A62053:158
The sinners last sentence to eternal punishment, for sins of omission
The sinners last sentence to eternal punishment, for sins of omission wherein is discovered, the nature, causes, and cure of those sins / by Geo. Swinnock.
London: printed for Geo. Swinnock, 1675
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. They differ in their nature. Our fires are by Philosophers described to be a stream of sulphurous particles, or swarm of motes of brimstone, violently agitated, and forcibly breaking forth from those respective Bodies to which they did formerly belong. And this is apparent, because when any body is throughly burnt, the sulphurous parts are almost gone; and when those parts are gone, what remains will burn no longer. But the fire of Hell, whether it be material or metaphorical, is quite another thing. It is a deep impression of infinite wrath and fury on every member of the Body, and faculty of the Soul. And O what a fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God, for our God is a consuming fire, Heb. 12.2. ult. The wrath of God is sometimes compared to that of a Lion roaring after her prey, which tears, and rents, and kills, and slays, without the least pity. And to a Bear robbed of her Whelps, which claws, and wounds, and destroys whatsoever comes near her. But alas, the ⟨p. 76⟩wrath of a God is infinitely more cutting, more killing. The Mountains are moved, the Rocks are rent in pieces, the stoutest Oaks are rooted up, the Foundations of the Earth tremble, the great Luminaries are darkened, the course of Nature is over-turned, when he is wroth. Thou, even thou art to be feared, for who may stand when thou art angry.
2. They differ in their nature. Our fires are by Philosophers described to be a stream of sulphurous particles, or swarm of motes of brimstone, violently agitated, and forcibly breaking forth from those respective Bodies to which they did formerly belong. And this is apparent, because when any body is throughly burnt, the sulphurious parts are almost gone; and when those parts are gone, what remains will burn no longer. But the fire of Hell, whether it be material or metaphorical, is quite another thing. It is a deep impression of infinite wrath and fury on every member of the Body, and faculty of the Soul. And O what a fearful thing is it to fall into the hands of the living God, for our God is a consuming fire, Heb. 12.2. ult. The wrath of God is sometimes compared to that of a Lion roaring after her prey, which tears, and rents, and kills, and slays, without the least pity. And to a Bear robbed of her Whelps, which claws, and wounds, and destroys whatsoever comes near her. But alas, the ⟨p. 76⟩wrath of a God is infinitely more cutting, more killing. The Mountains are moved, the Rocks are rent in pieces, the stoutest Oaks are rooted up, the Foundations of the Earth tremble, the great Luminaries are darkned, the course of Nature is over-turned, when he is wroth. Thou, even thou art to be feared, for who may stand when thou art angry.
If his wrath be kindled but a little, how woefully do his own Children cry out, Job 6.4. The Arrows of the Almighty are within me, Job 13.24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? Psal. 88. Their Spirits are drunk up, while they suffer his terrors, they are distracted. What then will be the condition of them on whom he will pour out all his wrath? If a small degree of God's anger be so terrible, when it is mingled with Love; what will a full Cup of pure wrath be?
If his wrath be kindled but a little, how wofully do his own Children cry out, Job 6.4. The Arrows of the Almighty are within me, Job 13.24. Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy? Psal. 88. Their Spirits are drunk up, while they suffer his terrors, they are distracted. What then will be the condition of them on whom he will pour out all his wrath? If a small degree of God's anger be so terrible, when it is mingled with Love; what will a full Cup of pure wrath be?
3. They differ in the ends of their Creation. Our fires were created for our Service and Comfort. God made these for the use and benefit of man, to fence us against the cold; to melt and mould metals, and form them into ⟨p. 77⟩several moulds, &c. But the fire of Hell is created for the torment of Men and Devils. God makes it of such a nature, as may best suit his end. For every wise Agent fitteth his means to his end; and the more wise the Agent is, the more proper means he findeth out for his end. Now when the only wise God, to whom Angels themselves are Fools, shall set his infinite Wisdom awork about the most proper means of racking and torturing the poor Creature; surely it will be done to purpose. As when his Love sets his Wisdom awork, to find out a way to comfort his Children, what Rivers of Pleasures, Weights of Glory, Crowns of Life, fullness of Joy doth he provide. So when his wrath sets Wisdom awork, to find out a way for the afflicting his Enemies, what stinging Adders, and gnawing Worms, and Chains of Darkness, and Lakes of Brimstone doth he provide.
