A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

If you could see so far off as Hell below: if the smoky gates of that bottomless pit were opened to give you but a glimpse of the damned spirits under torture; ⟨p. 189⟩those flames, those shrieks, those fears and horrors; that palpable darkness mixed with unquenchable fire: the reprobates ever boiling, never consumed: ever dying, never dead: ever crying never pitied. Where the covetous Churl, that would not give a bit of bread, begs as fast for a drop of water: yet if rivers should run into his mouth, what were it to quench those rivers of brimstone that inflame it? where there is no intermission of complaints, no breathing from pain; after millions of sorrowful years, no possibility of comfort. If the stroke of a temporal misery be so smart, that often death is wished to ease it; what is the full viol of Gods wrath? If the rack of a gout, convulsion, or strappado be so cruel, what is everlasting torment? If this sight so far off might be admitted us, how would we weep and bleed for our sins, how uncessantly pray for pardon, how rectify our crooked and cursed steps; that we might never come to such a place, as to see Abraham afar off? Luk. 16.23.^a O that we knew these things in this our day: but alas, they are hid from most mens eyes. If mens fore-sight were but half so sharp as is their sense, that would be their greatest fear, which is now their chiefest pleasure. Let Dives come out of hell to his former riches, the sensible world shall admire his charity. Let Judas be ransomed out of hell, he will no more betray. Let Esau find that favour, he will never again sell his Birthright. Nabal then would no longer be a churl, nor Ahithophel a false counsellor, nor Ahab a bloody tyrant, nor Cain fratricide. There is not a piece of a line in the Scripture, which speaks of that lake of fire and brimstone, but by a hundred thousand parts it importeth more than it expresseth. Believe that you cannot see, lest you feel that you would not believe.

If you could see so farre off as Hell below: if the smoky gates of that bottomlesse pit were opened to give you but a glimpse of the damned spirits under torture; ⟨p. 189⟩those flames, those shriekes, those feares and horrors; that palpable darkenesse mixed with unquenchable fire: the reprobates ever boiling, never consumed: ever dying, never dead: ever crying never pitied. Where the covetous Churle, that would not give a bitte of bread, begges as fast for a drop of water: yet if rivers should runne into his mouth, what were it to quench those rivers of brimstone that inflame it? where there is no intermission of complaints, no breathing from paine; after millions of sorrowfull yeares, no possibilitie of comfort. If the stroke of a temporall miserie be so smart, that often death is wished to ease it; what is the full violl of Gods wrath? If the racke of a gowt, convulsion, or strappado be so cruell, what is everlasting torment? If this sight so farre off might be admitted us, how would we weepe and bleed for our sinnes, how uncessantly pray for pardon, how rectifie our crooked and cursed steps; that we might never come to such a place, as to see Abraham afarre off?