I. That there is a Hell, is a truth, which no Christian will deny, who professeth to believe (and I hope believes as he professeth) that Christ for us men and for our salvation descended into Hell. For, howsoever among the learned there be some dissent in opinion concerning the manner of His descent, and also concerning the cause why He descen­ded thither: yet all agree about the thing it selfe, that He descended into Hell. And that agreement of theirs, to­gether with the disagreement about the manner and cause of His descent prove plainly that He descended into Hell. For, why should they contend about the manner how, and the cause why He descended into Hell, if He did not de­scend thither? It is a good and sound argument used by a holy and learned Father of our Church, to prove, that the [Page 4]Feast of Easter was universally observed by all Christians; because there was such a generall contention about the-time of celebrating it: Because that must Be, which must be con­tended for. And the same will hold in this case very well. They that so earnestly contend about the cause and manner of our Saviour's descending into Hell, doe by that their contention confesse, that they believe that He descended into Hell: and that necessarily supposeth that there is a Hell, into which He did descend. This is a thing which all Christians believe.

And no mervaile if they doe so: Seeing this is common to them, not onely with the Turks and other Mahometans; who as they believe a Paradise (though a most foolish one) for those of their owne superstition: so they believe that there is a Hell, a place of unsufferable torments for those, who in their opinion do either believe amisse, or spend their lives in much wickednesse: But the very Pagans themselves do acknowledge a place of torments allotted to the wicked after this life. The writings of their Philosophers and Poets make often mention of it. And though the description, which they make thereof be fabulous, and disagreeing from each other: Yet we know that nothing is so fabulous, but that it hath it's foundation from some truth: And as for their disagreement in the description of it, it is the lesse to be admired in them; seeing the Christian Doctors are of sun­dry opinions concerning the place and other circumstances thereof. But as for the thing it selfe, all, Jewes, Christians, Mahometans, Pagans, all agree in the maine point, that there is a Hell, a place where wicked and ungodly men are punished for the sinnes, which they have committed in this life. In this the Heathens writings and the Holy-Scriptures doe not disagree, that there is a place of torments, that there is a Hell. The Heathen Philosopher Plato doth not much disagree with Justine Martyr the Christian Philoso­pher, and the other Fathers, in the description of Hell. But that there is a place of unconceivable torments prepared [Page 5]for the wicked, in this they all agree: That as there are joyes in Heaven for those that have lived well; so there is a Hell for the ungodly.

As many as doe acknowledge that God is just, and that the soule is immortall, must needs believe that there is a place of punishment after this life, for those soules, which have lived wickedly in this life. I am perswaded that no man who believes that there is a God, will deny that there is a Hell. A lewd man indeed, who is guilty to himselfe of much wickednesse, may wish that there were neither God nor Hell to punish him for his wickednesse: and such de­sires often reiterated may multiply into a perswasion that so it is; that there is neither God nor Hell. But the most wicked man that is, though he deny it by his life; yet he cannot chuse but believe in his heart, that there is a place where his wicked deeds shall receive their just reward.

For their sakes therefore I hold it expedient, not to prove that there is a Hell; but in a more compendious and pro­fitable way to shew you what this Hell is, in such manner as the Antients have described it unto us. That so the seri­ous consideration of the horrour of that place may deterre us from doing that, which may bring us into it.

I have either heard or read of one, who beholding a pi­cture, where the torments of the damned were lively repre­sented, the sight thereof caused him to forsake his former evill courses; and to spend the rest of his life virtuously. Of another, who seeing a picture, where Corah and his seditious company were swallowed up alive by the earth, for rebel­ling against Moses and Aaron; considering the horrour of that punishment, desisted from some trayterous enter­prises, which he had conceived in his heart. Perhaps the consideration of this dreadfull place, occasioned by our dis­course thereof, may so farre worke upon some, that they desist from their accustomed sinnes; lest they also come into this place of torment. For, certainly a soveraigne meanes to prevent comming into Hell both in body and [Page 6]soule, is, Often to descend thither in our thoughts and me­ditations: that by often thinking of it, we may never feele it.

