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 entituled, The whole duty of a Christian: composed by R. Younge, late of Roxwell in Essex, florilegus. — Whole duty of a Christian. Selections.

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 entituled, The whole duty of a Christian: composed by R. Younge, late of Roxwell in Essex, florilegus. — Whole duty of a Christian. Selections.

Table of contents

A ſerious and pathetical Deſcription OF HEAVEN AND HELL,

CHAP. XIX. Section I.

CHAP. XX.

CHAP. XXI.

CHAP. XXII.

CHAP. XXIII.

§

A ſerious and pathetical Deſcription OF HEAVEN AND HELL,

[Page]

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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 entituled, The whole Duty of a Chriſtian: Compoſed by R. YOUNGE, late of Roxwell in Eſſex, Florilegus.

CHAP. XIX. Section I.

T [...]us as the Unbeliever and Diſobedient is curſed in every thing, and where-ever he goes, and in whatſoever he does: Curſed in the City, and curſed alſo in the held; curſed in the fruit of his body, and in the fruit of his ground, and in the fruit of his cattel: 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 expreſt, Deut. 28. So the Believer that obeys the voice of the Lord, ſhall be bleſſed in every thing he does, wherever he goes, and in whatſoever befals him, as God promiſeth in the former part of the ſame Chapter, & as I have proved in the eleven foregoing Sections. Yea, God will bleſs all that belong unto him, for his children and poſterity, yea, many generations [Page] after him, ſhall fare the better for his ſake Exod. 20. 6. Gen. 30. 27. Iſai. 54. 15. and 65. 8. Rom. 11. 28. Gen. 18. 26. 29, 31, 32. and 26. 24. and 39. 5. 1 Kings 11. 12, 32, 34. and 15. 4. 2 Kings 8. 19. and 19. 34. Iſai. 37. 35. & 45. 4. Mat. 24. 22. yea, the very place where he dwells, perhaps the whole Kingdom he lives in, Gen. 39. to 48. chap. Whereas many, yea multitudes, Num. 25. 18. Deut. 1. 37. & 3. 26. Pſal. 106. 32. even a whole Army, Joſh. 7. 4, to 14. yea, his childrens 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, Ex. 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 Gods people, Pſ. 83. 4. Eſth. 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 Chriſts 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. Joh. 15. 18. even the mercy of God, and the means of Grace, ſhall prove their bane, and enhaunce their damnation: yea, Chriſt himſelf that only ſummum bonum, who is a Saviour 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, Mat. 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, Iude 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. [Page] 24. 20. Their worm ſhall not die, neither ſhall their fire be quenched, Iſai. 30. 33. & 66. 24. Mat. 25. 41. Mark 9. 44. And therefore it is ſaid, The ſmoak of their torment doth aſcend for ever and ever, Rev. 4. 12. and 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 triſſyllable 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 for ever. 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 for Eternity, there is no Arithmetician can number it, no Geometrician can meaſure it: For ſuppoſe the whole world were turned into a Mountain of ſand, and that a little Wren ſhould come every thouſandth 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 fetcht away? But admit a man ſhould ſtay in torments ſo long, and then have an end of his wo, 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 firſt hour he entred into it.

Now, Suppoſe thou ſhouldſt lie but one night grievouſly afflicted 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 aſſwage thy pain; yet how tedious and painful would that one night ſeem unto thee? How wouldſt thou toſs and tumble, and turn from [Page] 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 flames 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 horrour, 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 for ever 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 for ever, thou wouldſt have ſinned for ever. If God would everlaſtingly have ſpared thee, thou wouldſt have everlaſtingly hated and provoked him. What then can be more equal, then that thou ſhouldſt ſuffer everlaſtingly?

O then bethink thy ſelf 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 aabout? 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, prophaneneſs, earthly-mindedneſs, and the like? For indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguiſh, ſhall be upon the ſoul of every one 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 thy errours.

Sect. 3. Neither is the extremity of pain inferiour to the perpetuity of it; it is a place full of horrour 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 can neither be endured nor avoided, when entred into, Rev. 19. 20. and 20. 14. and 18. 6. Mat. 25. 30. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Heb. 10. 27. Jude 6.

