natural men in heavenly things, resemble Shel-fish, that have no smell: Or the Chameleon that hath no taste. Nor do they see anymore, then the mere bark or outside of spiritual performances, 2 Sam. 6.16. And the Flesh ( Satan's ready instrument ) will be ever suggesting to them strange surmises, touching what the Religious either say, or do.
And still, the more sottish, the more censorious : For where is least brain, there is most tongue, and loudest. Even as a Brewers Cart upon the stones, makes the loudest noise, when his barrels are emptiest. They that know least, will censure most, and most deeply. It is from the weakest judgments, that the beaviest judgment comes. And so the more censorious, the more sottish, seem they never so wise in the worlds account: For admit they have a show of wisdom ; yet for matter of Religion and saving knowledge, they know not their right hand from their left ; as it fared with those sixscore thousand Ninevites, Jonas 4.11.
So that it's no disparagement to us, seem they never so learned: As what but their ignorance makes them so censure us. They suspect much, because they know little ; as children in the dark, suppose they see what they see not. Yea, a Dog will be very violent in barking at his own shadow on a wall, or face in a glass. The Duke of Vondosme seeing his own and others faces in a well, called for aid against the Antipodes. Paglarencis thought himself cozened, when he saw his sow had eleven Pigs, and his Mare but one Foale that would be confessed. So that they are like Harpast, a blind woman in Seneca's family, who fouud fault with the darkness of the house when the fault was in her want of sight. Or the Owl, that complained of the glory of the Sun, when the fault was in her own eyes. Or like Pentheus, in Euripides his Bacchus, who supposed he saw two Suns, two Thebes, everything double: when his brain alone was troubled. Or those that are vertiginous, who think all things turn round, all err: when the error is only in their own brains. And so much for caution to the one.
§ 60.
Secondly, for comfort to the other; If all natural men are (like Sampson without his guide, ) not able without the Holy Ghosts direction, to find out the Pillars of the house, the principles of faith: let us not wonder, that they swe • ve so much from the godly in their judgment, and practice: As is it any strange thing to see a blind man stumble and fall? Neither let us be discouraged, maugre all their slander & opposition. Nor think the worse of ourselves, if such shall reproach us never so: The Corinthians exceedingly slighted Paul, he was this, and he was that; But what says Paul? With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, 1 Cor. 4.3, 4. We know little children will often laugh at wise men, when they are about serious and necessary affairs: which notwithstanding is not an argument of the unworthiness of the things they la • gh at; but of the folly of them which laugh. Will the Merchant be discouraged because his wine pleaseth not a sick man's palate? Much less cause have we to be discouraged by their distaste, or dislike of us and our actions, as having more certainty to rely upon; they perhaps have sense, reason, and experience to rely upon, but we have them with the advantage of God's Word, and Spirit, and Faith, three infallible witnesses. Yea, we have great cause to rejoice, that they revile, and speak evil of us. For this is both a token of perdition to them, and to us of salvation, and that of God, as the Apostle phraseth it, Phil. 1.28.
True, they may raise any slander upon the best of us, as the Chief Priests did upon our Savior, Math. 28.13, 14. and that slander may be believed time out of mind, (as the Jews to this day believe that his Disciples stole him out of the Sepulcher ) Matth. 28.15. to the hardening of many in their Atheism, and Unbelief : For what should hinder? When Naboth was proved to be a blasphemer of God, and Susanna a whore upon oath; and the same recorded to posterity; when Jeremiah was reported to be an enemy to the State? Paul a polluter of the Temple? Steven a destroyer of the Law? All the Disciples deceivers, and Christ himself a wine-bibber, a Sabbath-breaker, a seducer of the people, a Belzebub, &c. So we may perhaps under-go the like, in one kind or other (as the Devils servants, want neither wit nor malice to devise;) But what need it trouble us, so long as it shall add weight to our Crowns? For if we any way suffer for Christ, be it but rebuke for his sake, happy are we here, and great shall our reward be in heaven, Mat. 5.11, 12.
Wherefore let us never be ashamed of our Masters service, nor of their censures: No matter what Judas saith touching Mary's ointment, so long as Christ approves of it. Did our Savior Christ forbear to heal on the Sabbath day, because the Scribes and Pharisees took it ill? no, but rather did it the more, Luke 6.7 to 12. and Luke 13.31, 32. When Peter and John were charged to speak no more in the name of Jesus ; their answer was, We cannot but speak that which we have heard and seen, Acts 4.20. When Michal scoffed David, and called him fool for his dancing before the Ark ; His answer was, I will be yet more vile, and more lowly in mine own eyes. He knew that nothing could be more heroical, then this very abasement. And it is our very case. Every scoffing Michal, (for none else will do it) every drunken sot, derides our holy profession: but with God and the gracious, we shall be had in honor. Yea, our very malicious, and scoffing adversaries shall honor us, by deriding us. Their dispraise is a man's honor, their praise his dishonor. Wherefore let us imitate St. Austin ; who as he feared the praise of good men, so he detested that of evil, and ungodly men. And take our Savior's counsel; seek to justify our judgments, to the children of wisdom, of whom she is justified ; and not to fools, by whom she is daily crucified. Neither let any think the better of such whom they extol; for the blind eat many a fly.
§ 61.
Thirdly, are the one regenerate, the other carnal? the one of this world, the other chosen out of it? the one children of light, and of the day, the other blind and in darkness? the one Christ's friends, the other his enemies? do the one live after the flesh, the other after the spirit, Gal. 5.25. 1 Pet. 4.2. Then look we for no love from, or peace with them: Different dispositions can never agree. There can be no amity, where there is no sympathy. Athens and Sparta could never agree, for that the one was addicted to serve Minerva, the other Mars. Yea, when it was said of Phocian and Demosthenes, that they could never agree; it was answered, No, how should they? when the one drinks water, and the other wine. Much more may it be applied to these, when the holy Ghost says, 2 Cor. 6. What communion between light and darkness? what peace between the Believer and the Infidel? or unbeliever, verse. 14, 15. And in another place; Know ye not, that the amity of the world, is the enmity of God? And that whosoever will be a friend of the world, maketh himself the enemy of God, Jam. 4.4. And again, He that is borne after the flesh, will persecute him that is born after the Spirit, Gal. 4.29. Yea, Solomon tells us directly, and in plain terms, That a wicked man is abomination to the just; and that he who is upright in his way, is abomination to the wicked, Pro. 29.27. Even our very ways which God hath commanded us to walk in, are abomination to them.
Whence it is, that the Natural man can agree with all that be natural ; be they civil, or profane, Turks, or Jews, Papists or Atheists, because all these agree with him in blindness, and darkness: But with a sincere, and holy Christian, a practicer of piety, he can never agree, because his light is contrary to the natural man's darkness; Grace in the one, is a secret disgrace to the other. Wherefore to be without enemies, or to have such our friends, we may rather wish then hope; yea, once to expect it, were an effect of frenzy, not of hope. Only let not us by our offending God, or jarring amongst ourselves, put weapons into their hands to wound us withal: and then we are sure to have Christ (who is able enough to vindicate all our wrongs) to assist us, and prevent our Enemies.
§ 62.
Fourthly, If none be truly wise, but such as have passed the second birth ; and that this wisdom which makes us differ, cometh down from the Father of lights ; and that we cannot have it, except God vouchsafe to give it us: it may teach us to be humble, Job 42.6. And not like the Ape, that is proud of his Masters jacket: And thankful, for Heavenly notions, grow not in us; we spin them not out of our own breasts. Nor was there anything in us, that makes us differ: we slept nigh half our time in ignorance, and that we ever awakened, it was only God's infinite goodness and free grace. What cause have we then to bless the giver? And to become suitors to our Savior in their behalf, who are not yet awake: That he will be pleased to open their eyes, and remove that veil which is laid over their hearts, in their hearing the Gospel, 2 Cor. 3.14, 15, 16. And in the mean-time, let us condole their disastres, and drop some tears in pity and compassion for their great and grievous misery.
Fifthly, and lastly, If with God one spark of spiritual, experimental, and saving knowledge, be of more worth then all human wisdom and learning, then strive we after that knowledge that will make us forever blessed. Let us so be learned, that we may be saved. Let us not in our hearing, reading, and communication, do as little children, that look only upon the babies in a Book, without regard to the matter therein contained. But like men in years, have more respect to the pith, and solidity of the matter, then to the phrase ; and to the profit of our souls, then the pleasing of our senses. Yea, let us so mind what we either hear or read; that if any virtue be commended, we practice it ; if any vice condemned, we avoid it; if any consolation be insinuated, we appropriate it ; if any good example be propounded, we follow it. Yea, so mind we what we hear, or read, as if it were spoke only to each of us in particular; which to do, is to be for every happy. Good counsel for our young Gulls, who will hear no other Ministers but such as flatter sin, and flout holiness ; nor read other Books, then such as fill them with Pride, and Lust, and the Devil.
So I have given you a good, and profitable Book, one faultless fault being born with. An answer that may satisfy such as shall make the Objection I expect, viz. about repetition, which I take to be a fault deserving thanks.
If any shall find themselves gameis by reading of this piece, let them also peruse the two fore-going parts, viz. The Hearts Index, and A short and sure way to Grace and salvation, as treating upon the most needful subjects for a natural man's conversion, that I could think of: The which being small things, are sold only by James Crump, in Little Bartholomews, welyard; And by Henry Cripps, in Popes-head Alley.
ERRATA.
Not to mention all the literal mistakes, and points misplaced; there is one fault in the Title page so gross, (though it past the view, both of Transcriber, Composer, Corrector, and Author, without being discerned:) that it would be mended with a pen, and of Floreligus, made Florilegus.
A serious and Pathetical Description OF HEAVEN AND HELL, According to the Pencil of the HOLY GHOST ; and the best Expositors : sufficient (with the blessing of GOD ) to make the worst of men hate Sin, and love Holiness.
Being five Chapters taken out of a Book entitled, The whole Duty of a Christian ; Composed by R. YOUNG • of Roxwell in Essex, Florilegus ▪
CHAP. XIX.
Section I.
T Hus as the Unbeliever and Disobedient is cursed in eve •• thing, and where-ever he goes, and in whatsoever he does: Cursed in the City, and cursed also in the field; cursed in the fruit of his body, and in the fruit of his ground, and in the fruit of his Cattle: Cursed when he cometh in▪ and cursed also when he goeth out; cursed in this life, and cursed in the life to come; as is at large expressed, Deut. 28. So the Believer that obeys the voice of the Lord, shall be blessed in everything he does, where-ever he goes, and in whatsoever befalls him, as God promiseth in the former part of the same Chapter, and as I have proved in the eleven foregoing Sections. Yea, God will bl • ss all that belong unto him; for his children and posterity, yea many generations after him shall fare the better for his sake, Exod. 20.6. Gen. 30.27. Isa. 54.15. & 65.8. Rom. 11.28. Gen. 18.26, 29, 31, 32. & 26.24. & 39.5. 1 King. 11.12, 32, 34▪ & 〈…〉 where he dwells, perhaps the whole Kingdom he lives in, Gen. 39, to 48. Chap. Whereas many, yea, multitudes, Numb. 25.18. Deut. 1.37. & 3.26. Psal. 106.32. even a whole Army, Josh. 7.4, to 14. yea, his children's children, unto the third and fourth generation, fare the worse for a wicked man, and an unbeliever, Exod. 20 5. Besides, his prayers shall profit many; for he is more prevalent with God, to take away a judgment from a people or a Nation, than a thousand others, Exod. 17.11, 12, 13. And he counts it a sin to cease praying for his greatest and most malicious enemies, 1 Sam. 12.23. Though they like fools, would (if they durst, or were permitted,) cut him off, and all the race of God's people, Psal. 83.4. Hester 3.6, 9, 13. Which is as if one with a hatchet should cut off the bough of a Tree upon which he standeth: For they are beholding to Believers for their very lives: yea, it is for their sakes, and because the number of Christ's Church is not yet accomplisht, that they are out of Hell. But to go on, as all things ( viz. ) poverty, imprisonment, slander, persecution, sickness, death, temporal judgments, spiritual desertions; yea even sin and Satan himself, shall turn together for the best unto those that love God, as you have seen: So all things shall turn together for the worst unto those that hate God, as all unbelievers do, Rom. 1.30. John 15.18. even the mercy of God, and the means of grace, shall prove their bane, and inhaunce their damnation: yea Christ himself, that only summum bonum, who is a Savior to all Believers, shall be a just revenger to all Unbelievers: and bid the one, Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Matth. 25.41, 46. Which shall be an everlasting departure, not for a day, nor for years of days, nor for millions of years, but for eternity; into such pains as can neither be expressed nor conceived, Jude 6, 7. Rev. 20.10. Mat. 3.12. Heb. 6.2.