It is written of the Waldenses, that they would not so much as once name the Devill: such detestation they pretended to have of him and all his works: Which I doe not blame in them; as supposing it to proceed from a sincere love of piety. But sure it cannot but be a very profitable thing for a Christian, Often to think upon Hell: That those whom Heaven cannot allure to the love of virtue, the feare of Hell may deterre from sinne.

The learned among the Heathen, who have written of this subject, doe describe it in such manner, that they leave nothing unsaid, which the wit and malice of a mercilesse Ty­rant could invent to torture a miserable Offender. The punishment of Aridaeus the Tyrant of Pamphilia, who be­sides many other villanies, murthered his owne Father and Brother, is very lively described by Plato: The wit of man cannot invent more dreadfull torments, than this wicked Tyrant is feigned to have suffered in Hell.

But the Christian Doctors, grounding their opinion upon the last words of the Prophet Isaiah, to which our Saviour seems to allude, Marke 9.44. expresse the paines of Hell by Fire; as that which of all other things doth cause the greatest paine. But this you must observe, that when they name Fire, they meane not such as is common with us; but such a terrible fire, as this with us scarce warme in compa­rison of that. That fornace which Nebuchadnezzer made so hot, that the flame thereof is said to have ascended nine and fourty cubits high, was but as a hot-bath in respect of this. The paines of Hell are such, that we may goe about to shaddow them out by some such things, as are most terrible to us: but fully to conceive of them as they are indeed, is altogether impossible. When we tell you of a stinking and darke Lake burning with brimstome, in which nothing were to be heard, but onely the furious raging of hellish Tor­mentors [Page 7]and horrible lamentation of damned persons; this is onely to expresse unto you those torments, which cannot sufficiently be conceived as they are indeed. God forbid that any of us should ever know what the paines of Hell are: which none can know, but onely they that suffer them. For when you have thought upon all those hideous torments, which shall be inflicted on the wicked, both in their bodies and all the senses and members thereof, and in their soules and all the faculties thereof: yet this may seem tolerable in comparison of another kind of torment, which shall befall the wicked; which the learned call the paine of Losse: which is to be deprived for ever and ever of the blessed sight of God and his holy Angels and Saints, and of those unspeakable joyes, which they partake with God. This is the Losse of all losses: So great a torment to the damned, that it is not possible for any man to expresse by words the exceeding greatnesse of this grief. So great it is, that Saint Chrysostome saith, That if a thousand fires of hell were joyned together in one, they should never be so great a paine to the soule, as it is for the soule to be separated in this wise for ever from Almighty God. The finall doome of the wicked is this, Luke 13.27. Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. Onely this, Depart from me: presently followes, There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdome of God, and you your selves thrust out. Weep­ing, for what themselves suffer: Gnashing of teeth, for indig­nation that others enjoy the happinesse, which they have lost, and might have obtained. This is it which torments them with unspeakable griefe.

Now if you adde hereunto, that these unconceivable paines, both of sense and losse, shall never have an end; that after many thousands of yeares are past, a Sinner is no nee­rer to the end of his torments, than he was the very first houre, that he entred into them: This cannot chuse but strike the most hard heart that is into horrour: When he [Page 8]shall consider, that if all the lives of all creatures, that have been from the beginning of the world, with all those that shall be to the end of it, were (as I may say) spun into one life; it would be as nothing in respect of Eternitie. When you meditate (as I hope you often doe) upon the paines of Hell; doe but seriously thinke upon this one word Ever: and you need say no more to expresse the paines of Hell; that they are endlesse;Mar. 9.44. That their worme dieth not, neither is their fire quenched. It is the property of this fire, so to con­sume, that it doth alwaies preserve: And those that are punished with it, doe so die, that they doe alwaies live. As the least paine in Hell is much more grievous, than all the torments, that can be suffered here on earth: So the Eter­nitie of those paines, and the continuall remembrance of it, is more terrible than all those paines, be they never so many and grievous.

