IX. The Chaldee word, which is alſo uſed in Hebrew, and tranſlated to the Greek, is (Gehenna), firſt of all uſed by Chriſt for the place of them which are damned, as St. Jerome noteth upon the Tenth Chapter of St. Matthew's Goſpel. And this word being compounded of Gee and Hinnom, ſignifieth a Valley nigh to Jeruſalem, called, the Valley. Hinnom; in which the old idolatrous Jews were wont to bury alive their own children, in the honour of the Devil, and to ſound with Trumpets, Timbrels, and other loud Inſtruments, whilſt they were doing thereof, that their childrens Voices might not be heard; which place was afterwards uſed for the receit of all filthineſs, as Dung, dead Carrions, and the like: And it is moſt probable, that our Saviour uſed this word, above all other, for Hell, thereby to ſignifie the miſerable burning of Souls in that place, the pitiful clamours and cries of the tormented, the confuſed and barbarous noiſe of the tormentors, together with the moſt loathſome filthineſs of the place, which is otherwiſe deſcribed in the Scripture, by the Names of Addars, Snakes, Cockatrices, Scorpions, and other venemous creatures, as ſhall be afterwards declared.

X. Having declared the Names of this place and thereby alſo in ſome part, the Nature; i • remaineth now, that we confider, what manner of pains men ſuffer there. For conſideration whereof, we muſt note, That as Heaven and Hell are contrary, aſſigned to contrary perſons, for contrary cauſes; ſo have they in all reſpects, contrary properties, conditions, and effects, in ſuch ſort, as whatſoever is ſpoken of the Felicity of the one, may ſerve to infer the contrary of the other, as when St. Paul ſaith, No eye hath ſeen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived the Joys that God hath prepared for them that ſhall be ſaved, we may infer, that the pains of the damned muſt be as great again, when the Scripture ſaith, the felicity of them in Heaven, is a perfect felicity, containing omne bonum, all goodneſs; ſo that no one kind of pleaſure can be imagined, which they have not.

We muſt think on the contrary part, that the miſery of the damned muſt be alſo a perfect miſery, containing all afflictions that may be, without wanting any: So that as the happineſs of the good is infinite and univerſal, ſo alſo the calamity of the wicked is infinite and univerſal. Now in this life all the miſeries and pains which fall upon men, are but particular, and not univerſal: As for Example, We ſee one man pained in his Eyes, another in his Back, which particular pains, notwithſtanding, ſometimes are ſo extream, as life is not able to reſiſt them, and a man would ſuffer them long for the gaining of many Worlds together: But ſuppoſe a man were now tormented in all the parts of his body at once, as in his Head, his Eyes, his Tongue, his Teeth, his Throat, his Stomach, his Belly, his Back, his Heart, his Sides, his Thighs, and in all the Joints of his Body: Beſides, ſuppoſe (I ſay) he were moſt cruelly tormented with extream pains in all theſe parts together, without eaſe or intermiſſion, what thing could be more miſerable than this? What ſight more lamentable? If thou ſhouldeſt ſee a Dog lie ſo in the ſtreet, ſo afflicted, I know thou couldeſt not but take compaſſion upon him. Well then, conſider what difference there is between abiding theſe pains for a Week, or for all Eternity; in ſuffering them upon a ſoft Bed, or upon a burning Gridiron, and boiling Furnace; among a man's Friends, comforting him, or among the Furies of Hell whipping him. Conſider this (I ſay), gentle Reader, and if thou wouldeſt take a great deal of labour, rather than abide the one in this life, be content to ſuſtain a little pain, rather than to incur the other in the life to come.

XI. But to conſider theſe things yet further, not only all theſe parts of the body, which have been inſtruments to ſin, ſhall be tormented together, but alſo every-ſenſe, both external and internal, for the ſame cauſe, ſhall be afflicted with his particular torment, contrary to the Object, wherein it took moſt pleaſure and delight in this World: As for Example; The Eyes were afflicted with the ugly and fearful fight of Devils, the delicate Ears with the horrible noiſe of the damned Spirits, the nice ſmell with poiſoned ſtench of brimſtone, the dainty taſte with moſt ravenous hunger and thirſt; and all the ſenſible parts of the body with burning fire. Again, the Imagination ſhall be tormented with the apprehenſion of pains preſent and to come, the Memory with the remembrance of pleaſures paſt, the Underſtanding with conſideration of the felicity loſt, and the miſery now to come on. O poor Chriſtian! what wilt thou do amidſt the multitude of ſo grievous calamities.

