his right hand did lay hold on them that hated him and took no heed to his Laws and making Sodom and Gomorrah as a fiery Oven in the time of his anger he swallowed up all the Sinners of those Places in his Wrath and devoured them with this unquenchable fire the Place now is like a fiery Oven or like a great fiery Furnace the smoke of whofe flame was so great that far and near it might be seen concerning the horror of the Sodomits when compassed about with Flames I shall speak more under the third particular only here add these things which were remarkable in in this judgement First The strangeness of it Secondly The suddenness and unexpectedness of it Thirdly The dreadfulness of it First This Judgement was very Strange It is the nature of Fire to ascend towards Heaven but here Fire and Brimstone together do descend from Heaven this is very strange the Sodomits had an unnatural Fire within them and they have an unnatural Fire sent upon them they lust after strange Flesh Iud. 7. And God punished them with strange Fire Iob 31. 3. Is not destruction to the wicked and a strange punishment unto the workers of Iniquity But of all strange punishments this is one of the most strange never such a thing was heard of before or hath been known since as I may apply what Moses speaketh on another occasion Deut. 4. 32. Aske now of the days which are past which were before since God Created Man upon the Earth and ask from one side of Heaven unto the other whether there hath been such a thing as this great thing or hath been like it that God should Rain Fire and Brimstone from Heaven to punish wicked Cities We read of Fire sent down from Heaven by the Lord upon the request of Elijah which consumed his Sacrifice although he had drenched it often and surrounded it with Water all which was licked up by the fire unto the wonder and astonishment of the People whereby the Lord discovered his power beyond Baal whose Priests could not by all their prayers and cutting themselves prevail with their God to effect any such thing 1 Kings 18. 26 28 37 38. And we read of Fire sent down from Heaven which destroyed two Captains and their fifty's upon the request of the same Prophet these things were exceeding strange but the rain of Fire and Brimstone from Heaven which consumed several Cities and all their Inbitants together was far more strange Fire hath come from Heaven but never so great Fire Fire hath come down from Heaven but never Fire mingled with Brimstone Fire and Brimstone hath come forth of the bowels of the Earth of which in the second discourse but never did Fire and Brimstone come down from Heaven either before or since Secondly This judgement was sudden and unexpected It was like the Flood to the old World which was drowned or like the coming of Christ to the Sinners on Earth which shall be damned when the greatest judgements are most near the Sinners which shall be destroyed thereby are most secure and thus it was with the Sinners of Sodom the day before there was no appearance of any such destruction near there was no sign in the Earth or in the Heavens of any such thing the night before also was like other nights no fire beginning in any place only the fire of lust which burned and raged in the hearts of that wicked people but they had no apprehension of danger from those flames when the morning was come it was like other mornings there were no fiery dews or fore-drops of the fiery rain to give them warning of what would follow The shaddows of the night were chased away by the beams of the morning Sun there was no appearance of the shaddows of the night of Death ready to stretch forth themselves upon all the Inhabitants of Sodom and Neighbour Cities together But so soon as Lot was entered into Zear the Lord rained Fire and Brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah and brought such a sudden destruction upon them as they could not escape Even as it will be ere long with Babylon Rev. 18. 7 8. So it was with Sodom she lived deliciously and securely and in one day death and mourning came upon her and she was utterly burnt with Fire Could the Sodomits have foreseen and certainly foreknown what destruction would have befallen their City that day they would have hastened out of the place the day before at furthest they would have delayed no longer than that morning when Lot did depart they would have flocked about him old and young from every quarter and have departed with him they would not have vallued houses of goods so that they might have but sav'd their lives But the Sodomits did not in the least apprehend their destruction to be so near The Angels knew it but they discover the thing unto Lot only if they had made it know unto the Sodomits it is most likely they would not have believed it any more than Lot's Sons in Law did believe Lot when from their mouth he did declare it The Sodomits are jovial and secure as if their life and mirth should continue many a year when neither of them were a days standing longer Thirdly This judgement was most dreadful we read in the Scriptures and have seen with our eyes very great judgements but none so dreadful all things considered as this of Fire and Brimstone from Heaven Indeed the Flood which devoured the whole old World together Noah and his Family excepted did strike the most universal dread upon the children of men of any judgement that ever hath been since the Worlds Creation yet the Fire and Brimstone from Heaven which devoured Sodom and Gomorrah with all their Inhabitants Lot only and his Family excepted had more of particular dread in it in as much as death by Fire is more painful than death by Water especially such Fire as came down from Heaven It was a terrible day to the old World when they saw the Windows of Heaven opened and Water to come forth from thence in such great abundance as to swell into a Flood and that so great a Flood as drowned all Man-kind which were not found in the Ark But it was a more terrible day to the Sodomits when they saw the Windows of Heaven opened and Fire to come forth from thence Fire mingled with Brimstone and Gods fiery indignation which falling upon their Houses and heads put all into flames this last judgement as it had more strangeness in it so it did strike more terrour into the hearts of those which did endure it When the ground clave asunder and the Earth opening her mouth swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram with all that appertained to them when they went thus down alive into the pit and the Earth closing upon them again they perished from the Congregation Num. 16. vers 32. 33. This was a very feaful judgement but the opening
and ungodly here you that are righteous shall escape God will hide you in the day of his anger when a Deluge of Judgements shall break in upon the ungodly God will provide an Ark for you when God raineth a horrible Tempest of Fire and Brimstone upon the wicked he will provide a Zoar for you God will either keep you from the judgement it self which befalleth others or else he will keep you in it and from that fiery indignation which is mingled with it be sure you shall be kept from the horrible Tempest of Fire and Brimstone which shall beat upon the head of the wicked at last when the Heavens shall be on Fire and pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall be on Fire and melt with fervent hâ—…at and the Earth shall be on Fire and all things here below in flames when the wrath of the Sin-revenging God shall break forth like a Deluge upon the Ungodly World and they shall be cast together into the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone Heaven shall be youâ—… Ark your Zoar where you shall be in safety and made happy in the full enjoyment of God unto 〈◊〉 eternity Away then with fear and dread whatever the fâ—…owns and threatnings of men be though 〈◊〉 oâ—… the Ungodly may inveron you though the wrath of wicked men like fire be kindled against you yet being righteous you are safe since God is for you neither men nor Devils shall be permitted to do you real hurt God is your dwelling place and God is your hiding place you are under his wing whilst you remain here and you shall hereafter lye in his bosom for ever Fire and Brimstone from Earth in the burning of Aetna or Mount Gibel CHAP. I The Introduction THe History of Sodom and Gomorrah's flames and destruction by Fire and Brimstone from Heaven may seem incredible unto some who either are ignorant of the Infinite Power of God whereby he can do whatever he pleaseth as evidently appeareth in the mighty works thereof which could not be effected without the hand of Omnipotency and know not how feirce and hot his anger is which burneth in his breast against Sinners especially such Sinners as the Sodomits were which would quickly put the whole world into flames did not his infinite Patience restrain it for a while from breaking forth in it's rage and fury or whâ—… give no credit unto the Divine Authority of the Scriptures of whom there are too many in our age and Nation which doth relate this judgement on those wicked Cities which however being indeed the Word of God as might be proved by many unaswerable Arguments the record of them is undoubtedly true and may as firmly be believed as any thing may certainly be known which is the object of sence or demonstrable by reason Even as the future flames of Fire and Brimstone in Hell are discredited by such Atheists and Antiscripturists and little effectually believed of the most as appeareth by their secure walking in the broad way of Sin which leadeth to this place of most dreadful and eternal burning Therefore by way of Appendix unto Sodom's burning and by way of Introduction unto the burning of Hell I shall treat of Aetna or Mount Gibel's burning with Fire and Brimstone out of the bowels of the Earth especially in the eruption of it the last year which being a thing so late and so nâ—…ar and so attested by eye-witniss and so easily disproved yet not disproved as it would have been by this time had it been false I suppose will find credit with the most and may be of greater use than hath as yet been made of it from the relation we have had so barely of the thing without any mention made of the name of God or his hand or the end which he may have in such wonderful and stupendous burnings It is from the soul that the body hath it's life and motion it 's beauty and lustre when the soul is separated the body becomes a carkasse breathless lifeless ghaâ—…y and subject to putrefaction The whole world is full of God Praesentemque refert quaelibet herba Deum every pile of Grasse yea the meanest thing which is the object of our eye or any 〈◊〉 doth carry an Imprâ—…sse of God especially the greater works of Creation and Providence do bare large characters of the Deity and have Praise unto the Lord written more legibly upon them and although God be not the Soul of the World as some have affirm'd yet the whole Creation hath it's beauty from him and so far are any work truly admirable and great as God is taken notice of in them The Sun Moon and Stars and the whole frame of the Heavens are most great and illustrious as by their brightness and motion they declare the glory of the Lord their maker and ruler The Earth and Sea and all things in both as they set forth Gods infinite power and wisdom and goodness so far they are most worthy our observation and admiration All the good things we receive are onely so far truly good to us as we perceive them handed to us by God and Gods hand in afflictions also doth sweeten them to us when we are perswaded of the Author and God's love and design for our good in them To leave out God therefore in the consideration of any work is to leave out that which is chiefly remarkable without him we see but the carkasse without the Soul without the the life and beauty The design therefore of this Treatise concerning Aetna's late burning is to turn our eye upward towards God that we take notice of him and give him the glory of this work which is the wonder of all unto whom the notice thereof hath come There are six things under this subject which â—… shall briefly creat of First Concerning the Mountain of Aetna or Gibel in the general Secondly Concerning the Antecedents of the late Eruption of this Mountain Thirdly Corcerning the eruption of Fire and Brimstone it self from the Mountain Fourthly Concerning the concomitants of this eruption Fifthly Concerning the cause of this eruption Sixthly And lastly concerning the use and improvement which we should make of it CHAP. II. Concerning the Mountain of Aetna or Gibel in the general AETna is a Mountain in the Island of Sicily which Island is inviron'd round by the Tyrâ—… Sea but a small distance from Italy in one part of it up to which ancient Writers think it was joyned by an 〈◊〉 or neck of Land like as Pelepâ—…sus to Greece unto the continent of Italy but by the violent beating of the Sea upon that neck was devided asunder 〈◊〉 iâ—… so Iustin. lib. 4. cap. 1. and others are of the sâ—…me mind The heigth and bigness of this Aetna or Mount Gâ—…b is very great some 〈◊〉 it to be ten 〈◊〉 others fifteen mâ—…les distant from the head and top above to the foot and plain 〈◊〉 â—…nd perpendicular in a strait line to
last of which the account followeth CHAP. III. Concerning the Antecedents of the late eruption of Mount Aetna IT was on Fryday night the eight of March 166â—… that a great noise and roaring was heard from the bowels and mouth of Mount Aetna which sounded far and near more loud and dreadful than that of great Guns in the Camps or Ships of enemies the roaring of the Sea in a storm when it lifteth up its Waves on high and dasheth them with violence upon great Rocks and lofty Shoars was nothing in comparison and it may be questioned whether the loud cracks of thunder when with the greatest fiercenesse it breaketh thorow the thickest cloud did ever sound so terribly although this hath some time caused great men full of guilt to run under their beds for fear as this roaring and bellowing of Mount Aetna did that night which being in the silent night when all things were hush and other noises asleep was heard with the greater plainnesse and astonishment This awakened the Inhabitants of Catania a City fifteen miles distant from the Mount especially those who lived upon the Borders and sides thereof whereby they were surprized with great fear possibly much as the wicked world shall be when they shall hear the sound of the last Trumpet summoning them to Judgement The roaring of the Mountain was accompained at the same time with a shaking and trembling of the Earth which must needs add to the trembling and horrour of the people who dwelt there about The City of Catania it self did feel the earth quake the houses whereof shoâ—…k so and danced as if they would immediately have tumbled from their foundations But the Earth-quake was most violent in the Countreys and Villages nearer unto and upon the sides of the Mountain where there was such a shaking and concussion that people could not stand upon their legs without holding one by the other but reeled and staggered too and fro as if they had been overcome with Drink and the houses of many were so cleft and torn that first shaking out their Inhabitants who with all speed hastned out of them they quickly tumbled to the ground The whole Town of Nicolosi was utterly ruin'd by the Earth-quake the Towns of Padara and Tre-Castager were the greatest part of them ruin'd and destroyed The sight of such ruines before the eye the feeling such motions and shakings under the feet the found of such roarings from the Mountain in the ear surely did strike those people with more terrour and amazement than was upon the Inhabitants of London when their houses were in flames before them and they forced to seek their lodgings in the Fields Besides this the fear of these perplexed people was encreased when they saw the ground to cleave in several places about them and the Earth to open its mouth as if it would have devoured them as formerly the Rebellions Corah Dathan and Abiram were swallowed up This put them upon the wing to fly with all hast from those parts who in great amazement with hair standing an end joints trembling distracted looks hardly able to speak brought the tidings of these things to the City of Cantania CHAP. IV. Concerning the Eruption it self of Fire and Brimstone from Mount Aetna AFter warning given by the voice of the Mountain and the shaking of the Earth unto people to fly from that place of danger and threatâ—…d ruine on Munday the 11th of March there were three great eruptions on the side of the Mountain besides the smoke and flames which issued forth of the mouth at the top thereof the breaches and clefts of the Earth were a half of a mile in compasse as afterwards gâ—…sed out of which an horrible burning flood 〈◊〉 come forth and more fiercely than any floods of Water could do ran down the sides of the Mount It was the fire contained before within the bowels of the Mountain too big and great to vent it self at the top that forced it's way thorow the sides and making doors for it self brak forth with such noise and rage as was terrible to hear and behold This fire in its first vent folding it self in great flames as if more than a thousand houses had been burning together mounted up towards Heaven not lesse as was judged than a hundred Yards in height which was accompained with such a roaring noise far beyond what was heard before at the mouth of the Hill like as if more than a thousand Canons or great pieces of Ordinance had been at once discharged and there withall vast stones were shot forth some of them three hundred pound weight which were mounted aloft very high in the Air and with great force were thrown many miles from the place this grew into a furious Tempest not of Rain or Hail but which was far more dreadful of burning coals and ashes and suffocating smoke which beat down upon the Countrey all about something like that rain of Fire and Brimstone which fell upon Sodom But that which was most notable in these eruptions was the stream and flood of fire which in liqued melted matter gushed forth at the breaches We read Isa. 30. 33. Of a stream of Brimstone kindled by the breath of God which runneth in burning Tophet Such was the stream of Fire and Brimstone which came forth of this burning Mountain the flames of it were blew like burning brimstone the coulour of it fiery red like melted brasse the motion of it like Quick-silver this stream wherein great stones were seem to swim of the bigness of an ordinary Table coming forth at the sides of the Mountain ran down like a mighty torrent and meeting with a Hill devided it self into two currents which spread themselves one of them in some places at least six miles in breadth and was judged to be fifteen yards in depth In its progresse this stream ran in upon a Lake of four fathem Water and four miles in compass which it both filled up and raised a Hill of ragged Stones and Rocks upon it The composition of this fiery stream was judged to be Sulphur Nitre Sal Armoniac Lead Iron Brass and other Metals melted with the vehement heat of the fire We have read of a Deluge and Flood of Waters which drowned the old World and other lesser inundations which have drowned particular places but I know not any History which giveth relation of a Deluge and Flood of fire such as this which devoured and destroyed whatever lay in it's way The late relation telleth us that wheresoever it passed it left large heaps of it's congealed matter with which it covered and burnt the Earth melting the Walls of Castles and Houses throwing down all before it nothing being found able to resist it's force or quench it's burning Water being observed rather to add to it's fury Where ever it hath passed it hath left dreadful marks behind it levelling some Hills and raising others so much changing the scituation that not the least trace of
