London's lamentation, or, A serious discourse concerning the late fiery dispensation that turned our…

Fifthly and lastly, I cannot tell but that the fire by which §5the damned shall be punished, may be partly material, and partly spiritual: partly material, to work upon the body; and partly spiritual, to torment the soul. Dr. Gouge puts this Question, Is it a material fire, wherewith the damned in ¹Hell are tormented? and gives this answer, viz. This is too curious a point to resolve to the full; but yet this answer may safely be returned, It is no wasting or consuming fire, but a torturing: and so far corporal, as it tormenteth the body: and so far incorporeal, as it tormenteth the soul. Socrates speaking of Hell, saith, I was never there my self, neither have I ever spoke with any that came from thence. Suppose, saith One, there be no fire in Hell, yet I assure thee this, that thou shalt be scorched with fire: the fire of Gods ²wrath shall torment thee more, than bodily fire can do: and therefore it will be your wisdom, not so much to question this or that about Hell fire, as to make it your work, your business, not to come there. He gave good counsel, who ³said, Let us go down to Hell while we are alive, that we may not go to Hell when we are dead. And so did he, who speaking of Hell said, Ne quaeramus ubi sit, sed quomodo illam ⁴fugiamus. Let us not seek where it is, but how we shall avoid it. The same Author gives this further counsel; viz. That at all Banquets, Feasts, and Public Meetings, men should talk of Hellish pains and torments, that so their hearts may be over-awed, and they provoked to avoid them, and secure themselves against them. Doubtless the serious thoughts of hellish pain while men live, is one blessed way to keep them from those torments, when they come to die. Another gives this pious counsel, Let us earnestly importune the Lord, that this knowledge, whether the fire of Hell be material or not, be never manifested to us by experience. 'Tis infinitely better, to endeavour the avoiding Hell fire, than curiously to dispute about it. Look, as there is nothing more grievous than Hell: So there is nothing more profitable than the fear of it.