3. They differ in the ends of their Creation. Our fires were created for our Service and Comfort. God made these for the use and benefit of man, to fence us against the cold; to melt and mould metals, and form them into ⟨p. 77⟩several moulds, &c. But the fire of Hell is created for the torment of Men and Devils. God makes it of such a nature, as may best suit his end. For every wise Agent fitteth his means to his end; and the more wise the Agent is, the more proper means he findeth out for his end. Now when the only wise God, to whom Angels themselves are Fools, shall set his infinite Wisdom awork about the most proper means of racking and torturing the poor Creature; surely it will be done to purpose. As when his Love sets his Wisdom awork, to find out a way to comfort his Children, what Rivers of Pleasures, VVeights of Glory, Crowns of Life, fulness of Joy doth he provide. So when his wrath sets VVisdom awork, to find out a way for the afflicting his Enemies, what stinging Adders, and gnawing VVorms, and Chains of Darkness, and Lakes of Brimstone doth he provide.
4. They differ in the Fuel that feeds them. Our fires are maintained and preserved in burning by wood or coals, or somewhat that is combustible; and the fire must be suitable to the meanness ⟨p. 78⟩and limitedness of the fuel. But the fire of Hell is fed with the Curse of a righteous Law, and the wrath of an infinite God, and the lusts of the damned. Ah what work will sin, backed with the Curse and wrath of God, make in the Souls and Bodies of men. If David beloved of God under the weight of sin, and sense of Divine displeasures, went mourning all the day, and crieth out so mournfully, Thine Arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness, in my flesh, because of thine Anger, nor rest in my bones because of my Sin. Mine Iniquities are gone over mine head, as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me, Psal. 38.2, 3, 4. O what will they suffer! and how will they roar and howl, whose Sins are as a Mountain of Lead, shall press and oppress their Consciences! all whose lusts shall gnaw their Spirits, set home and close to their Souls by the fury and malediction of God.
4. They differ in the Fewel that feeds them. Our fires are maintain'd and preserv'd in burning by wood or coals, or somewhat that is combustible; and the fire must be suitable to the meanness ⟨p. 78⟩and limitedness of the fewel. But the fire of Hell is fed with the Curse of a righteous Law, and the wrath of an infinite God, and the lusts of the damned. Ah what work will sin, back'd with the Curse and wrath of God, make in the Souls and Bodies of men. If David beloved of God under the weight of sin, and sense of Divine displeasures, went mourning all the day, and cryeth out so mounfully, Thine Arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is no soundness, in my flesh, because of thine Anger, nor rest in my bones because of my Sin. Mine Iniquities are gone over mine head, as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me, Psal. 38.2, 3, 4. O what will they suffer! and how will they roar and howl, whose Sins are as a Mountain of Lead, shall press and oppress their Consciences! all whose lusts shall gnaw their Spirits, set home and close to their Souls by the fury and malediction of God.
5. They differ in this, that our fires are accompanied with Light; but the fire of Hell, though it hath heat to torment, hath no light to comfort. It is ⟨p. 79⟩a state of darkness, of utter darkness, Matth. 25. Of Blackness of Darkness, Jude, vers. 13. They have only light enough to see themselves endlessly and easelesly wretched and miserable. Darkness is dreadful, but what darkness like utter darkness, or blackness of darkness? The Egyptians did not move out of their places in the time of their darkness, but what will men do in the dark, in the midst of ravenous Wolves, and roaring Lions, and stinging Adders, and fiery Serpents, and frightful Devils?
5. They differ in this, that our fires are accompanied with Light; but the fire of Hell, though it hath heat to torment, hath no light to comfort. It is ⟨p. 79⟩a state of darkness, of utter darkness, Matth. 25. Of Blackness of Darkness, Jude, vers. 13. They have only light enough to see themselves endlesly and easelesly wretched and miserable. Darkness is dreadful, but what darkness like utter darkness, or blackness of darkness? The Egyptians did not move out of their places in the time of their darkness, but what will men do in the dark, in the midst of ravenous VVolves, and roaring Lions, and stinging Adders, and fiery Serpents, and frightful Devils?
6. They differ in their Operations:
1. Our fires work only on the Body, they cannot pierce the Soul; but Hell fire pierceth the Soul. Spirits burn in it as well as Bodies, Go into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. If it seize on Devils, it will also on the Souls of men. The Spirit whose senses are most acute, will feel the greatest pain in the unquenchable fire.