Sect. 2. Wickedness hath but a time, a short time, a moment of time; but the punishment of wickedness is beyond all time; There shall be no end of plagues to the wicked man, Prov. 24.20. Their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, Isa. 30.33. & 66.24. Matth. 25.41. Mark. 9.44. And therefore it is said, the smoke of their torment doth asce • d forever and ever, Rev. 4.12. & 20.10. So that if all the men that ever have, or shall be created, were Briareus like hundred-handed, and should at once take pens in their hundred hands, and do nothing else for ten hundred thousand millions of years, but sum up in figures as many hundred thousand millions as they could; yet never could they reduce to a total, or confine within number, this trisyllable word [ Eternal, ] or that word of four syllables [ Everlasting. ]
Now let such as forget God, but seriously consider this; it will not be an imprisonment during the Kings pleasure, but during the King of Kings pleasure: It is not a captivity of seventy years, like that of the children of Israel in Babylon ; for that had an end: nor like a captivity of seventy millions of generations ; for that also would in time be expired: but even forever: The wicked shall live as long in Hell, as there shall be a just God in Heaven.
Here we measure time by days, months, years ▪ but fought 〈…〉 is no Arithmetitian can number it: no Geometrician can measure it. Fo • suppose the whole world were turned into a mountain of sand, and that a little Wren should come every thousand year, and carry away from that heap but one grain of the sand, what an infinite number of years would be spent and expired, before the whole heap would be fercht away? but admit a man should stay in torments so long, and then have an end of his woe, it were some comfort to think, that an end will come: but alas▪ when she hath finished this task a thousand times over, he shall be as far from an end of his anguish, as ever he was the very first hour he entered into it.
Now, Suppose thou shouldest lie but one night grieviously aff •• cted with a raging fit of the stone, strangury, tooth-ach, pangs of travel, or the like; though thou hadst to help and ease thee, a soft bed to lie on, friends about to comfort thee, Physicians to cure thee, all cordial and comfortable things to aswage thy pain; yet how tedious and painful would that one night seem unto thee? how wouldest thou toss, and tumble, and turn from one side to another? counting the clock, esteeming every minute a month, and thy present misery unsupportable. What then will it be to lie in stames of fire? (to which our fire is but air in comparison,) fire and brimstone kept in the highest flame by the unquenchable wrath of God, world without end; where thou shalt have nothing about thee but darkness and horror; wailing and wringing of hands, desperate yellings and gnashing of teeth ; thy old companions in vanity and sin, to ban and curse thee; the Devils insulting over thee, with cruelty and scorn; the never-dying worm of conscience, to feed upon thy soul and flesh, forever and ever. O everlasting eternity ▪ a never-dying life, an ever-living death !
Which yet is but just with God ; for if thou mightest have lived forever, thou wouldst have sinned forever. If God would everlastingly have spared thee, thou wouldest have everlastingly hated and provoked him. What then can be more equal, then that thou shouldst suffer everlastingly?
O then bethink thyself of this word eternal and everlasting, and ponder upon it: yea do but indeed believe it, and it will be enough to break thine hard heart, and make it relent and repent, and thereby prevent the wrath to come. It will put thee to a demur, What have I done? what am I now about? whether will this course tend? how will it end? what will become of me if I go on? in chambering and wantonness, surfeiting and drunkenness, strife and envying, swearing, profaneness, earthly-mindedness, and the like? For indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, shall be upon the soul of everyone that doth evil, and continueth therein, as the Apostle witnesseth, Rom. 2.8, 9. O then! break off thy sins without delay, and let there be an healing of thine errors.
Sect. 3. Neither is the extremity of pain inferior to the perpetuity of it, it is a place full of horror and amazedness; where is no remission of sin, no dismission of pain, no intermission of sense, no permission of comfort; its torments are both intolerable and interminable : and 〈◊〉 neither he enda 〈…〉
The pangs of the first death are pleasant, compared with those of the second: For mountains of sand were lighter, and millions of years shorter, than a tithe of those torments, Rev. 20.10. Jude 7. It is a death which hath no death; it hath a beginning, it hath no ending, Matth. 3.12. Isa. 66 24.
The pain of the body, is but the body of pain; the anguish of the soul, is the soul of anguish: For should we first burn off one hand, then another, after that each arm, and so all the parts of the body, it would be deemed intolerable; and no man would endure it for all the profits and pleasures this world can afford; and yet it is nothing to the burning of body and soul in hell. Should we endure ten thousand years torments in hell, it were grievous; but nothing to eternity: Should we suffer one pain it were miserable enough; but if ever we come there, our pains shall be for number and kinds, infinitely various, as our pleasures have been here; every sense and member, each power and faculty both of soul and body, shall have their several objects of wretchedness, and that without intermission, or end, or ease • ▪ or patience to endure it, Luke 12 5. & 16.23. Matth. 3.12. & 5.22. & 22.23.
The Schools affirm, that the least torture in Hell, exceeds the greatest that can be devised by all the men on earth ; even as the least joy in Heaven, surpasseth the greatest comfort here on earth. There is scarce any pain here on earth, but there is ever some hope of ease, mitigation, or intermission ; of some relief or deliverance : but in Hell, their torments are easeless, endless, and remediless; unsufferable, and yet ineviteable, and themselves left hopeless, helpless, pittyless.
It were misery enough, to have the headache, tooth-ach, Collick, gout, burning in the fire ; or if there be anything more grievous: Yea, should all these, and many more meet together in one man, at one instant: they would come infinitely short of the pains of Hell. Yea, they would all b • bar as the stinging of Antes, to the lashes of those Scorpions : but as dr • pes, to those Vials of wrath, as sparks to that flame, as Chrysostom speaks. The Furnace of Babel, was but a flea-biting, to this tormenting Tophet, prepared of old, Isa. 30. He hath made it deep and large, the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it, verse. 32. So that it were happy for reprobate spirits, if they were in no worse condition, than so many Toads or Serpents. As consider, If a dark dungeon here be so loathsome, what is that dungeon of eternal, of utter darkness? If material fire be so terrible, what is Hell fire? Here we cry out of a burning fever, or, if a very coal from the hearth do but light on our flesh, O how it grieves us; we cannot hold our finger for one minute in scalding lead ; but there both body and soul, shall fry in everlasting flames, and be continually tormented, by infernal fiends ; whose society alone, would be sufficiently frightful.
Sect. 4. Now consider▪ Is one hours twitches of t •• • orm of conscience here? yo • one minutes t •• ch of a tooth pulling out, so unsufferable? what is a 〈…〉 mented in that flame: what think we shall that torment be, when body and soul come to be united in torment? since the pains of Hell are more exquisite, than all the united torments, that the earth can invent. Yea, the pains and sufferings of the damned, are ten thousand times more than can be imagined by any heart under heaven, and can rather (through necessity) be endured, than expressed. It is a death never to be painted to the life ; no pen nor pencil, nor art, nor heart, can comprehend it, Matth. 18.8, 9, 10. & 25.30. Luke 16 23, 24. 2 Pet. 2.4. Isa. 5.14. & 30 33. Prov. 15.11. Yea were all the land paper, and all the water ink, every plant a pen, and every other creature a ready Writer, yet they could not set down the least piece of the great pains of hell-fire.
Now add eternity to extremity, and then consider hell to be hell indeed. For if the Ague of a year, or the Collick of a month, or the Rack of a day, or the burning of an hour be so bitter here; how will it break the hearts of the wicked, to feel all these beyond all measure, beyond all time? So that it is an evil and bitter thing, to depart from the living God.
We poor mortals, (until God does bring us from under the power of Satan unto himself) do live in the world, as if hell were not so hot, no • the Devil so black, as indeed they are: as if Hell and Heaven, were 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 inexpressible torments in Hell, as well as unspeakable joys in Heaven.
Nor will this be their case alone, that are desparately wicked; cursing and blaspheming Drunkards, and sheders of blood ; but of all impenitent persons. As for instance, They who have lived in the fire of lust here, must not think much to be scorched in the flames of Hell hereafter, Heb. 13.4. Rev. 21.8. & 22.15. The detractor is a devil above ground, his tongue is already set on fire from hell, James 3.6. Rev. 16.10, 11. which does sadly presage, what will be his portion forever, unless repenta • ce quench, those flames; and so of the like offenders, Psal. 9.17. Revel. 22.12. As what says the Apostle? Neither fornicators, nor thieves, nor murderers, nor drunkards, nor swearers, nor raylors, nor liars, nor covetous persons, nor unbelievers, nor no unrighteous persons shall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, but shall have their part and portion in that lake which burneth with the fire and brimstone, which is the second death, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Rev. 21.8. which did they well consider, they durst not continue in the practice of these sins without fear or remorse, or care of amendment.
Sect. 5. Now what heart would not bleed, to see men run headlong into these tortures that are thus intolerable? Dance hoodwinkt into this perdition? O that it were allowed to the desperate russians of our days, that swear and curse, drink and drab, rob, shed blood, &c. (as if Heaven were blind and deaf to what they do) to have but a sight of this Hell ! how would it charm their mouths, appale their spirits, strik • fear and astonishment into their hearts ? Yea if a sinner could see but one glimpse of hell, or be suffered to look one moment into that fiery Lake, he would rath 〈…〉 sin. Nor can I think they would do as they do, if they did but either see or foresee, what they shall one day (without serious and unfeigned repentance) feel. And indeed, therefore are we dissolute, because we do not think what a judgment there is after our dissolution: because we make it the least, and last thing we think on; yea, it is death, we think, to think upon death: and we cannot endure that doleful bell which summons us to judgment, Lam. 1.9. Deut. 32.29. Oh that men would believe and consider this truth, and do accordingly!
Oh that thou wouldest remember, that there is a day of account, a day of death, a day of judgment coming, Heb. 9.27. Matth. 25. wherein the Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from Heaven▪ with his mighty Angels, in flaming fire, to render vengeance unto them which obey not his Gospel; and to punish them with everlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, as the Apostle speaks, 2 Thes. 1.7, 8, 9. Jude 15. Isa. 33 14. Mat. 25.46.