such when the Mountain was dissolved and did melt with fervent heat into Floods of burning Fire might look upon Death the utmost the fire could bring upon them with an unappaled countenance yea with great considence and comfort because of their well-grounded hopes of rest and happiness in Heaven whose habitation prepared for them there is beyond the reach of any Earthly Fire to consume But no wonder if the blind Superstitious Papists whose worship is mingled with such vanity and Indolatry be filled with such dread and horrour especially the more notorious Sinners amongst them surely the consciences of the most are now awkened the stings and lashes whereof no doubt above all other things did at this time encrease their terrour But what course do they take for the diverting Gods anger which so visibly did break sorth in these Flames and Fire from the burning Mountain and for the prevention of the threatned ruine they do not betake themselves to their knees to Fasting and Prayer in any way of Gods prescribing they do not apply themselves by Faith unto the Blood of Christ to appease the wrath of the angry God No. The Relation telleth us that The Religious appeared every where with much devotion carrying in Procession their Reliques especially those of St. Agatha the famous Martyr of Catania in which they reposed no small confidence followed by a great multitude of people mortifying themselves with Whips and other signs of penance And at another time The Bishop of the place followed by the Clergy Secular and Regular and an infinite number of the people went in solemn Procession out of the City of Catania unto Monte de St. Sophia carrying out with greatest Devotion their choicest Reliques and upon an Altar erected in view of the Mountain exposed them where they celebrated Masse and used exorcismes accustomed upon such extraordinary occasions Thus blind and sottishly Superstitions these people are But is the anger of the Lord hereby appeased No it is so much the more encreased and they cannot charm the noise and flames of the Mountain with all their Exorcismes But all the while they continue in their Superstitious exercices It is said The Moantain ceased not as before with excessive roaring to throw up it's smoke and flames with extraordinary violence and abundance of great stones were carried thorow the air some of them falling within their view though as ten miles distant from the eruption This was an open rebuke of them for their Superstition â—…o odious and abominable in the â—…ight of God CHAP. VI. Concerning the cause of the Eruption of Mount Aetna THe Supreme cause of the flames and fiery streams which brake forth from the Bowels of Mount Aetna was the Lord who is not only Ens Entium the Being of Beings but also Causa Causarum the Cause of Causes whatever was the second God was the first cause all the works of Nature in the World being effected by him who is the God of Nature in and by him every thing hath as it 's being so also it 's vertue and operation It is said Iob 9. 10. He doth great things past finding out yea and wonders without number amongst the Mirabilia Dei the wonderful works of God this is none of the least In Miracles God doth work more immediately and in wonders God doth work more remarkably than in ordinary works Moreover this Eruption of Fire which made such a dreadful devastation of houses carried with it the plain face of a Judgement and every judgement it is from God as the Judge of the World God is in no wise the Author of Sin but he is the Author of all penal evil the anger of the Lord did not only smoke but break forth into a Flame it was the breath of the Lord that did kindle this Stream which overturned and swallowed up so many Habitations And surely the Inhabitants of the place had been blowing up the Coals of Gods anger before by their Sins It was not without cause from themselves that this judgement was brought upon them The distance of this Place from Rome is but little and the difference between them in Idolatry and all sort of wickedness is reported to be lesse Sicily hath drunk deep of the Cup of Fornication which is in the hand of the Romish Whore and God made some of them drink something of the Cup of his Wrath and Indignation yea Sodomy it self is of frequent practice in those parts and God brings ruine like unto that of Sodom upon their houses by Streams of Fire and Brimstone though through infinite patience their persons were preserved The cause under God of these dreadful Eruptions was the Fire in the Bowels of the Mountain which meeting with a large quantity of combustible matter and kindling it could not be contained in so streight room but with such noise and violence brake forth in such flames and streams at the mouth and sides When this Fire was first kindled is not known the burning of the Mountain being more ancient than any History can remember What the Poets feign concerning the War of the Gyants with the Gods and their casting down great Enceladus with Thunder and keeping him down with vast Mountains and this of Aetna being thrown upon his head that this Fire was kindled by his hot breath is as ridiculous as it is fabulous Some are of the opinion that there are Fountains of Fire under ground as well as of Water and that in the bosom and bowels of the Earth God hath layd up Treasures of this Element enclosing it in vast Caverns as in so many Store-houses which Subterranean Fire they assign to be the cause of hot Bathes and that Mount Aetna as also Vesuvius with other flaming Mountains which Geographers and Travellers tell us are to be seen in all the parts of the World are the breathing holes of this Fire but the Scripture is wholly silent of any such work of God there we read of the Earth and the gathering together of the waters and the Fountains of the great deep but nothing of any Fountains of Fire mingled with either of these Elements and the laying up of this Element in store in a place so low when naturally it tendeth upwards is not easie to conceive besides who ever hath descended into the depths of the Earth to search and find out these depths of Fire Iustin giveth other reasons of this Fire Lib. 4. Caâ—… 1. Est antem terra tennis fragilis cavernis quibusdam fistulisque ita penetrabilis ut ventorum tota ferme flatibus pateat nec non ignibus generandâ—…s nâ—…triendisque soli ipsius naturalis materia quippe intrinsecus stratum sulphure bitumine traditur quae res facit ut spiritu cum igne inter interior a luctante frequenter compluribus lâ—…cis nunc flammas nunc vaporem nunc â—…umum eructet Indo denique Aetnae montis per tot socula durat incendium The meaning in brief is this The earth in
eat her Flesh and burn her with Fre. And again Chap. 18. throwout we have the destruction and burning of Babylon or Rome set forth at large Ver. 2. Babylon the great is fallen is fallen Ver. 4. Come out of her my people that ye pertake not of her Plagues Ver. 7. As she hath glorifyed her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Ver. 8. Her plagues shall come in one day and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her The Kings of the Earth that committed Fornication with her and Merchants and Ship-masters shall bewail her when they see the smoke of her burning Ver. 9. But in Heaven there shall be joy The Lord will rejoice the Prophets and Apostles will rejoice and all the Saints will rejoice in the vengeance which shall then be taken upon Her Ver. 20. Rome was standing and did rejoice when London was burning and I hope London will be standing and much more rejoice when Rome is burning London was burnt but in part Rome shall be utterly burnt with Fire London after it's burning is rebuilt in a great measure but Rome shall never be rebuilt after this burning This Babylon when it falleth shall never rise more Ver. 21. And a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great Mile-stone and cast it into the Sea saying Thus with violence shall that great City Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all As a great Mile-stone thrown into the midst of the Sea is overwhelmed with Water so shall Rome be overwhelmed with Fire and as a Mile-stone cannot be raised and drawn out of the Sea so Rome when burnt shall never be raised again out of it's ashes and ruines Dreadful will the destruction of Rome be when the time of her barning is come those which stand a far off for fear of her torment who have been friends to her shall lament what lamentâ—…tions then will there be by such as shall be found in the place it self when it shall be set on Fire about their eares when the Pope and Cardinals and the other Inhabitants of that Filthy and Abominably wicked City shall be consumed together as is likely in the midst of the flames O the hideous out-crys which then will be made in every street when they are surrounded with Fire on all sides and there is no way left for them to escape when their Houses and Wealth and Persons shall be consumed together by the devouring flames when God by such a dreadful fire on Earth shall convey them down to the more dreadful fire of Hell Then the Lord will avenge all the blood of his Saints which under the Anti-Christian tyranny hath been shed for so many generations then he will avenge all the Idolatry Pride Covetousness Oppression Blasphemy Filthiness Cruelty and Wickedness of Rome together When the Grape â— of this Vine are fully ripe the Angel with his sharp Sicle will cut it and throw it into the Winepress of Gods wrath where it shall be squiesed and crusht to pieces When their iniquities are full then their ruine shall come And surely the time is not far off I am much of the perswasion that this generation shall not passe away before God will accomplish what he hath threatn'd concerning Râ—…nes burning and destruction the last Sands of the hour of Gods Patience seem to be running the forty and two months seem to be expiring and the two witnesses civilly slain it may be are arising and then Rome will quickly be faâ—…ling CHAP. X. Concerning the burning of the World 2 BY the burning of Mount Aetna we may be minded also of the burning of the World I mean the last general conslagration of the World at the end thereof whether Aetna's burning be a Prognostick of Rome's burning is not so certain but that it is a Prognostic of the Worlds burning and dissolution by Fire may be proved from Scripture as Luke 21. 11. Where our Saviour foretelling his Disciples what the signs should be of his coming and the end of the World amongst Wars Pestilences Earth-quakes doth reckon up fearful sights as one Fore-runner and I verily think there hath not been a more fearful sight since the days of our Saviour then this of the Eruption of Firâ—… and Brimstone from this flaming Mountain the Inhabitant of the place expected a general conflagration then but we may well say that this fearful sight is a Fore-runner of it foretold by Christ and therefore should put us in mind of it The notice of this great and universal burning of the World we have not from reason but from the Scripture the clearest and fullest place to prove this is 2 Pet. 3. 5 6 7. By the Word of God the Heavens were of Old and the Earth standing out of the Water and in the Water Whereby the World that then was being overflowed with Water perished But the Heavers and Earth which are now by the same Word are kept in store reserved unto Fire against the day of Iudgement and perdition of Ungodly men And Ver. 10. The day of the Lord will come as a Thief in the Night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Here Note First That as the World of old was drowned by Water so that the World that now is shall be consumed by Fire as certainly as the former was sâ—… certainly the later shall be and as dreadful as the Flood was to Sinners on that day so dreadful and much more dreadful will the Fire be to Sinners on the last day Secondly It is by the Word of the Lord that this general Conflagration shall be effected by the Word of the Lord the World was made and by the Word of the Lord the World was Drown'd and by the Word of the Lord the world shall be burn'd In his word he hath foretold it and by his Word he will effect it Thirdly The Heavens and Earth are said to be reserved in store for fire when the Old World was drowned it was only the Earth and Inhabitants thereof the Heavens were untouch'd and the Earth also did remain undissolved and the same Earth did appear afterwards when the Flood was drawn off by God but at the last day the Heavens and Earth too shall be dissolved by Fire not by subterranean Fire as some imagine and that as when the World was drowned the Fountains of the great deep were opened and the Waters kept before in Store-houses were brought forth which overwhelmed the Earth so that there are Fountains of Fire in the bowels of the Eatth and that there it is kept in Store-houses all which then shall be opened and that the fire shall break forth in a more dreadful flame then ever was seen at Mount Aetna and set the whole Fabrick of the World on â—…ire For as