1. Our fires work only on the Body, they cannot pierce the Soul; but Hell fire pierceth the Soul. Spirits burn in it as well as Bodies, Go into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels. If it seise on Devils, it will also on the Souls of men. The Spirit whose senses are most acute, will feel the greatest pain in the unquenchable fire.
2. Our fires destroy and consume their fuel; they turn their wood and coals into dust and ashes; the bodies of men are by them turned into ashes, and hereby the pain ceaseth with the ⟨p. 80⟩life of the Creature. But the fire of Hell will never consume, though it be ever consuming, it will always be destroying, but never destroy the Sinner. The damned will be always dying, but never die. The Almighty hand of God will preserve them, to undergo that wrath that is intolerable, and those flames that are unquenchable.
2. Our fires destroy and consume their fewel; they turn their wood and coals into dust and ashes; the bodies of men are by them turn'd into ashes, and hereby the pain ceaseth with the ⟨p. 80⟩life of the Creature. But the fire of Hell will never consume, though it be ever consuming, it will always be destroying, but never destroy the Sinner. The damned will be always dying, but never die. The Almighty hand of God will preserve them, to undergo that wrath that is intollerable, and those flames that are unquenchable.
CHAP. XII. The fullness of wicked mens misery, in that it's positive and privative, with some Cautions against it.
CHAP. XII. The fulness of wicked mens misery, in that it's positive and privative, with some Cautions against it.
Use. Learn hence the full misery of the wicked in the other World. They shall not only be deprived of all good, in their banishment from the presence of God, but also be afflicted with all evil, in their suffering the pains of Hell fire. The godly in the other World shall be perfectly blessed, in their freedom from all penal and all moral evil, and their fruition of all that is truly good, for they shall ever ⟨p. 81⟩be with the Lord, who is an universal good. So the Wicked in the World to come shall be perfectly cursed, in the absence of what ever is comfortable, and in the presence of whatsoever is dreadful, and may render them miserable; Snares, Fire, Brimstone, an horrible Tempest, shall be rained on them as their portion; woeful are the fruits of Sin oftentimes in this World. It keeps good from men here, strips them of their Estates, Relations, Liberties, Limbs, Health, Names; nay, of the Gospel, Ordinances, and seasons of Grace, and brings on them much evil here, Aches, Pains, Diseases in their Bodies, Horrors and Terrors in their Souls. But these are nothing to the effects of Sin in the other World. Here in the midst of Judgment, Mercy is remembered; there is no state on Earth of mere or pure wrath. All good things are not removed, nor all evil things inflicted on any. In the worst Estate there is Life, and that clothed with some Favours. The pained have some intermission, or at least remission of their pains. In the lowest estate there is hope of better, ⟨p. 82⟩and that is no small Cordial to a poor Creature; there is no Condition so bad, but might have been worse, both for its intention and duration. But now in the other World, the wicked have Judgment without a mite of Mercy, and Misery without any Ease; either in regard of degree or intermission: All good banished from them, and all evil inflicted on them.
Ʋse. LEarn hence the full misery of the wicked in the other World. They shall not only be deprived of all good, in their banishment from the presence of God, but also be afflicted with all evil, in their suffering the pains of Hell fire. The godly in the other World shall be perfectly blessed, in their freedom from all poenal and all moral evil, and their fruition of all that is truly good, for they shall ever ⟨p. 81⟩be with the Lord, who is an universal good. So the Wicked in the World to come shall be perfectly cursed, in the absence of what ever is comfortable, and in the presence of whatsoever is dreadful, and may render them miserable; Snares, Fire, Brimstone, an horrible Tempest, shall be rained on them as their portion; woful are the fruits of Sin oftentimes in this World. It keeps good from men here, strips them of their Estates, Relations, Liberties, Limbs, Health, Names; nay, of the Gospel, Ordinances, and seasons of Grace, and brings on them much evil here, Aches, Pains, Diseases in their Bodies, Horrors and Terrors in their Souls. But these are nothing to the effects of Sin in the other World. Here in the midst of Judgment, Mercy is remembred; there is no state on Earth of mear or pure wrath. All good things are not removed, nor all evil things inflicted on any. In the worst Estate there is Life, and that cloathed with some Favours. The pained have some intermission, or at least remission of their pains. In the lowest estate there is hope of better, ⟨p. 82⟩and that is no small Cordial to a poor Creature; there is no Condition so bad, but might have been worse, both for its intention and duration. But now in the other World, the wicked have Judgment without a mite of Mercy, and Misery without any Ease; either in regard of degree or intermission: All good banished from them, and all evil inflicted on them.