As consider seriously, I beseech you, whether it will not be worth the while, so to foresee the torments of Hell, that you may prevent them: Or if otherwise, will you not one day wish you had, when death comes and arrests you to appear before the great and terrible Judge of all the world? Luke 16 23. to 32. Matth. 13.30, 38. at which time an Assizes or Quarter-Sessions shall be held within thee, where Reason shall sit as Judge, and Satan shall put in a Bill of Indictment, as long as that Book in Zechariah, Chap. 5.2. Ezek. 2.9, 10. wherein shall be alleged all the evil deeds that ever thou hast committed, and all the good deeds that ever thou hast omitted, with their several circumstances that may aggravate them, Eccles. 11.9. & 12.14. 2 Cor. 5.10. and all the curses and judgments that are due to every sin. Thine own Conscience shall accuse thee, and thy memory shall give bitter evidence against thee; and thou shalt condemn thyself, before the just condemnation of thy Judge, who knows all thy misdeeds better than thyself, 1 John 3 20. Which sins of thine will not then leave thee, but cry unto thee, We are thy works, and we will follow thee, Rev. 14.13.
And then who can sufficiently express what thy grief and anguish will be, when the summons both of the first and second death do overtake thee at once? Prov. 1.27. And when at once thou shalt think of thy sins past, thy present misery, and the terror of thy torments to come ; and how thou hast made Earth thy Paradise, thy belly thy God, and lust thy Law ; so sowing vanity, and reaping misery. And finding, that as in thy prosperity thou neglectedst to serve God, so now in thy adversity God refuseth to save thee, Prov. 1.24. to 32. Ezek. 23.35. When thou shalt call to mind the many warnings thou hast had of this doleful day, from Christ's faithful Ambassadors, and how thou then madest but a mock or jeer at it, Prov. 1 25. and think how for the short sinful pleasures thou hast enjoyed, thou must endure eternal pains, Luk. 16.24, 25. & Rev. 6.12.10.18. Which yet thou shalt think most just and equal; saying, As I have deserved, so I am served: for I was oft enough offered mercy, yea 〈◊〉 to accept thereof▪ but I prefer •• 〈◊〉 pleasing of my 〈…〉 and the allurements of Satan, than the Word of God, or the motions of his holy Spirit, Prov. 1.24, &c. Mark 16.16. And (which I would have thee think upon) Hell fire is made more hot, by neglecting so great salvation, Heb. 2.3. This is the condemnation (saith our Savior, none like this) that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil, Joh. 3.29. Now salvation is freely offered, but men reject it; hereafter they would accept of salvation, but God will reject them. Yea then a whole world (if thou hadst it) for one hours delay, or •• spite, that thou mightest have space to repent, and sue unto God for mercy: but it cannot be, because thy body, which joined with thy soul in thy sinful actions, is now altogether unfit to join with her in the exercise of repentance ; and repentance must be of the whole man. Besides, death will take no pity ; the Devil knows no mercy, and the God of mercy will have utterly forsaken thee. Then wilt thou say, Oh that I had been more wise! or that I were now to begin my life again; then would I contemn the world with all its vanities: yea, if Satan should then offer me all the treasures, pleasures and promotions of this world, he should never entice me to forget the terrors of this dreadful hour, and those worse which are to follow, Luke 16.24, &c. & 13.28.
But, Oh wretched Caitiff that I am! how hath the Devil and my own deceitful and devilish heart deluded me ? and how am I served accordingly? For now is my case more miserable than the most despised Toad or Serpent, that perisheth when it dieth; in that I must go to answer at the great Judgment-seat for all my sins, that am not able to answer for one of the least of them, Eccles. 12.14. Mat. 18.34. that I who heretofore gloried in my lawless liberty, am now to be enclosed in the very claws of Satan, as the trembling Partridge within the griping tallons of the ravening and devouring Falcon. Oh, Cursed be the day when I was born, and the time when my mother conceived me, &c. Job. 3.
Sect. 6. And so death having given thee thy fatal stroke, the Devil shall seize upon, or snatch away thy soul, so soon as it leaves thy body, Luk. 12.20. and hale the hence into the bottomless lake, that burneth with fire and brimstone ; where she is to be kept in chains of darkness, until the general judgment of the great day, Jude 6, 7. 1 Pet. 3.19 Rev. 21.8. Thy body in the mean time being cast into the earth, expecting a fearful resurrection, when it shall be re-united to thy soul ; that as they sinned together, so they may be everlastingly tormented together, Heb. 10.27. At which general Judgment, Christ sitting upon his Throne, Joh. 5.22. shall rip up all the Benefits he hath bestowed on thee, and the miseries he hath suffered for thee; and all the ungodly deeds that thou hast committed, and all the hard speeches which thou hast spoken against him, and his holy ones, Jude 15. Eccles. 12.14. & 11.9. Within thee shall be thine own conscience, more then a thousand witnesses to accuse thee: the Devils who tempted thee to all thy lewdness, shall on the • ne side testify with thy conscience against thee; 〈◊〉 on the other side shall stand the holy Saints and Angels, approv 〈…〉 thee all the world burning with flaming fire; above thee an ireful Judge of deserved vengeance, ready to pronounce his heavy sentence upon thee: beneath thee the fiery and sulphureous mouth of the bottomless pit, gaping to receive thee, Isa. 5.11, 14. And in this woeful and doleful condition thou must stand forth to receive with other Reprobates this thy sentence, Rom. 14.10. 2 Cor. 5.10. [ Depart from me ] there is a separa • ion from all joy and happiness, [ ye cursed, ] there is a black and direful excommunication, [ into fire ] there is the extremity of pain, [ everlasting, ] there is the perpetuity of punishment; [ prepared for the Devil and his Angels ] there are thy infernal tormenting, and tormented companions, Matth. 25.41. O terrible sentence! from which there is no escaping, withstanding, excepting, or appealing. Then, O then shall thy mind be tormented to think; how for the love of abortive pleasures, which even perished before they budded; thou ha • t so foolishly lost Heavens joys, and incurred hellish pains, which last to all eternity, Luke 16.24, 25. Thy conscience shall ever sting thee like an Adder ; when thou call • t to mind, how often Christ by his Ministers offered thee remission of sins ; and the Kingdom of Heaven freely ; if thou wouldst but believe and repent, and how easily thou mightest have obtained mercy in those days. How near thou wast many times to have repented; and yet didst suffer the Devil and the World, to keep thee still in impenitency; and how the day of mercy is now past, and will never dawn again. Thy understanding shall be racked to consider, how for momentary riches, thou hast lost eternal treasure ; and exchanged Heavens felicity, for Hells misery : where every part and faculty, both of thy body and soul, shall be continually and alike tormented, without intermission or dismission of pain, or from it: and be forever deprived of the beatifical sight of God ; wherein consists the sovereign good, and life of the soul. Thou shalt never see light, nor the least sight of joy ; but lie in a perpetual prison of utter darkness : where shall be no order but horror ; no voice but howling and blaspheming ; no noise but screeching and gnashing of teeth ; no society but of the Devil and his Angels, who being tormented themselves, shall have no other ease, but to wreak their fury in tormenting thee, Matth. 13.42. & 25.36, &c. Where shall be punishment without any pity, misery without any mercy, sorrow without succor, crying without comfort, malice without measure, torment without ease, Rev. 14.10, 11. Where the wrath of God shall seize upon thy soul and body, as the flame of fire does on the lump of pitch, or brimstone, Dan. 7.10. In which flame thou shalt ever be burning, and never consumed; ever dying, and never dead, ever roaring in the pangs of death, and never rid of those pangs; nor expecting •• d of thy pains. So that after thou hast endured them so many thousand years as there are blades of grass on the earth, or sands in the Sea, 〈◊〉 on the heads of all the sons of Adam from the first to the last born; 〈◊〉 there have been creatures in Heaven and Earth ; thou shalt be no nearer 〈◊〉 and of thy torments, than thou wast the very first day that thou 〈…〉 into them: yea so far are they 〈…〉 , that they are ever 〈…〉 damned soul could but conceive some hope, that those torments should have an end: this would be some comfort, to think that at length an • nd will come, but as often as thy mind shall think of this word never, (and thou shalt ever be thinking of it) it will rend thy heart in pieces with •• ge, and hideous lamentation: as giving still new life, to those unsufferable sorrows ; which exceed all expression, or imagination. It will be another hell in the midst of hell. Wherefore consider seriously what I say, and that while the compassionate arms of Jesus Christ lie open to receive you; and do thereafter, Prov. 1.24, &c. Take warning by Pharaoh 's example, who in the Rich man's scalding torments hath a Discite à me, Learn of me, Luke 16.23, &c. For he can testify out of woeful experience, that if we will not take warn • ing by the Word, (that gentle warner) the next shall be harder, the third and fourth harder than that; yea, as all the ten plagues did exceed one another; so the eleventh single exceeds them altogether. Innumerable are the curses of God against sinners, Deut. 28. but the • ast is the worst, comprehending and transcending all the rest. The fearfullest plagues, God still reserves for the upshot: all the former do but make way for the last.
H • ll in Scripture is called a Lake, that burneth with fire and brimstone : and than the torment of the former, what more acute? than the smell of the latter, what more noisome?
CHAP. XX.
Sect. 1. THus I say, shall they be bid, Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, &c. while on the contrary the same Christ shall say unto the other, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit, the Kingdom prepared for you, from before the foundation of the world, Mat. 25 34. Which Kingdom is a place where are such joys, as eye hath not seen, nor ear heared, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, 1 Cor. 2.9.
A place where there shall be no evil present, nor good absent, Heb. 9.12. Mat. 6.20. In comparison whereof, all the Thrones and Kingdoms upon earth, are less than the drop of a bucket, Deut. 10.14. 2 Cor. 12.2, 4. Isa. 66.1.
Heaven in Scripture, is compared to a Kingdom for soverainty, to a Throne for preeminency, to a Crown for state and majesty, to an Inheritance for perpetuity, to a Marriage-feast for plenty, pleasure and delicacy, and to whatsoever else may set forth its excellency; though indeed in these comparisons, there is little or no comparison, as I might show you in many particulars, if I would be large: for instances in this case would be endless.
There death shall have no more dominion over us, Rom. 6.9. The Sun▪ shall not burn us by day, nor the Moon by night, Psal. 121.6. There all 〈◊〉 shall be wiped from our eyes, Rev. 7.17. There shall be no sorrow, no • pain, nor complaint ; there is no malice to rise up against us, no 〈…〉 afflict us; no hunger, thirst, wearisomeness, temptation, to disquiet us, 〈…〉 19, 20. Heb. 9.12. There is no death nor dearth, no pin •• g nor 〈…〉 Rev. 7.16, 17. & 21.4. Heb. 9.12. There, O there! one day is better than a thousand ; there is Rest from our Labors, Peace from our Enemies, Freedom from our Sins, &c. Job. 3.17. Heb. 4.3, 9, 10, 11, Rev. 14 13. Heb. 9.12, 15.