XII. It is a wonderful matter, and able, as one Father ſaith, to make a reaſonable man go out of his wits, to conſider what God hath revealed unto us in the Scriptures, of the dreadful circumſtances of this puniſhment; and yet to ſee how little wretchleſs men of this world do fear it. For firſt, touching the univerſality, verity and greatneſs of the pain, not only the Reaſons before alledged, but alſo divers Conſiderations in the Scriptures do declare: As where it is ſaid of the damned, They ſhall be tormented day and night. Rev. 20.14. And again,Rev. 20. Give her torment, ſpeaking of Babylon in Hell, by which is ſignified, that the pains in Hell are not exerciſed for chaſtiſement, but for torment of the parties: And torments commonly, we ſee in this world to be as great and extream as the Wit of a man can reach to deviſe. Imagine then,Luke 16. when God ſhall lay his head to deviſe torments, as he hath done in Hell, what manner of torments will they be.

XIII. If creating an Element here for our comfort, I mean the fire, he could create the ſame ſo terrible, as it is in ſuch ſort, as a man would not hold his only hand in it, to gain a Kingdom; what a fire think you hath he provided for Hell, which is not created for comfort, but for torment of the parties? Our fire hath many differences from that, and therefore is truly ſaid of the holy Fathers, to be but a painted and feigned fire, in reſpect of that: for our fire was made to comfort us, as I have ſaid, and that to torment: Our fire hath need to be fed continually with wood, or elſe it goeth out; that burneth continually, without feeding: Ours giveth light, that giveth none: Ours is out of his natural place, and therefore ſhifteth to aſcend, and to get from us, as we ſee; but this is in the natural place where it was created; and therefore it abideth there perpetually: Ours conſumeth the matter laid in it, and ſo quickly diſpatcheth the pain; that tormenteth, but conſumeth not, to the end, the pain may be everlaſting: Our fire is extinguiſhed with water, and abated greatly by the coolneſs of the Air about it: that hath no ſuch abatement or qualification. Finally, what a ſtrange and incredible kind of fire that is, as appeareth by theſe words of our Saviour ſo often repeated? There ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Weeping is to be referred to the effect of extream burning in the fire; for that the torment of ſcalding and burning enforceth Tears ſooner than any other torment, as appeareth in them which upon a ſudden do put an hot thing into their mouth, or ſcald any other part of their body; and gnaſhing of their teeth, or chattering, at leaſt, as every man knoweth, proceedeth of great and extream cold. Imagine then what fire this is, which hath ſuch extream effects both of heat and cold. O mighty Lord, what a ſtrange God art thou! how wonderful and terrible in all thy works and inventions! how bountiful art thou to thoſe that love and fear thee! how ſevere to them that contemn thy Commandments! Haſt thou deviſed a way how they that lie burning in the lake of fire and brimſtone, ſhall be tormented with extream cold? What underſtanding of man can conceive how this may be? But thy Judgments, O Lord, are a depth without bottom; and therefore I leave this to thine own providence, praiſing thee eternally for the ſame.

XIV. Beſides theſe general pains, common to all that be in that place, the Scripture ſignifieth alſo, that there ſhall be particular torments, peculiar both in quality and quantity to the ſins and offences of each offender: for to that end ſaith the Prophet, Iſa. 17. and Iſa. 28. to God: Thou wilt judge in meaſure againſt meaſure. And God ſaith of himſelf, I will exerciſe judgment in weight and juſtice in meaſure. And this is the meaning of all thoſe threats of God to ſinners, where he ſaith, he will pay them home according to their particular works, and according to the inventions of their own hearts. In this ſence it is ſaid in Revel. 18. of Babylon now thrown down into the Lake; Look how much ſhe hath glorified her ſelf, and hath lived in delights, ſo much torment and affliction give her. Whereof the holy Fathers have gathered the variety of torments that ſhall be in that place, ſaith old Ephraim: As if the Adulterer ſhould have one kind of torment, the Murderer another, the Thief another, the Drunkard another, the Lyar another: As if the proud man ſhould be trodden under feet, to recompence his pride, the Glutton ſuffer ineſtimable hunger, the Drunkard extream thirſt, the delicious mouth filled up with gall, and the delicate body feared with hot burning Irons.

