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

Thirdly, This judgement was most dreadful; we read in the Scriptures and have seen with our eyes very great judgements, but none so dreadful, all things considered, as this of Fire and Brimstone from Heaven. Indeed the Flood which devoured the whole old World together, Noah and his Family excepted did strike the most universal dread upon the children of men, of any judgement that ever hath been since the Worlds Creation: yet the ⟨p. 29⟩Fire and Brimstone from Heaven, which devoured Sodom and Gomorrah with all their Inhabitants, Lot only and his Family excepted had more of particular dread in it, in as much as death by Fire is more painful than death by Water; especially such Fire as came down from Heaven. It was a terrible day to the old World, when they saw the Windows of Heaven opened, and Water to come forth from thence in such great abundance, as to swell into a Flood, and that so great a Flood as drowned all Man-kind which were not found in the Ark: But it was a more terrible day to the Sodomites, when they saw the Windows of Heaven opened, and Fire to come forth from thence, Fire mingled with Brimstone, and Gods fiery indignation, which falling upon their Houses and heads, put all into flames; this last judgement as it had more strangeness in it; so it did strike more terror into the hearts of those which did endure it.

Thirdly, This judgement was most dreadful; we read in the Scriptures and have seen with our eyes very great judgements, but none so dreadful, all things considered, as this of Fire and Brimstone from Heaven. Indeed the Flood which devoured the whole old World together, Noah and his Family excepted did strike the most universal dread upon the children of men, of any judgement that ever hath been since the Worlds Creation: yet the ⟨p. 29⟩Fire and Brimstone from Heaven, which devoured Sodom and Gomorrah with all their Inhabitants, Lot only and his Family excepted had more of particular dread in it, in as much as death by Fire is more painful than death by Water; especially such Fire as came down from Heaven. It was a terrible day to the old World, when they saw the Windows of Heaven opened, and Water to come forth from thence in such great abundance, as to swell into a Flood, and that so great a Flood as drowned all Man-kind which were not found in the Ark: But it was a more terrible day to the Sodomits, when they saw the Windows of Heaven opened, and Fire to come forth from thence, Fire mingled with Brimstone, and Gods fiery indignation, which falling upon their Houses and heads, put all into flames; this last judgement as it had more strangeness in it; so it did strike more terrour into the hearts of those which did endure it.