Sect. 2. Unto which Negative Privileges, there are also added Positive of all sorts, as I might plentifully prove, but I study brevity. Do we delight in good company ? what pleasure shall we take in the company of Saints and Angels? in whom there is nothing not amiable, comfortable, delectable? nothing in us, that may cool the fervor of our love and affection to them. And so of all other enjoyments: As, Dost thou desire beauty, riches, honor, pleasure, long life, or whatever else can be named? No place so glorious by creation, so beautiful with delectation, so rich in possession, so comfortable for habitation, nor so durable for lasting, Heb. 12.22. 1 Pet. 1.4. 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. Rom. 9.3. &. 8.18. There are no Estates but Inheritances, no Inheritances but Kingdoms, no Houses but Palaces, no Meals but Feasts, no noise but Music, no Rods but Scepters, no Garments but Robes, no Seats but Thrones, no coverings for the head, but Crowns, Rom. 8.17. Tit. 3.7. Heb. 9.15. Mat. 25.31, 34. 2 Tim. 4.8. Gal. 4.7. 1 Pet. 3 9, 10. Mar. 10.23, 24, 25. Rev. 7.13, 14, 15. & 6.11.
There we shall see the blessed face of God, which is the glory of all sights, the sight of all glory. Yea, we ourselves shall out-shine the Sun in brightnese, Mat. 13.43. For if the brightness of the body, shall match the Sun, what will the glory and splendor of the soul be? And yet such honor shall all the Saints have. For when Christ which is our head, and life, shall appear; then shall we also appear with him in glory. And he shall change our vile and mortal body, that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body, Col. 3 4. Phil 3.21.
Briefly, Our joy shall there be fall, and none shall be able to take it from us, or diminish it, John 15.11. & 16.22. There is fullness of joy, and pleasures for evermore, Psal. 26. Joyes and pleasures never ebbing, but ever slowing to all contentment. There we shall rejoice, for the pleasantness of the place we possess; for the glory of our souls and bodies, which we have put on; for the world which we have overcome; for Hell which we have escaped; for the joys of Heaven which we have attained to. We shall have joy above us, by the beatifical vision and sight of God : joy within us, by the peace of conscience, even the joy of the Holy Ghost ; and joy round about us, by the blessed company, and fellowship of our associates, the holy Saints and Angels.
Sect. 3. And in reason, if a Christian -soul in this Tabernacle of the body, wherein we see but as in a glass, be so delighted to see the face of God manifested in Jesus Christ ; If it so glads a Child of God, when he can but in the least measure master his corruptions, or hath occasion to manifest the sincerity of his affectionate love to his Maker, and Redeemer, 〈…〉 to serve his Brethren in love: How joyful will he be, when these gra 〈…〉 be perfected, and he freed from all grievances inward and out 〈…〉 Yea, if the communion, and 〈◊〉 of God's Spirit, and 〈…〉 and ordinances ▪ 〈…〉 better than a thousand with the ungodly, Psal. 84.10. What will it be to enjoy the immediate presence, and glory of God our Father? Christ our Redeemer, and elder-Brother? the Holy Ghost our Comforter? the Angels and Saints our Consorts, and Companions?
Our condition there will be so joyful, that look we outwardly, there is joy in the society, Heb. 12.22. if inwardly, there is joy in our own felicity, 1 Cor. 2.9. Look we forward, there is joy in the eternity, 1 Pet. 5.10. Mark. 10.30. So that on every side we shall be even swallowed up of joy, Isa. 35.10. & 51.11. Matth. 25.23. & 18.10. Heb. 12.2, 22. Psal. 16.11. As, Oh the multitude and fullness of these joys ! so many, that only God can number them; so great, that he only can estimate them; of such • arity and perfection, that this world hath nothing comparable to them, 2 Cor. 12.2, 4. As, Oh the transcendency of that Paradise of pleasure! where is joy without heaviness or interruption; peace without perturbation; blessedness without misery; light without darkness; health without sickness; beauty without blemish; abundance without want; ease without labor; satiety without loathing; liberty without restraint; security without fear; glory without ignominy; knowledge without ignorance; eyes without tears; hearts without sorrow; souls without sin : where shall be no evil heard of to affright us, nor good wanting to cheer us : for we shall have what we can desire, and we shall desire nothing but what is good, Deut. 10.14. Isa. 66.1. 1 King. 8.27. Mark ▪ 10.21. Luke. 18.22. 1 Pet. 5.10. John 4.36. & 10.28. Matth. 25.46.
Sect. 4 While we are here, how many clouds of discontent have we, to darken the sunshine of our joy? when even complaint of evils past, sense of present, and fear of future, have in a manner shared our lives among them. Here we love and loath in an instant, (like Amnon to his Sister Tamar, ) in Heaven there is no object unlovely, nothing which is not exceeding amiable and attractive : And not attractive only, but retentive also; for there we shall not be subject to passion, nor can we possibly there misplace our affection. Here we have knowledge mixed with ignorance, faith with doubting peace with trouble, yea trouble of conscience. Or in 〈◊〉 we have peace of conscience, alas how often is it interrupted, with 〈◊〉 of spirit? Now rejoice we with joy unspeakable and glorious, 1 Pet. 1.84 but alas anon it falls out, that we need to pray with David, Restore unto us the joy of thy salvation, Psal. 51.12. but there is peace, even full without want, pure without mixture, and perpetual without all fear of foregoing, Dan. 2.44.
There shall be no concupiscence to tempt, no flesh to lust against the spirit, no law in our members to rebel against the law of our minds.
Now abideth Faith, Hope and Charity; these three now abide: but in Heaven, Vision succeeds in the place of Faith; attainment in the place of Hope; and perfect fruition and delectation in the room of Ch •• rity. There Promises shall end in performances, Faith in sight and 〈…〉 sion, Hope in fruition and Possession; yea time itself shall be swallowed 〈◊〉 in Eternity : these are the Soul • Dowries in Heaven, where God 〈…〉 in Abraham, temperance in Joseph, strength in Sampson, meekness in Moses, wisdom in Solomon, patience in Job, (for it is rare to find all these graces, completely to meet in any one subject,) but then and there he shall be omnia in omnibus ; all these in every of his servants! God shall be all in all, even the fullness of him that filleth all in all things, as the Apostle speaks, Ephes. 1.23. The only knowledge of God, shall fill up our understandings ; and the alone love of God, shall possess our affections. God shall be all in all to us; he will fill up our rational part with the light of wisdom; our concupiscible part or appetite, with a spring of righteousness; and the irascible part with perfect peace and tranquility, as Bernard expresseth it. That is a blessed state, perpetual and unchangeable: There is eternal Security, and secure Eternity, as Bernard speaks: Or as Austin hath it, There is blessed Eternity, and everlasting Blessedness.
Let the end of our life then be, to come to a life whereof there is no end ; unto with the Lord in his good time bring us, that we who now sow in tears, may then reap in joy, the which he will be sure to do, if we but for a short time serve him here in righteousness and sincerity. But otherwise, look we not for eternal happiness, but for everlasting misery : For it is an everlasting Rule, No grace, no holiness here; no glory, no happiness hereafter.
To sum up all in a word, there is no joy here comparable to that in Heaven : all our mirth here to that is but pensiveness : all our pleasure here to that but heaviness : all our sweetness here to that is but bitterness: Even Solomon in all his glory and royalty, to that, was but as a spark in the chimney, to the Sun in the firmament. Absalom's beauty, to that, is but deformity. Samson's strength, to that, is but infirmity. Methusalahs age, to theirs, is but minority and mortality. Hazaels speed, and swiftness, but a snails pace to their celerity. Yea, how little, how nothing, are the poor and temporary enjoyments of this life, to those we shall enjoy in the next? 1 Cor. 2.9. Yea Paradise, or the Garden of Eden, was but a wilderness, compared with this Paradise. And indeed, if the Gates of the City be of Pearl, and the streets of Gold ; what then are the Inner-rooms, the dining and lodging Cha •••• s ? the Presence Chamber of the great Monarch of Heaven and 〈◊〉 what then may we think of the Maker and Builder thereof?
In fine, (that I might da • kly shadow it out, since the lively representation thereof is merely impossible) This life everlasting is the perfection of all good things. For Fulness is the perfection of Measure; and Everlastingness the perfection of Time; and Infiniteness the perfection of Number; and Immutability the perfection of State; and immensity the perfection of Place; and Immortality the perfection of Life; and God the p •• fection of All: who shall be All in All to us; meat to our taste, beauty to our eyes, perfumes to our smell, music to our ears. And what shall I say more? but as the Psalmist saith, Glorious things are spoken of thee, thou City of God, Psal. 87.3. See Rev. 4.2, 3. & 21.10. to the end.
Sect. • . The glory of Heaven, cannot be comprehended here; only God hath vouchsafed to give us some small glimpses in the Scripture, 〈…〉 we may fram • a conjecture, considerable enough to make u • 〈…〉 of his fatherly condescension, to stoop to our capacity, in representing Heavenly things under earthly types : shaddowing out the joys thereof, by whatsoever is precious and desirable in this life; as Cities, Kingdoms, Crowns, Pearls, Jewels, Marriages, Feasts, &c. which supereminent and superabundant felicity, St. Paul that had been an only witness, when he had been caught up into the third Heaven, not able to describe, much less to amplify, sums up all in these words; A sure, most excellent, exceeding and eternal weight of transcendent glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. & 12.2. But alas, such is man's parvity, that he is as far from comprehending it, as his arms are from compassing it, 1 Cor. 2.9. Heaven shall receive us, we cannot conceive Heaven. Do you ask what Heaven is, saith one? when I meet you there, I will tell you; For could this ear hear it, or this tongue utter it, or this heart conceive it, it must needs follow, that they were translated already thith • r, 2 Cor. 12.2, 4. Yea, who can utter the sweetness of that peace of conscience, and spiritual rejoicing in God, which himself hath tasted? If then the beginning and first fruits of it be so sweet; what shall the fullness of that beatifical Vision of God be? If the earnest penny be so precious and promising here; what shall the principal, and full crop and Harvest of happiness in Heaven be? So that a man may as well with a coal paint out the Sun in all his splendor, as with his pen, or tongue express, or with his heart (were it as deep as the Sea ) conceive the Fulness of those Ioyes, and Sweetness of those Pleasures, which the Saints shall enjoy at God's right hand for evermore. Psal. 16.11. In thy presence is the fullness of joy, and at thy right hand, are pleasures for evermore. For quality, they are pleasures; for quantity, fullness; for dignity ▪ at God's right hand ; for Eternity, for evermore. And millions of years multiplied by millions, make not up one minute to this Eternity, 2 Cor. 4.18. John 10.28.
The Eye sees much, the Ear hears more, the Heart conceives most; yet all short of Apprehension, much more of comprehension, of those pleasures. Therefore it is said, Enter thou into thy Masters joy ; for it 〈◊〉 great to enter into thee, Matth. 25.23. Neither will I any forth • ••• cise myself in things too high for me, Psal. 131.1. For as St. Paul tells us, the heart of Man is not able to conceive those joys ; which being so, how should I be able to express them in words?
And yet though we cannot comprehend this glory, this far most excellent, exceeding and eternal weight of transcendent glory ; yet may and ought we to admire the never enough to be admired bounty and goodness of God and our Redeemrr, in crying out, O the depth, &c! O the sweetness of his love! How unsearchable are his thoughts, and intendments to man-ward? (once miserably forlorn, lost and undone,) and his ways past finding out ? Rom. 11.33.
CHAP. XXI.
