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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
judgement_n	work_n	worthy_a	year_n	16	3	4.0588	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45396	Hagieā theoū krisis Iudgment worthy of God, or, An assertion of the existence and duration of hell torments, in two occasional letters, written several years since / by ... Henry Hammond ; to which is added an accordance of St. Paul with St. James, in the great point of faith and works by the same author.	Hammond, Henry, 1605-1660.	1665 (1665)	Wing H515; ESTC R15162	47,364	178

Inprimatur Gualt Blandford VICECAN OXON Aug. 1. 1664. Ἀξία Θεο̂υ κρίσις Iudgment worthy of God OR An assertion of the EXISTENCE and DURATION OF Hell Torments IN Two occasional Letters written several years since by The most Learned Reverend and Pious Dr HENRY HAMMOND TO WHICH IS ADDED An Accordance of St PAUL with St JAMES in the great point of Faith and Works By the same Author Who being Dead yet speaketh Heb. 11.4 OXFORD Printed by H. H. Printer to the University for RIC ROYSTON and RIC DAVIS 1665. The Preface SO servilely dis-ingenuous is our Nature and altogether brutish in the pursuit of sensual enjoyments that the proposal of rewards does in no proportion lead us so forcibly to our Interests and duties as do the threats and menaces of punishment Insomuch that it may be said with perfect truth that God is far more gracious in severity then in mercy far more obliging and indulgent in creating of a Hell then in furnishing a Heaven Whilst the flaming sword and dreadful Cherubim set at the Entrances of Paradise though they seem'd meant to hinder the return of our first Parents prove really both theirs and ours best Convoy thither We being such whom vengeance only can reclaim terrors allure and even damnation it self preserve from ruin and damnation Accordingly it is an Observation verify'd by full experience that our fears of Hell are ballanc'd with our hopes of Heaven and our beliefs concerning each answer our Expectations of either The Apostle's assertion of Mens heaping to themselves Teachers according to their lusts being as true of their choice of doctrines and however in other things we live not answerably to our Principles in this Instance we rarely deviate and by the same degrees grow confident in doing ill at present and disbelieving of our future sufferings for it so that it proves a Contemplation of great variety to recollect what shifts men put themselves upon to gain a truce and correspondence with their vices how they sweat and labour as to acquire the real punishments so to elude the anticipated dreads and frightful Expectations attending their misdoings 1. And first of all how being engag'd in vitious practice they strive to palliate its deformity with the beauteous appearances of neighbouring vertue calling their angers justice their lusts friendships their rapines zeal and so of the rest But when this Umbrage proves too thin and the hypocrite has the ill fate never long to impose on others and therefore much lesse upon himself 2. The next Attempt is made to lessen the regard of Vertue and shame of Vice by suggesting that both are the production of opinion That Nature knew no Ethicks but founding all things in Community made no proprieties excepting those of enjoyment and possession whilst Law and right are the meer issues of preceding VVrong the usurping on that freedome which was the native birthright of mankind and honesty is nothing but a bondage unto common fame the being a fool to escape the stile of Knave But when this gourd is wither'd in the day of it's appearance dishonest practise however fashionable and recommended by Example being of ill mark and seeking Covert never secure by any strengths nor shelter'd by Concelement Nay more then this the partial sinner condemning still in others the very guilts he flatters in himself which makes it evident that naughty practise has an horrour in it which in despight of interest or prepossession confesses it detestable 3. A fresh expedient is sought and men are taught to argue that howsoever Wickednesse be shamefull in its nature it will not much import if it at least be innocent in its effects and followed by impunity Which hope is countenanct by the indifferent and seeming casual dispensation of successes in the World where one event happens to the good and bad the clean and unclean him that sacrifices and him that sacrifices not whilst providence is so far from punishing offenders as to allow to them the most signal liberalities and good men in the interim rarely share in any thing but misery Yet notwithstanding this since conscious guilt by sad misgiving controules its most assur'd enjoyments and reason addes her more concluding suffrage retorting back the Argument and from the impunity of wicked men at present demonstrates that instead of peace and safety a sure arrear of judgment must be look'd for it being most consequent that if there be a God he must be just and if he be so will punish in a future world the injustices which scape and thrive in this 4. Henc it growes needful for the vicious person to look out farther for security and beaten from the former shelters his next addresse is to religion and with the troops of other Criminals he seeks for refuge at the Altar which to all purposes besides he scornes and