was said before we read nothing of this in the Scripture it is said that the Heavens and Earth are kept in store for Fire but it is not said that fire is kept in store for them Bâ—…sides how can we conceive that any Subterranean fire should have power to reach and dissolve the Heavens Fourthly The time of this burning of the World shall be at the day of Iudgement and perdition of the Ungodly called Ver. 10. The day of the Lord It will be at the day of Christ appearance to Judgement when he shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire to take vengeance on the Ungodly World having first raised up the Righteous from the dead and gathered them together from the four Winds and called them up into the Clouds and openly acknowledged and acquitted them and set them in a place of safty for as Noah and his Family were hid from the Deluge of Water in the Ark so the Lord will hide all the Righteous under his wing from the Fire and having examined and Sentenced the wicked unto Eternal perdition then most probably will the time be of his setting the World on fire and that all the wicked of all Generations will remain in the midst of those flames until the whole be consumed except themselves who will be then cast into a place of more dreadful burning I mean the everlasting fire of Hell The time cannot be far off the Lord will come very shortly Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10. 37. And the Lord will come suddenly as a Thief in the night Ver. 10. When the World is secure and doth no more expect it than the old World did the Flood or the Sodomits did the fire then the Lord will come Fifthly Here is a more particular description of the burning of the World It is said Ver. 10. The Heavens shall 〈◊〉 away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the the works that are therein shall be burnt up And Ver II. All these things than be dissolved The Heavens shall be in flames and the frame of them crack with a hideous noise far beyond whatever before did â—…ound in the ear of any mortal and like a great scroll they shall be rolled together and fly away out of sight all the Elements also shall feel the force of this fire and hereby be melted and consumed into nothing the Elementary fire and air and water shall all melt with this fervent heat and evaporate so as to be no more but especially the earth and works thereof shall be the subject of these burnings all the Buildings all the houses and Towns and Cities of the world shall be on fire together all the great and vast Mountains shall be in flames yea and the great Woods Plains and Fields and the whole Earth from the very bottom of it's foundation shall be on fire and be burnt up O what a dreadful fire will this be it will be dreadful to behold it how dreadful will it be then to feel it to be in the midst of it as the wicked shall be in their passage to the eternal flames of Hell when they shall see the Heavens on fire and the air on fire and the Water on fire and the Earth on fire Cities on fire and Fields on fire and themselves on fire Head Back Breast Belly Hands Arms Legs Feet every part on fire and that such a fire though it doth torment them yet that shall not be able to consume them when they see the Heavens which have endured so long to melt stones to be broken and the hardest mettals to be dissolved by the fervent heat of this fire and yet their bodies made so strong that their flesh shall not be consumed hereby O how fearful will this be tongue cannot utter thought cannot conceive the anguish of the wicked on this day and in this place of fire Mr. Doolittle in his Book of Rebukes doth Patheticplly set forth the wo of the Ungodly through this fire from page 297. to p. 305 See the inference which the Apostle doth draw from the consideration of these flames which shall burn the world 2 Pet. 3. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness Unto which add the 14th Vers. Wherefore be loved seeing ye look for these things be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless 1. Look to your state that you be Godly persons that you be regenerate and have the Image likeness of God upon you such will be safe and out of the reach of these flames at that day but wo be to the Ungodly they cannot escape 2. Look to your conversation that it be Holy that you be Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1. 15. These great burnings and dissolution of all things should take off your heart from the World which ere long will be in flames and quicken you unto a holy and circumspect walking that when the Lord doth appear you may be found of him in paece without spot and blameless and then you shall be taken to inhabit the new Heavens and new Earth those glorious mansions which the Lord will prepare for his people where you shall have the presence of the Lord with you for evermore The third burning which will be is the burning of Hell of which in the next discourse Fire and Brimstone in Hell to Burn the Wicked Psal. 11. 6. Upon the wicked he shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup. CHAP. I. The Introduction THe flames and fiery Streams which were rained down from Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah formerly and which issued forth from the Earth in the Eruptions of Mount Aetna lately are but shaddows of the future flames and like painted fire in comparison with the streams of Fire and Brimstone which in Hell shall burn the wicked eternally For as the Glory of Heaven whilst we are in the dark Vale of this World doth far exceed all conception and therefore cannot be set forth in full by any description but as one saith whoever attempts to speak of an Heavenly state while himself is upon the Earth his discourse of that must needs be like the dark Dreams and Imaginations of a Child concerning the affairs of this World while it self is yet swadled and cradled in the Womb and the Apostle Paul himself though he had been rapt up unto the third Heaven and had such discoveries made unto him there that he wanted words to utter what they were as 2 Cor. 12. 2 3 4. Yet acknowledgeth that he understood like a Child and had but daak views of this Glory even as thorow a glass 1 Cor. 13. 11 12. So also the torment of Hell through that Fire and
from thee it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell and if thy Right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish and not that thy whole body should be cast into Hell That this Hell is not meant of the Grave into which the body shall be thrown is evident because those who do cut off the right hand and pluck out the right eye which offend that is mortifie those offensive lusts which are as dear and as hard to be parted withal as the members of the body shall be exempted and delivered from this Hell whereas none shall be exempted though never so holy and mortifyed from the Grave Yea and in this Hell it is said that both soul and body shall be destroyed Math. 10. 28. Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the Soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell Now the soul is not destroyed with the body in the Grave as they both shall be if wicked after the Resurrection in Hell Moreover this Hell threatned by our Saviour to those that don't cut off right hands c. will appear plainly to be the place of torment prepared for the wicked by the description of it repeated three times Math. 9. 43 44 45 46 47 48. To go into Hell into that fire which never shall be quenched where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched By the unquenchable Fire we are to understand the fire which shall burn the body by the never-dying worm the worm of conscience which shall eternally gnaw the soul. This Hell is called a Prison 1 Pet. 3. 19 20. By which also he went and Preached â—…nto the Spirits in Prison which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah By the spirits in Prison we are to understand the Souls in Hell the Souls of those wicked and disobedient persons in the old World who would not give â—…ar to the Preaching of Christ by his spirit in Noah and therefore a whole World on them were sent into the Prison of Hell together unto whom are gathered the souls of all that since have died in their Sins where they are bound up in chains of darkness and reserved unto the judgement of the great day Hell is also called a place of outer darkness where there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Math. 25. 30. It is called a Furnace of fire where all those that offend and do iniquity shall be thrown Math. 13. 41 42. It is called the great Wine-press of Gods Wrath where all the wicked shall be crushed to pieces under the exceeding and eternal weight of his wrath Rev. 14. 19 20. But especially it is set forth as a place of fire of which in the next particular Many have been the conjectures of Divines concerning the place where Hell is Some have thought it to be in the bowels of the Earth because it is spoken of as a place below and called by the â—…ame of a pit the bottemless pit out of which the smoke and locusts did arise Rev. 9. 2. And in which Sathan was bound and held as in a Prison Rev. 20. 1 2 3 7. And they have conceited the pit spoken of Num. 16. 33 Into which Corah Dathan and Abiram went down alive when the Earth clave asunder and swallowed them up was the pit of Hell into which both their soul and body together were immediately conveyed and that which hath the rather established such in this opinion hath been the vast quantity of Subterranean Fire which they imagine to be in the Bowels and Caverns of the Earth others have rather conceited it to be beyond this visible World which will pass away at the last day and removed at the greatest distance from the sedes bâ—…atorum the place where the righteous shall eternally Inhabit But the Scripture being silent as to this whatever is spoken on this subject where Hell is must needs be only by conjecture the Lord grant that none of us may know by experience our chief care should be that we may escape the punishment and not be inquisitive about that which the Lord hath not thought fit to reveal let it suffice us to know that there is such a place as Hell where the wicked shall be tormented CHAP. III. That Hell is a place of Fire and Brimstone THere is nothing that Hell is described by in the whole Book of the Scripture so much as by Fire and sometimes by Fire mingled with Brimstone It is called Fire Math. 3. 10. Every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the Fire Hell-Fire Mark 9. 47. It is better for thee to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than having two eyes to be cast into Hell-fire A Furnace of Fire Math. 13. 42. And shall â—…ast them into a Furnace of Fire It is called a place where the wicked shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 14. 10. And he shall be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the presence of the Holy Augels A Lake which burneth Fire and Brimstone Rev. 21. 8. And shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second death I know that it is a great question amongst Divines whether the fire of Hell which shall burn the Wicked will be a Real fire or a Metaphorica fire There are men of great name who assert it to be a Mataphorical Fire only and that because it is called a Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels who cannot be hurt by a real Fire because the worm which never dyeth is Mataphorically taken for the everlasting gnawings of conscience because the New Ierusalem which is above is Metaphorically described to be of pure Gold clear like Glass the foundations to be garnished with all manner of precious Stones and the Gates to be Pearls Rev. 21. 18 19. And by the same reason they say the description of Hell in the Scripture is Metaphorical those that thus affirm the Fire of Hell to be Metaphorical are so far from lessening the torment hereby which this Fire will inflict that they so much the more aggravate it because that Metaphorical fire they say will afflict more than if it were Real fire for as the glory of the New Ierusalem that Building of God made without hands eternal in the Heaâ—…ens doth far surpass all Metaphores whereby it is set forth which are made use of only to help our understanding in the conceiving of it's Glory so also the pain and torture of the damned in Hell will be more horrible and intollerable than if they were to be cast into Nebecadnezzars fiery Furnace when it was heated seven times more than it was wont to be heat insomuch as
FIRE AND BRIMSTONE From Heaven From Earth In Hell OR Three Discourses I. Concerning the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah formerly II. Concerning the burning of Aetna or Mount Gibel more lately III. Concerning the burning of the Wicked Eternally with Fire and Brimstone By Thomas Vincent sometime Minister of Maudlins Milk-street London Rev. 21. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving and Abominable and Murderers and Whore-mongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death London Printed for George Calvert and Samuel Sprint and are to be sold at the Golden Ball in Duck-Lane 1670. To the Reader THe occasion of my Writting these few Sheets concerning these three great Burnings was the breaking forth of such Flames and Streams of Fire the last Year at the Mouth and sides of Aetna or Mount Gibel being willing to take hold of any occasion especially so sutable as this to awaken Sinners that they might endeavour their escape from the future and everlasting burnings of Hell and this I thought the rather to do because in the Relation given us of those stupendous burnings of Aetna the hand of the Lord was not in the least minded his Name not once mentioned and no improvement thereof at all attempted by him or them that drew up the Narrative which to me seemed a shame and quickned me when others who might have done it better were silent in my endeavours to make some advantage of this Providence for the good of Souls The chief of what I had drawn up was several Months since which I purposed to Preach upon in the course of my Ministry as an Appendix unto the Doctrine of Contrition but being diverted from that Subject by some sevearer and threatning Providences I looked upon my self as called at that time rather to Preach upon such Subjects might tend to the support of Gods people under those sufferings which they were like to undergo if they would perseveer in his ways Thus my Papers were laid aside and laid asleep and I did think to bury them in my Closet and never to suffer them to come forth into the light But since the Fires which have broken forth of late in the City and Suburbs and Southwark and the general impression of fear of Fire upon the Sptrits of London's Inhabitants I thought it might be seasonable at this time to treat of Burnings that so I might prevail with all in danger especially the Inhabitants in and about London that if they should not escape the burnings of their Houses here for the preventing of which all diligence should be used yet that they would above all things endeavour to escape the burning of their Persons in the everlasting flames of Hell If this little Book be made use of by the Lord to keep any of you out of Hell give God all the praise and be mindful at the Throne of Grace of him who prayeth for the Salvation of all your Souls Thomas Vincent Fire and Brimstone from Heaven in the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah Psalm 11. 6. Upon the wicked he shall rain Snare Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup. CHAP. I. The Text opened and a general Doctrine observed THe Lord is known by the judgements which He executeth whereby he giveth Sinners to understand even in this World that as he is patient and long-suffering merciful and gracious and ready to be reconciled so that he is Holy and jealous just and righteous and that he can be angry and expresse his anger in furious rebukes when by sin he is exceedingly provoked hereunto And as the anger of the Lord in the height and feirenesse of it is compared unto Fire unto a flaming Fire which devoureth round about Lam. 2. 3. So his most dreadful judgements the expressions of his anger are by Fire especially by Fire mingled with Brimstone Such showers of Fire and Brimstone God doth threaten to rain upon the wicked in the Text Upon the wicked he shall rain Snares Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest this shall be the portion of their Cup. In this Psalm is set forth first the â—…hatred and indignation of the wicked towards the righteous which is expressed both in their scoffing at them and their preparing the bow and arrow to shoot and destroy them Ver. 1. 2. 2. the hatred and indignation of God towards the wicked which is expressed in his threatning to rain Snares Fire and â—…mstone and an horrible Tempest upon them to devour them Ver. 5. 6. Upon the wicked that is upon all the wicked who go on still in their trespasses especially such as are haters and persecutors of the righteous He shall rain Snares that is God will entangle and hold them so fast even like Birds under the snares and nets of the Fowler that they shall not be able to fie from and escape the destruction which he will bring upon them Fire and Brimstone and an horrible Tempest No Tempest is more horrible than a tempest of Fire and Brimstone which God will rain on the wicked this hath an allusion unto the real Fire and Brimstone miraculously Created by God and rained down from Heaven upon the wicked Cities of Sodom and Gemorrah something like unto this God threatneth in his destructions of other places Isa. 13. 19. And Babylon the glory of Kingdoms the beauty of the Caldees excellency shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah Amos 4. 11. I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah And if the wicked do escape real Fire and Brimstone and any temporal judgement like it on Earth be sure the Lord will rain an horrible Tempest of fire and brimstone upon them in Hell This shall be the portion of their Cup. The Lord hath received a portion and prepared a Cup for all the children of Men he hath a portion of good things for the righteous and he will give them the Cup of blessing and Salvation but he hath laid up a portion of evil things for the wicked and will put into their hands the Cup of his Wrath and Curse he hath reserved ruine and destruction for them by Fire and Brimstone Hence observe Doct. That an horrible Tempest of Fire and Brimstone God threatneth to rain on the wicked as their deserved portion I shall not here speak concerning all the dreadfull temporal judgements of God upon the wicked which may have some similitude unto destruction by Fire and Brimstone But treat concerning fire and brimstone it self and the destructions of it both what hath been and what shall be My chief design is as the Lord shall enable to set forth Gods vengeance on the wicked which shall be hereafter by Eternal fire and brimstone in Hell in order to the awakening of sleepy sinners out of their carnal security there being no greater awakening consideration in the whole Christian Religion than this of the