I will not so much wrong this Christian audience, as to go about to prove this truth unto you; that the paines of hell are Endlesse: That were to accuse you as either not knowing or not believing that, which the very Heathen did acknowledge. To signifie this, they feigned one to be car­ried about continually in a wheele; another to role a stone to the top of an hill, which still returned back upon him; others to fill a bottomlesse tub with water; another to have his liver devoured by a Vulture all the day long, and in the night-time to grow againe, that it might alwaies be eaten, but never consumed. The Prophet David seemes to make the like allusion, Psal. 49.14. They lie in hell like sheep, death gnaweth on them. Signifying, that as the grasse which is eaten by the cattell; springeth and groweth againe; because the root thereof, which is the beginning of life, still liveth: So the damned, being alwaies fed upon by the devouring fire, shall never die: because their soule, the principall fuell of this fire, is immortall. Such as their soule is, such shall be their torments, immortall and endlesse. The pasture of this field is immortall: though it be alwaies eaten, it alwaies springeth againe.

If you demand how it can stand with God's justice to punish a finite sinne with an infinite punishment? Why he who hath sinned a few yeares, should suffer eternall tor­ments? I answer, that this dealing of God with impenitent sinners is most just: not onely in respect of God, against whom they have sinned; whose Person is infinite; and therefore the sinne against Him deserves the like punish­ment; an infinite justice to be satisfied by an infinite tor­ment: But even in respect of the Sinner himselfe, the pu­nishment ought to be eternall. For, the paines of Hell are proportioned not only to the act of a Sinner, which he hath done; but to his will, what he would have done, if he might have lived for ever. And then what wonder is it, if he that would have sinned against God everlastingly, if it had been in his power; be everlastingly punished by God, who hath power so to doe? God does by him no otherwise, than he would doe by God: Neither are the torments of Hell more grievous to man; than the sinnes of man are offensive to God. Sinne is as much displeasing to the essence of God, as torment is grievous to the nature of man. And there­fore no mervaile it is, if God punish that with infinite tor­ment, which is infinitely displeasing to Him? For, in Hell the condition of the sinne and of the Sinner seeme to be somewhat alike, in this respect; that as the sinne may alwaies de punished, but never cleansed: so neither shall the tor­ments in their body ever be ended, nor the body be extin­guished. There the damned shall ever live to die, and ever die to live. That as there are eternall joyes prepared in heaven for those that love and serve God: so there are everlasting torments ordained in Hell for those that diso­bey Him. Which is the Damnation here spoken of: How can ye Escape the Damnation of Hell?

II. Having shewed you not onely that there is a Hell, but what this Hell is; I need not stand to prove that there is a Damnation of this Hell: that will follow by a necessary [Page 10]consequence. No house is built, but for some Inhabitant; no punishment is prepared, but for some Offender: If there neither were nor would be Malefactors, it were need­lesse to build any Prisons. God would never have made Hell, but that in his infinite wisdome he foresaw that there would be some, who would deserve it, how intolerable so ever it were. There have been, and are some so malitious and obstinate in their sinnes, that Hell it selfe, if it were not infinitely miserable, were not miserable enough to punish them for their wickednesse.

The Heathen who did acknowledge a Hell, did believe that there was a Condemnation of all such, as had lived wickedly in this life. Those three Kings, Aeacus, Minos, and Radamanthus, who were famous for their justice here on earth, were therefore feigned to have been Judges in the other world; and to have rewarded each man accor­ding to his deserts: the virtuous with faire Elysian fields, and the wicked with burning and stinking rivers. For, see­ing many who had committed notorious wickednesse, as murder, adultery, rapine, and the like haynous offences, not onely to suffer no punishment in this life, but even to enjoy great prosperity all their life long; they did conclude (as well they might) that there was some time and place, when and where God would execute upon them the effects of His justice, and reward them according to their doings.

This opinion of theirs is very agreeable to the Christian doctrine, which teacheth that justice is as proper to God as mercy: that as by the one he doth reward the Godly with the joyes of Heaven; so by the other, he doth punish the Wicked with the eternall torments of Hell and Dam­nation.

Paravit coelum, sed paravit & tartarum, &c. God, saith Saint Cyprian, hath prepared heaven, but he hath also pre­pared hell, (the one for the good, the other for the bad.) He hath prepared everlasting rest; but he hath also prepa­red everlasting torments: He hath prepared unconceivable [Page 11]light; but he hath also prepared the unspeakable darknesse of a perpetuall night. As there are good and bad; sheep and goates: so there is heaven and hell. Unto the eternall joyes of the one the good are mercifully Elected: unto the endlesse miseries of the other the wicked are justly Con­demned. The Catholique Faith admits of a just Condem­nation to the pains of hell, as well as of a mercifull Election to the joyes of heaven. Whereof the one depends on Gods mercy, the other on his justice: And they that deny either the one or the other of these two estates, doe rob God of one of his essentiall properties.