The pangs of the firſt death are pleaſant, compared with [Page] 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, Mat. 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 torment 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. and 16. 23. Mat. 3. 12. and 5. 22. and 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 ioy 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 inevitable, and themſelves left hopeleſs, helpleſs, pitileſs.

It were miſery enough to have the head-ach, tooth-ach, collick, gout, burning in the fire; or if there be any thing 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 be but as the ſtinging of Ants, to the laſhes of thoſe Scorpions; but as drops, to thoſe Vials of wrath; as ſparks to that flame, as Chryſoſtome ſpeaks. The Furnace of Babel, was but a flea-biting to this tormenting Tophet, prepared of old, Iſai. 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, ver. 32. So that it were happy [Page] 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 loathſom, 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 twitche of the worm of conſcience here? Yea, is one minutes twitch of a tooth pulling out ſo unſufferable? What is a thouſand years? What is eternity of hell torments? If the Glutton being in hell, in part only (viz. in ſoul) yet cryed out, that he was horribly tormented 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, Mat. 18. 89, 10. and 25. 30. Luke 16. 23, 24. 2 Pet. 2. 4. Iſai. 5. 14. and 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 [...] power of Satan unto himſelf) do live in the world as if [...] were not ſo hot, nor the Devil ſo black as indeed they are: in Hell and Heaven were the one not worth the avoiding, the [Page] other not worth the enjoying: but the heat of fire was never painted, and the Devil is more deformed than repreſented on the wall. There are unexpreſſible torments in Hell, as well as unſpeakable joys in Heaven.

Nor will this be their caſe alone that are deſperately wicked; curſing and blaſpheming Drunkards, and ſhedders 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. and 22. 15. The detractor is a devil above ground; his tongue is already ſet on fire from hell, Jam. 3 6. Rev. 16. 10, 11. which does ſadly preſage, what will be his portion for ever, unleſs repentance quench thoſe flames; and ſo of the like offenders, Pſ. 9. 17. Rev. 22. 12. As what ſays the Apoſtle? Neither fornicators, nor thieves, nor murtherers, nor drunkards, nor ſwearers, nor raylers, nor lyars, nor covetous perſons, nor unbelievers, nor no unrighteous perſon ſhall inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, but ſhall have their part and portion in that lake which burneth with 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 thoſe tortures that are thus intolerable? Dance hoodwinkt into this perdition? O that it were allowed to the deſperate ruffians 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, appall their ſpirits, ſtrike 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 rather chuſe to die ten thouſand deaths, than wilfully & premeditately commit one 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) [...] 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, [Page] we think, to think upon death: and we cannot endure that doleful hell 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 wouldſt remember, that there is a day of account, a day of death, a day of judgment coming, Heb. 9. 27. Mat. 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 Iudge of all the world? Luke 16. 23. to 32. Mat. 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 Zachary; chap. 5. 2. Ezek. 2. 9, 10. wherein ſhall be alledged 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. and 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 thy ſelf, before the juſt condemnation of thy Judge, who knows all thy miſdeeds better than thy ſelf, 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 [...] do overtake thee at once? Prov. 1. 27. And when at once thou ſhalt think of thy ſins paſt, the preſent miſery, and the [...] of thy torments to come; and how thou haſt made earth [...] Paradiſe, thy belly thy God, and luſt thy Law; ſo ſowing [...] and reaping miſery, and finding, that as in thy proſperity [Page] 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 Chriſts 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, Luke 16. 24, 25. and Rev. 6. 12. to 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, intreated to accept thereof; but I preferred the pleaſing of my ſenſes, before the ſaving of my ſoul, and more regarded the words of wicked men, 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 Saviour, none like this) that light is come into the world, and men loved darkneſs rather than light, becauſe their deeds were evil, John 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 reſpite, that thou mighteſt have ſpace to repent, and ſue unto God for mercy: but it cannot be, becauſe thy body, which joyned with thy ſoul in thy ſinful actions, is now altogether unfit to joyn 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, O 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. and 13. 28.

