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

Thirdly, Our fire when it burneth, it shineth, it casts a light. §3Our fire burns, and in burning shines, light is a natural property of our common fire: 'tis true, the elementary fire in its own sphere shineth not, because of its subtilness, and the infernal fire of Hell shineth not, because of its grossness. Yet our ordinary fire (being of a mixed nature) hath ⟨p. 115⟩light as well as heat in it, and that's our comfort. It hath light to show it self to us, and to our selves, and it hath light to show others to us, and us to others, &c. Some men can work, as well as talk by the light of the fire. Our fires have their beams and rays, as well as the Sun: but the fire of Hell burns, but it dos not shine, it gives no light at all Infernal fire hath no light, or brightness attending of it; ¹and therefore Christ calls it utter darkness, or outer darkness, that is, darkness beyond a darkness. I have read of a young man who was very loose and vain in his life, and was very ²fearful of being in the dark, who after falling sick, and could not sleep, cried out, O• if this darkness be so terrible, what is eternal darkness! H•ll would not be so uncomfortable a Prison, if it were not so dark a Prison. Light is a blessing that shall never shine into that infernal prison. In Jude, v. 6. you read of chains of darkness. It would be a little ease, a little comfort to the damned in Hell, if they might have but light and liberty, to walk up and down the infernal coasts, but this is too high a favour for them to enjoy; and therefore they shall be chained and staked down in chains of darkness, and in blackness of darkness; that so they may fully undergo the scorchings and burnings of Divine wrath and fury for ever and ever. In Verse 13. you thus read, To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. The words are an Hebraism, and signify exceeding great darkness. Hell is a very dark and dismal Region, and extreme are the miseries, horrors and torments which are there. The Poets described the darkness of Hell by the Cimmerian darkness. There was a Territory in Italy betwixt Baiae and Cumae where the Cimmerii inhabit, which was so environed with Hills, and overshadowed with such hanging Promontories, that the Sun never comes at it. The darkness