Sect. 1. BUt for the better confirming of this so important a 〈…〉
First, If the Sun which is but a creature, be so bright and glorious, that no mortal eye can look upon the brightness of it, how glorious then is the Creator himself? or that light from whence it receives its light? If the frame of the Heavens, and globe of the Earth be so glorious; which is but the lower house, or rather the footstool of the Almighty, as the Holy Ghost phraseth it, Isa. 66.1. Matth. 5.35. Act. 7.49. how glorious and wonderful is the Maker thereof, and the City where he keeps his Court? Or if sinners, even the worst of wicked men, and God's Enemies, have here in this earthly pilgrimage, such variety of enjoyments to please their very senses; as who can express the pleasurable variety of Objects for the sight ; of meats and drinks to satisfy and delight the taste ; of voices and melodious sounds, to recreate the hearing ; of sents and perfumes, provided to accommodate our very smellings ; of recreations and sports, to bewitch the whole man: And the like of honor and profit, which are Idols that carnal men do mightily dote upon and take pleasure in: (though these earthly and bodily joys are but the body, or rather the dregs of true joy,) what think we must be the soul thereof, viz. those delights and pleasures, that are reserved for the glorified Saints, and God's dearest darlings in Heaven? Again,
Secondly, If natural men find such pleasure and sweetness in secular wisdom, lip-learning, and brain-knowledge ; For even mundane knowledge hath such a show of excellency in it, that it is highly affected both by the good and bad ; As, O the pleasure that rational men take therein! It being so fair a Virgin, that every clear eye is in love with her; so rich a Pearl, 〈◊〉 at none but Swine do despise it: yea among all the Trees in the Garden, none so takes with rational men as the Tree of knowledge ; (as Satan well knew, when he set upon our first Parents ) insomuch that Plato thinks, in case wisdom could but represent itself unto the eyes, it would set the heart on fire with the love of it. And others affirm, That there is no less difference between the Learned and the Ignorant, than there is between the ••• ing and the dead, or between men and beasts. And yet the pleasure 〈◊〉 • atural and moral men take in secular and mundane knowledge and lea ••• g, is nothing comparable to that pleasure that an experimental Christian finds in the Divine and Supernatural knowledge of God's Word: which makes David and Solomon prefer it before the honey and the honeycomb for sweetness; and to value it above thousands of gold and silver ; yea, before Pearls and all precious stones for worth. How sweet then shall our knowledge in Heaven be? For here we see but darkly, and as it were in a glass, or by moon-light; but there we shall know, even as we are known, and see God and Christ in the face, 1 Cor. 13.12.
Thirdly, if mere Naturians have been so taken with the love of Virtue, that they thought if a virtuous soul could but be seen with corporal eyes, it would ravish all men with love and admiration thereof; yea if the very worst of men, drunkards, blasphemers, and the like; though they most spitefully scoff at, and backbite the people of God ; yet when they know a man sincere, upright and honest, cannot choose ••• 〈…〉 touching John, and King Agrippa touching Paul.
Sect. 2. Or rather if God's own people are so ravished with the graces and privileges which they enjoy upon earth, as the assurance of the pardon of sin, the peace of a good conscience, and joy of the Holy Ghost ; which is but glorification begun : what will they be, when they shall enjoy the perfection of glory in Heaven? As see but some instances of their present enjoyments here below. First, if we were never to receive any reward for those small labors of love, and duties we do to the glory of God, and profit of others; we might think ourselves sufficiently recompensed in this life, with the calm and quietness of a good conscience, the honesty of a virtuous and holy life: That we can do and suffer something for the love of Christ, who hath done and suffered so much to save us: That by our works the Majesty of God is magnified; to whom all homage is due, and all service too little. For Godliness in every sickness is a Physician, in every contention an Advocate, in every doubt a Schoolman, in all heaviness a Preacher, and a comforter unto whatsoever estate it comes; making the whole life as it were a perpetual Halleluja. Yea, God so sheds his love abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, that we are in Heaven before we come thither. Insomuch, that as the fire flieth to his Sphere, the stone hastens to the center, the River to the Sea, as to their end and rest; and are violently detained in all other places; so are the hearts of God's people, without their Maker and Redeemer, their last end and eternal rest and quietness, never at rest: like the Needle touched with the Loadstone, which ever stands quivering and trembling until it enjoys the full and direct aspect of the Northern Pole. But more particularly:
How does the assurance of the pardon of sin alone, clear and calm all • storms of the mind; making any condition comfortable, and the worst and greatest misery to be no misery?
To be delivered of a child, is no small joy to the mother : but to be delivered from sin, is a far greater joy to the soul. But to this we may add the joy of the Holy Ghost, and the peace of conscience, otherwise called the peace of God which passeth all understanding. These are privileges, that 〈◊〉 Paul happier in his chain of Iron, than Agrippa in his chain of gold 〈◊〉 Peter more merry under stripes, than Caiaphas upon the Judgment-seat ; and Steven the like under that shower of stones. Pleasures are ours, if we be Christ's : whence those expressions of the Holy Ghost, The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoice. Be glad in the Lord and rejoice ye righteous, and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart. Let all that put their trust in thee rejoice, let them even shout for joy. Rejoice evermore, and again, I say, rejoice; rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience. Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy shall no man take from you, &c. So that it is a shame for the faithful, not to be joyful ; and they sin, if they rejoice not, whatever their condition be. The Eunuch no sooner felt the pardon of sin, upon his being baptized into the faith of Christ, but he went on his way rejoicing, Act 8.39. He then found more solid joy, than ever he had done in his r • che • honors, and great places under Candace Queen of the Ethiopians. 〈◊〉 same time when the Disciples were persecuted, they are said to be filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost, Acts 13.52. And as their afflictions do abound, so their consolations abound also, 2 Cor. 1.5. For these are comforts, that will support and refresh a Child of God in the very midst of the flames, as the Martyrs found: for maugre all their persecutors could do, their peace and joy did exceed their pain; as many of them mani • ested to all that saw them suffer.
Sect. 3. Where observe before we go any further; what sots they are; that cry out, It is in vain to serve God, and unprofitable to keep his Commandments ; as it is in Malachi 3.14. For had these fools, but tasted the sweet co • forts that are in the very works of piety, and that Heaven upon earth, the feast of a good conscience, and joy of the inward man ; they could not so speak. Yea then would they say, there is no life, to the life of a Christian. For as the Priests of Mercury, when they ate their figs and honey, cried out, O how sweet is truth ! So if the worst of a Believers life in this world be so sweet; how sweet shall his life be in that Heavenly Jerusalem, and holy City, where God himself dwelleth; and where we shall reign with Christ our Bridegroom, and be the Lambs wife? which City is of pure gold like unto clear glass; the walls of Jasper, having twelve foundations garnished with all manner of precious stones; the first foundation being Jasper, the second Sapphire, the third a Chaleedony, the fourth an Emerauld, the fifth a Sardonyx, the sixth a Sardius, the seventh a Chrysolite, the eighth a • eryl, the ninth a Topaz, the tenth a Chrysoprasus, the eleventh a Iacinth, the twelfth an Amethyst; having twelve gates of twelve Pearls; the street • hereof of pure gold, as it were transparent glass: In the midst of which City, 〈◊〉 a pure River of the water of life, clear as Cristal and of either side the • ree of life; which bears twelve manner of fruits, yielding her fruit every month; the leaves whereof serve to heal the Nations: Where is the Throne of God and of the Lamb; whom we his servants shall forever serve, and see his face, and have his Name written in our foreheads. And there shall be no night, neither is there need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to shine in it: for the glory of God doth lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Into which nothing that defileth shall enter; but they alone which are written in the Lambs Book of life ; As is expressed, Rev. 21, & 22 Chap. The Holy Ghost speaking after the manner of men, and according to our slender capacity, for otherwise no words can in any measure express the transcendency of that place of pleasure. Only here we have a taste, or earnest penny, one drop of those divine dainties, of those spiritual, supernatural and divine pleasures, reserved for the Citizens of that heavenly Jerusalem ; some small smack whereof we have even in the barren desert of this perilous peregrination. God letting out as it were, a certain kind of Manna, which in some sort refresheth his thirsty people, in this wilderness ; as with most sweet honey, or water distilled from out the Rock. As what else are those • ubilees of the heart; those secret and inward joys which proceed from • good conscience, grounded upon a confident hope of future salvation? 〈…〉 do these great clusters of grapes signify, but the fertility of 〈…〉 Land of Promise?
Sect. 4. True it is, none can know the spiritual joy and comfort of a Christian, but he that lives the life of a Christian, Joh. 7.17. As none could learn the Virgins Song, but they that sang it, Rev. 14 3. No man can know the peace of a good conscience, but he that keeps a good conscience : no man knows the hid Manna, and white Stone, with a new name written in it, but they that receive the same, Rev. 2.17.
The world can see a Christians outside: but the raptures of his soul, the ravishing delights of the inward man, and joy of his spirit for the remission of his sins, and the infusion of grace, with such like spiritual Privileges, more glorious than the States of Kingdoms ; are as a covered mess to men of the world.
But I may appeal to any man's conscience, that hath been softened with the unction of grace, and truly tasted the powers of the world to come ; To him that hath the love of God shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost ; in whose soul the light of grace shines; whether his whole life be not a perpetual Hallelujah, in comparison of his natural condition? Whether he finds not his joy to be like the joy of harvest? or as men rejoice when they divide a spoil? Isa. 9.3. Whether he finds not more joy in goodness, than worldlings can do, when their wheat, wine, and oil aboundeth? Psal. 4.7 & 53.17. Yea, he can speak it out of experience, that as in profane joy, even in laughter the heart is sorrowful : so in godly sorrow, even in weeping the heart is light and cheerful. The face may be pale, yet the heart may be calm and quiet. So St. Paul, as sorrowing, and yet always rejoicing, 2 Cor. 6.10. Our cheeks may run down with tears, and yet o •• mouths sing forth praises. And so on the contrary,
Indeed we are not merry enough, because we are not Christians enough, because sin is a cooler of our joy, as water is of fire. And like the worm of Jonah his gourd, bites the very root of our joy, and makes it wither: Yea, sin like a damp, puts out all the lights of our pleasure, and deprives us of the light of God's countenance, as it did David, Psal. 51.1 • & 4.6. So that the fault is either; First, in the too much sensuality of a Christian, that will not forgo the pleasures of sin, or the more muddy joys and pleasures of this world, which are poisons to the soul, and drown our joys: as Bees are drowned in honey, but live in vinegar. Men would have spiritual joy, but withal they would not part with their carnal joy: Yet this is an infallible Conclusion, There is no enjoying a worldly Paradise here, and another hereafter.
Or Secondly, The fault is in the taste, not in the meat ; in the folly of 〈…〉 To taste spirit • all joys, a man must be spiritual, for the Spirit relisheth only the things of the Spirit ; and like loveth his like. Between a spiritual man, and spiritual joys, there is as mighty an appetite and enjoying, as between fl • shly meat, and a carnal stomach. Therefore the want of this taste and apprehension condemneth the world to be carnal, but magnifies the joys spiritual, as being above her carnal apprehension. Or,
Thirdly, Herein lies the fault; few feel these joys in this life; because they will not crack the shell to get the kernel : they will not pare the fruit, to • at the pulp ; nor till the ground, to reap the Harvest. They • lie the wars, and thereby lose the glory of the Victory. They will not dig the craggy mountain, to find the mine of gold. Nor prune the Vine, therefore enjoy not the fruit. They • lie mortification, and therefore attain not the sweet spiritual consolation, which ever attends the same. And so much for the Reasons. The Use may be manifold.
CHAP. XXII.