But, oh wretched Caitiff that I am; how hath the Devil and my own deceitful and deviliſh heart deluded me? An [...] how am I ſerved accordingly? For now is my caſe more m [...] ſerable than the moſt deſpiſed Toad or Serpent, that periſ [...] [Page] 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, Luke 12. 20. and hale thee 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, John 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. and 11. 9. Within thee ſhall be thine own conſcience, more than a thouſand witneſſes to accuſe thee; the Devils, who tempted thee to all thy lewdneſs, ſhall on the one ſide teſtifie with thy conſcience againſt thee, and on the other ſide ſhall ſtand the holy Saints and Angels approving Chriſts Juſtice, and deteſting ſo filthy a creature: behind thee an hideous noiſe of innumerable fellow-damned Reprobates, tarrying for thy company: before 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 woful 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 ſeparation from all joy and happineſs, [ye curſed] there is a black and direful excommunication, [into [Page] 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, Mat. 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 haſt 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 calleſt 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 momentany riches thou haſt loſt eternal treaſure, and exchanged heavens felicity for hells miſery: where every part and faculty, both of body and ſoul, ſhall be continually and alike tormented, without intermiſſion or diſmiſſion of pain, or from it: and be for ever deprived of the beatifical ſight of God, wherein conſiſts the ſoveraign good and life of the ſoul. Thou ſhalt never ſee light, nor the leaſt ſight of joy; but lye in a perpetual priſon of utter darkneſs, where ſhall be no order but horrour, 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, Mat. 13. 42. & 25. 36. &c. Where ſhall be puniſhment without any pity, miſery without any mercy, ſorrow without ſuccour, crying without comfort, malice without meaſure, torment without eaſe, Rev. 14. 10, 11. where the wrath of God ſhall ſeize upon thy ſoul & 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 end of thy pains. So that after thou haſt endured [Page] them ſo many thouſand years as there are blades of graſs on the earth, or ſands in the Sea, hairs on the heads of all the ſons of Adam, from the firſt to the laſt born; as there have been creatures in heaven and earth; thou ſhalt be no nearer an end of thy torments, than thou waſt the very firſt day that thou waſt caſt into them: yea, ſo far are they from ending, that they are ever beginning. For if after a thouſand times ſo many thouſand years, thy 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 end 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 rage 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 lye open to receive you; and do thereafter, Prov. 1. 24. &c. take warning by Pharaoh's example. We in the rich mans ſcalding torments, have a Diſcite à me, Learn of me, Luke 16. 23. &c. For he can teſtifie out of woful experience, that if we will not take warning 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 laſt 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.

Hell 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 noyſome?

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 [Page] are ſuch joys as eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entred 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. Iſai. 66. 1.

Heaven in Scripture is compared to a Kingdom for Soveraignty, to a Throne for preheminency, 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 ſhew 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, Pſ. 121. 6. There all tears ſhall be wiped from our eyes, Rev. 7. 17. There ſhall be no ſorrow, nor pain, nor complaint, there is no malice to riſe up againſt us; no miſery to afflict us; no hunger, thirſt, weariſomneſs, temptation, to diſquiet us, Mat. 6. 19, 20. Heb. 9. 12. There is no death nor dearth, no pining nor repining, no fraud, ſorrow, nor ſadneſs, neither tears nor fears, defect nor loathing, Rev. 7. 16, 17. and 21. 4. Heb. 9. 12. There, O there, one day is better than a thouſand; there is reſt from our labours, peace from our enemies, freedom from our ſins, &c. John 3. 17. Heb. 4. 3. 9, 10, 11. Rev. 14. 13. Heb. 9. 12, 15.

Sect. 2. Unto which Negative Priviledges, 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 but amiable, comfortable, delectable? Nothing in us that may cool the fervour of our love and affection to them. And ſo of all other enjoyments. As, Doſt thou deſire beauty, riches, honour, 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. and 8. 18. [Page] There are no Eſtates but Inheritances, no Inheritances but Kingdoms, no Houſes but Palaces, no Meals but Feaſts, no Noiſe but Muſick, 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 our ſelves ſhall out-ſhine the Sun in brightneſs, Mat. 13. 43. For if the brightneſs of the body ſhall match the Sun, what will the glory and ſplendour of the ſoul be? And yet ſuch honour 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 full, and none ſhall be able to take it from us, or diminiſh it, John 15. 11. and 16. 22. There is fulneſs of joy, and pleaſures for evermore, Pſal. 26. Joys and pleaſures never ebbing, but ever flowing to all contentment. There we ſhall rejoyce; 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, and to ſerve his brethren in love; How joyful will he be, when theſe graces ſhall be perfected, and he freed from all grievances inward & outward? Yea, if the communion and enjoyment of Gods Spirit, and Chriſt in his Goſpel and Ordinances, be ſo ſweet [Page] here, that one day with us, is 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 Comforts and Companions?

