Two discourses I. of the punishment of sin in hell, demonstrating the wrath of…

First, let us take the main Doctrine it self, as in the General it is uttered here, That it is a falling into the Hands of God Himself, and not of Creatures only: And a being punished from his Presence, and the Glory of his Power, immediately, as 2 Thess. 1. 9. And then extend and widen your apprehensions, to take in how fearful this must be, which I shall demonstrate, by a comparative Gradation, raised thus.

FIrst, let us take the main Doctrine it self, as in the General it is uttered here, That it is a falling into the Hands of God Himself, and not of Creatures only: And a being punish'd from his Presence, and the Glory of his Power, immediately, as 2 Thess. 1. 9. And then extend and widen your apprehensions, to take in how fearful this must be, which I shall demonstrate, by a comparative Gradation, raised thus.

I. If it were but a giving us up into the Hands of mere Creatures to afflict, and they assisted by God, but with the common and ordinary concurrence of his Power, which joins with, and upholds the Agency of all things in their workings; whether in comforting us or in distressing of us: this is the lowest degree ⟨p. 118⟩of supposition. And yet consider how dreadful this Supposition would render to our Thoughts, such a punishment to be: if God should be but as the looker on, and withal the setter of them on: or (as in the Scripture phrase, Mat. 18. 34.) but only deliver us up to these Tormentors. As when it is termed a being cast into a Lake of Fire and Brimstone, suppose it were a Lake of material corporeal Fire only, wherein thy Body is cast; and thy Soul, no otherwise to suffer than by what the Spirits of that Body it is united to, and dwells in, is by that Fire made sensible of. And suppose withal, the Spirits thereof were kept up, in their utmost sensibleness, of what torment that Fire could inflict; and thy Body continually flaming, (as the Bush in Exodus) and yet never burnt up, how terrible is it for Flesh and Blood to think but this of it! Or, to use another comparison, If a Man were bound Hand and Foot with his Mouth set open, and were cast into a Pit, wherein, as in the Apostles Sheet, let down from Heaven, were all manner of Creeping things, Toads, Serpents of all sorts, fiery Scorpions, Cockatrices, Vipers, Adders, Snakes, &c. Flies, Hornets, Lice, Pismires and Frogs, &c And that these should bite and sting thee, with exquisite Pain and Torment;