desecrates And here he boldly claimes the priviledge of Saintship of Faith Predestination and thousand texts of Scripture which promise mercy and forgivenesse unto sinners But when these flattering expectations are silenc't by the voice of the same Scripture which plainly saies that no Whoremonger Adulterer unclean person or the like shall have any inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God and on the Contrary that tribulation and anguish is on the Soule of every man that doth evil whatsoever his opinions be and as to advantages from outward profession they are but this he that knows the VVill of God and does not practise has right unto this one prerogative alone to be beaten with more strips then others 5. After these frequently repeated misadventures the sinner encourages himself to try a yet unthought of Artifice and since that in all addresses whither to Nature or Religion he meets with sad abodes of future punishments he would fain please himselfe with putting far off from him the evill day suggesting that these punishments both are and likewise will be future still at least are so remote as not to merit our regards or stand in competition with a present satisfaction But when the hourly possibilities of death and a succeeding state of torment revenging with severe inflictions the broken minutes of reprieve intrude upon the mind then this fair dream of Comfort likewise vanishes as faithlesse and as empty as the rest And now it were to be expected that the sensual Man driven so often from his fastnesses and places of retreat should yield and be content at last to part with ruine 6. But the Industry of vice is not so wanting to its self for though it be made evident that vertue is a real being and the demure pretension to it will no way satisfy our interest or duty also that it appear religion has no Gospel for the wilful sinner and no impunity can be expected to transgression nor advantage in delay of suffering One more and indeed the only unattempted refuge is laid hold of to try if that these punishments are really so formidable as is pretended or such indeed as a

generous and valiant sinner may meet and grapple with The which is put in practise by framing easy Characters of the inflictions apportion'd to transgression and likewise shortning the date of their duration And indeed this method of procedure seems to be the last effort of resolute Impiety when men determin'd not to leave their sin rifle the regions of darknesse for their shelter and seek a refuge in perdition fulfilling the prophetick strain and high Hyperbole of making a Covenant with Death and being at an agreement with Hell A method which though not perfectly unknown unto precedent generations was rarely ventur'd on but seems left like to the barbarous Western VVorld to be invaded and possest by this our Age. Even that which having attempted Mischiefs beyond all common practise was in reason to look out for salvo's and excuses no lesse peculiar And as if these would not be authentick if only whisper'd in discourse we have liv'd to see them made the Argument of Books and magisterially disputed as sober truths and maximes of Divinity For besides the preparatory Doctrine of the Socinians who teaching men to disbelieve that Resurrection which God asserts leave it an easy task to overthrow that which themselves contriv'd We have in our own language been solemnly instructed that the pains of Hell are nothing but the luxuries of Earth the drudgery of getting Children and living or'e again that age which sensual men would live for ever We have bin likewise taught those pains dwell only in the phancy nay in the VVishes and importunate desires of them that are tormented as if the flames of the infernal Tophet had bin the painted Fires of Purgatory and every criminal were his own Hell and pain and Devil too Lastly we have been taught that the severity of the day of judgment shall pass upon its self when death shall learn to dye damnation be condemn'd and perdition be destroy'd Whilst men have brought again from the infernal pit that monstrous Heresy which should have justify'd its doctrine by having been its self consum'd there and lost unto Eternity Alass who will from henceforth be afraid of sin if it only punish by inflicting pleasure torment by baiting us with keen desire or end in painless deperdition We can dwell with consuming fire and peacefully cohabit with everlasting burning if the flames be only those of lust or of desire or be they real ones if they utterly consume and are so great as to be withal most friendly and calcine us in a moment Which severals being thus nakedly premis'd there will not need a farther Preface to manifest how very seasonable the subjects of the ensuing discourses are nor more to justify the Edition of them unlesse it may be useful to declare that these considerations were so weighty as to perswade thereto the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of London who was entrusted with these Venerable Remains though he otherwise is very jealous without much caution to commit and will not suffer any other person to bring the posthumous labours especially the occasional private letters of his friend to publick light least though every thing which fell from that Excellent Pen merits its readers full reception yet wanting the advantage of a review it may not