Our condition there will be ſo joyful, that look we outwardly, there is joy in the ſociety, Heb. 12. 22. if inward, 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, Iſai. 35. 10. and 51. 11. Mat. 25. 23. and 18. 10. Heb. 12. 2, 22. Pſal. 16. 11. As, oh the multitude and fulneſs of theſe joys! ſo many, that only God can number them; ſo great, that he only can eſtimate them; of ſuch rarity and perfection, that this world hath nothing comparable to them, 2 Cor. 12. 24. 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 labour; 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 chear us: for we ſhall have what we can deſire, and we ſhall deſire nothing but what is good, Deut. 10. 14. Iſai. 66. 1. 1 Kings 8. 27. Mark 10. 21. Luke 18. 22. 1 Pet. 5. 10. John 4. 36, and 10. 28. Mat. 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 knowledg mixed with ignorance, faith with doubting, peace with trouble, yea, trouble of conſcience. Or in caſe we have peace of conſcience, [Page] alas, how often is it interrupted with anguiſh of ſpirit? Now rejoyce we with joy unſpeakable and glorious, 1 Pet. 1. 8. 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 Charity. There Promiſes ſhall end in performances, Faith in ſight and clear viſion, Hope in fruition and poſſeſſion: yea, time it ſelf ſhall be ſwallowed up in Eternity: theſe are the Souls dowries in heaven, where God ſhall be all in all to us! Now he is but as it were ſomething ſingle; as righteouſneſs 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 compleatly 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 fulneſs of him that filleth all in all things, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Eph. 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 tranquillity, 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 which 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 [Page] 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. Abſaloms beauty, to that, is but deformity. Sampſons ſtrength, to that, is but infirmity. Methuſelahs age, to theirs, is but minority and mortality. Aſahels 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 chambers? the preſence chamber of the great Monarch of Heaven and Earth? what then may we think of the maker and builder thereof?

In fine (that I might darkly ſhadow it out, ſith the lively repreſentation thereof is meerly 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 perfection of All, who ſhall be All in All to us, meat to our taſte, beauty to our eyes, perfumes to our ſmell, muſick to our ears. And what ſhall I ſay more? but as the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Glorious things are ſpoken of thee, thou city of God, Pſalm 87. 3. See Rev. 4. 2, 3. and 21. 10. to the end.

Sect. 5. The glory of Heaven, cannot be comprehended here; only God hath vouchſafed to give us ſome ſmall glimpſes in [...]he Scripture, whereby we may frame a conjecture, conſiderable enough to make us ſell all we have to purchaſe that Pearl of [...]rice. It hath pleaſed God, out of his fatherly condeſcenſion, to [...]oop to our capacity, in repreſenting Heavenly things under [...]arthly types: ſhadowing out the joys thereof, by whatſoever [Page] 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 in the third Heaven, not able to deſcribe, much leſs to amplifie, ſums up all in theſe words; A ſure, moſt excellent, exceeding and eternal weight of tranſcendent glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17. and 12. 2. But alas, ſuch is mans pravity, 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? faith 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 thither, 2 Cor. 12. 2, 4. Yea, who can utter the ſweetneſs of that peace of Conſcience, and ſpiritual rejoycing in God, which himſelf hath taſted? If then the beginning and firſt fruits of it be ſo ſweet, what ſhall the fulneſs 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 Joys, and ſweetneſs of thoſe Pleaſures, which the Saints ſhall enjoy at Gods right hand for evermore, Pſal. 16. 11. In thy preſence is the fulneſs of joy, and at thy right hand are pleaſures for evermore. For quality, they are pleaſures; for quantity, fulneſs; for dignity, at Gods right hand; for Eternity, for evermore. And millions of years multiplyed 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 is too great to enter into thee, Mat. 25. 23. Neither will I any further exerciſe my ſelf 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 joyes; which being ſo, How ſhould I be able to expreſs them in words?