If you aske me, Who they are that shall suffer this Dam­nation of hell? I will tell you in brief not only who they are, but also why they are Damned. Who they are that shall suffer these paines of hell? the Prophet David tells us in ge­nerall terms, Psal. 9.17. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the people that forget God. All wicked and impenitent Sinners shall be Damned; because they forget God, and neglect to serve Him, and fulfill his commands. But to speak more particularly; The first that was cast into hell was Lu­cifer: And the cause why, was his disobedience of God, ari­sing from his abominable pride. The Devil was the first Re­bell; and for that rebellion lost his part in the unconcei­able joyes of heaven; and suffered the eternall paines of hell: And they that take part with him in that or any other sinne, shall be sure to suffer the same punishment, that he and his Angels doe. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels: That is the doom of the wicked pronounced by our Saviour at the last judge­ment; as you may see, Mat. 25.41. It was prepared for the Devil and his Angels: even all those that disobey God's commands, and preferre their owne will before His. For, The whole and onely cause of Damnation, saith Tertullian, is (Perversa administratio conditionis à conditis) the ill-managing of the Creation by the Creatures: that they are the things of this world, not according to God's commands, but accor­ding [Page 12]to their owne will. Which gave just occasion to one of the antient Fathers to say, That nothing doth burne in hell, so much as the stuborne will of a Sinner.

And hence it is, that the sinne of an obstinate and impe­nitent mind is punished eternally, although committed in time, and that perhaps a short time; because that which was short in acting, was long in respect of his stuborne will. So that if such Sinners should never die, they would never leave off to sinne; yea, they would alwaies live, that they might alwaies sinne. As in this life they would not cease from sinne; although God did exhort, threaten, intreat, and use all meanes possible: So in the other life God will not leave off to punish them, although they howle and lament grievously.

But that which makes the torments of the Damned to be endlesse, is a continuall hatred which they have of Almighty God, whose justice thus punisheth them. And as long as they continue to hate God, what mervaile is it, if God per­severe to punish them? As their sinne is, so likewise is their punishment without any end. Then shall that be truly ful­filled, which is written, Revel. 9.6. In those daies shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. Never was sleep so welcome to a drow­sie head,Jer. 51.57. as death (such as the Prophet Jeremie calls, a perpe­tuall sleep) would be to those tormented soules. It would be, as Justine Martyr calls it, [...], an unexpected gaine. For, never did any condemned wretch at the houre of death so much desire life, as the Damned amidst their everliving torments doe desire death; such a death, as might deprive them of all manner of beeing: They would most willingly cease to Bee, on condition that they might not be thus mi­serable. Faction may drive men into strange opinions little lesse than blasphemie: such as their's is who affirme, that it is better to be eternally miserable, than not to be at all. But our Saviour's doctrine will alwaies be true,Mat. 26.24. that it had been good for such men, if they had never been borne: that they never had any beeing at all.

It is in a case farre more tolerable, onely in respect of the miseries of this life, that Job wisheth,Job 3.16. That he had been as an hidden untimely birth, that he had not been, as Infants which never saw light: Accounting it much better not to have been at all, than to suffer the miseries of this short and transitory life. How much more were it to be desired by the Damned, that they had no beeing at all, than that they should alwaies suffer the unspeakable torments of endlesse burnings?

It is not more certaine that I speake, or that you doe heare; than it is sure that there is such a Damnation of Hell; and that the paines thereof are more dreadfull, than any tongue is able to utter, or any heart to conceive. But the greatest of all those torments is that which I have al­ready told you, and doe willingly touch it once againe, to the end that you may alwaies remember it, That after many thousand millions of ages the Damned are no neerer to the end of their torments, than they were the very first minute, that they entered into them. Once into Hell, and never out: Then we cannot, but now we may Escape this Damnation of Hell.

III. For, unlesse there were a possibility for them, to whom Christ spake, to Escape this damnation of which He speaketh; He would never have preached this Do­ctrine to them. The end of Christ's preaching was the same which ought to be of all ours: not to tell men that they are unavoidably damned; but to teach them how they may be saved; to shew them the meanes, how they may escape this damnation.