altogether merit and deserve its Author that is be not so exactly absolute as whatsoever past his second view was sure to be May the Charity of the one in writing and the other in publishing these discourses be answer'd in the advantage of the Reader who can only by being convinc'd there is a Hell escape the knowing what it is and will happily confute these Papers by being a Proselyte unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iudgment worthy of God or An assertion of the Existence and Duration of Hell Torments SIR AS soon as I had made my last dispatch to you it pleased God to fasten me to my bed for some dayes by the returne of a fit which hath been my frequent exercise from whence being now after five dayes remov'd to my chaire I have some liberty to review your question and think it best with my pen in my hand to offer to you in the same order which you have us'd my thoughts of every period And first for the termes of the Question they want somewhat of Expresness For supposing as you doe that the Wicked rise and are judged and adding from hence that their sentence shall be that they shall utterly be destroyed yet it is uncertain whether that sentence shall be immediately executed or after some space or if immediately whether by a swift or lingering destruction For he that should affirm the wicked to be at the last judgement committed to a fire which should torment for many hundred or thousand years and at last consume and annihilate them would affirme the affirmative of this question and so he that advanc'd from 1000 ds to millions of years and ages of sufferings concluded at any the longest last with abolition And then the arguings that are after us'd from Gods Justice c would be of little force if no more but this were design'd to be gained by them For it were sure as much Justice to punish eternally as to punish millions of years and then annihilate when the supposed ground of Injustice is the lightness or shortness of the Acts so punished which would in the Eye of Law and Equity bear as little i. e. no proportion with many Millions of Ages as with duration absolutely infinite I shall therefore take it for granted by him that proposeth the question that he means destruction immediately following the dooms-day sentence and that no lingering but swift destruction Next then p. i. for Origens opinion granting it right stated as I think it is I demand for what reason that is mention'd Is it not for this because Origens Doctrine was deem'd an Heresy in the Church and that of some ill and dangerous consequence to be believed If so then it must be considered whether they that deem'd Origens Hereticall can appear to have been more favourable to this which will not be found or whether the ill consequences of this be not as dangerous as of Origens i e. whether the belief of no future punishment to the wickedst Hypocrites in the world save only of swift annihilation will not be as forcible a meanes of securing wicked men that have no tast or spirituall joyes in the admitting of any gainfull evill as the belief that after a long space of horrible torments proportionably encreas'd to their number of Sins and the aggravations thereof they shall one day no body knowes when when the Divells have been punish'd enough for their highest rebellions and continued hating and opposing of God be delivered out of their flames and made partakers of vision of God and society of Saints and Angels which they ever hated and never desire to see or be in their company and have suffer'd all those torments

shew'd And therefore though everlasting Fire should be granted to signify everlasting destruction as with any propriety it cannot Fire being the Instrument of destruction not destruction it self yet in that case everlasting destruction would reasonably signify as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternall perdition doth 2. Thes 1.9 and of that we have already given account that it signifies notorious judgments here concluding in the flames of Hell and that it no way signifies or infers annihilation but the contrary to the joyes of a blissful life i. e. the paines of Hell For the rendring this phrase more applicable to the desir'd notion 't is thought fit to compare it with another like phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mar. 9.43 44 45. as that is rendred that shall not nor never shall be quenched of which 't is suggested that it necessarily signifies no more then that that Fire shall not go out till the matter or fewel of it be consumed or destroyed and thus 't is used Isay 66.24 and that this appears to be the importance of our Saviours meaning from other places Mat. 3.12 Luk. 3.17 where t is applied to the chaff and Tares which admit no everlasting duration in the Fire but are very capable of utter destruction To all this I answer 1. That there is no such affinity between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that one should regulate the notion of the other when they are applyed to divers matters one to the burning of chaff tother to the punishing of wicked men Or if there be it may as reasonably hold that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be interpreted by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in order to that the chaff and tares interpreted of wicked men which are know'n to be figuratively expressed