And yet though we cannot comprehend this glory, this far [Page] 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 Redeemer, 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 truth, in theſe Atheiſtical times, ſee ſome reaſons to confirm it. As,

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 foot-ſtool of the Almighty, as the holy Ghoſt phraſeth it, Iſa. 66. 1. Mat. 5. 35. Acts 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 Gods 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 ſatisfie and delight the taſte, of voyces and melodious ſounds, to recreate the hearing; of ſcents and perfumes, provided to accommodate our very ſmellings, of recreations and ſports, to bewitch the whole man: And the like of honour and profit, which are Idols that carnal men do mightily dote upon, and take pleaſure in: (though theſe earthly and bodily joyes 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 Gods 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 ſhew of excellency in it, that [Page] 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, that 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 it ſelf 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 living and the dead, or between men and beaſts. And yet the pleaſure which natural and moral men take in ſecular and mundane knowledge and learning, is nothing comparable to that pleaſure, that an experimental Chriſtian finds in the Divine and Supernatural knowledge of Gods Word: Which makes David and Solomon prefer it before the hony and the hony-comb 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 meer Naturians have been ſo taken with the love of Vertue, that they thought if a vertuous ſoul could but be ſeen with temporal 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 ſpightfully ſcoff at, and back-bite the people of God; yet when they know a man ſincere, upright, and honeſt, cannot chooſe but love, commend, and honour him in their hearts; as it fared with Herod touching John, and King Agrippa touching Paul.

Sect. 2. Or rather if Gods own people are ſo raviſhed with the graces and priviledges 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 [Page] thoſe ſmall labours of love, and duties we do to the glory of God, and profit of others, we might think our ſelves ſufficiently recompenſed in this life, with the calm and quietneſs of a good conſcience, the honeſty of a vertuous 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 Hallelujah. 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 Gods 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 doth 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 priviledges that make Paul happier in his chain of iron, than Agrippa in his chain of gold: And Peter more merry under ſtripes, than Caiaphas upon the Judgmentſeat; and Stephen the like under that ſhower of ſtones. Pleaſures are ours, if we be Chriſts: whence thoſe expreſſions of the holy Ghoſt, The Lord hath done great things for us, wherefore we rejoyce. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoyce ye righteous, and ſhout for joy all ye that are upright in heart. Let all that put their truſt in thee rejoyce, let them even ſhout for joy. Rejoyce evermore; and again I ſay, rejoyce. Rejoyce with joy unſpeakable, and full of glory. [Page] Our rejoycing is this, the teſtimony of our conſcience. Your heart ſhall rejoyce, 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 rejoyce not, whatſoever 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 rejoycing, Acts 8. 39. He then found more ſolid Joy, than ever he had done in his riches, honours, and great places under Candace, Queen of the Aethiopians. At the 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 do 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 manifeſted 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 Malachy 3. 14. For had theſe Fools but taſted the ſweet comforts 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 are their Figs and Hony, cryed out, Oh 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 Saphir, the third a Calcedony, the fourth an Emerald, the fifth a Sardonyx, the ſixth a Sardius, the ſeventh a Chryſolite, the eighth a Beryl, the ninth a Topaz, the tenth a Chryſopraſus, the eleventh a Jacynth, the twelfth an Amethyſt: Having twelve gates of twelve pearls, the ſtreets thereof of pure gold, as it were tranſparent glaſs: In the midſt of which City, is a pure River of the water of life, clear as Chryſtal, and of either ſide the Tree of Life; which bears twelve manner of fruits, yielding her fruit every moneth; the leaves whereof ſerve to heal the Nations: Where is the Throne of God and of the Lamb; whom we his ſervants ſhall for ever 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 expreſt, Rev. 21. and 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; [Page] ſome ſmall ſmack whereof we have even in the barren deſert of this perillous 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 hony, or water diſtilled from out of the Rock. As what elſe are thoſe Jubilees of the heart; thoſe ſecret and inward joys which proceed from a good conſcience, grounded upon a confident hope of future ſalvation? As what elſe do theſe great cluſters of grapes ſignifie, but the fertility of the future 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, John 7. 17. As none could learn the Virgins Song, but them 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 the Spirit for the remiſſion of his ſins, and the infuſion of grace, with ſuch like ſpiritual Priviledges more glorious than the States of Kingdoms; are as a covered meſs to men of the World.

