Fire and brimstone from heaven, from earth, in hell, or, Three discourses I. Concerning…

CHAP. IX. 4. Use of Comfort to the Righteous.

Such of you as are Righteous through the perfect Righteousness of Chris made yours by Faith, without the imputation o• which (what ever righteousness you may have within you, because imperfect) it is impossible you should escape the damnation of Hell; you that are clothed with the white Robes of Christ's Righteousness, under which all your iniquities are covered; and withal have the Spirit of Christ given unto you, to work you into a conformity unto the Image of Christ in your regeneration and Sanctification, which are inseparably joined unto justification by Faith; you may take comfort in this Doctrine, which is matter of such terror unto the wicked and Ungodly. As in Samsons Riddle out of the strong and fierce Lion, came forth Honey and sweetness: So this Doctrine which looks with such a fierce aspect upon those which are out of Christ, yet will yield sweetness unto you which are in him, because there is no condemnation unto them which are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8. 1. Because Jesus hath delivered you from the wrath to come. 1 Thes. 1. 10. Who shall lay any thing to your charge, when God hath justified you? who shall condemn you when God hath acquitted you? Need you value then the wrath of men, when you are delivered from the wrath of God? Need you fear mens threatenings of temporal punishment, which can reach no farther then the body, when you are delivered from condemnation to the eternal punishment of Soul and Body in the Lake, which ⟨p. 137⟩burneth with Fire and Brimstone? what though you should lose your estates? yet since you are not in danger of losing your Souls; what though you should be thrown into a Prison on Earth? yet since you are not in danger of being thrown into the Prison of Hell, you may take comfort and the consideration hereof may alleviate all your fears and grief upon the account of any pains and afflictions, which in this life are upon you, or you are in danger of. You may say of them all, these are not the torments of Hell, there are light, the other heavy these short, the other eternal. Lift up then your heads with joy: yet a little while and you shall see what a difference the Lord will put between you and the wicked; when they shall weep, ye shall laugh; when they shall mourn, ye shall be glad; when they shall cry and howl, ye shall sing and leap for joy;