certain danger which all unbelieving sinners are in of Hell Fire and because such as are most concern'd in the danger are hardly brought to conceive but most hardly induc'd to consider this Fire it being so far remov'd at present from sense therefore by way of introduction unto the discourse concerning the burning of Hell I shall treat first of the fire and brimstone which formerly was rained from Heaven upon the wicked Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah Secondly of the fire and brimstone which more lately issued forth of the bowels of the Earth in the last years eruption of Mount Aetna that hereby I may both facilitate the conception and entice unto the consideration of the fire and brimstone in Hellâ—… which eternally shall burn the wicked whose portion that dreadful place is appointed to be CHAP. II. The Historical Introduction unto the Iudgement of Sodom DReadful were the showers of fire and brimstone which came down from Heaven upon the wicked Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim the History whereof we have recorded in the Scriptures the most ancient and most certain of all Histories where only this record is originally to be found But before I speak of this judgement I shall give the Historical Introduction to it shewing what the Scripture relateth concerning the places and people and some transactions before it's last ruine and desolation by Fire from Heaven The first notice we have of Sodom is in the 13th Chapter of Genesis It was in the early yeers of the World that Sodom flourished the sinners of Sodom were coâ—…emporary with Abraham the Father 〈◊〉 the Faithful none was like Abraham upon the Earth for goodness and none were like the Sodomites â—…on the Earth for wickedness the Text saith they â—…re sinners before the Lord exceedingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We read that Abraham had upon the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 â—…r saken his Fathers House and Kindred â—…d camâ—… iâ—… Canaan with Lâ—…t his Brother 〈◊〉 Son who so journed together for a while in 〈◊〉 Land which God promised to give unto tâ—… Pâ—…sterity of Abraham for a possession here the wealth and substance the Flocks and Herds â—…th of Abraham and Lot through God's blessings wâ—…re encreased greatly insomuch as they could not longer live well together because of the abundance of their Cattel and some strife which did arise between their Herdmen therefore Abraham that all occasions of contention might be avoided desires Lot to devide and separate himself with his Cattel and chuse either the right hand or the left and himself would take that way which he should refuse Lot complyeth with this motion and reasonable proposition and lifting up his eyes beholdeth the Plains of Iordan that they were well watered even as the Garden of the Lord and therefore making choice of these Plains for his Cattel he journeyeth East-ward towards Sodom one of the Cities of the Plains where himself did take up his habitation It was not long after Lot's sojourning in the wicked City of Sodom that Wars break forth and they are invaded by four great Kings namely Amraphel Arioch Chedarlaomer and Tidal because of their Rebellion against Chedarlaomer whom they had served twelve yeers before The history of which Wars with the event thereof we have in the 14th Chapter of Genesis Against which Army of the four Kings were gathered together the five Kings of the Cities of the Plain and their people who joyned together in battel with their enemies in the Vale of Siddim But the four Kings were too mighty for the five and smiting them obtained Victory over them Whether the Army of the four Kings were too numerous or more Warlike and expert in battel or whether the guilt of the people under the five Kings weakened their hands and enfeebled their Spirits it is not said but this we may reasonably judge that their sins were the cause of their overthrow and that God did hereby warn them to repent and turn from the evil of their doings lest a worse evil should overtake and utterly destroy them The four Kings having conquered and dispersed the Army of the five Kings they sack the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and amongst other captives they take Lot with his goods and depart Abraham hath notice quickly by one that had escaped of these sad tidings and what had befallen Lot and though he could not muster up so great force as to match these four great Kings in number yet because of the great love which he did bare unto Lot who for his sake had come forth from amongst their own Kindred into Canaan with him and being filled with courage having as little black guilt within to appale his spirit as any man alive he armeth his three hundred and eighteen trained servants and without any other help only Aner Escol and Mamre which were confederate with him he pursueth these Kings laden with their rich booty and in the night when they were drowned it may be with sleep and security he devideth his little company and assaulteth them which being so sudden and unexpected and at such time when the Host of these Kings were unready and unprepared they are struck with dread and amazement and without any great resistance which we read of they confusedly flee before Abraham who maketh a great slaughter amongst them and pursueth them to Hoba Thus Abraham rescueth Lot and the other captives out of their Enemies hand and recovereth all the goods which they had taken away In Abraham's return with the spoils of these great Kings the King of Sodom who had escaped in the battel cometh forth to meet him who maketh proffer unto him of all the goods which he had recovered the persons only excepted but Abraham what ever he had deserved yet would not accept of so much as the worth of a thred or shoe-latchet of what had before belonged unto so wicked a people as the Sodomits were fearing possibly that such goods mingled with his own might prove like a Moth unto them however he would not give the King occasion to say or any to think that Sodom's goods had made Abraham rich This bringing back of the Sodomits from captivity and reinstalling the King of Sodom beyond what he could have lookt for by such unlikely means was a wonderful work of God and laid a great obligation upon the Sodomites not only to respect Lot upon whose account Abraham had thus ventured himself but 〈…〉 of â—…heir sins against God who 〈…〉 Abraham for this work and delivereâ—… 〈…〉 â—… their enemies into his hands as 〈◊〉 King of Salem and Priest of the High God who came forth to meet Abraham acknowledgeth with praise and thanksgiving how little the Sodomites did answer their obligation either unto God or Man will appear in the 19th Chapter of Genesis where their sin and punishment is set forth But before this in the 18th Chapter we read that Abraham having entertained three Angels he afterwards bringeth them forward on their way which lay towards Sodom
did run into But the Sodomits slight all Lot's sayings they deafen their ears against his reproofs and will be led by none of his example nothing prevails with them to repent The second aggravation of the Sodomits Sins was thâ—…ir Incorrigibleness As it was said of the Jews aftâ—…rward Ier. 5. 3. So it might have been said of the Sodomits then Though God had stricken them yet they did not grieve though God had consumed them yet they refused to receive correction They did not take warning by lesser judgements so as to be corrected and amended thereby They were smitten before their enemies their City not long before had been sackt their goods taken away and themselves were led into Captivity with their Wives and Children and yet they were insensible of their Sins the cause of all this evil that came upon them and were so far from being bettered hereby that they grew worse than they were before The third aggravation of the Sodomits Sins was their Ingratitude They were not only ungrateful unto Lot upon whose account Abraham did deliver them out of the hands of their enemies which not only laid an obligation of respect to Lot upon them as long as they liv'd but chiefly they were ungrateful unto God the Author of this deliverance by Abraham and who moreover had been very bountiful unto them in giving them such a place of plenty and pleasure for their habitation that it was like unto the Garden of the Lord for fruitfulness the greater Gods Mercy and Bounty to them the greater was their ingratitude and the more highly aggravated were their Sins The fourth aggravation of the Sodomits Sins was the Universality of their Sins There were no righteous persons amongst them except it were Lot and his Family they were generally corrupt they were all dross and no Gold all Water and no Wine all wicked when Lot was departed As the Earth of old was filled with violence so Sodom then was filled with Filthiness which was very offensive unto the pure and Holy Eyes of God and provoked him to destroy them The fifth aggravation of the Sodomits Sins was their Shamlesness What was spoken of Israel Ier. 6. 5. Might have been said of Sodom were they ashamed when they had committed abomination nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush When the Prophet would set forth the shamlesness of Iudah's Sins he compareth them unto Sodom Isa. 3. 9. The shew of their countenance doth witnesse against them they declare their Sin like Sodom they hide it not None had more reason to blush and be ashamed than such filthy Sinners as they and yet none were so little ashamed instead of being ashamed of their Sins they gloried in their shame The sixth aggravation of the Sodomits Sins was their Security They eat they drank they bought they solde they planted they builded until the the judgement did overtake them Luke 17. 28. They were generally secure though they had so greatly sinned and by their Sins so highly provoked the Lord to take vengeance upon them They put the evil day far from them Lot's Sons in Law although foretold and forewarn'd by their Father would not believe it was so near much lesse did the rest of the Sodomits believe any such thing who had no intimation thereof given unto them they little thought what a day would bring forth their impunity for a while did encrease their security and their security under the guilt of such Heaven-dareing Sins did aggravate their Sins exceedingly And now the lusts of the Sodomits having conceived and brought forth such Sins and their Sins so aggravated do arrive unto perfection and they bring forth death Their iniquities now are full and the Viols of Gods wrath also are full and he poureth them down upon their heads which leadeth unto the next particular to speak of the judgement it self inflicted upon Sodom and Gomorrah CHAP. IV. A particular description of Sodom and Gomorrah's burning by Fire and Brimstone from Heaven COncerning the judgement it self which was inflicted on Sodom and Gomorrah It was Fire and Brimstone which was rained down from Heaven upon those Cities The morning was clear when Lot went forth of Sodom and the Sun was risen upon the Earth when he entered into Zoar But then a strange darkness did quickly fill the face of the Heavens and hide the Sun from the view we may conceive that the fashion of the Heaven was altered and that the clouds which carried this horrible Tempest of Fire and Brimstone in their Bowels were of another shape than those which carry in them ordinary storms of Rain or Hail of Thunder and Lightning It was over Sodom and Gomorrah that these dreadful clouds were gathered which upon the command of the Lord brake asunder and it is likely with fearful lightening accompained with great cracks and amazing noise as if Heaven and Earth and Hell had been coming together let down these flaming showers which strangely turned the Air into Fire and with such irresistible violence beat upon the Houses of the Sodomits that they were foreed to yield unto the fury of these devouring flames This Rain probably was not in small drops like that which falling upon the tender Grass causeth it to spring forth and flourish but in great flakes of of scalding Sulphurious matter enkindled by the breath of God great sheets of Fire it is likely came down from Heaven like the Flying Roll spoken of Zach. 5. 2 3 4. the length whereof was twenty Cubits and the bredth thereof ten Cubits which entered into the House of the Thief and False-swearer and consumed the Timber thereof and the stones thereof So did these sheets and rolls of fire fly about the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and entered into the houses of the unjust and profane the filthy and unclean smiting and consuming Inhabitants with their Habitations This storm of Fire and Brimstone coming down with a commission from God to destroy the whole Place doth arm it self with unexpressible rage and fury and first smiting the heads and tops of all the houses in the City setteth them on fire together which mounting a great flame upward and that mingling with the sulphurious fire which came downward was exceedingly the more enraged and we may conceive that from thence came such horrid blazes to the eye and such dreadful roarings to the ear as awakened all the wicked Inhabitans of the City out of their sleep and security and filled them with unconceiveable horrour and perplexity when they saw inevitable ruine so near unto them Then the streets of the City were filled with flames and the Rain from Heaven likely did raise Floods and Streams of burning Brimstone which poured into the houses on every side such fire as no Water could quench no Stone Walls nor Iron Bars or Gates could resist or defend any of the Inhabitans from being devoured thereby thus Gods hand did find out all his enemies in these wicked Cities together
any place or Town which was in it's way remains nothing being to be seen but confused heaps of ragged stones which yeilding a noisom fume strick terrour and astonishment in all that behold it The first breaking forth of this burning Flood of Fire was on the Munday tâ—…e 11th of March which in it's progress devided it self into several lesser streams and filled the whole Countrey therebout with Fire and Brimstone in many places where these streams did come great flames were seen to arise together with thick smoke as from the moâ—…ths of so many great Furnaces After the Flood of Fire was come down the Mountain and towards the foot which is not so steep it did not move with that swiftness as before yet nothing could divert it's course but it overturned and consumed all where ever it came The first streams continued their course for twelve days together and after hopes that the fury was now spent on Fryday the 22d of March the Mountain Aetna roared and thundered smoked and flamed again most hideously at the mouth shook trembled throughout most dreadfully unto the very foundations and cast forth such heaps of scinders stones and ragged Rocks out of it's bosom and bowels at those breaches before made in it's sides that they grew together and were raised into two large and high Hills and this acccompanied with another stream of it's liquid melted matter which overtook the former currents and thrust them forward with great fury But on the 25th of March the Mountain bellowed with a greater noise than ever before and was shaken with such violence and force that a large part of the head and top fell into the breast aâ—…d bowels and that the depth of half a miâ—…e as some do judge And then issued forth fiery streams in so great abundance that joyning forces with the former they made great havock and desolation destroying the habitations of no lesse than seven and twenty thousand persons the Towns of La Guardia Malpassa Campo Rotundo La Potielli Antonino Pietro Mosterbianco Monpileri Falicchi Placchi were wholy consum'd and ruin'd Yea the Image of the blessed Lady of the Annunciata â—…o highly reverenced by the Superstitious Papists unto which many resorted in Pilgrimage from remote parts was not spared whatever power the Intercession of that Virgin Lady hath with her Son in Heaven for persons here upon the Earth as the Papists ridiculously fancy yet nothing could now avail to secure her Image from being swallowed up by this devouring fiery stream whereby all may see that there was no difference between the stones of that Image and those of the other buildings in that place which equally felt the foâ—…ce of the fire Other places were ruin'd in part as Maâ—…calucia Giovanni de Galermo with many other and at length the burning streams do approach near unto Gates and Walls of the City Calania in their course destroying Fields Gardens Orchards and Vineards about it which filled the Inhabitants with such fear that far the greatest part of them removed themselves and their goods out of the City Yet what ever the danger and fear was the Lord preserved the City from being swallowed up by these devouring streams part of these streams were congealed on the Land one of them emptied it self under the Wals of the Castle into the Sea in four fathom Water which held it's current in the Sea two fathom high above it and to the astonishment of all spectatours burned in the Sea it self for a great while and making progress into the Sea a mile in length and a mile in bredth was not quenched by the water of the Sea until having spent it self it did of it self congeal CHAP. V. Concerning the Concomitants of the Eruption and burning of Aetna WHilst the Mountain of Aetna or Gibel did thus vomit flames of fire at the top and streams of fire at the side accompained with such horrid noise and cracking in the Air such dreadful trembling and shaking of the Earth other things also were very observable at the same time such as the swelling of the Sea unto a great and unaccustomed height with great raging and roaring Waves the Floods of Water did seem to lift up their heads to see this dreadful spectacle of the Floods of fire and the Waves of the Sea did lift their voice in great tumult as being amazed at the horrid aspect of the Waves and Streams of Flames and Brimstone The Winds also which raised this Tempest in the Sea were high having broken loose from their habitation and with great noise and blustring whirled about the Land in fierce blasts beating upon the houses and unsheltred people in the Fields as if they would contend for force with the raging and irresistable fire The Clouds were gathered thick in the Sky and arrayed the Heavens with black attire hiding the comfortable and refreshing beams of the Sun from the sight which if sometimes it deed peep thorow the Clouds it was with a pale countenance as if it had been struck with fear and dared not to appear in such a dismal place Storms of rain often powred down from the Clouds which seemed in compassion to weep to weep Floods of tears endeavouring thereby to contribute some help for the extinguishing of the flames but all the Rain which fell was so far from quenching or allaying that it did but the more encrease and exasperate the fury of the Fire which hereby burned so much the more feircely In the City there was danger of the Houses overthrow by the Winds and Earth-quak or their being devoured and swallowed up by the Deluge of Fire In the Fields and Countreys there was danger of being destroyed by Thieves and Robbers who took advantage of the peoples confusions to set upon them murdering many and spoiling them of their choicest things which they had saved out of their ruin'd houses Great was the dread and terrour which now did possess the hearts of the people Our Saviour foretells Luke 21. 