But I may appeal to any mans conſcience, that hath been ſoftned 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 to the joy of harveſt? or as men rejoyce 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 oyl aboundeth, Pſalm 4. 7. and 53. 17. Yea, he can ſpeak it out of experience, that as in prophane joy, even in laughter the heart is ſorrowful: ſo in godly ſorrow, even in weeping, the heart is light and chearful. The face may be pale, yet the heart may be calm and quiet. So St. Paul, as ſorrowing, yet always rejoycing, 2 Cor. 6. 10. Our cheeks may run down with tears, and yet our mouth ſing forth praiſes. And ſo on the contrary,

Where (O God) there wants thy grace,

Mirth is only in the Face,

2 Cor. 5. 12.

Well may a careleſs worldling laugh more, as what will ſooner make a man laugh than a witty jeſt, but to hear of an Inheritance of an hundred pounds a year, that is faln to a man, will make him more ſolidly merry within. Light is ſown to the righteous, and joy for the upright, Pſal. 97. 11. My ſervant, ſaith God, ſhall ſing and rejoyce: but they ſhall weep, &c. Iſai. 65. 14.

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 Gods countenance, as it did David, Pſalm 51. 12. and 4. 6. So that the fault is either; Firſt, in the too much [Page] ſenſuality of a Chriſtian, that will not forego the pleaſures of ſin, or the more muddy joyes and pleaſures of this world, which are poyſons to the ſoul, and drown our joyes, 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 the judgment, not in the Pearl, when a Grain of Corn is preferred before it. To taſte ſpiritual joyes, a man muſt be ſpiritual; for the Spirit reliſheth the things of the spirit; and like loveth his like. Between a ſpiritual man, and ſpiritual joyes, there is as mighty an appetite and enjoying, as between fleſhly meat, and a carnal ſtomack. Therefore the want of this taſte and apprehenſion condemneth the world to be carnal, but magnifies the joyes ſpiritual, as being above her carnal apprehenſion. Or,

Thirdly, Herein lies the fault; few feel theſe joyes in this life; becauſe they will not crack the ſhell, to get the kernel: they will not pare the fruit, to eat the pulp? nor till the ground, to reap the Harveſt. They fly 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 fly 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 fleabitings to it? And are they to be endured everlaſtingly? And are all Fornicators, Idolaters, Thieves, Covetous, Drunkards, Swearers, Raylers, Fearful and Unbelieving perſons, Murtherers, Sorcerers, Lyars, and all Unrighteous perſons to have their part and portion in that Lake? And withal loſe their part and portion in the Kingdom of Heaven, as the Word of God expreſly tells us? Rev. 21. 7, 8. and 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, Pſalm 53. 1. They, meaning the wicked, think always there is no God, Pſalm 10. 4. to 14. And the reaſon follows, His ways always proſper, Pſalm 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, for to morrow 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 ſo careleſly hazard the loſing of the one, [Page] or the procuring of the other. As, oh 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 trifles 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 palſie runs through all his joynts: but let God threaten the unſufferable Torments of burning Tophet, we ſtand unmoved, undaunted. And what makes the difference? the 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 Mony, 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 prophaneſt to God: as the drowning Man ſtretcheth out his hand to that Bough, which he comtemned whiles he ſtood ſafe on ſhore. Even Sardanapalus, for all his bold denying of a God, at every hearing of a 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 Ahaſhueroſh had, they would give an hundred ſix and twenty of them, to be ſure there were no Hell, though all their life they ſuppoſed it but a fable. And this 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, a Heaven 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, Matth. 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.

[Page] A Pope of Rome being upon his Death-bed, ſaid to thoſe about him, Now come three things to tryal, which all my life I made doubt of; Whether there be a God, a Devil, and whether the Soul be immortal. 'Twas not long ere he was fully reſolved with a vengeance: and ſo ſhall you, O ye fools, when that hour comes, though you flatter your ſelves for the preſent. When you feel it, you will confeſs it; and when it is too late, you will like a Fool ſay, Alas I had not thought. For this is the difference between a Fool and a Wiſe man, A wiſe man, (ſaith Solomon) foreſeeth the evil (the evil of Hell, ſays Bernard) and preventeth it; but fools go on and are puniſhed, Prov. 22. 3. Acknowledge thy ſelf a Fool then, or bethink thy ſelf now, and do thereafter, without delaying one minute: For there is no Redemption from Hell, if once thou comeſt there. And there thou 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 this to the Senſualiſts, is labour 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, Joh. 4. 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 thou 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 poyſon; and he wittingly refuſeth the Cordial to take the Poyſon, will not every one conclude, That either he believed not his Phyſician, or preferred Death before Life. If Lots Sons in law had believed their 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 flood upon them as he threatned, they would have entred the Ark, and not have ſcoft 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 will; 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 Kings 18. 22, 30, 33, 35.

