The souls exaltation A treatiseThe soules exaltation A treatise

First, it is possible that some pains of Hell may be suffered in this life, and therefore the living and being of our Saviour in this life, is no hindrance, but that he might undergo them. This I say to prevent a weak plea of some that desire to tie and entail all the pains of Hell to another life, and the place to be Hell, and they think that no man can suffer the pains of Hell, except he be in the very place of it; against which cavil, this truth doth professedly ma•ch, for the time and place are but common circumstances: the main substance of it, is not in regard of time or place, but in regard of the fierce displeasure of God, which seizeth upon a creature, and the vein of vengeance which is let into his soul, if God would be present with a man by his favour, though he were in the place of Hell, yet he should be as it were in Heaven: as Isaiah 30.33. Tophet is prepared of old, the burning thereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord as a ri••r of brimstone doth kindle it: so that wheresoever the stream of the brimstone of Gods wrath seizeth, there is Hell: again, the place is no part of debt, and therefore it is no part of the payment, but the payment of the money that makes the satisfaction: This is that which is spoken concerning Adam, Thou shalt die the death: he doth not say, thou shalt go to Hell: the wicked go to Hell because they cannot pay, as the debtor goes to prison, because he cannot pay the debt: all that justice requires is this, to have payment; he doth not say thou shalt go to Hell, but because the ⟨p. 216⟩§1wicked cannot satisfy the justice of God, and answer the Law, therefore they are imprisoned, and cooped up in hell, and it may be more plain thus; there are many reprobates in this life, that have not only hell in expectation, but they have it so far in fruition; when the Lord wounds the spirit, and the terrors of the Almighty encamp a man and stab him to the very heart, and they are in the very beginnings of hell. Now because the wicked cannot bear the wrath of God, but they would break under it; therefore they must die, that they may •e made immortal, and be able to suffer all the wrath of God forever: but our Saviour may as well pay the debt in mount Golgotha, as in the prison of hell.

First, it is possible that some paines of Hell may be suffered in this life, and therefore the living and being of our Saviour in this life, is no hindrance, but that he might undergoe them. This I say to prevent a weak plea of some that desire to tie and intail all the pains of Hell to another life, and the place to be Hell, and they thinke that no man can suffer the pains of Hell, except he bee in the very place of it; against which cavill, this truth doth profesly mach, for the time and place are but common circumstances: the main substance of it, is not in regard of time or place, but in regard of the fierce displeasure of God, which seizeth upon a creature, and the veine of vengeance which is let into his soule, if God would be present with a man by his favour, though hee were in the place of Hell, yet he should bee as it were in Heaven: as Esay 30.33. Tophet is prepared of old, the burning thereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord as a rir of brimstone doth kindle it: so that wheresoever the streame of the brimstone of Gods wrath seizeth, there is Hell: againe, the place is no part of debt, and therefore it is no part of the payment, but the paiment of the mony that makes the satisfaction: This is that which is spoken concerning Adam, Thou shalt die the death: hee doth not say, thou shalt goe to Hell: the wicked goe to Hell because they cannot pay, as the debter goes to prison, because he cannot pay the debt: all that justice requires is this, to have payment; hee doth not say thou shalt goe to Hell, but because the