25 26. That on Earth there should be distresse of Nations with perplexity the Sea and the Waves roaring and menâ—… hearts failing them for fear and for looking after those things which are coming upon the Earth Such was the distresse and perplexity of these people It is said in the Relation That people ran with cryes and lamentations about the City and Countrey expecting nothing but to be swallowed up or consumed by the Fire having no other apprehensions buâ—… of death and a general Conflagration Had the Christian religion taken place there in the purity and power thereof it might have born up the spirits of the sincere and established Christians against overwhelming fear and amazement in all those storms and danger If of the vertuous Man much more may it be said of the truely Religions Si fracitus illabatur orbis impavidum ferient ruinae though the frame of the Earth and World should crack and be dissolved yet such a one would be undaunted under it's ruines
that place being so thin and hollow and penetrable by the Winds and the nature of the soil so Sulphurious and so fit matter for the begetting and nourishing of Fire the motion of the Wind closed in doth kindle the Fire which belâ—…heth forth in smoke and flames and hence it is that the burning of Aetna hath endured for so many ages Unto which he addeth a little after speaking of the fall of the Waters Eadeâ—… causâ—… etiam Aetnae Montis â—…erpetuos ignes fâ—…cit Nam aquarum ille conâ—…ursus râ—…tum secum spiritum in imum sundum trahit atqâ—…e ibi suffecatâ—… tamdiutenet donec per spiramenta Terrae diffâ—…sus nutrimenta ignis incendat The cause of Aetna's perpetual Fire is from the great and perpetual fall of the Water near at hand which carryeth down the Wind and Air and suffoâ—…ateth it at the bottom whence it breatheth away through some crevices of the Earth towards the Mountain and this kindleth and bloweth up the Flames Another assigneth the cause more clearly thus â—… tnam constat ab â—…a parte qua Eurus Affricus flant habere speluncas plenas Sulphuris ad Mare deduct as Haespeluncae recipientes in se flâ—…ctus ventum creant qui agitatus ignem gignit ex Sulphures Mount Aetna saith he that way which the East and South wind do blow hath Caverns and Vaults full of Sulphur which reach so far as the Sâ—…a which Vaults receiving into them the Waves of the Sea Wind is begot hereby which Winds being violently moved doth beget the Fire out of the Sulphur and therefore afterward he telleth us that as the East and South Wind do blow so this Mountain doth more on lesser vomit up sparks and fire Lucretius Lib. 6. doth set forth the cause Primum totius subcava Montis Est natura fere â—…ilicum suffulta cavernis Omnibus est porro in speluâ—…eis ventus are c. The Mountain Aetna hollow is throughout With stones of Flint it's Cave are lin'd about Whereby it is held up The wind is there In every Cave begot by moved Air Through motion heat's engender'd iâ—… the Earth Thence fire springs forth and flames have birth Besides against the Mountain's Roots the Main Break her swoln Waves and swallow them again From whence unto the top of it's ascent The undermining Caves have their extent Through which the Bellows breath and cast forth flames With showers of stones ashes Thus concerning the cause of Aetna's burning which as to the second cause may rather be guessed at then fully understood CHAP. VII The Use of the Burning of Aetna THese late dreadful Eruption of Fire and Brimstone from Mount Aetna should carry our eyes upward unto God the Author hereof The Lord hath been lately upon the Earth he hath shown himself in great Majesty a Fire hath devoured before him and it hath been very tempestuous round about a smoke hath gone out of his mouth and Coals have been under his feet he hath clothed himself with flames and of late appeared very terribly in these Europaean parts he hath not only kindled fires in houses and Cities turning them into ashes and ruinous heaps but he hath also kindled a fire in a great Mountain which hath broken forth with a great flame We read Psal. 27. The voice of the Lord is powerful and full of Majesty the voice of the Lord is upon the Waters the God of Glory thunâ—…reth the voice of the Lordâ—… upon many Waters the voice of the Lord shaketh the Wilderness and maketh Lebanon to Ship like a young Unicorn Such Majesty and Power hath been in Gods voice which was heard from this Mount the voice of the Lord hath sounded from the Earth the God of Glory hath thundered out of the bowels of a great Mountain whereby the foundations thereof have been so shaken as if he would have overturned it in his anger Formerly the Lord brought forth streams of Water out of the hard Rock and lately he hath brought forth streams of Fire out of the deep Earth This is the Lord 's doing and it should be marvellous in our eyes If we wonder at the work let us wonder more at the Worker if we admire to hear of such floods of fire we have more reason to admire Gods infinite Power who hath effected this Use 2. The Relation of Aetna's burning should awaken impenitent Sinners out of their carnal security whilst they consider the hand of God herein and that this God who kindled such a Fire in the Mountain is highly incensed against them so long as they allow and indulge themselves in any Sinful practices and that the Fire of Gods anger which is kindled in his breast against them is ten thousand times more dreadful than the Fire which was kindled in the bowels of the Mountain yea that God is preparing the Fire of Hell for them which shall burn them everlastingly if they do not repent that God who hath power to kindle a Fire in the Earth hath power to kindle the Fire of Hell and he that hath power to keep alive the fire of this mountain for some thousands of years hath power to keep alive the Fire of Hell unto Eternity this he can do and this he will do and oh how fearful a thing will it be to be thrown into everlasting flames of which more largely in the next discourse Awake then all ye Sons and Daughters of sleep and security ye children of night and darkness and all ye workers of iniquity Look up and see how powerful and terrible the Lord is and how unable you are to make resistance when once his hand shall take hold on vengeance Gods anger now doth but smoke against you ere long it will break forth into a flame which will burn to the lowest Hell and never shall be extinguished Let me therefore perswade you to break off your Sins by repentance and apply your selves to Christ by Faith that the anger of the Lord towards you may bâ—… appeased and that being reconciled you may escape the dreadful effects of his displeasure CHAP. VIII Concerning the burning of London that may be Use. 3. THe Relation of Aetna's burning should lead us unto the consideration of the Burnings which may be and the Burnings which will be First Consider the Burnings which may be our dear and beloved City of London may be burnt again with fire and that not only â—…he Suburbs and Southwark and remaining Timber houses which the last Fire spared but also the New-built Houses of Brick many of them have been tryed that they can burn for no Building on Earth is a sufficient defence against Fire I don't think we are in danger of any such Fire as that of Aetna to break forth from under our feet out of the bowels of the Earth but we may be in danger of a Fire Forged in Hell I mean some Develish wicked men may be contriving again the burning of the City It is not long since this
Brimstone which shall burn the wicked is beyond all thought to imagine or words to express and when we have strained our conceptions unto the highest pitch when we have made use of the most dreadful and tremendous things that ever came to our eyes or eares or any way to our understanding to help us in the forming notions to our selves of the horrible punishment which the damned shall endure in the unquenchable flames of Hell fire all doth fall beneath and far short of the thing all our views hereof by any representations being like our sight of colours in the night which if not in whole yet in the greatest part do fly from our sight and disappear Yet since we are capable of understanding such future things only by shaddows and representations and nothing can represent future burnings in Hell so well as the greatest burnings that have been upon the Earth therefore we may receive some help by the Relation of Sodom and Aetna's Storms and Streams of Fire and Brimstone to conceive something of those whereby the wicked in Hell shall eternally be tormented Doct. That an horrible Tempest of Fire and Brimstone God will Rain upon the wicked in Hell as their deserved Portion In treating of this great subject I shall show First That there is such a place as Hell where the wicked shall be tormented Secondly That it is a place of Fire and Brimstone Thirdly What are the properties of this fire Fourthly Who are the persons that shall eternally burn in these flames Fifthly The reason of the eternal torment of the wicked by these flames Sixthly And lastly And chiefly I shall endeavour to improve this Doctrine in some Uses CHAP. II. That there is such a place as Hell where the wicked shall be tormented THe blind Heathen were perswaded of this for however they were ignorant of Christ and his first coming to redeem the World as also of the Resurrection and his second coming to Judge the World yet by the light of nature and reasonings from thence they arrived to the understanding of a Deity who was both just and good as also that the soul was immortal and that both rewards and punishment were prepared for the souls of men after this life according as they were found either vertuous or vicious and therefore as they did feign such a place as Elizean Fields where the vertuous should spend an eternity in pleasures So also a place called Tartarum or Hell where the vicious and impious should be eternally tormented This Tartarum the Poets did set forth with many fictions to affright people from vicious practices such as of the four Lakes of Acheron Stâ—…x Phlegethon and Cocytus over which Charon in his Boat did waft over the departed souls of the three Judges Aeacus Minos and Rhadamanthus who were to call the souls to an account and judge them to their state of the three furies Tisophone Megaera and 〈◊〉 who lashed guilty souls to extort confession from them of Cerberus the Dog of Hell with three Heads which would let none come forth when once they were in and of several sorts of punishment inflicted Iron chains horrid stripes gnawing of vultures wheels rowling great stones and the like Take part of Virgil's Description of this place which he feigneth Aeneas to have visited Lib. 6. Hâc iter Elisium nobis at lâ—…eva malorum Exercet pâ—…nas ad impia Tartara mittit Respicit Aeneas subito sub rupe sinistr â Maenia lata vidit triplici circundata muro Quoe rapidus flammis ambit torrentibus amnis Tartarens Phlegethon torquetque sonantia saxa Tisiphoneque sidens palâ—… à succincta cruent à Vestibulum insomnis servat nosttesque diesque Hinc exandiri gemitus sâ—…va sonare Verbera tum stridor ferri tractaeqâ—…e catenae This way unto Elisium leads where such do dwell As have liv'd vertuously th' other leads to Hell Where wickedness is punished Aeneas's eye Turns quick unto the left-hand-Rock and there Great structures closed in with triple Wall about This compass'd by Tartarian Plegethon throughout With feirce and fiery streams with noise like stones on shore Rowled by Waves of Sea On th'threehold of the â—…or Which lets into the place Tisiphone doth sit Awake both day and night to watch and look to it Girt with Red-pall Here he did hear the noise of chains The sound of cruel lashes th'groans and cryes from pains Which they endur'd within Although most of these things which we may find in many Poets and other Heathen Authors are fictions of their own brain yet that there is such a place as Hell is real and the punishment real and far beyond whatever any of the Heathens could imagine it to be Therefore let us consult the Scripture which will give clearer light in this thing where God who hath made and prepared Hell for the wicked hath made known the thing and threatned to punish the wicked there everlastingly Look into the Old Testament Psal. 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell and all Nations which forget God I know that the Original word for Hell namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie the Grave but here it must have a further signification than that of the Grave since it is appropriated unto the wicked and such as forget God otherwise it might as truely be said that the righteous shall be turned into Hell and those that remember and fear and love and serve God for they shall be turned into the Grave So Isa. 14. 12 13 15. How art thou fallen from Heaven speaking of the King of Babylon O Lucifer Son of the morning thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into Heaven and exalt my Throne above the Stars of God yet thou shalt be brought to Hell to the sides of the pit That Hell here is not to be understood of the Grave only but of the place also where the wicked shall be tormented will appear if you compare this plaâ—… with Isa. 30. 33. Where the Prophet speaking of the same King of Babylon saith Tophet is ordained of Old yea for the King it is prepared 〈…〉 made it deep and large the pile thereof is 〈◊〉 much Wood the breath of the Lord like a 〈◊〉 of Brimstone doth kindle it Which descriptiâ—… is applicable unto no place but that place of everlasting burnings which the Lord hath prepared for the wicked Indeed Tophet was a real place upon the Earth where some Idolatrous Israelites did offer up their Children in sacrifice to Malec but here Hell is called Tophet in allusion to that place because of the shreeks and cryes which the damned shall make there worse than the children did in Tophet when they were Sacrificed by their cruel Parents In the New Testament it is most clear that there is such a place as Hell prepared both for the soul and body of the wicked to be tormented in Math. 5. 29 30. And if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it
