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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
not so much as the smel of the Fire was upon their Garments but none shall be preserved from burning in this fiery Furnace indeed the wicked shall not be burnt up and quite consumed but they shall be always burning For Fifthly Hell-fire will be a continual Fire other firessometimes are in and sometimes out but this fire will be always in always burning without any intermission and always burning in the same high degree of intension there will be no aswagement of the Flames of Gods anger no abatement of the Fire of Hell this Fire will be always alike hot and always hot in the highest degree Sixthly Hell-fire will be an unquenchable Fire Math 3. 12. But will burn up the Chaff with unquenchable Fire Mark 9. 44. Where their worm dieth not and the Fire is not quenched Now the fire of Gods anger before it break forth into so vehement a flame may be quenched by the Blood of Jesus Christ and the Fire of Hell may be prevented but hereafter it will be too late no Sacrifice will be accepted then to appease Gods wrath and if all the Waters of the Sea could be poured upon the flames of hell-Hell-fire they would not put them out And therefore Seventhly Hell-fire will be an everlasting Fire Math. 25. 42. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Rev. 14. 11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever This Fire will be ever burning and the damned will be ever tormented therein Extremity and Eternity are the two most bitter ingredients of the damned's torments who can set forth the Eternity of the wicked's punishment in Hell-fire this Eternity is immeasurable it is incomprehensible all the Rays of the Sun may more easily be comprehended in a small room and all the Waters of the Sea contained in a small nutshel than boundless Eternity be conceived by our finite and shallow understanding none have shaddowed Eternity and set it forth better than those who have shown how infinitely short all measures and numbers do fall when they are applyed to the space of it's duration One expresseth himself thus on this subject in another language suppose ten thousand years past after that an hundred thousand Millions of years past after that ten hundred thousand Million of Millions of years past and yet you are not come to the end of Eternity no nor to the middle of Eternity yea you are but at the beginning of it add unto this the number of all the thoughts of Angels and Men of all the motions in every Creature of all the grains of sand which would fill ten thousand Worlds gather all the minutes of time from the beginning of the Creation of the World all the numbers of Arithmetick that can possibly be conceived and all this is but the beginning of Eternity How long will Eternity last Always When will Eternity end Never As long as Heaven shall continue to be Heaven and God shall continue to be God and the Saints shall be happy in the enjoyment of God so long shall the wicked be tormented in the Fire of Hell We may apprehend the everlastingness of this Fire of Hell but we cannot comprehend it CHAP. V. Concerning the Persons that shall burn eternally in the Flames of Hell IT is upon the wicked that the Lord will rain this horrible Tempest of Fire and Brimstone in Hell all the workers of iniquitie all that live and dye in their Sins must suffer the vengeance of Eternal fire These are the Chaff which shall be cast into the unquenchable Fire Math. 3. 12. These are the tares which shall be bound up in bundles to be burnt Math. 13. 30. These are the Goats which shall be condemned to everlasting fire Math. 25. 41. Look into a few places where in the plain Letter of the Scriptures the persons are described that shall be the subject of everlasting torment in Hell-fire Math. 13. 41 42. The Son of Man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his Kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire there shall be wailing and guashing of teeth Rom. 2. 6 8 9. Who will render to every man according to his deeds to them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soul of Man that doth evil of the Iew first and also of the Gentile 2 Thess. 1. 7 8 9. The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his Power Take one place more amongst many Rev. 21. 8. But the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and Murderers and Where-mongers and Sâ—…rceers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Baimstone I shall spake more of the persons when I come to the application which I would chiefly insist uâ—…n the Doctrine being so well known and therefore I shall but briefly touch upon the reason why the wicked shall be eternally tormented in the flame of Hell and so come to the Use which I mainly intend R. The torment of the wicked in Hell is a punishment and therefore hath a respect unto Sin the guilt of which doth lay the wicked under an obligation hereunto and layeth God under an Obligation to inflict this punishment upon them Sin is the violation of a Holy and Righteous Law and an offence of an Infinite Majesty whose Justice requireth infinite satisfaction which it can receive no other way from Sinners themselves than by their undergoing the punishment of Hell although this punishment be not infinite in regard of the quality yet it is infinite in regard of it's duration and therefore the torments of the wicked shall have no end CHAP. VI. Application 1. Use of Examination WHen you had the relation of Sodom and Gomorrah's burning you might think this was done long ago and look upon your selves as unconcern'd when you had the Relation of Aetna's burnings you might think this was done a far off and look upon your selves as unconcern'd but when we come to discourse of Hell-burnings here you all are concern'd those burnings are past these are burnings to come those were burnings for a while these will be burnings for ever the greatest part of the children of men will be cast into these burnings and very few comparatively will escape O what a vast number of all kindreds and Nations and Languages will there be tormented for ever in Hell what a vast number of Christians yea of professours of the Gospel you had need to look to it that none of you be found in the number The dreadfulness of these everlasting burnings me thinks should stir you up with all sollicitousness