Twenty sermons preached at Oxford before His Majesty, and elsewhere

After these come Sorcerers, Idolaters, Liars: Though these may be spoken fairly of by men, yet cannot that shelter them from the wrath of God, they shall likewise have their part in that lake, when they come to a reckoning. If there be, I say, a generation of people that worship these, say what you will of them, when they come to receive their wages, they shall receive their portion in that burning lake with hypocrites: Those that make so fair a show before men, and yet nourish hypocrisy in their hearts, these men, though in regard of the outward man, they so behave themselves that none can say to them, black is their eye, though they cannot be charged with those notorious things before mentioned; yet if there be nothing but hypocrisy in their hearts, let it be spun with never so fair a web, never so fine a thread, yet they shall have their portion in the lake, they shall have their part, their portion, &c. Then it seems these of this black guard have a peculiar interest unto this place. And as it is said of Judas, Acts 1.25. that he was gone [Greek or Hebrew], to his proper place. So long as a man that is an enemy to Christ, and yields him not obedience is out of Hell, so long is he out of his place. Hell is the place assigned to him, and prepared for him; he hath a share there, and his part and portion he must have, till he is come thither he is but a wanderer. The Evangelist tells us, Mat. 23.15. that the Scribes and Pharisees went about to gain Proselytes, and when they had all done, they made them seven times more the children of hell than themselves, filios Gehennae: So that a Father hath not more right in his Son, than Hell hath in them: He is a vessel of wrath filled top full of iniquity, and a child of the Devils: So that as we say, the Gallows will claim its right, so hell will claim its due. But mistake me not, all this that I speak concerning hell, is not to terrify and affright men, but by forewarning them to keep them thence. For after I have shown you the danger, I shall show a way to escape it, and how ⟨p. 58⟩the Lord Jesus was given to us to deliver us from this danger: But if you will not hear, but will try conclusions with God, then you must to your proper place, to the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone.

After these come Sorcerers, Idolaters, Lyars: Though these may be spoken fairly of by men, yet cannot that shelter them from the wrath of God, they shall likewise have their part in that lake, when they come to a reckoning. If there be, I say, a generation of people that worship these, say what you will of them, when they come to receive their wages, they shall receive their portion in that burning lake with hypocrites: Those that make so fair a shew before men, and yet nourish hypocrisie in their hearts, these men, though in regard of the outward man, they so behave themselves that none can say to them, black is their eye, though they cannot be charged with those notorious things before mentioned; yet if there be nothing but hypocrisie in their hearts, let it be spun with never so fair a web, never so fine a thread, yet they shall have their portion in the lake, they shall have their part, their portion, &c. Then it seems these of this black guard have a peculiar interest unto this place. And as it is said of Judas,