the Metaphor doth come far beneath the thing which it is used to set forth Others are of the judgement that Hell fire will be real Fire it being so positively so plainly and so frequently asserted to be Fire fire with flames fire which shall burn and because nothing will put to greater pain than fire and because it is proper for the body to be tormented with some real material substance and when the Holy Ghost telleth us it shall be fire why should he turn this fire into a Metaphor which may tend rather to weaken our conceptions of it's horrour than to highten them and therefore in answer to that great Objection that it is said to be prepared for Devils they are ready to say it shall be such fire as will not only torment the Soul but also Devils too God having power to make such a fire the other Metaphors are made use of but once this of fire is the almost constant expression in Scripture where Hell is described I confesse that I do not judge these answers to be fully satisfactory for however the souls of wicked men and women may by sympathy with the body be tormented by real Fire yet God having made Devils to be wholly Spirits which are wholly incorporeal I don't apprehend how any fire or bodyly substance can have any impression upon them but that Fire Air Earth or Water are all the same things to them and that they are incapable of suffering by any of them that as Water cannot drown them so neither can fire burn them that as Air cannot refresh them so neither can Fire afflict them Indeed were the opinion of some Ancients true that Devils have bodies but more pure and resined such as cannot be seen any more than the Air a real Fire might be made so pure by God as to torment the Devils but I am altogether of the Judgement that Devils are wholly Spirits the Scripture asserting it and many reasons I might give of it but that it would be too large a digression moreover the fire of Hell I believe will be such as immediately to afflict the souls of the wicked and not only by Sympathy with the body because otherwise the torture of the body would be greater from it's immediate object than the anguish of the soul by Sympathy when the Souls desert of punishment is greater being more highly guilty of Sin than the body which is made use of only as an instrument Yet I cannot be of the opinion that the fire of Hell wâ—…ll wholly be Metaphorical for the reasons before given therefore I judge that both the opinions may be reconciled with themselves and the truth by asserting that this fire of Hell will be partly Metaphorical and partly real First I conceive that the fire of Hell will be in part Metaphorical and that this also will be the most grievous and tormenting though not to the sense yet to the soul to the devils who can be tormented by no other fire my meaning is that the Fire which will be Metaphorical is to be understood of the feirce anger and wrath of the Sin-revenging God who himself is called a consuming Fire Heb. 12. 19. And whose anger is often expressed by the Metaphor of fire in the Scripture and so that everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels and for the souls of wicked men and women which will be accompained also with a real fire prepared for their bodies of which in the next particular is the everlasting wrath of God which he hath treasured up against the day of wrath when he will open and bring forth those treasures and make immediate impressions thereof upon all damned spirits which shall burn worse than Fire and cause greater anguish to the spirit than any fire can do â—…o the sense hence it is said Heb. 10. 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God and that because the immediate strokes of Gods vengeance which damned Spirits shall fall under when he takes them into his own hands to punish them in Hell will above all things be most intolerable The Apostle saith 2 Thess. 1. 8. That the wicked shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord ana from the Glory of his Power This is to be understood causally as if he should have said that the destruction of the wicked shall arise from Gods Presence and glorious Power which will pâ—…t forth it self so mightily as to glorifie it self in the punishment of them in Hell God will appear in Heaven to the Angels and Saints in a flame of Love and make immediate and most sweet impressions thereof upon them which will be their chief happiness and God will appear in Hell to Devils and damned Spirits in a flame of wrath as a consuming fire and make immediate impressions of his wrath upon them which will be their chief misery for Sinners to be taken thus into the hands of God and punished by the fire of his wrath will be more dreadful than if the most furious Creatures in the World were mustered up together and let loose upon them to tâ—…ar them in pieces and devour them if they were tormented with the most exquisite torments which can possibly proceed from any second causes it would be no more than the biting of a Flea or the Prick of a Pin in comparison with these immediate strokes of Gods vengeance and the burning under the fire of his indignation Secondly The Fire of Hell I believe will be in part real I mean that fire whereby the body shaâ—… be afflicted I judge that as the torture will be real so that the fire whereby it will be tortured will be real too of all senses the feeling is most capable of being cruciated and afflicted and of all the objects of this sense fire is most afflictive and painful and therefore God hath appointed fire to be for the punishment of the body indeed other senses will be afflicted too the ear with hideous noises shreeks and yellings of fellow damned Sinners the eye with fearful ghastly and horrible spectacles the smell with suffocating odious and nasty stench worse than of Carrion or that which cometh out of an open sepulchre but the feeling will be most afflicted by the devouring and eternally burning Fire which the wicked shall be thrown into I shall not dispute whether this real fire of Hell will be such as our culinary fire I mean that in our Chimneys which sometime creeps into Houses and is of so great force us to burn down Cities and seiseth upon all combustible matter before it and which will continue no longer than it is fed by such gross matter or whether it will be more purely Elementary fire such as Philosophers affirm to be between the upper Region of the Air and the lower Orb of the Heavens or whether it will be such fire as sometimes breaks forth out of the bosom of the Earth at the
Robe be torn from the back and all the honour of wicked great ones belaid in the dust and they will find no more respect in Hell than other men wicked Princes and Noblemen wicked Knights and Gentlemen will have none to bow to them there and do them homage and the most High-born Ladies that are not New-born what ever they have here will find no Courtship hereafter but will be handled as roughly ns meanest of their attendants All your sensual delights and pleasures will then be at an end they are now but for a season Heb. 11. 25. Yea but for a moment Iob. 20. 5. Sometimes they fail before the life is at an end be sure hereafter they shall have an eternal Period In Hell there will be no Feasting and delicious fare to pamper the Flesh no carowsing and drinking Wine in Bowles no chanting to the sound of the Viol no singing dancing and making merry the glutton shall there have no sweet morsels the drunkard no sweet draughts no â—…or so much as a drop of Water to cool and refresh him the wanton shall no more melt in laâ—…ivious embraces nothing will remain of all your sweetnesses and pleasures here but the bitter remembrances accompained with unutterable grief and and grâ—…ans and the intollerable sting and bitings of the never dying-worm of conscience what ever you have prized and pleased your selves withal here you will then be stript of all and oh how bitter will this be to lose all that which you now so much esteem and love and place your chief happiness in Secondly Think what in Hell will be denied unto you you shall be denied admission into the Kingdom of Heaven when you see Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and many from the East and West and North South come and sit down in the Kingdom of God when you shall see all the Saints of all ages shine like the Sun and be caught up in the Clouds to meet the Lord and be crowned by him and received to inherit the Kingdom prepared for them ye shall be shut out no room will be found for you there you could find no room for Christ in your hearts here and he will find no room for you in his Kingdom hereafter The loss of Heaven of that unspeakable happiness which the Angels and Saints shall have in the immediate Vision and Frâ—…ition of God when you come to understand what it is will appear as many observe to be greater than the punishment of sense especially this lâ—…sse will be most grievous unto you who have had discoveries and proffers of it but neglected and refused it preferring some base lusts before it O how will you then be ready to tear your selves to piâ—…ces for madness and vexation Thirdly Think what punishment in Hell will be inflicted upon you First The soreness and intollerableness of it Secondly The sureness and unavoidableness of it Thirdly The neerness of it Fourthly The everlastingness of it First Consider the soreness and intollerableness of Hell's torments and that both of the pain which there you shall feel in your bodies and of the anguish which shall be put upon your souls If you be found amongst the Wicked and Ungodly at the last your bodies shall be tormented in every part in the flames of Hell-fire no pain is more grievous now to the body than the pain of Fire but what is the extinguishable Fire on Earth in comparison with the unquenchable Fire of Hell what is the Fire of Mans kindling in comparison with the Fire of Gods kindling what is Fire fed by Wood in comparison with Fire fed by the breath of God no Fire here can torment like to the fire which God hath prepared for the bodies of the wicked hereafter You have seen fiery Ovens and you have heard of Nebecadnezzars fiery furnace should your bodies now be thrown into such fires you would find them horribly painful but the pains of Hell-fire will be ten thousand times more horrible and tormenting your bodies now cannot endure much pain without expiring which puts an end thereunto but hereafter God will strengthen your bodies to endure they shall have greater strength and quicker sense and so more capacity for pain and they shall be filled to the uttermost of their capacity your bodies shall never dye and they shaâ—… be filled with pain in extremity and that to eternity this will be very sore All the tortures that ever were invented by the most mischievous mind or executed by the most cruel Tyrant on any whom they have had the greatest spleen unto are not so much as the least gentle touch in comparison with the torture which the least member of the damned shall endure in Hell Some of you have had extream pain in your heads others have had extream pain in your bowels others have been extreamly afflicted with pain in your legs others have felt much torture with the pain of your teeth but if you live and dye in Sin you shall be extreamly and eternally tortured with pain in every part your eyes shall be full of pain your tongues full of pain your hands full of pain your heads full of pain your backs full of pain your bellies full of pain your feet full of pain from the crown of your head unto the sole of your feet no part shall be free your bodies shall roul and tumble in flames and there burn with horrible pain and yet never be consumed But the anguish of your Soul will far exceed the tortures of your bodies and here words fail conceptions fall short who can tell how the worm of conscience will bite how dreadful the lashes of your consciences will be when they are let loose as Gods executioners with full rage upon you who can utterthe anguish you shall endure under the immediate impressions of God's wrath upon your souls this will exceed what ever can be inflicted by the means of any second causes The punishment of Hell fire will be very sore and intollerable such as are tender cannot without unutterable fear and grief bear the thoughts of being burned alive here on Earth and oh the shreâ—…kings of such persons when they have been brought to the fire and the flames have begun to seise upon them O I cannot endure it O I cannot endure it how intollerable then will Hell-fire be many Martyrs have endured great tortures in their bodies with much patience some were slain with the Sword some burnt with fire some scourged with whips some stabbed with Iron forks some their skins pluckt off whilst alive some their tongues cut out some stoned to death some starved with hunger cold some dismembred and naked to the shame of the World and yet in the midst of all their pains they have had a composed minde yea sometimes have been filled with joy God hath not suffered man to inflict upon them more than he hath given them strength to beaâ—… but there will be no patience to undergo the pains of
the Chief and most honourable of these Angels being the Son of God the Angel of the New-Covenant staying behind the other two Angels who went onwards towards Sodom revealeth unto Abraham what he was about to do unto Sodom giving him to understand that the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah was great and their sins exceeding grievous and that now he was going down to visit them for their sins whether he revealed to him what manner of destruction he intended to bring upon them we have no mention but whatever it were Abraham is full of fears because of Lot and therefore interceeds with the Lord in the behalf of the place as wicked as it was to prevent if possible the ruine and destruction thereof which was threatned Abraham knew of one righteous person namely Lot which was there and he hoped that there might have been others besides him if not of the City yet in Lot's Family and therefore he maketh bold to plead with the Lord that he would not destroy the righteous with the wicked because this would 〈◊〉 â—…eem just and right for the Judge of all the Earth to do and first he prayeth that if fifty righteous persons were found in Sodom the place might be spared for their sakes the Lord being very gracious readily promiseth it should be according to his request Abraham having encoâ—…ragement from one grant and fearing what the number of righteous persons in Sodom might be entreateth further that if five were wanting of the fifty the place might not be destroyed and having obtained his request herein he doth not rest but proceeds to beg with expressions of low humility that if but forty and then if but thirty and then if but twenty and last of all if but ten righteous persons were found there that the Lord would spare the place for their sakes Abraham speeds in his whole desire the Lord assuring him that he would not destroy the place if he found so many as ten righteous persons therein and Abraham leaves off asking before the Lord giveth any denial unto his suit and though Abraham did not request it yet the Lord himself did resolve it that not one righteous person should be consumed in the iniquity of the City and therefore as he sent Angels thither to destroy the place so they had a commission to save righteous Lot and his Family as we may see in the 19th Chapter The two Angels were now come in the evening unto Sodom whilst Lot providentially was sitting in the gate who seeing them enter riseth up from his seat and meeteth them and bowing himself toward the ground entreateth the favour of them that they would be his guests that night through his importunate request they refusing at first he prevaileth with them and so bringeth them home to his house where he entertaineth them with a feast They had not been long in Lot's House before the House was beset by the Men of the City upon notice of two extraordinary persons that were there possibly the bodies which those Angels had assumed were very beautiful to the eye and full of sparkling lustre being inform'd by such glorious spirits and this might entice the beastly or rather worse than beastly lusts of the Sodomits and enflame them with burning desires of committing that filthy sin with them which is not fit to be nam'd these desires bring the chief part of the City old and young from every quarter unto Lot's house who when they were come they require him to bring forth those Men as they supposed them to be that they might satisfie their lusts upon them Lot looking upon this as a piece of inhumanity and abominable wickednesse to offer such injury unto strangers that he got forth of his door and with fair words endeavoureth to perswade them the forbearance of this wickedness yea he is so far transported with desire of saving his guests from the filthy lusts of the Sodomits that inconsiderately he endeavours to divert them by making proffer of both his Virgin-daughters to them to be used or mis-used by them as they pleased so that his guests might be spared But the Sodomits are fully bent upon their wickedness and deafning their ears against his proposal they press in upon Lot and threatning to deal worse with him than with them they attempt to break open his door The Angels seeing what danger Lot was in amongst the furious and lustful multitude put forth their hands and pull Lot into his house and withall putting forth the power the Lord had given them they smite the Sodomits with blindness so that they could not find the door which notwithstanding that judgement of blindness upon their bodies being pricked forward by their blind and impetuous lusts they still seek after And now the ruine of Sodom is not far off the Angels reveal unto Lot who they were and that they were sent by the Lord to destroy Sodom and the Neighbouring Cities because of the crying wickedness which was in them therefore inquiring concerning his relations in that City they bid him bring forth all that belonged to him accordingly Lot goeth forth and calleth upon his Sons in Law and giveth them to understand what he had heard of the Angels concerning the near destruction of the City and therefore warneth them with all expedition to hasten out of the place but Lot seemeth unto his Sons in Law as if he had mocked and they give heed to none of his words The day being come that Sodom and Gomorrah must be destroy'd the Angels in the top of the morning hasten Lot to come forth and whilst he lingereth they lay hold on his hands and the hands of his Wife and Daughters and the Lord being merciful unto them bring them forth bidding him flee to the Mountain and escape for his life and not look back lest he should be destroyed which his Wife offering notwithstanding the warning to do was turned into a Pillar of Salt Lot being full of fears entreateth for Zoar and for his sake the Lord spared that City that Lot might retire unto it whilst he brought destruction upon Sodom and Gomorrah and the other Cities of the Plain CHAP. III. A general description of Sodoms Iudgement together with the efficient cause which was God and the meritorious cause Sodoms sins BEing thus led by the clew or 〈…〉 story we are at length come to 〈…〉 most tremendous and dreadful Judgâ—…ment 〈◊〉 God executed upon Sodom Gomorrah namely that horrible tempest of Fire and Brimstone which the Lord rained upon those wicked Cities for their sins the relation and description whereof we have Gen. 19. from the 23d Ver. to the 30th The Sun was risen upon the Earth when Lot entered into Zoar. Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah Brimstone and Fire from the Lord out of Heaven And he overthrew those Cities and all the Plain and all the Inhabitants of the Cities and that which grew upon the ground And Abraham gat up early in