The manner of speech which Christ here useth by way of question doth not argue an absolute impossibility, but onely a a great difficulty to Escape this damnation of hell. Although straight is the gate, and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life, Mat. 7.14. and few there be that find it: yet some there are that find it; and our fault it is, and onely ours, if we be not some of those [Page 14]few, who find that way to heaven, and so escape this dam­nation of hell.

For, God would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth: They are Saint Paul's owne words, 1 Tim. 2.4. Seing his will is that all men should be saved, que­stionlesse he hath not absolutely decreed, that any man should be peremptorily damned: These two imply no lesse than a meere contradiction.

God forbid that Satan should so farre possesse the heart of any man, as to perswade him, that it were impossible for him to Escape the damnation of hell; this were to make him cast off all the meanes, which God in his word hath prescribed to that end. This were to make all the exhorta­tions, admonitions, promises and threatnings of God to be of none effect. For, why should God propose unto men, or why should they use the meanes of obtaining salvation, if it be not possible for them to Escape damnation.

God's promises are true, and his threatnings serious: As he is not mocked, so neither doth he mock any man, when he tells him,Ezek. 18.28. that if he resent, and turne from all his trans­gressions, he shall surely live, he shall not die. God doth not will death, not the death of any man, not the death of a wicked man. Those Infidels that will not believe God upon his word, may heare him confirme this truth with an oath, Ezek. 33.11. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his way and live.

It is Gods wil that all men should Escape this damnation: that some Escape it, is his great mercy: but that many fall into it,Wisd. 1.13. Vers. 16. is from their owne hard and impenitent heart, which will not lay hold on Christ, and use those meanes, which God mercifully affordeth unto them. God made not death, neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the living. But ungodly men with their works and words called it unto them. And as for Hell, it was prepared, not for us menPrimarily., but for the Devil and his Angels. It is the observation of one of [Page 15]the antient Fathers upon those words of Christ, Mat. 25.41. So generall, that it is contradicted by none of them all.

But I may seeme to wrong this Christian auditory; in that I insist upon the confirmation of that which I am per­swaded none here will, because I am sure none should deny. This I dare assure you confidently, that there is not any one of you, to whom I speake, but may Escape this damnation; if he will use the meanes requisite thereunto: And that is the next and last particular, of which I am to treat: How we may Escape, &c.

IV. I doubt not but that this point of doctrine, will be glad tidings to every Christian's heart: Every one that be­lieveth (as every Christian ought to believe) that there is a Hell, would be very willing to escape the eternall damnati­on of it.

And the first meanes to escape this damnation Hell is this:

1. Stedfastly to believe that there is such a place of tor­ments, where all wicked and impenitent Sinners shall be punished eternally.

Let it not seeme strange to any, that I propose the beliefe of Hell as a meanes to avoid it. For, certainly if men did stedfastly believe that there are eternall torments prepared for the wicked, they would not live thus wickedly. It was a just complaint of one of the Heathen, that in his time, when wickednesse did greatly abound, the opinion of Hell was accounted as a Fable onely to affright little Children. And it is to be doubted, that even among them that pro­fesse the Name of Christ, there are too many, who would willingly perswade themselves, that the torments of Hell are but a fiction, a thing invented onely to deterre men from sinne. For, can we imagine that a foule Adulterer, a prophane Swearer, a common Drunkard, a covetous Usu­rer, or any the like wicked man, who perseveres in his knowne sinnes, would commit those sinnes, if he did seriously believe that he should suffer such punishment? Would he [Page 16]incurre the eternall paines of Hell, for a moment of sinfull pleasure? Doubtlesse he would not commit the one, if he did believe the other.

2. Especially if he did Often and seriously Meditate upon it: Which is a second and that a very soveraigne meanes to Escape this damnation of Hell. For, certainly (as I have told you already) a very effectuall meanes to prevent our descending into Hell in body and soule, is, Often to descend thither in our thoughts and meditations. He that doth sted­fastly believe, that there is such a place of torment prepared for the wicked, and also frequently meditate upon the eter­nall horror of that place, can hardly commit that finne, which should bring him into that place of intolerable and endlesse torment.