Ex. If the wicked shall be thus punished with the loss of Christ, and the pains of Hell fire; it exhorts us to flee from the wrath to come. Ah who would fry one hour in flames for a Kingdom! How dreadful is the hearing of fire; fire, in the night? How doth the very sound of it fright men and women? Ah then what will the feeling of it be in utter darkness, in that black long night of eternity! Sinner, when thou art tempted to sin, consider whether the satisfaction of thy Lust will make thee amends for, and balance the loss of God, and thy suffering the flames of Hell.
Ex. If the wicked shall be thus punished with the loss of Christ, and the pains of Hell fire; it exhorts us to flee from the wrath to come. Ah who would fry one hour in flames for a Kingdom! How dreadful is the hearing of fire; fire, in the night? How doth the very sound of it fright men and women? Ah then what will the feeling of it be in utter darkness, in that black long night of eternity! Sinner, when thou art tempted to sin, consider whether the satisfaction of thy Lust will make thee amends for, and ballance the loss of God, and thy suffering the flames of Hell.
Alas, how little is the pleasure of Sin, but how terrible, how intolerable is the ⟨p. 83⟩pain of it! What wise man would be racked a day for a moments delight? much less suffer the wrath of an infinite God, for the dreggy pleasures of a Beast. Dost thou think thou canst bear it? art thou able to endure it? Canst thou suffer the pain of our fire? if not, how wilt thou endure the pain of that fire which the breath of a God kindleth, and keepeth burning? which tortures the Soul as well as the Body, and which was prepared of God for the afflicting and punishing his Creatures. O Friend, fly to Christ, if thou wouldst flee from the wrath to come, 1 Thess. 1. ult. He is the only screen between thee and the fire of Hell. Fly from sin, if thou wouldst fly from Hell fire. Fly the Cause, and thou fliest the Effect: Take away Sin, and you take away Hell. Whatsoever thou sowest now, thou shalt reap hereafter; Gal. 6.7. Sow Lust, and reap the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone for ever. Sow Holiness, and reap Happiness; They who sow to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap Corruption: but they who sow to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting, Gal. 6.8.
Alas, how little is the pleasure of Sin, but how terrible, how intollerable is the ⟨p. 83⟩pain of it! What wise man would be rack'd a day for a moments delight? much less suffer the wrath of an infinite God, for the dreggy pleasures of a Beast. Dost thou think thou canst bear it? art thou able to endure it? Canst thou suffer the pain of our fire? if not, how wilt thou endure the pain of that fire which the breath of a God kindleth, and keepeth burning? which tortures the Soul as well as the Body, and which was prepared of God for the afflicting and punishing his Creatures. O Friend, flie to Christ, if thou wouldst flee from the wrath to come, 1 Thess. 1. ult. He is the only skreen between thee and the fire of Hell. Flie from sin, if thou wouldst flie from Hell fire. Flie the Cause, and thou fliest the Effect: Take away Sin, and you take away Hell. Whatsoever thou sowest now, thou shalt reap hereafter; Gal. 6.7. Sow Lust, and reap the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone for ever. Sow Holiness, and reap Happiness; They who sow to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap Corruption: but they who sow to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting, Gal. 6.8.
CHAP. XIII. The eternity of the Sinners misery in the other World, with the grand Reason of it.
I Come now to the eternity of the Sinners punishment, in that word Everlasting.
[Greek or Hebrew], The word is referred to God, and then is used for that which is eternal, à part ante, or that never had a beginning. Sometimes it's referred to the rational Creature, and then signifieth an eternity, a part post, or that which never hath an end. The word comes from [Greek or Hebrew], an Age, because what is everlasting, endureth through all Ages and Generations, and infinitely beyond them.
〈non-Latin alphabet〉, The word is refer'd to God, and then is used for that which is eternal, à parte ante, or that never had a beginning. Sometimes it's refer'd to the rational Creature, and then signifieth an eternity, a parte post, or that which never hath an end. The word comes from 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, an Age, because what is everlasting, endureth through all Ages and Generations, and infinitely beyond them.
The Doctrine which I shall draw from this property of ungodly mens punishment shall be this.