help or relief refuge faileth them and there is no escaping no enduring of this pain and yet they must endure it until extremity of pain doth take away all sence of pain The terrour of the Sodomits through apprehensions of their present and unavoidable death before them was great but surely the way and manner of it namely by Fire from Heaven did cause greater terrour If it had been an ordinary Fire of which some natural cause might have been assigned it had not been so much but when it was a miraculous fire from Heaven created on purpose by the Lord to destroy those Cities surely their dread was extraordinary they could not chuse but see the more immediate hand of God in it and withall his frown and dreadful displeasure with the Fire â—… Brimstone which fell down from Heaven upon their houses and bodies they had scalding drops of Gods wrath â—…ch fell down upon their consciences we may think what impressions they had of the wrath of the Sin-revenging God on their spirits which caused a greatâ—… horror within than the bare apprehension of death in any shape could of it self effect when the guilt of so great Sins and the apprehensions of so great wrath did meet together in their consciences and they had no time nor way to get the guilt of Sin removed and the wrath of God appeased when conscience before asleep was awakened in the midst of flames when there was a Fire above the Sodomits the Fire of Gods anger Fire about and upon the Sodomits the fire which came down from Heaven Fire beneath the Sodomits the fire of Hell and fire within the Sodomits the fire kindled in their consciences O the horrour when Hell was already begun within them in the flashes and sparks of it words cannot utter the horrible anguish which then they had upon them CHAP. VI. Concerning the Persons that escaped 4 THe persons that escaped this dreadful judgement were Lot and his Family Like as it was in the Old World Noah was an upright man in his generation when the whole world besides were wicked and God provided an Ark wherein he saved Noah and his Family when all the kindreds and Nations of the world besides were drowned in the Deluge of Waters which was brought upon the Earth so also Lot being the only upright and righteous man in Sodom when all the City together with the neighbouring Cities were wicked God provided a Zoar for Lot whilst he brought a Deluge of fire upon those wicked Cities which consumed them and all the wicked together which dwelt in them 2 Pet. 2. 5 6 7 8. When the destroying Angels were sent unto Sodom God remembred righteous Lot and a mark for preservation was set upon his forehead because he did sigh and cry out for the abominations which were committed in the midst of the City And God remembred Abraham his Friend who had made intercession for Lot therefore he sent him out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the City wherein Lot dwelt CHAP. VII Concerning the Spectators of Sodom's burnings 5 COncerning the Spectators of this Judgement Abraham however remote his habitation was had a plain prospect of this Fire and burning of Sodom We read Gen. 19. 27 28. And Abraham gat up early in the morning unto the place where he stood before the Lord and he looked towards Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the Land of the Plain and beheld and lo the smoke of the Countrey went up as the smoke of a Furnace Abrahams heart did misgive him that those wicked Cities would not escape destruction what ever conditional promise the Lord had made unto him of their preservation therefore it is likely he arose and came to this place that he might see what became of the Cities and quickly he 〈◊〉 them to be all in flames by the great smoke which mounted up from them what his thoughts were is not mentioned but it is likely he was more than ordinarily affected with this more than ordinary Judgement such an appearance of God in the World clothed with such wrath and vengeance might well make even Abraham himself whatever Interest he had in God to quake and be astonished When he looked up to Heaven he saw God all in flames of anger when he looked down to the Earth he saw Sodom and Gomorrah all in flames of Fire He knew that Lot did dwell there and he did not know it may be but that Lot with his Family might be burning there and this might cause him to lift up his voice and weep be sure he knew that the wickedness of the Sodomits was very great and that the righteous of the place were very few if any when the Lord had promised him to spare the whole City for the sake of Ten righteous persons could they there have been found Ah Lord thought he what a wicked place is Sodom that it should not yeild Ten righteous persons O what an evil thing and a bitter is it to Sin against God and hereby to provoke him unto anger and what a fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God when his anger is stirr'd up and doth burn thus like fire And if Abraham could so clearly discern the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah the Inhabitants of Zoar who dwelt so near might more clearly discern it An allarm they have in the morning which doth startle and awaken them they are called forth out of their houses to see this dreadful and tremendous sight The noise of Fire Fire Fire doth sound in their ear Fire from Heaven Fire in the Air Fire on the Earth Sodom on Fire Gomorrah on Fire Admah and Zeboim on Fire every place near them on Fire this they hear this they see the flames all about are very visible and very terrible O with what ruful countenances do they look upwards towards Heaven from whence the Fire did come and forwards towards Sodom and Gomorrah where the Fire was kindled they see all the Cities together in flames which being all cituated upon the Plain without any Mountain or Hill between they might in the Fields or on the tops of their houses have an easie prospect of And surely the Sinners of Zoar are now affraid and fearfulness doth exceedingly surprize the guiltâ—… surely their consciences now are awakened â—…nd do cause a trembling within them when they see God's vengeance executed in flaming fire upon their fellow-sinners before them Alas wo be to us who can endure such devouring fire who can bear such horrible burnings Hath Sodom and Gomorrah provoked God to destroy them with Fire from Heaven what then will become of us who have shared with them in the same guilt and have deserved the same punishment O whether can we flee to hide us from the wrath of God and shelter us from his fiery indignation Lot also who though he did not look back as his Wife did before he got into Zoar yet from thence no doubt
be three or four miles Towards it's head it is rocky and steep and some part of it is always covered with Snow towards the middle it is beautifyed with Trees and Woods towards the bottom it is enriched with Corn and Vines and exceeding fruitful The Hill hath two shoulders Eastward and between both an eminent head in the middle which may be seen at the distance of fifty leagues as some affirm by Sailors on the Sea But that which hath rendered this Mountain most famous hath not been so much the height and bigness of it as the smoking head and flaming mouth thereof of which both ancient and modern Authors have written I shall instance in some few Dâ—…genes Laertius in his 8th Book de viris Philosephorum maketh mention of Mouâ—…t Aetna into the 〈◊〉 mouth of which Emâ—…edocles the Philosopher he saiâ—… was â—…am'd to have thrown himself that not 〈◊〉 found by his companions they might think he was translated to Heaven and made an immortal God but the Fire of the Hill casting forth one of his brâ—…zen Sanâ—…ls the dâ—…ceit was discovered and so insteaâ—… of purchasing to himself the repute of a God he discovered himself in that respect to be beneath a man Horaâ—…e also recordeth the same lib. de Arte l'â—…etica Deus immortalis hal eri Dum cupit Empedocles ardentem frigidus Aetnam Insiluit Empedocles himself into the mouth doth thrâ—…w Of burning Aetna that not being found below He might be fam'd a God immortal Pliny in his second Book of natural History doth discourse of this Hill In montium 〈…〉 Aetna noctibus semper tantoque aevo ignium materiae sufficit Amongst the miracles of Mountains Aetna doth flame always by night and doth afford matter for perpetual fire Iustins in his 4th Book of History Chap. 1st giveth the reason why Aetnae Montis per tot secula durat incendium the burning of Mount Aetna hath lasted for so many ages Strabo in his sixth Book of Geography telleth us of Aetna's open mouth whereby it doth breath forth flames and cast forth fiery stones Ovid concerning Aetna saith Flammam fero vomit ore It vomits fire out of it's feirce mouth Seneca in his Thyestes describeth Aetna Ignis aeternis resâ—…nans caminis Resounding with eternal tunnels or breathing holes of fire Claudian de raptu Proserpinae lib. 1. Aetnaeos apiâ—…s sols cognoscere visu Non aditu tentare licet Quae tanta cavernas Vis glomerat quo fonteruat Vulcanius igniâ—… None may approach Mount Aetna's head to know With foot 't is only reacht with th' eye below Great force within round caverns makes From whence rush forth Vulcanian flakes Of fire as from a Fountain But Virgil giveth the most notable decription of Aetna's burning in his third Book of Aeneids Sed horrificis juxta tonat Aetna ruinis Intâ—…rdumque atram prorumpit ad aether a nubem Turbine fumantem piceo candente favilla Attollitque globos slammarum sidera lambit Interdum scopulos avulsaque viscera montis Erigit eructans liquefactaque saxa per aur as Cum gemitu glomer at fundoque exaestuat imo Fama est Enceladi semustum fulâ—…ine corpus Urgeri mole hâc ingentemque insuper Aetnam Impositam ruptis flammam expirare caminis Et fessum quoties mutat latus intremere omnem Murmure Trinacriam caelum subtexere fumo In English thus Through horrid falls within like noise of thundeâ—… Mount Aetna sounds as if 't would break asunder Thence first a cloud break forth as black as night With pitchy curls with sparks like stars to sight Then follow globes of flames which mount a loft As if to kisse the Orbes of Heaven they sought The bottom-fire like boiling furnace glowes Which melts the hardest stones and upward throwes Great Rocks through th' air with groans The fame doth go That great Enceladus do lye below Who being thunder-struck and on him thrown Huge Aetna Mount with weight to keep him down When weary he shifts sides and turns about He shakes the Mount his breath in flames goes out As at a Furnace mouth the Heavens above Are cloth'd with smoak Trinacria trembles I shall add but one Author more and that is of a late Geographer namely Varenius who in his first Book of Geography page 105. doth both describe this Mount and giveth relation of one noâ—…able eruption of fire not much above a hundred years since Celeberrimus est Aetna Siciliae Mons hodie Gibel e cujus vertice flammae fumi longissima distantia in Mari Mediterraneo cernuntur Etsi continua sit flammarum fumorâ—…m ejaculatio tamen interdum majori impetu furit Anno 1537 a primo die Maii ad duodecimum tremuit 〈◊〉 Sicilia deinde ingens horrendus 〈◊〉 fragor auditus est quasi magna tormenta bellica exploderâ—…tur 〈◊〉 est multorum aedificiorum per totam insulâ—…m 〈◊〉 Haeâ—… saeâ—…itia per undecim dies cum contiâ—…nasset 〈◊〉 fuit vel hiatu se apâ—…ruit hic indâ—… terra unâ—… magna vis sâ—…amma igâ—…is prâ—…rupit quâ—… intra quatuor dies omnia absumpta sunt 〈◊〉 quae 〈◊〉 ultra quinque leucarum distantiaâ—… ab Aetna aberant Pâ—…lo pâ—…st crater qui est in vertice montis per tres intâ—…gros dies ingentem copiam Faâ—…illae â—…inerum ejecit quae non tantum per totam inâ—…ulam aispersa fuit sed etiam trans Mare in Italiam delaâ—… Naves in Mari cum ducentis leucis a Sicilia abessent Venetias tenderent damnum passae sunt That is Aetna in Sicily now called Mount Gibel is most famous from whose top the flames and smoak may be seen at a very great distance on the Mediterranean Sea and although the casting forth of fire and smoak be continual yet sometimes it breatheth forth with more force and fury In the year 1537. from the first day of May until the 12th the whole Island of Sicily trembled and then was heard a great roaring and cracking noise as if great pieces of Ordinance had been discharged after this followed the ruine and overthrow of many buildings thorowout tâ—…e whole Island This raging continued for eleven whole days together in which time the Earth on the side of the Mount was rent and opened it self in wide clefts from whence did issue forth flames of fire with such force and strength that all things within 15. miles of Aetna were thereby consumed and burnt up A little after the Cup which is on the top of the Mount for three whole days together did cast forth such a large quantity of burning coals and ashes that they were dispersed not only throughout the whole Island but they were also carried over Sea into Italy yea some Ships two hundred leagues from Sicily received damage hereby in their voyage to Venice Thus Varenius There have been other great eruptions of fire from this Mountain besides what is ordinary which Writters record but none that I ever read of like unto this
mouth of flaming Mountains of which some think there are vast treasure below beyond whatever did ever appear to the eye such as did send forth those â—…aming and burning streams from Mount Aetna of late which at least will help us to conceive something what the Lake of Fire and Brimstone will be or whether it will be a fire created on purpose by God Sulphâ—…rions and stincking like unto but far beyond that which was raised upon the wicked of Sodom and Gomorrah which of all burnings that ever have been in the world I conceive did most lively represent the burnings of Hell Fire I shall not I cannot determine in this case but am most inclinable to think this fire will be immediately created by God differing from all fires that ever have been in the feirceness of it which by the word of Gods Power will be made and by the breath of hiâ—… indignation will be kindled and kept alive to eternity without any fuel to feed it except the bodies of the wicked which though they shall be tormented by it shall never be consumed by it CHAP. IV. Concerning the properties of Hell-fire THere are seven properties of Hell-fire First It will be a great Fire Secondly It will be a dark fire Thirdly It will be a feirce fire Fourthly It will be an irresistible fire Fifthly It will be a continual fire Sixthly It will be an unquenchable fire Seventhly It will be an everlasting fire First The fire of Hell which shall burn the wicked will be a great Fire We have seen some great fires which have burned many Houses together such as that in 1666. which burned down the greater part of London but this fire of Hell will be so great as to burn all wicked persons together all the wicked will be in flames at the same time the greatness of this fire is set forth Isa. 30. 33. Tophet is prepared of Old he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is Fire and much Wood the breath of the Lord liâ—…e a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it Tophet doth signifie Hell the place where the damned shall be tormented of which before God hath made it deep and large the depths of the Earth or the depths of the Sea are nothing in comparison with the depths of Hell for those depths have a bottom but this is called the bottomless piâ—… Rev. 20. 1. It is deep and large of vast capacity it will be sufficient to contain all the Sinners of the Old World and all the Sinners of this world who have lived or shall live in every generation until the time of the Worlds dissolution The pile thereof is Fire and much Wood as much Wood being kindled doth make a great Fire so this Fire though it have no real Wood but that which will be equivalent will be very great especially being kindled by the breath of the Almighty as the breath of the Lord kindled those showers of Fire and Brimstone which came down from Heaven upon Sâ—…dom and Gomorrah so the breath of the Lord will kindle those streams of Fire and Brimstone which shall be in Hell Secondly Hell Fire will be a dark Fire there will not be the least glimmering of light in that doleful place which will add to the horrour thereof Hell is called by the name of utter darkness Math. 25. 30. It is caâ—…led blackness of darkness for ever Iude 13. There will be no light of Gods countenance not the least smothing of his brow his wrath will be poured â—…orth without mixture into the cup of his indignation which thâ—…y must drink of Rev. 14. 