Sect. 1. FIrst, Is it so that the torments of Hell are so exquisite: even worse than the pangs of death, or child-birth, scalding lead, drinks of gall and wormwood, griping of chest-worms, fits of the stone, gout, strangury, flames of fire and brimstone? Yea are all these, and all other pains that can be named put together, but shadows, and flea-bitings to it? And are they to be endured everlastingly? And are all Fornicators, Idolalaters, Thieves, Covetous, Drunkards, Swearers, Raylors, fearful and unbelieving persons, Murderers, Sorcerers, Liars, and all unrighteous persons to have their part and portion in that lake? And withal lose their par • and portion in the Kingdom of Heaven, as the Word of God expressly tells us? Rev. 21. 7, 8. & 22.14, 15. How is it that we are not more affected therewith?
The only reason is, most men are so far from believing the word of God in this point; that they do not believe there is a God. The fool (says David ) hath said in his heart there is no God, Psal. 53.1. They (meaning the wicked) think always there is no God, Psal. 10.4. to 14. And the reason follows, His ways always prosper, Psal. 73, 3. to 21. And hence it is, that they live like beasts, because they think they shall die like beasts, without any answer for what they have either acted or left undone ; and accordingly resolve, Let us eat and drink, • or tomorrow we shall die, as the Holy Ghost hath acquainted us with their inmost thoughts, 1 Cor. 15.32. Whereas if men did believe either Heaven or Hell ; they could never s • carelessly hazard the loosing of the one, or the procuring of the other. As O • the madness of these men! that cannot be hired to hold their finger for one minute, in the weak flame of a farthing candle ; and yet for trifl • s will plunge themselves body and soul, into those endless and infinitely scorching flames of Hell fire.
If a King but threatens a Malefactor to the Dungeon, to the Rack, to the wheel ; his bones tremble a terrible palsy runs through all his join • : 〈…〉 unmoved, undaunted. And what makes the difference? though one we believe as present, the other is, as they think uncertain, and long before it comes if ever it do come. Otherwise it could not be, since the soul of all sufferings, are the sufferings of the soul ; since as painted fire is to material ; such is Material to Hell-fire.
Men may say they believe there is an Hell, and a Heaven, but surely, they would never speak as they speak; think as they think; do as they do ; if they thought that their thoughts, words, and actions, should ever come to judgment. If men believed that Heaven were so sweet, and Hell so intolerable as the Word makes them; they would be more obedient upon earth. The voluptuous, and covetous, would not say, take you Heaven, let us have money, pleasure, &c.
Sect. 2. True, there are none so confirmed in Atheism, but some great danger will make them fly to the aid of a Divine Power, as Plato speaks. Extremity of distress, will send the profanest to God : as the drowning man stretcheth out his hand to that bough, which he contemned whiles he stood safe on shore. Even Sardanapalus, for all his bold denying of a God, at every hearing of thunder, was wont to hide his head in a hole.
Yea, in their greatest jollity, even the most secure heart in the world, hath some flashes of fear, that seize on them like an arrest of Treason. At least on their death-beds, had they as many Provinces as Ahasuerus had : they would give an •• ndred six and twenty of them, to be sure there were no Hell, though all their life they supposed it but a fable. And 〈◊〉 makes them fearful to die, and to die fearfully. Yea, how oft do those Russians that deny God at the Tap-house, preach him at the Gallows ? and confess that in sincerity of heart, which they oppugned in wantonness▪ And certainly, if they did not at one time or other believe a God, a day of judgment, an Heavens and an Hell : they should be in a worse condition than Felix, or Belshazzar ; yea, than the Devils themselves; for they believe them, yea quake and tremble to think of them, as being still in a fearful expectation of further degrees of actual torments, Mat. 8.29.
However, admit their lethargized consciences be not awakened, until they come into Hell, (as God not seldom leaves them, to be confuted with fire and brimstone, because nothing else will do it:) yet in Hell, they shall know there is a righteous Judge, that will reward every man according to his deeds ; and confess that what they once vainly imagined, was but imagined. There may be Atheists on earth, there are none in Hell. Vengeance shall make them wise, whom sin hath made, and left foolish.
A Pope of Rome, being upon his death-bed, said to those about him: Now comes three things to trial, which all my life I have made doubt of: whether there be a God, a Devil, and whether the soul be immortal▪ 'Twas not long, over he was fully resolved with a vengeance: and so shall you, O ye foolls, when that hour comes, though you flatter yourselves for the present. When you feell it, you will confess it: and when 〈…〉 late, you will like a fool say, Alas I had not thought. For this is the 〈…〉 foreseeth the evil, (the evil of Hell, says Bernard ) and preventeth it; but fools go on, and are punished, Prov. 22.3. Acknowledg thyself a fool then, or bethink thyself now, and • o thereafter without delaying one minute: For there is no redemption from Hell, if once thou comest there. And there tha • mayest be (for ought thou knowest,) this very day; yea, before thou canst swallow thy spittle: Thy Pulse may leave beating, before thou canst fetch thy Breath.
Sect. 3. But to speak thus to the Sensualist, is labor in vain: For their consciences are so blinded, that they (as they think) do believe an Heaven, and an Hell ; yea, in God, and in Christ, as well as the precisest, John 5.38, 39, 46, 47. For it is hard for men to believe their own unbelief in this case, They that are most dangerously sick, are least sensible of their being sick.
A very likely matter thou believest in Christ, and hopest to be saved by him, when though • wilt neither imitate his actions, nor follow his Precepts. How does this hang together? Let me ask thee a question or two, that may convince thee of thy unbelief: If a Physician should say to his Patient, here stands a cordial, which if you take, will cure you; but touch not this other vial, for that is deadly poison ; and he wittingly refuseth the cordial to take the poison; will not everyone conclude, that either he believed not his Physician, or preferred death, before life? If Lots Sons-in-law had believed th •• r Father, when he told them the City should suddenly be destroyed with fire and brimstone, and that by flying they might escape it, they would have obeyed his counsel. If the old World had believed that God would indeed, and in good earnest, bring such a stood upon them as he threatened, they would have entered the Ark, and not have scoffed at Noah for building it. So if you did firmly believe what God in the Scriptures speaks of Hell, you would need no entreaties to avoid the same.
Sect. 4. But alas! men of thy condition are so far from believing what God threatens in his Word against their sins, that they bless themselves in their hearts, saying we shall have peace, although we walk according to the stubbornness of our own wills; so adding drunkenness to thirst, Deut. 29.19. Yea, they prefer their condition before others, who are so abstemious, and make conscience of their ways, thinking that they delude themselves with needless fears and scruples, 2 King. 18.22, 30, 33, 35.
Alas, if they d • d in good earnest believe, that there is either God or Devil, Heaven or Hell, or that they have immortal souls, which shall everlastingly live in bliss or woe ; and receive according to what they have done in their bodies, whether it be good or evil, 2 Cor. 5.10. They could not but live thereafter, and make it their principal care, how to be saved.
• ut alas, they believe what they see, and feell, and know ; they be 〈…〉 this makes them abstain from murder, felony, and the like; but they believe not things invisible and to come: For, if they did, they would as well, yea much more fear him that hath power to cast both body and soul into Hell, as they do the temporal Magistrate, that hath only power to kill the body ▪ they would think it a very hard bargain, to win the whole world, and lose Heaven, and their own souls, Luk. 9 25.
Men fear a Gaol, more then they fear Hell ; and stand more upon their silver or sides smarting, than upon their souls ; and regard more the blasts of men's breath, than the fire of God's wrath ; and tremble more at the thought of a Serjeant or Bailiff, than of Satan and everlasting perdition▪ Else they would not be hired with all the worlds wealth, multiplied as many times as there be sands on the Sea shore, to hazard in the least the loss of those everlasting Joys before spoken of; or to purchase and plunge themselves into those caseless and everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in Hell, there to fry body and soul, where shall be an innumerable company of Devils and damned Spirits to affright and torment them, but not one to comfort or pity them. Confident I am, thou wouldest not endure here to hold thy hand in a fiery crusible the space of a day, or an hour, for all the worlds wealth and splendor: How then (if thou bethinkest thyself) wilt thou hereafter endure that, and ten thousand thousand times more, for millions of millions of ages? Look Revel. 20.10. and bethink thyself, how thou wilt brook to be cast into a dole • ull disconsolate dungeon, to lie in utter darkness in eternal chains, in a little ease, a no ease forever and ever. Canst thou endure to dwell with the devouring fire? with the everlasting burning ?
Sect. 5. Wherefore let me, my Brethren, beseech you, not to be such Atheists and Fools, as to fall into Hell before you will fear it, when by fearing it you may avoid it, and by neglecting it you cannot but fall into it. What though it be usual with men, to have no sense of their souls till they must leave their bodies? yet do not you therefore leap into Hell to keep them company, but be persuaded to bethink yourselves now, rather than when it will be too late, when the Draw bridge will be taken up, and wh • n it will vex every vein of your hearts that you had no more care of your souls. Yet there is grace offered, if we will not shut our hearts and wills against it, and refuse our own mercy; but how long God will yet wait thy leisure, or how soon he will in his so long provoked Justice pronounce thy irrevocable sentence, thou knowest not; nor canst thou promise thyself one minutes time.
Oh that men would believe the God of truth (that cannot lie) touching spiritual and eternal things, but as they do these temporary and transitory! Oh that thou who art the sacred Monarch of this mighty frame, wouldest give them hearts to believe at least thus much; That things themselves are in the invisible World, in the World visible but their shadows only! And that whatsoever wicked men enjoy here it is but as in a dream ; their plenty is but like a drop of pleasure, before a River of sorrow and displeasure ; And whatsoever the godly feel, but as a drop of misery ▪ 〈…〉 Judge of all the World comest slowly to judgment; yet thou wilt come surely. As the Clock comes slowly, and by minutes to the stroke ; yet it strikes at last. That those are only true riches, which being once had, can never be lost. That Heaven is a Treasure worthy our hearts, a purchase worth our lives : That when all is done, how to be saved, is the best plot. That there is not mention of one, in the whole Bible, that ever sinned without repentance ; but he was punished without mercy. For then there would not be a Fornicator, or profane person as Esau; who for a portion of meat sold his inheritance, Heb. 12.16. Then they would not be of the number of those, that so doted upon Purchases, and Farms, and Oxen; that they made light of going to the Lord's Supper, Luke 14.18, 19, 20. Nor of the Gadarenes mind, who preferred their Hogs before Christ. Then would they know it better to want all things, then that one needful thing : whereas now they desire all other things, and neglect that one thing which is so needful. They would hold it far better, and in good sadness, to be saved with a few, as Noah was in the Ark : than in good fellowship with the multitude, to be drowned in sin, and damned for company. Nor would they think it any disparagement to their wisdoms, to change their minds, and be of another judgment to what they are.
CHAP. XXIII.
Sect. 1. SEcondly, Are the joys of Heaven so unspeakable and glorious? How then should we admire the love and bounty of God, and bless his Name, who for the performance of so small a work, hath proposed so great a Reward? And for the obtaining of such an happy state, hath imposed such an easy task. Yea more, is Heaven so unspeakably sweet and delectable, and Hell so unutterably doleful? Then let nothing be thought too much, that we can either do or suffer for Christ, who hath freed us from the one, and purchased for us the other. Though indeed, nothing that we are able to do or suffer here, can be compared with those woes we have deserved in Hell, or those joys we are reserved to in Heaven. And indeed, that we are now out of hell, there to fry in flames of fire and brimstone, never to be freed, that we have the free offer of grace here, and everlasting glory hereafter in heaven ; we are only beholding to him. We are all by nature, as traitors condemned to suffer eternal torments in hell -fire, being only reprieved for a tim • : But from this extremity, and eternity of torment, Jesus hath freed and delivered us.
