The fading of the flesh and flourishing of faith, or, One cast for eternity…

But look a little into the sinners cup, and see what a bitter potion is prepared for him; I think we shall scarce find a drop in it, but is infinitely worse then ⟨p. 134⟩poison: (Reader, take heed thou never come to taste it:) It is indeed a mixture of such ingredients as may make the stoutest heart alive to tremble, and faint away if it come but within the scent or sight of it. Snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest. The Lord poured on the Egyptians such a grievous rain, as had not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof, Exod, 9.18. but this potion of the sinner is far more bitter then that plague.¹ Pliny tells us, that amongst the Romans, when M. Acilius and C. Porcius were Consuls, it rained blood; but what is that to fire and brimstone? Observe 1. the extremity of pain, which will be caused by this portion: Upon the wicked he shall rain fire and brimstone: Fire is dreadful to our flesh, though it be but applied outwardly. (What miserable torment did Charles the second King of Navarre endure,² when he was burnt to death in a flaming sheet steeped in Aqua vitae?) but much greater torment will it cause when taken inward. Fire in the belly, in the bowels, will pain the creature to purpose. The inward parts are more tender, and so more liable to torture: But this drink, like poison, will diffuse it self also into all the parts, that none shall be free from pain. It was an unknown punishment which the drunken Turk underwent, when by the command of the Bashaw he had a cup of boiling lead poured down his throat: who can think what he felt? but sure I am, as bad as it was, it was but a flea-bite to this cup of fire which the Lord hath prepared for the sinner fire and brimstone: Fire is terrible of it self, but brimstone makes it to burn with much greater violence: besides, brimstone added to the cup of fire will make it of a most stinking ⟨p. 135⟩savour. The sinner now burneth in lust, but then in a flaming fire: now he drinketh his pleasant julips, but then his loathsome potion. Fire is the most furious of all Elements; nothing in this life is more dreadful to nature; but our fires are but like painted ones to true, in comparison of this rain of fire in hell. Nebuchadnezzars furnace,