XV. The Holy Ghoſt ſignifieth ſuch a thing, when he ſaith in the Scriptures of the wicked worldling, His bread in his belly ſhall be turned into Gall of Serpents;Job 20. he ſhall be conſtrained to ſpue out again the riches which he hath devoured: nay, God ſhall pull them out of his belly again: He ſhall be conſtrained to ſuck the Gall of Cockatrices, and the Tongue of an Adder ſhall kill him; he ſhall pay ſweetly for all that ever he hath done, and yet ſhall not be conſumed; but ſhall ſuffer according to the multitude of all his devices: utter darkneſs lieth in wait for him, and fire which needeth no kindling ſhall eat him up. This is the wicked man's portion from God. By which words, and ſuch like, is plainly ſhewed, that worldlings ſhall receive, as it were, particular and proper torments, for their gluttony, for their delicate fare, for their extortion, and the like; which torments ſhall be greater than any worldly Tongue can expreſs, as may appear by the vehement and horrible words which the Holy Ghoſt here uſeth, to inſinuate the ſame.

XVI. Beſides this, the Scripture ſheweth unto us, not only the univerſality, particularity, and ſeverity of theſe pains, but alſo the ſtraitneſs thereof, without aid or help, eaſe or comfort, when he ſaith, we ſhall be caſt in bound hand and feet: For it is ſome kind of comfort in this world, to be able to reſiſt or ſtrive againſt our afflictions: but here we muſt lie ſtill, and ſuffer all. Again, when he ſaith, Clauſa eſt Janua, the Gate is ſhut: that is, the Gate of all Mercy, all Pardon, of all Eaſe, of all Intermiſſion, of all Comfort, is ſhut up from Heaven, from Earth, from the Creator, and from Creatures, inſomuch as no conſolation is ever to be hoped for any more, as in all the miſeries of this life there is always ſome. This ſtraitneſs is moſt lively expreſſed in that dreadful Parable of the Rich Glutton in Hell, who was driven to that neceſſity, as he deſired that Lazarus might dip the top of his finger in water, to cool his Tongue, in the midſt of that fire wherein he ſaith he was; and yet could he not obtain it. A ſmall refreſhing it ſeemeth it would have been unto him, if he had obtained, the ſame: but, to ſhew the ſtraitneſs of the place, it was denied him. O you that live in the ſinful wealth of the world, conſider but this one Example of God's ſeverity, and be afraid. This man was in great Royalty a little before, and nothing regarded the extream miſery that Lazarus was in: But would he give a thouſand worlds, if he had them, for one drop of water to cool his Tongue. What demand could be leſs than this? He durſt not ask to be delivered thence, or to have his torments diminiſhed, or to ask a great Veſſel of water to refreſh his whole body therein, but only ſo much as would ſtick on the top of a man's finger, to cool his Tongue. To what need was this man driven, that was ſo rich before! What a great imagination had he of the force of one drop of water! To what a pitiful change was his Tongue now come unto, that was wont to be ſo diligently applied with all kinds of pleaſant Liquors! O that one man could take example by another. Either this is true, or elſe the Son of God is a Liar. And then, what men are we, that ſeeing our ſelves in danger of this miſery, do not ſeek with more diligence to avoid the ſame?

XVII. In reſpect of theſe extremities, and ſtrait dealings of God, in denying all comfort and conſolation at this day, the Scripture ſaith, that men ſhall fall into rage, fury, and utter impatience, blaſpheming God, and curſing the day of their Nativity; with eating their own Tongues for grief, and deſiring the Rocks and Mountains to come and fall on them, to end them of their pains.

XVIII. Now if we add to this the eternity and everlaſting continuance of theſe torments, we ſhall ſee that it increaſeth the matter greatly: for in this world there is no torment ſo great, but that time either taketh away, or diminiſheth the ſame: for either the tormentor, or the tormented dieth, or ſome occaſion or other happeneth to alter or mitigate the matter; but here is no ſuch hope or comfort: but, ſaith the Scriptures, they ſhall be tormented for ever in a pool burning with fire and brimſtone: As long as God is God, ſo long ſhall they burn; there ſhall neither the tormentor or the tormented die, but both live eternally, for the eternal miſery of the parties to be puniſhed.