O think then! yea, be ever thinking of it, how rich the mercy of our Redeemer was, in freeing us; and that by laying down his own life to redeem us. Yea, How can we be thankful enough, for so great a blessing? It was a mercy bestowed, and a way found out, that may astonish all the sons of men on earth, and Angels in Heaven ! Which being so 〈…〉 can any one in common reason, meditate so unbottomed a love, and not study and strive for an answerable and thankful demeanour. If a Friend had given us but a thousand part of what God and Christ hath, we should heartily love him all our l • ves, and think no thank • sufficient: What price then, should we set upon Jesus Christ, who is the life of our lives, and the soul of our souls? Do we then for Christ's sake, what we would do for a Friends sake: Yea, let us abhor ourselves for our former unthankfulness, and our wonderful provoking of him. Hearken we unto Christ's voice, in all that he saith unto us, without being swayed one way or another, as the most are? Let us whom Christ hath redeemed, express our thank • ulness, by obeying all that he saith unto us, whatever it shall cost us, since nothing can be too much to endure for those pleasures which shall endure forever. As Who would not obtain Heaven at any rate, at any cost or trouble whatsoever?
In Heaven is a Crown laid up for all such as suffer for righteous • ess, even a Crown without cares, without rivals, without envy, without end ; And is not this reward enough, for all that men or Devils can do against us? Who would not serve a short apprenticeship in God's service here, • o be made forever free in glory? Yea, Who would not be a Philpot for a month, or a Lazarus for a day, or a Steven for an hour, that he might be in Abraham's bosom forever? Nothing can be too much to endure, f • r those pleasures that endure forever. Yea, what pain can we think too much to suffer ? What little enough to do, to obtain eternity ? for this incorruptible Crown of Glory in Heaven? 1 Pet. 5.4. where we shall have all tears wiped from our eyes. Where we shall cease to sorrow, cease to suffer, cease to sin. Where God shall turn all the water of our afflictions, into the pure wine of endless, and un • xpressible comfort.
You shall sometimes see an hired servant, venture his life for his new Master, that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end; and can we suffer too much for our Lord and Master, who giveth everyone that serveth him, • ot Fields and Vineyards, as Saul pretended, 1 Sam 22 7. &c. nor Towns and Cities, as Cicero is pleased to boast of Caesar ; but even an hundred- • old more than we part withal here in this life, and eternal Mans • ons in Heaven hereafter, John 14.2.
St. Paul saith, Our light affliction which is but for a moment, causeth us a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory ; 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. Where note the incomparable and infinitive difference, between the woe • k and the wages: light affliction receiving a weight of glory ; and momentary affliction, eternal glory. Suitable to the reward of the wicked, whose empty delights live and die in a moment; but their unsufferable punishment is interminable and endless. Their pleasure is short, their pain everlasting ; our pain is short, our joy eternal. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of life, • am. 1.12.
〈…〉 what folly is it then, or rather madness, for the small pleasure of some base lust, some paltry profit, or fleeting vanity, (which passeth away in the very act, as the taste of a pleasant drink, dieth so soon as it is down, ) to bring upon ourselves in another world, torments without end, and beyond all compass of conceit?
Fourthly, Is it so? that God hath set before us life and death, Heaven and Hell, as a reward of good and evil ; leaving us as it were to our choice, whether we will be completely and everlastingly happy or miserable : with what resolution and zeal should we strive, to make our calling and election sure ? nor making our greatest business, our least and last care. I know well thou hadst rather when thou diest, go to reign with Christ in his Kingdom for evermore, than be confined to a perpetual Prison or Furnace of fire and brimstone, there to be tormented with the D • vil and his Angels ; If so, provoke not the Lord, who is great and terrible, of most glorious Majesty, and of infinite purity ; and who hath equally promised salvation unto those which keep his Commandments ; and threatened eternal death and destruction to those who break them. For as he is to all repentant sinners a most merciful God, Exod. 34.6. so to all willful and impenitant sinners, he is a consuming fire, and a jealous God, Heb. 12.29. Deut. 4 24.
There was a King, who having no issue to succeed him, espied one day a well-favored and towardly youth ; he took him to the Court, and committed him to Tutors to instruct him, prov • ding by his Will, that if he proved fit for Government, he should be crowned King, if not, he should be kept in chains, and made a Gally-slave : the youth was m • sled, and neglected both his Tutors good Couns • l, and his Book, so as his Master cor • ected him, and said; O that thou knewest what honor is prepared for thee! and what thou art l • ke to loose by this thy idle and loose carriage! Well, thou wilt afterwards when 'tis to late, sorely rue this. And when he grew to years, the King died, whose Counc • l and Executours perceiving him to be utterly unfit for State Government, called him before them, and declared the Kings will and pleasure, which was accordingly performed: for they caused him to be fettered, and committed to the Galleys, there to toil, and tug at the Oa • s perpetually, where he was whipt and lashed, if he remitted his stroke never so little ; where he had leisure to consider with himself, that now he was chained, who might have walked at liberty ; now he was a slave, who might if he would, have been a King ; now he was over-ruled by Turks, who might have ruled over Christians. The thought whereof could not but double his misery, and make him bewail his sorrow with tears of blood. Now this hereafter will be the case of all careless persons, save that this comes as 〈◊〉 of that, as earth comes short of heaven, and temporal misery, of eternal. Wherefore if thou wouldest have this to become thy very case, go on in thy willful and perverse impenitency; but if not, bethink thyself, and do thereafter, and that without delaying one minute: For there is no redemption from hell, if once thou comest there: And 〈…〉 thou canst swallow thy spittle, if thou diest this day in thy natural condition.
Many men take liberty to sin, and continue in a trade of sin, because God is merciful: b • t they will one day find that he is just as well as merciful. There is mercy with God (saith the Psalmist ) that he may be feared, not that he may be despised, blasphemed, &c. Psal. 130.4. Yea, know this, and write it in the Table-book of thy memory, and upon the table of thy heart ; That if God's bountifulness, and longsuffering towards thee, does not lead thee to repentance; it will double thy doom, and increase the pile of thy torments. And that everyday which does not abate of thy rec • oning, will increase it : And that thou by thy hardness and imp • nitency, shall but treasure up unto thyself wrath, against the day of wrath, and the declaration of the just judgment of God, Rom. 2.4▪ 5, 6.
Now this Judge hath told us, that we must give an account for every idle word we speak, Mat. 12.36. much more then for our wicked actions; therefore beware what thou dost against him.
Men may dream of too much strictness in holy courses; but they do not consider the power, the purity, and strictness of the Judge: He who bri • gs even idle words to judgment, and forgets not a thought of disobedience; How will he spare our gross negligence and presumption? How our formality and irreverence in his service? much more our flagitious wickedness, Heb. 12.29.
Sect. 3. Wherefore as you ever expect or hope for Heaven, and Salvation ; as you would escape the tormenting flames of h • ll-fire; cease to do evil, learn to do well. For Sanctification is the way to Glorification, Holiness to eternal Happiness. If we would have God to glorify our bodies in Heaven ; we also must glorify God in our bodies here on earth.
And now for conclusion: Are the Ioyes of Heaven so unspeakable and glorious? the torments of Hell so woeful and dolo • ous? then it behooves all Parents and Governors of Families, to see to their Children and Servants souls ; and that they miscarry not through their neglect. As tell me, Will not their blood be required at your hands, if hey perish through your neglect? Will it not be sad to have Children and Servants rise up in judgment against you, and to bring in evidence at the great Tribunal of Christ? saying, Lord, my Father never minded me, my Master never regarded me ; I might sin, he never reproved me; I might go to Hell, it was all one to him : Will not this be sad?
Secondly, If it be so, Let Children and Servants consider, that 'tis better to have lust restrained, than satisfied ; 'tis better to be held in, and restrained from sin; than to have a wicked liberty. Be not angry with those who will not see you damn your souls, and let you alone : they are your best Friends. Fear the strokes of God's anger, be they spiritual or eternal▪ more than the strokes of men. What's a setter to a Dungeon? a Gallows to Hell fire.
Give not way to imaginary, speculative, heart-sins: Murder in the beast, uncleanness in the eye, and thoughts given w • y to, will come to actu 〈…〉 he get but in, he will be to hard for you. And let so much serve to have been spoken of Heaven and Hell.
Upon the one I have stood the longer, that so I might, if God so please, be a means to save some with fear, plucking them out of the fire of God's wrath, under which (without Repentance ) they must lie everlastingly.
And for the other, I have like the Searchers of Canaan, brought you a cluster of grapes to give the Reader a taste thereby, of the plentiful vintage we may expect, and look for in the heavenly Canaan.
Now if any would truly know themselves, and how it will fare with them in the end; let them read the whole Boo • , out of which this is taken, viz. The whole duty of a Christian. Which Book is licenced by John Downame and Thomas Gataker.
What follows, is both to fill up the sheet, and to occasion or forewarn Swearers, (who swarm so in all places) and ignorant persons, (whose number is numberless, and who of all others are most confident that they shall do well enough) not to forget, what they have herein heard of Heaven and Hell. And to these, their faithful and impartial Monitor (the Book giver,) presents a few Considerations.
EVen such is the power of sin, that it made God become man, Angels become D • vils, and men become beasts. For each man by nature, everyone, whose heart is not changed by the Loadstone of the Gospel, is a very beast in condition, as Jeremiah affirms, Ier. 10.14. and St. Peter, 2 Pet. 2.12. But that's not all; for when the custom of sin, hath so brawned men's hearts, s • ared their consciences, and blinded their minds, that they can Swear and Curse, as familiarly as dogs bark : When the just and true God, hath for their rebellious wickedness in rejecting him, and despising all good means of being bettered; given them up to their own hearts lusts; and to Satan the god of this world, to be taught and governed by him: even as a just Judge, having passed sentence upon some heinous Malefactor, gives him up to the Jailor, or Executioner : (as you may see by sundry places, 2 Thes. 2.10, 11, 12. 1 Kings 22.20, 21, 22. 2 Tim. 2.26. Ephes. 2.2. John 13.2. Acts 5.3. 1 Chron. 21.1. Gen. 3.1. to 6. Revel. 2, 10▪ 3, 15. John 8.44. & 12.31. & 14, 30. 2 Cor. 4.4.) Then they become so devilized, that as Paul being guided by the good Spirit of God, could say, I live not, but Christ lives in me, Gal. 2.20. so may, they say, we live no • , but the Devil lives in us. For he is not only their Father, Gen. 3.15. John 8 44. But their God, 2 Cor. 4.4. And their Prince, John 14.30. And works in them his pleasure, Eph. 2.2. 2 Tim. 2.26. So that they are ready and willing to say or do, what he will have them: as you may plainly read John. 13.2. Acts 5.3. & 12.1, 2, to 12. 1 Chro. 21.1. Gen. 3▪ 1, to 6. Rev. 2.10.
And these you may easily know by their language : For Swearing and Cursing, is the very language of the damned: as you may see, Revel. 16.1. 21. Only they learn it 〈◊〉 , before they come in Hell. As whence do 〈…〉 Devils learn this their damnable Cursing and Swearing? Are not their tongues fired and edged from Hell, as St. James hath it? James 3.6. And doth not experience show, that the language of hell is so familiar with many of them, that blasphemy is become their mother tongue?