by them as that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be regulated by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so wicked men thought in the same manner to be consum'd by the fire as the chaff and tares are 2ly That for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be granted that it necessarily signifies no more then that the Fire shall not go out till the fewel of it be destroyed yet 1. it as fairly followes then it may when the context requires very conveniently signify more and that 2ly There will be no ground of doubt whither when 't is applyed to those who are affirm'd to be tormented in a Lake of Fire day and night for ever and ever i. e. to wicked men it shall not signify this more viz. eternal burning 3. for the place of Isaiah I shall appeal to antient interpreters not only whither it may but whither it do not signify eternal fire or that which is not extinguished for ever Procopius I suppose hath on this prophesie as great a reputation among learned men as any I shall give you his sence that the Prophet in the conclusion of the Prophesy speaks of the Saints of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Shall pass into the most eminent heavenly City the mansion set apart for the kingdome of God where they shall be for ever serving God placed under the great high priest and they shall all see the destruction of the wicked and think what good things they have lost by despising God Is. 1. Whom they shall behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 placed far off from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You see his sence of the words which undoubtedly they will bear as the description of the final reward of the pious believing Jewes and Heathens on one side and of the impious obdurate on the other And if as he tells us some will have it understood as a prediction of the Jewes destruction by the Romans which were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet still this interpretation is founded in the supposition that the worme that dyeth not and the fire that is not quenched signifyed an undying punishment and as such is us'd to signify in prophetick stile that which is next degree to absolute eternal pursuing the Jewes wheresoever they are to be met with without any the least mitigation or mercy 4ly For the use of the same words Matth. 3. and Luk. 3. of the chaff and tares 't is sufficient to say that those parabolical expressions being undoubtedly set to denote the wicked the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifies that which never is or shall be quenched being applyed to the tares in the parable but to the wicked in the application of the parable must be allotted such a notion in either as the matter requires and so though spoken of Tares it be not taken in its full amplitude of signification but in that inferior degree which is competible to the burning of Tares or chaff to ashes yet being applyed to the wicked the thing signifyed by those tares it may still abide in its full amplitude and signify the tormenting and not consuming and so the everlastingnesse of that Fire And indeed if it be argumentative in the disputer that chaff admits no everlasting duration in the Fire from which it may be deem'd conclusible that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 applyed to that is not unquenchable fire then it will be as well worth observing that wicked men are capable of everlasting duration in Fire and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 applyed to them as it is Mar. 9.43 44 45. signifies everlasting Fire Next for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that that may be reconciled with the objecters notion He notes first The opposition of it to everlasting life Matth. 25.45 which may incline it to signify everlasting death 2. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not by absolute necessity signify everlasting 3. That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not necessarily signify tormenting punishment but may be understood of a privative punishment and then death being a punishment ever lasting death may be truly cald everlasting punishment To these I answer to the first that the opposition to everlasting availes nothing everlasting life being undoubtedly everlasting bliss and then everlasting misery is most directly opposite to that To the Second That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken of that which begins after the day of judgment must denote such a duration as is proportionable to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 following that as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spoken in relation to any other age whither to the year of Jubilee or the age of the Jewish state or the age of this world simply or the Christian age must be commensurate to that age to which it refers and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there being consequent to the judgment of the great day described in that Chapter must in all reason be of the same duration as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the same place To the third that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generally signifies positive punishment not mulct as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth however the reason cannot hold that if death be a punishment then