Alas, if they did 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 [Page] 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.

But alas, they believe that they ſee and feel, and know they believe the Laws of the Land, and know that there are Stocks and Bridewels, and Goals, and Dungeons, and Racks, and Gibbets, for Malefactors; and this makes them abſtain from murther, 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, Luke 9. 25.

Men fear a Gaol, more than they fear Hell; and ſtand more upon their ſilver or ſides ſmarting, than upon their ſouls; and regard more the blaſts of mens breath, than the fire of Gods wrath; and tremble more at the thought of a Sergeant or Bayliff, than of Satan and everlaſting perdition: Elſe they would not be hired with all the worlds wealth, multiplyed as many times as there be ſands on the Seaſhoar, to hazard, in the leaſt, the loſs of thoſe everlaſting Joys before ſpoken of, or to purchaſe and plunge themſelves into thoſe eaſleſs 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 wouldſt not endure hereto hold thy hand in a fiery crucible the space of a day, or an hour, for all the worlds wealth and ſplendour: How then (if thou bethinkeſt thy ſelf) wilt thou hereafter endure that, and ten thouſand thouſand time more for millions of millions of ages? Look Rev. 20. 10. and bethink thy ſelf, how thou wilt brook to be caſt into a doleful diſconſolate dungeon, to lie in utter darkneſs in eternal chains of darkneſs, in a little eaſe, at no eaſe for ever 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 perſwaded to bethink your ſelves now, rather than when it will be too late, when the Draw-bridge will be taken up, and when 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 thy ſelf one minutes time.

Oh that men would believe the God of truth (that cannot lye) 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, wouldſt give them hearts to believe at leaſt thus much, That [Page] 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 before a River of mercy and glory. That though Thou, the great and juſt Judge of all the World, comeſt ſlowly to Judgment, yet Thou wilt come ſurely. As the Clock comes ſlowly and by minutes to the ſtroak, 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 worthy our lives: That when all is done, how to be ſaved is the beſt plot. That there is no 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 prophane 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 Lords Supper, Luke 14. 18, 19, 20. Nor of the Gadarens mind, who preferred their Hogs before Chriſt. Then would they know it better to want all things, than 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. 2. 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 eaſie Task. Yea more, is Heaven ſo unſpeakably ſweet and delectable, is 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 Traytors, condemned to ſuffer eternal torments in Hell-fire, being only reprieved for a time: 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 [Page] ſo, let us ſtudy to be as thankful as we can. Hath Chriſt done ſo much for us, and ſhall we deny him any thing he requireth of us? Nor 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 thouſandth part of what God and Chriſt hath, we ſhould heartily love him all our lives, and think no thanks 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 Chriſts ſake, what we would do for a Friends ſake. Yea, let us abhor our ſelves for our former unthankfulneſs, and our wonderful provoking of him. Hearken we unto Chriſts 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 thankfulneſs, by obeying all that he ſaith unto us, whatever it coſts us, ſince nothing can be too much to endure for thoſe pleaſures which ſhall endure for ever. 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 Righteouſneſs, 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 Gods ſervice here, to be made for ever free in glory? Yea, who would not be a Philpot for a month, or a Lazarus for a day, or a Stephen for an hour, that he might be in Abrahams boſome for ever? Nothing can be too much to endure, for thoſe pleaſures that endure for ever. 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 unexpreſſible 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 every one that ſerveth him, not 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-fold more than we part withal here in this life, and eternal Manſions in Heaven hereafter, John 14. 2.

St. Paul ſaith, Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, cauſeth us a far more excellent and eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18. Where note the incomparable and infinite difference, between the Work and the Wages; light affliction, receiving a weight of Glory; and momentany 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 tryed, he ſhall receive the Crown of life, James 1. 12.