It was the just complaint of Saint Cyprian in his time, and it will fit ours much better: Nemo futurorum metum cogitat, &c. No man doth thinke upon the feare of those things that are to come, the day of the Lord and the anger of God: No man doth consider the punishments, which shall be inflicted on the wicked, and the eternall torments, which are appointed for Ʋnbelievers. Which our conscience would fear, if it did believe: Because it doth not at all believe it, it doth not feare: But if it did believe it, it would beware of it: if it would take heed of it, it would escape it. Where you see, that a good meanes to escape Hell, is to believe, that there is such a place of hor­rible torments, and often to think upon the horror thereof. This, if any thing will prevaile with us, is most likely to re­straine us from sinne, and consequently preserve us from damnation. For, I am strongly of Saint Bernard's opinion; that nothing doth preserve us so free from sinne, as doth the Love of God and the Feare of Hell. As one naile doth drive out another: so the fire of Hell doth oftentimes ex­pell the fire of lust; and suffers us not to commit that, which would make us liable to eternall damnation.

If we would often call to mind and seriously ponder in our hearts that question which is asked by some, Isa. 33.14. [Page 17] Who among us shall dwell with the devouring sire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings? It is very likely that we would use all possible meanes to escape that devouring fire, those everlasting burnings? And let no man thinke it an irksome thing to meditate upon so dismall a subject. It is much better to be troubled with the thought of it here, than to be stung with the torment of it hereafter. For, if it be grievous to thinke on it onely, how intolerable will be to suffer it for ever? Thinke upon Hell often, and you will not so often commit sinne. By frequent and serious meditation upon Hell you are in a right way to avoid sinne, and by avoiding sinne to escape damnation.

Often present unto your selves the dreadful countenance of that just and angry Judge, who will condemne all impe­nitent Sinners to suffer eternall torments. Thinke upon that countenance, at which the Angels themselves cannot chuse but tremble. Consider the unspeakable paines of that devouring fire, those everlasting burnings: and above all consider that they are everlasting, that shall never have an end: Meditate upon these things often, and consider them seriously, and this meditation will prove a soveraigne preser­vative against sinne and damnation.

3. But you must be carefull to use your utmost endea­vour to eschew all the allurements of the Devill, whereby he la­boureth to draw men into perdition: Luke 13.24. and strive you must to enter in at the straight gate, which leadeth into the kingdome of heaven, how straight so ever it be. Let not the honours, wealth of pleasures of this world divert you from that way, and draw you into that broad way, which leadeth unto de­struction. This is a most profitable and necessary meanes to avoid the damnation of Hell; when we shun all those things which are likely to bring us thither. He that will escape the eternall torments of the life to come, must carefully avoid the unlawfull pleasures of this present life.

I thinke it not unprofitable in this point to relate unto a discurse, which I have read, between a Frier and a young [Page 18]Gallant: The young Man seeing the Frier go bare-foot and to looke pale with fasting, ask'd him, why he did undergo all this austerity, and deprive himselfe of the pleasures of this world? The Frier answered him, that he did it to the end, that he might thereby appease God's anger, and to escape the eternall torments of Hell. But, saies the young Man, what if there be no Hell: art not thou then a great foole, who dost do and suffer all this to no purpose? To which the Frier replies; But if there be, as I verily believe there is a Hell, a place of unsuffer­able and endlesse torments, is not your worship a greater Foole, who to enjoy the sinfull pleasures of this world for a short season, doe hazard the eternall damnation of your body and soule? And indeed what greater madnesse can there be, than to refuse the short paines, which are to be undergone by those that will live godly in this life, and chuse the everlasting punish­ment prepared for the Devil? Thinke upon the grievous paines of Hell; and you will think no paine grievous, which is undergone for the love of God and a good conscience. The assured hope which we have to escape that dreadfull torment, will make all the exercises of religion, how irksome soever to flesh and blood, to seeme light unto us.

4. A fourth meanes to escape the damnation of Hell, is To keep our selves in the unity of God's Church: that Church which we believe to be the Holy and Catholique. Holy, in the practice of all godlinesse; Catholique, in the unanimous profession of the true faith: Whereof the one excludes all prophane and wicked Livers, the other all Schismaticks and Mis-believers. In this Church and the communion thereof if we preserve our selves, by living righteously and believing aright, we need not feare but that we may and shall escape the damnation of Hell.