XIX. Oh! ſaith one of the Fathers, in a godly Meditation, if a ſinner damned in Hell, did know that he had to ſuffer thoſe torments there no more thouſands of years than there be Sands in the Sea, and Graſspiles on the ground, or no more thouſands of millions of Ages, than there be Creatures in Heaven and Earth, he would greatly rejoice thereof; for then he would comfort himſelf, at the leaſt, with this Cogitation, that once the matter would have an end: But now, ſaith this good man, this word never breaketh his heart when he thinketh on it: And after an hundred thouſand millions of Worlds there ſuffered, he hath as far to his end as he had at the firſt day of his entrance to theſe torments. Conſider (good Chriſtians) what a length an hour would ſeem to thee, if thou had'ſt but to hold thy hand in fire and brimſtone only during the ſpace thereof. We ſee if a man be grievouſly ſick, tho he be laid on a very ſoft bed, yet one Night ſeemeth a long time unto him; he turneth and toſſeth himſelf from ſide to ſide, telling the Clock, and counting the hours as they paſs, which ſeemeth to him a whole day: And if a man ſhould ſay unto him, that he were to abide that pain but ſeven years together, he would go well nigh to deſpair for grief. Now if one Night ſeem ſo long and tedious to him that lieth on a good ſoft bed, and afflicted only with a little Ague, what will the lying in fire and brimſtone do, when he ſhall know evidently, that he ſhall never have end thereof. O (dear Brother)! the ſatiety of continuance is loathſome, even in things that are not evil of themſelves; if thou ſhouldeſt always be bound to eat one meat, it would be diſpleaſant to thee in the end; if thou ſhould'ſt be bound to ſit ſtill all thy life in one place, without moving, it would be grievous unto thee, albeit no man did torment thee in that place: What then will it be to lie eternally; that is, world without end, in moſt exquiſite torments? Is it any way tolerable? What Judgment then, what Wit, what Diſcretion is there left in man, which makes no more account of this matter than they do.

XX. I might here add another circumſtance which the Scripture addeth, to wit, that all theſe torments ſhall be in darkneſs, a thing dreadful of it ſelf to man's Nature: For there is not the ſtouteſt man in the world, if he be found himſelf alone, and naked, in extream darkneſs, and ſhould hear a noiſe of Spirits coming towards him, but he would fear, albeit he felt never a laſh from them on his body. I might alſo add another circumſtance that the Prophet addeth, which is, that God and good men ſhall laugh at them that day, which will be no ſmall affliction: For as to be moaned by a man's friends in time of adverſity, is ſome comfort, ſo to be laughed at, eſpecially by him who only may help him, is a great and intolerable increaſe of his mifery.

Queſt. But what was the Subſtance of Stephen's prayer.

Anſ. He prayed for himſelf, Lord Jeſus, receive my Spirit, ver. 59. Secondly, He prayed for his perſecutors; Lord, lay not this ſin to their charge, ver. 60.

I will not enter upon this part of the Text, for it would ſwallow up all my time: Therefore I ſhall wave it, and come to the Third part, which is that, that by God's aſſiſtance I purpoſe to ſpeak unto, to wit, what Stephen did when he had finiſhed his Prayer: When he had ſaid this, he fell aſleep; that is, he died. Behold here the Magnanimity, the Piety, and the Chriſtian Courage of Stephen: The people were ſtoning of him, and gnaſhing their Teeth upon him: and the good man dies with as much quietneſs of mind as if he had died on his bed: He fell aſleep while they were ſtoning him; while he died he prayed, and while he prayed he died.

But what made Stephen die thus quietly? Read the 55th Verſe, and you ſhall ſee the Reaſon of it: Being full of the Holy Ghoſt, he looked up ſtedfaſtly into Heaven, and ſaw the glory of God and Jeſus ſtanding at the right hand of God. This made him die with ſuch a ſweet, quiet, and calm Temper; he ſaw Jeſus Chriſt ſtanding at the Right Hand of God, ready to receive his Soul, and that made him to die with ſuch an extraordinary quietneſs of mind.

Death in Scripture, eſpecially the death of God's Children, is often compared to a ſleep: It is ſaid of David, 1 Kings 2.10. that he ſlept with his Fathers. And it is ſaid, 1 Theſ. 4.3. I would not have you ignorant concerning them that are aſleep; that is, concerning them that are dead. And 1 Cor 11.50. For this cauſe many are weakly and ſick among you, and many ſleep; that is, many die. This Expreſſion is a Metaphorical Expreſſion, and will afford us many rare and pretious Inſtructions: And therefore, the Grace of God aſſiſting me, I deſire to ſpend the reſt of the time in opening this Metaphor.

The Doctrine is this, viz. That when a child of God dies, though his death be never ſo unnatural and violent, yet it is nothing but a falling aſleep. Or, A Child of God, though ſtoned to death, though burnt to aſhes, though it be never ſo violent, or unnatural, is nothing but a falling aſleep: When he had ſaid this, he fell aſleep.

Somnus eſt mortis Imago; Sleep is the Image of Death. There are many notable reſemblances betwixt ſleep and death, ſome of which I ſhall ſpeak of at this time.