[...] [Page] 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, at the taſte of a pleaſant drink dieth ſo ſoon as it is down) to bring upon our ſelves 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 compleatly and everlaſtingly happy or miſerable: with what reſolution and zeal ſhould we ſtrive, to make our calling and election ſure? not 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 Devil 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 threatned eternal death and deſt [...]uction to thoſe who break them. For as he is to all repentant ſinners a moſt merciful God, Exod. 34. 6. ſo to all wilful and impenitent ſinners, he is a conſuming fire, and a jeaious God, Heb. 12. 29. Deut. 4. 24.

There was a King, who having no Iſſue to ſucceed him, eſpied one day a well favoured and towardly Youth, he took him to the Court, and committed him to Tutors to inſtruct him, providing by his Will, that if he proved ſit for Government, he ſhould be Crowned King; if not, he ſhould be kept in Chains, and he made a Galley ſlave. The Youth was miſled, and neglected both his Tutors good Counſel, and his Book, ſo as his Maſter corrected him, and ſaid, O that thou kneweſt what honour is prepared for thee! and what thou art like to loſe by this thy idle and looſe carriage! Well, thou wilt afterwards, When 'tis too late, ſorely rue this. And when he grew to years, the King died, whoſe Council and Executors 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 Oar perpetually, where he was whipt and laſht, 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-ruied 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 ſhort of that, as Earth comes ſhort of Heaven, and temporary miſery of eternal. Wherefore if thou wouldſt have this this to become thy very caſe, go on in thy wilful and perverſe impenitency; but if not, bethink thy ſelf, and do thereafter, and that without delaying one minute: For there is no redemption from Hell, if once thou comeſt there: And there thou mayſt be (for ought thou knoweſt) this very day, yea before thou canſt ſwallow thy ſpittle, if thou dieſt this day in thy natural condition.

[Page] Many men take liberty to ſin, and continue in a trade of ſin, becauſe God is merciful: but 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. Pſalm 130. 4. Yea, know this, and write it in the Table book of thy memory, and upon the table of thy heart. That if Gods bountifulneſs and long ſuffering towards thee; does not lead thee to repentance, it will double thy doom, and encreaſe the pile of thy torments. And that every day which does not abate of thy reckoning, will encreaſe it: And that thou by thy hardneſs and impenitency, ſhalt but treaſure up unto thy ſelf 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 brings 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 Hell-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 glorifie our bodies in Heaven, we alſo muſt glorifie God in our bodies here on Earth.

And now for concluſion: Are the Joys of Heaven ſo unſpeakable and glorious? the torments of Hell ſo woful and dolorous? Then it behoves all Parents and Governours of Families, to ſee to their Childrens and Servants ſouls, and that they miſcarry not through their neglect. As tell me, Will not their blood be required at your hands, if they 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 Gods anger, be they ſpiritual or eternal, more than the ſtrokes of men. What's a Fetter to a Dungeon? a Gallows to Hell-fire?

Give not way to imaginary, ſpeculative, heart-ſins: Murther in the heart, uncleanneſs in the eye, and thoughts given way to, will come to actual murther, and bodily uncleanneſs at laſt. Keep Satan at a Diſtance; if he get but in, he will be too hard for you. And let ſo much ſerve to have been ſ [...]oken of Heaven and Hell.

[Page] 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 Gods wrath, under which, without repentance, they muſt lye 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 [...]ill fare with them in the end, let them read the whole Book, out of which this is taken, viz. The whole duty of a Chriſtian. Which Book is Licenſed by John Dewname and Thomas Gataker.

FINIS.

§

LONDON, Printed at the Charge of Chriſts-Hoſpital, according to the Will of the Donor, 1677.

[Page]

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Title statement

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 entituled, The whole duty of a Christian: composed by R. Younge, late of Roxwell in Essex, florilegus.Whole duty of a Christian. Selections.

Younge, Richard.

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1660

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2006-02 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

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A67772

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Wing Y184A

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ESTC R221317

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99832645

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99832645

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Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 37119)

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— 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 entituled, The whole duty of a Christian: composed by R. Younge, late of Roxwell in Essex, florilegus., Whole duty of a Christian. Selections., Younge, Richard..

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32 p.

printed at the charge of Christs-Hospital, according to the will of the donor,. [London :: 1677]. (Caption title.) (Imprint from colophon.) (Copy imperfect; closely trimmed with some loss of print; print fade; print show-through.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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