Of this Church, not of the Church of Rome, or any parti­cular Congregation whatsoever, but of this Holy and Ca­tholique Church is Saint Cyprian to be understood; That he cannot have God for his Father, who hath not the Church for his Mother: and that other; That without the Church there [Page 19]is no salvation. As at the first destruction of the world for sinne, all that were found out of the Arke perished by wa­ter: So at the last day all that shall be found out of the Church (whereof the Arke was a type) shall be destroyed by everlasting fire. But, as many as shall be found within the Church shall be free from the damnation of Hell. Of this Holy and Catholique Church is that promise to be un­derstood, which our Saviour made, Mat. 16.18. That the gates of Hell shall not prevaile against it: neither against it, nor any member of it. Whosoever doth abide in the unity of this Church, shall never come into the condemnation of eternall fire.

5. And all this by meanes of Faith in Christ and his me­rits: who for our sakes descended into Hell, that we might never come there. For, by vertue of Christ's death, and pas­sion, and his glorious resurrection from death and hell, we are made free from the one and the other; both from the power of death and the torments of hell. If we be members of Christ, we shall together with Him partake of eternall blisse and glory. Because,Wisd. 3.1. the soules of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them. No tor­ment shall touch them, because they are the members of Christ: who hath satisfied for us, whatsoever we should have suffered: Who hath the keyes of Hell and of death; Revel. 1.18. that neither Death nor Hell should prevaile over us.

Let us seriously consider these things in our hearts: That there are eternall torments prepared for all those, that sinne against God, and repent not of those sins.

6. This very consideration is a sufficient motive to work is us a (1) Serious and (2) Speedy Repentance.

1. Serious, considering we believe the torments of Hell to be, as they are indeed endlesse and intolerable. If we sted­fastly believe and seriously consider this; we will not esteem any thing of this world, which may endanger our estate of eternity. Let them take care of this present life, and of the transitory goods of this world, who have no hope to enjoy [Page 20]the life to come, and the everlasting pleasures thereof. Let them take their pleasure in this world, who have no hope to escape the paines of the other.

2. So likewise will it worke in us a Speedy Repentance; not suffering us to delay the time; lest the damnation due to our sinnes should overtake us, before we have repented of them. Considering, that we cannot begin too soone to prevent that which shall never have an end. This should be our first & only care, that we may escape this damnation: We should regard nothing in comparison of this. We should be carefull of falling into this fire; that we should beware of every action that we doe, every word that we speak, and every thought that we thinke; lest it should prove unto us an occasion of falling into sinne, and so into hell.

If of all the posterity of Adam there should but one onely man suffer these horrible torments, of which we have spoken; yet ought we to be exceeding carefull, every one of us ought to beware, lest it might be his lot to suffer them. How much more carefull ought we to be, seing the number of those that perish is infinite, and few there be that shall be saved? Seing scarce one of ten thousand shall e­scape this damnation, what manner of men ought we to be in all holy and vertuous conversation?1 Pet. 4.18. For, If the Righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and Sinners appeare? Ought not every one of us (us, who are guilty of many and grievous sinnes, ought not we) to use all possible meanes to escape this damnation? Ought we not earnestly to enquire with the young man, Mat. 19.16. What good thing shall I doe, that I may have eternall life? With the Goaler, Act. 16.30. What must I doe to be saved?

Suppose this question to be proposed to us, any of us in particular, as it was to the Scribes and Pharisees: How can Ye? ye Adulterers, ye Drunkards, ye Blasphemers, ye co­vetous, ye malitious, ye envious, ye Schismaticks, ye Tray­tors, ye Hypocrites, ye sacrilegious Robbers of God and his Church, ye that are guilty of these many and grievous sins, [Page 21]or of any of them, or of any like unto them. How can Ye Escape this Damnation of Hell? Impossible it is for you to escape these torments, which I have described; unlesse ye use the meanes, which I have prescribed unto you.

Now God of his infinite mercy assist us with his Holy Spirit, that we may use those meanes, and so escape this damnation. Amen.