10. There will not be the least light of comfort nothing but weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth there will not be the light of the Sun or the Moon or the Candle and the fire it self will give no light all will be dark and black black Devils black Bodies black Souls and they may without light have perceivance one of another as Devils have now unto whom light is of no use or if there be a duskish light there to represent one anothers ruful countenances and other fright-ful spectacles be sure there will be no refreshing light thâ—…re the damned will be in a place and state of darkness for ever Thirdly Hell-fire will be a feirce Fire The Fire of Sodom of Aetna yea of London in the day of it's burning was feirce but no Fire burnt so feirce as Hell Fire will do The Fire of Gods anger and wrath will burn feircely now it doth but smoke against Sinners then it will break forth into a flame tongue cannot express how feircely the wrath of God will burn when hereafter it shall seise upon the Ungodly Psal. 90. 11. Wâ—…o knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath The power of the anger which any creature may have may be known it is finite it is limited it reacheth no further than the body but who knoweth the power of Gods anger it being infinite and unlimited and such as will reach the soul and most grieviously torment the Soul through it's immediate impressions According to thy fear so is thy wrath that is according to the fear which we may have of thee the wrath of man is not proportiable unto the fear which we may have of it we often fear that men can do more than they are realy able but the wrath of God is commensurate and proportionable unto the greatest fears thereof yea doth far exceed he can afflict more than our fears are able to conceive and that because of the infinite power of his wrath God will hereafter make the power of his wrath known as Rom. 9. 22. and how feircely then will it burn the fire also which will torment the bodies of the wicked will be very feirce it will be so feirce as to torment every part from the crown of the head unto the foot and every part in extremity in the utmost extremity and that beyond the present capacity Fourthly Hell-fire will be an irresistible fire all the power of Hell with their combined forces shall not be able to make the least resistance against the fire of Gods anger Nah. 1. 6. Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide in the feirceness of his anger his fury is poured out like fire and the Rocks are thrown down by him Isa. 27. 4. Who would set the Briers and Thorns against me in Battel I would thorow them I would burn them together Briers Thorns dried Stuble Chaff cannot resist a consuming fire so neither shall the wicked be able to resist the fire of Gods jealousie and the real Fire prepared in Hell for the body will burn with that feirceness that it will master and prevail over all none shall be able to keep off it's force it will pierce thorow and thorow every part of the body we read of the three Children which were preserved in the midst of the fiery Furnace so that
spend in extremity of torment the real length of eternal torment cannot be measured and the imaginary length will be greater if I may so say because of your misery If a short time of misery here on Earth seem long what will an eternity of misery seem to be in Hell when the body is in health and the Soul is sweetned with delight time steals away insensibly Years seem Months Months Weeks Weeks Days Days hours but when the body is sick and the Soul imbittered with sorrow a short time seemeth long and it passeth away slowly in our apprehension Hours seem Days Days Weeks Weeks Months Months Years how do we count the Clock and reckon the Sands that fall in the glasse and time seem to have a Leaden heel how long then will the eternity of misery in extremity seem to be I believe that the space of one quarter of an hour in Hell will seem longer to the damned than a whole life of misery in this World yea I think I may add that a Minutes pains in Hell will seem longer to the wicked than a thousand years of pleasures in Heaven to the Righteous who will sweetly passe forward in the infinite duration of joy without the least trouble or tediousness so that the ternity of misery in Hell will be as it were a double treble yea thousand-fold eternity Me thinks these consideration should startle all you that are asleep in Sin me thinks they should make your hearts to quake and every joint to tremble me thinks the Sinners in Zion should be affraid and fearfulness should surprize the Hypocrites and I should hear some of you cry out as Isa. 33. 14. Who among us shall dwell with devouring Fire who among us shall Inhabit everlasting burnings And as the Jaylor Act. 16. 29 30. When awakened by the Earth-quake and the impression of guilt made by God upon his conscience Sirs what shall we do to be saved CHAP. IX 4. Use of Comfort to the Righteous SUch of you as are Righteous through the perfect Righteousness of Chriâ—… made yours by Faith without the imputation oâ—… which what ever righteosness you may have within you because imperfect it is impossible you should escape the damnation of Hell you that are clothed with the white Robes of Christ's Righteousness under which all your iniquities are covered and withall have the Spirit of Christ given unto you to work you into a conformity unto the Image of Christ in your regeneration and Sanctification which are inseparably joyned unto justification by Faith you may take comfort in this Doctrine which is matter of such terrour unto the wicked and Ungodly As in Sampsons Riddle out of the strong and feirce Lion came forth Honey and sweetness So this Doctrine which looks with such a feirce aspect upon those which are out of Christ yet will yeild sweetness unto you which are in him because there is no condemnation unto them which are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 1. Because Iesus hath delivered you from the wrath to come 1 Thes. 1. 10. Who shall lay any thing to your charge when God hath justified you who shall condemn you when God hath acquitted you Need you value then the wrath of men when you are delivered from the wrath of God Need you fear mens threatnings of temporal punishment which can reach no farther then the body when you are delivered from condemnation to the eternal punishment of Soul and Body in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone what though you should lose your estates yet since you are not in danger of losing your Souls what though you should be thrown into a Prison on Earth yet since you are not in danger of being thrown into the Prison of Hell you may take comfort and the consideration hereof may alleviate all your fears and grief upon the account of any pains and afflictions which in this life are upon you or you are in danger of You may say of them all these are not the torments of Hell there are light the other heavy these short the other eternal Lift up then your heads with joy yet a little while and you shall see what a difference the Lord will put between you and the wicked when they shall weep ye shall laugh when they shall mourn ye shall be glad when they shall cry and howl ye shall sing and leap for joy when they shall go with fighing to Hell and everlasting horrour in their hearts and all mirth and joy shall flee away from them for ever ye shall come with singing to Heaven and everlasting joy in your hearts and all sorrow and mourning shall flee away and never any more be found CHAP. X. 5. Use of Exhortation both to the Wicked and Righteous ANd now Sinners what will you do will you dare to go on in that broad way of Sin which ere long will open under you and let you down into the horrible gulp of unquenchable burnings can you be contented with a portion in this Life and to receive all your good things here and that Fire and Brimstone and everlasting burnings shall be the portion of your Cup hereafter will any pleasure of the Flesh and Sin for a season countervail that everlasting pain and misery which will be the bitter fruit and consequent of them Let me therefore exhort you without any delay to come out of the broad way of Sin It is the way of Hell and will you proceed any further in it You that are profane and unclean you that are Swearers Sabbath-breaker Scoffers of Religion Persecutors of Gods people Drunkards Covetous persons yea all you that are Hypocrites that are impenltent and unbelieving persons give me leave to stop you in your course or rather hearken unto the voice of God in his Word who calleth you to turn from your evil ways that iniquity may not be your ruine Come out of the broad way and get into the narrow way It hath a strait Gate namely the Gate of Regeneration this you most pass thorow you must become new Creatures get new hearts and lead new lives you must walk in the narrow way of mortification self denial new obedience otherwise you will certainly be numbred amongst the damned who will be everlastingly burned in the Fire of Hell the passage is difficult and the way narrow but both are necessary it is the passage from Death to Life and the way from Hell to Heaven Nothing in the World is so absolutely necessary as that which is necessary unto Salvation better the belly be without food than the heart be without grace better the back be without raiment than the Soul be without Righteousness better be starv'd than damned better be hang'd than burn'd better dye the most painful temporal death than endure the pains of eternal death What you should do that you may be saved from the everlasting burnings of Hell I refer you for direction in my Book of Words whereby you may be saved because I have not room for large direction here But â—…ch of you which read these Lines who have passed thorow the strait Gate of Regeneration and are got into the narrow way you are safe you are in the way to Heaven Learn to admire free grace which hath made the difference between you and Vilest Sinners use your endeavour to bring others into the same way commend to them the ways of God both by your Word and example and perseveer in these ways to your lives end be faithful unto the death that you may receive the Crown of Life I shall shut up all with the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 58. Therefore my beloved Brethrâ—… be stedfast and unmoveable always abounding the work of the Lord for as much as ye know your labour is not in vain in the Lord. When the wicked are stedfast and unmoveable in the ways of Sin and no argument can perswade them to forsake those ways when they abound always in the work of the Devil and the wages which they shall reap will be death and wrath and everlasting burnings in Hell be you stedfast and unmoveable in the ways of the Lord be not allured by flatteries not affrighted out of them by threatnings but abound more and more in the work of the Lord and your reward shall be everlasting life and Glory in Heaven FINIS
of the Heavens and it 's showring down Fire and Brimstone which swallowed up Sodom and Gomorrah with all the Sinners therein this judgement was far more fearful Death by the Sword and death by the Pestilence or by any other disease hath nothing of that dread in it as death by Fire especially by Fire from Heaven by Fire mingled with Brimstone No Fire have we ever seen that carried so much dread in it as the Fire that burnt down our City of London but London's Fire was nothing in comparison with Sodoms Fire this will appear if we compare them together First The Fire of London began only in one place which awakened all the Inhabitants about to prepare and secure themselves and their goods but the Fire of Sodom began in all piaces together there was fire without the City and fire within fire in every street and in every house at the same time the Sodomits were compassed about with fire on all sides Secondly The Fire of London consumed but a part although it were the greatest part of the City within the Walls but the Fire of Sodom consumed the whole City turned all into ashes and not one house therein did escape the fury of the flames Thirdly The Fire of London though it devoured the houses yet much of the wealth and the best goods of the City were preserved but Sodoms fire consumed all their Wealth their Gold and Silver was melted all their apparel and rich houshold furniture was burnt and what ever provisions they had made for their flesh what ever fuel they had laid up for their lusts became fuel for this Fire Fourthly The Fire of London though it burnt much of the goods as well as houses which could not so easily and quickly be removed yet few very few of the Inhabitants perished they had time and warning to withdraw themselves before the fire reached so far as their habitations but Sodom's Fire burnt persons as well as houses and not one person in the whole City escaped after the Fire was begun such as went forth of doors were consumed by the Fire from Heaven such as remained within were consumed by the Fire of their houses Fifthly The Fire of London was an Earthly fire although the contrivement of it might be first in Hell and hellish Instruments made use of in the beginning and carrying of it on but the Fire of Sodom and Gomorrah was from Heaven and if the one did expresse more of the wrath of the Devil and Devilish men the other did expresse more of the wrath of the Sin-revenging God which is ten thousand times more dreadful Sixthly The Fire of London at length was extinguished since which time the City is like to be rebuilt and doth now lift up it's head with more beauty and lustre than before it was turned into ashes but Sodom's Fire did make an desolation of that place and since the Conflagration of that City Sodom never was and never will be again rebuilt neither is the place capable now of having any building erected upon it inasmuch as the Mare mortuum the dead Sea doth now cover the place where once the Sodomits had their habitation CHAP. V. Concerning the Persons that were consumed and how they were affected 3 COncerning the Persons on which this judgement was inflicted and how they were affected The persons were all the wicked Inhabitants of the Cities of Sodom Gomorrah Admah and Zeboim Great was the horrour hinted before which we may imagine these persons were in when the Fire and Brimstone came down from Heaven upon them and there was no way for them to escape The noise and scorching heat of this dreadful Fire we may conclude did quickly awaken some out of their sleep of Intemperance and all out of their sleep of security What tongue can utter the horrible perplexity of the Sodomits on this day when they opened their doors and windows in the morning and looking up to Heaven saw them open and fire coming down thence to devour them when the Tempest of Fire and Brimstone beat upon them so sorely and suddenly when there was such a dreadful burning heat by the Fire and such a stinking noisom suffocating smoke by the Brimstone when there was a little kind of Hell in that place both for torment and Sin O the dread of the Sodomits O the confusion they were in when such an unthought of such an unheard of and such an unavoidable ruine was come upon them how were they amazed how were they distressed some it may be cursed the day of their birth wishing that they had been abortive issues that they had never liv'd to see the light of the Sun that so they might not have liv'd to see and feel the fire of this day others it may be cursed themselves and the Sinners of the place who had provoked God to send this dreadful judgement upon them others it may be cursed God because of the Fire and great heat like those Rev. 16. 8 9. Who being scorched with great heat blasphemed the name of God who had sent down the Fire upon them O what a horrible out-cry was there in Sodo when the City began to be in flames O what weeping and wailing and wringing of hands The men roar the woman shreek the children weep and cry and cling about their Parents yea all of them weep and cry out most hideously The Sodomits have tears now in abundance but none of their tears could quench the Flames about them or aswage the sorrow and anguish within them tears before for their Sins might have prevented these flames and their fruitless mourning in the midst of them but none more impenitent than they in the time of their prosperity and therefore their cries and tears are to no purpose in the time of their adversity they weep and God laughs at their calamity they are grieved and afflicted and God is comforted in the execution of his vengeance upon them for their Sins In this extremty the Sodomits know not what to do nor which way to turn they dare not go forth that they might consult one another because the air is all in a light fire abroad and there are streams of Fire and Brimstone which overflow in the streets all the shelter they have is for a little while in their houses but the Fire invadeth them there and hemmeth them in on all sides and very quickly the Fire creepeth in at their windows and breaketh thorow their doors nothing being able to withstand it's force We may conceive how the poor Sodomits when the Fire was coming into their houses did run from room to room being pursued where ever they went by the devouring flames and when the fire was come at their persons and the flames began to seise on them then they sweat and fry their hair is singed their cloths are set on fire about them their Sinneves shrink their hands and feet loose their use and they are in horrible pain all over without any