Tr • e, these poor simple souls, know none of all this: as those four hundred of Ahab's Prophets, in whom this • vil Spirit spake, did not know that Satan spake by them, 1 King. 22.22. Neither did Judas know when he eat the sop, that Satan entered into him, and put it into his heart to betray Christ, John 13.2. Nor do Magistrates, when they cast the Servants of God into Prison, once imagine, that the Devil makes them his Jailor's, but he doth so. They are his Instruments, but he is the Principal Author ; as is plain by Rev. 2.10. Neither did Annanias and Sapphira once think, that Satan had filled their hearts, or put that lie into their mouths, for which they were struck dead, Act. 5. yet the Holy Ghost tells us plainly, that he did so, verse. 3. Nor Eve in Paradise, had not the least suspicion, that it was Satan that spake to her, by the Serpent: Nor Adam, that it was the Devils mind in her mouth, his heart in her lips ; when tempted to eat the forbidden fruit. Nor did David once dream, that it was Satan, who moved him to number the people, 1 Chron. 21.1. Much less did Peter, who so loved Christ, imagine that he was set on by Satan, to tempt his own Lord and Master with those affectionate words, Master pity thyself : For if Christ had pitied himself, Peter and all the world had perished. Yet it was so, which occasioned Christ to answer him, Get thee behind me Satan. Matth. 16.22, 23.
Much more is it so with you, who tare Heaven with your blasphemies, and bandy the dreadful Name of God, in your impure and polluted mouths, by your bloody Oaths and Execrations. For how else could you Swear and Curse as if he that made the ear could not hear? or as if he were neither to be feared nor cared for, who for sin cast the Angels out of Heaven▪ Adam out of Paradise, drowned the old world, rained down fire and brimstone upon Sodom, commanded the earth to open her mouth, and swallow down quick Korah and his company? He who smote Egypt with so many plagues, overthrew Phoraoh and his host in the Red Sea, destroyed great and mighty Kings, giving their Land for an Inheritance to his people: and can as easily with a word of his mouth, strike you dead while you are blaspheming him, and cast you body and soul into Hell for your odious unthankfullness: yea, it is a mercy beyond expression, that he hath spared you so long.
When a dog flies in his Masters face that keeps him, we conclude he is mad: Are you then rational men, that (being never so little crossed,) will fly in your Makers face, and tare your Savior's-Name in pieces with Oaths and Execrations, which is worse than frenzy? No, you are demoniacal, obsessed or rather posessed with a Devil : and more miserable than such an one, because it is a Devil of your own choosing, as Basil speaks. Or if you have any spark of reason left, o • do in the least love yourselves; leave off your damnable, and devilish Sweating and 〈…〉 God hath made, and set down in his Word against this horrid sin; and against all those that so daringly and audaciously provoke him, lest you be plagued with a witness, and that both here and hereafter: for God (who cannot lie) hath threatened that his curse shall never depart from the house of the Swearer, as it is Zach. 5.1, to 5. And I doubt not but you are already cursed, though you know it not: That either he hath cursed you in your body, by s • nding some foul Disease; or in your estate, by suddenly consuming it; or in your name, by blemishing and blasting it; or in your seed, by not prospering it; or in your mind, by darkening it; or in your heart, by hardening it; or in your conscience, by terrifying it; or will in your soul, by everlastingly damning it, if you repent not. Wherefore take heed what you do, before it prove too late. Yea, my Brethren, bethink yourselves what God and Christ hath done for you. It is his maintenance we take, and live on. The air we breathe, the earth we tread on, the fire that warms us, the water that cools and cleanseth us, the clothes that cover us, the food that does nourish us, the delights that cheer us, the b • asts that serve us, the Angels that attend us, even all are his. That we are not at this present in Hell, there to fry in flames, never to be freed; that we have the free offer of grace here, and everlasting glory in Heaven hereafter, we are only beholding to him, And shall we deny this Lord that hath bought us? Shall we most spitefully and maliciously fight on Satan's side against him with all our might, and that against knowledge and conscience? I wish that you would a little think of it
Neither object that ye are so accustomed to Swearing that you cannot leave it; for this defense is worse than the offense. As take an instance: Shall a thief or murderer at the Bar allege for his defense, that it hath been his use and custom of a long time, to rob and kill, and therefore he must continue it? Or if he do, will not the Judge so much the rather send him to the Gallows? And so much the rather, for that of all other sins this sin of Swearing is the most inexcusable. First, Because it is a sin from which of all other sins we have most power of abstinence: For were you forced to pay three shillings four pence for every Oath you swear, (as the Law enjoins;) or if you were sure to have your tongue cut out, which is too light a punishment for this sin, damnation being the due penalty thereof, as the Apostle sets it down, I am. 5.12. you both could and would leave it. Secondly, Because it is a sin to which of all other sins we have the fewest temptations; for all thou canst expect by it, is, the suspicion of a common Lyar, by being a common Swearer; or that thou shalt vex oath • s, and they shall hate thee: for it bringeth not so much as any appearance of good unto us to induce us: For whereas other sins have their several baits to allure us; some the bait of profit, some of honor, some of pleasure; this sin is destitute of them all, and only bringeth much loss here, namely, of Credit and a good Conscience; and the loss of God's Favor, and the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter, which 〈◊〉 of more value than ten thousand Worlds; which shows, that thou lo 〈…〉 lice to, and contempt of God, which is most fearful, and (as a man would think) should make it unpardonable: I am sure the Psalmist hath a terrible word for all such, if they would take notice of it: Let them be confounded that transgress without a cause, Psal. 25.3. Wherefore no longer continue it, but repent of it, and forsake it, lest the Lord should deal by you as he hath threatened, Deut. 28.58, 59. That if we do not fear and dread his glorious and fearful Name, the Lord our God, he will make our plagues wonderful, and of long continuance, and the plagues of our posterity. Besides, how frequently doest thou pollute and profane God's Name, and thy Savior's? The Jews grievously sinned in crucifying the Lord of Life but once, and that of ignorance; but the times are innumerable that thou doest it, every day in the year, every hour in the day, although thy Conscience and the Holy Spirit of Grace hath checked thee for it a thousand and a thousand times. Doest thou expect to have Christ thy Redeemer and Advocate, when thy Conscience tells thee that thou hast seldom remembered Him but to blaspheme Him? and more often named Him in thy Oaths and Curses, than in thy Prayers?
True, thou takest so little notice of the number of thy Oaths and Curses, that thou wilt not acknowledge thou didst Swear or Curse at all▪ Yea, though thou beest taken in the manner, and told of it, thou wilt not believe it: But all that are present can witness the same, and Satan also; as also the searcher of hearts, who himself will one day be a swift witness against swearers, Mal. 3.5. For of all other sinners, the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain, as the third Commandment tells you, Exod. 20.7.
But woe is me, it fares with common Swearers as with persons desperately diseased, whose excrements and filth comes from them at unawares▪ For as by much labor the hand is so hardened that it hath no sense of labor; so their much swearing causeth such a brawny skin of senselessness to overspread the heart, memory and conscience, that the Swearer sweareth unwittingly; and having sworn, hath no remembrance of his Oath, much less repentance for his sin.
Wherefore I beseech you by the mercies of God (who hath removed so many evils, and conferred so many good things upon you, that they are beyond thought or imagination) to leave it; especially after this warning, which in case you do not, will be a sore witness, and rise up in judgment against you another day.
Or if you regard not yourself, nor your own souls good; yet for the Nations good, leave your Swearing and Banning: For the Lord hath a great controversy with the Inhabitants of the Land, because of swearing, Hos. 4 1, 2. Yea, because of Oaths the whole Land (even the three Nations ) now mourneth, as you may see, Ier. 23.10.
But thou (who art a little civilized ) wilt allege, That if • hou doest swear, it is but Faith and Troth, by our L •• y, the Light, or the 〈…〉
Answer : True, blind sensualists, (that have no other guide but the flesh, ) may deem or dream it a mite, a mote, a matter of nothing. But hadst thou the least knowledge of the Law of God, or s • ill in Scripture ; thou wouldest know, that God expressly forbids it, and that upon pain of damnation, James 12▪5. And that Christ commands us not to swear at all, in our ordinary communication: saying, That whatsoever is more than Yea Yea, Nay Nay, cometh of evil, Matth. 5.34, 35, 36, 37.
If the matter be light and vain, we must not swear at all; if so weighty, that we may lawfully swear, as before a Magistrate, being called to it, then we must only use the glorious Name of our God in a holy and religious manner, as you may see, Deut. 6.13. Isa. 45.23. & 65.16. Josh. 23.7. Exod. 23.13. Ier. 5.7. And the reasons of it are weighty, if we look into them; for in swearing by Faith, Our Lady, The Light, or any other creature, you ascribe that unto the said creature, which is only proper to God, namely to know your heart, and to be a discerner of secret things; Why else should you call that Creature as a witness unto your conscience, that you speak the truth and lie not, which only belongeth to God? And therefore the Lord calls it a forsaking of him; as mark well what he saith, Ier. 5.7. How shall I spare thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods? And do you make it a small matter to forsake God, and make a God of the creature? Will you believe the Prophet Amos? If you will, he saith, (speaking of them that swore by the sin of Samaria, ) That they shall fall, and never rise again, Amos 8.14 A terrible place to vain Swearers.
Yea, in swearing by any Creature whatsoever, we do invocate that Creature, and ascribe to it divine worship; a lawful Oath being a kind of Invocation, and a part of God's worship: Yea, whatsoever we swear by, that we invocate both as our witness, surety and Judge, Heb. 6.16. and by consqeuence defy it, by ascribing and communicating unto it God's incommunicable Attributes, as his Omnipresence, and Omnisciency of being everywhere present, and knowing the secret thoughts and intentions of the heart: and likewise an Omnipotency, as being Almighty in Patronizing, Protecting, Defending and Rewarding us for speaking the truth, or punishing us if we speak falsely: all which are so peculiar to God, as that they can no way be communicated or ascribed to another. So that in swearing by any of these things, thou committest an high degree of gross Idolatry, thou spoilest and robbest God of his glory (the most impious kind of these) and in a manner dethronest Him, and placest an Idol in his room.
Neither are we to join any other with God in our Oaths, for in so doing we make base Idols, and filthy Creatures, Corrivals in honor, and Competitors in the Throne of Justice with the Lord, who is the Creator of Heaven and earth, and the supreme Judge and solo Monarch of all the world.
〈…〉 Lord and by Malcham, which Malcham was their King, or as some think their Idol, Zeph. 1.4, 5.
But as if swearing alone would not press thee deep enough into Hell▪ thou addest Cursing to it, a sin of an higher nature, which n • ne use frequently, but such as are desperately wicked▪ it being their peculiar brand in Scripture; as how doth the Holy Ghost stigma • ize such an one? His mouth is full of Cursing, Psal. 10.7. & Rom. 3.14. or he loveth Cursing, Psal. 109.17. And indeed, whom can you observe to love this sins, or to have their mouths • ull of Cursing? But Ruffians and sons of Belial, such as have shaken out of their hearts the fear of God, the shame of men, the love of Heaven, the dread of Hell, not once caring what is thought or spoken of them here, or what becomes of them hereafter; yea, observe them well, and you will find, that they are mockers of all, that match not under the pay of the Devil. Besides, it is the very depth of sin, roaring and drinking is the horse-way to Hell; whoring and cheating the foot-way; but Swearing and Cursing follows Korah Dathan and Ab • ram. And certainly if the infernal Tophet be not for these men, it can challenge no guests.
Again, Why dost thou curse thine enemy? (if he be so) but because thou canst not be suffered to kill him. For in heart, and God