N01608:19
The valley of Hinnom. The terrors of hell demonstrated and the methods of escaping…The valley of Hinnom. The terrours of hell demonstrated and the methods of escaping…
The valley of Hinnom. The terrors of hell demonstrated and the methods of escaping the terrible miseries of the punishments on the wicked there, declared. In a sermon preached in the hearing, and at the request, of a man under a sentence of death for a murder; just before the execution of the sentence; and upon a text by himself assigned for the sermon to insist upon. At Boston, 13.d. IV.m. 1717, : [Two lines of quotation in Latin]The valley of Hinnom. The terrours of hell demonstrated and the methods of escaping the terrible miseries of the punishments on the wicked there, declared. In a sermon preached in the hearing, and at the request, of a man under a sentence of death for a murder; just before the execution of the sentence; and upon a text by himself assigned for the sermon to insist upon. At Boston, 13.d. IV.m. 1717, : [Two lines of quotation in Latin]
Boston: printed by J. Allen for Robert Starke, 1717
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.
First, This is what Men have Naturally some Apprehensions of: Men are Naturally Apprehensive of it, and bring into the World with them a Principle in their Souls, which when it is awakened, gives them an Assurance of it; That Sin must and will be Punished, by the Justice of GOD. It is truly affirmed, Rom. I. 32. They know the Judgments of GOD, that they which commit such Things are worthy of Death. The GOD who forms the Spirit of Man within him, and left on it some ⟨p. 8⟩Tendencies for a Re-Union, to Himself; has made some Indelible Impressions of His Justice on the Spirit of Man; Impressions, Convictions, Persuasions, That GOD will punish Sin; and, That the wrath of GOD will come on the Children of Disobedience, for doing such Things as are found in their Evil doings. Governors themselves do Tremble, when they hear of a Judgment to come. Emperors themselves are uneasy amidst all the Pleasures and Grandeurs of their Palaces; 'Tis because they know, There is One Higher than they, who will Punish their Misdemeanours, with Destructive Miseries upon them. The rude Pagans have not been without their Notions of such a thing. The Barbarous Maltese themselves, had their Notions of a Vengeance that would pursue Wicked Men; such as Murderers. The Ancient Law-givers, were wont in the close of their Laws, to mention the Vindictive Justice of GOD: ⟨p. 9⟩The clause was, Qui secus faxit, Deus ipse Vindex erit. The Old Pagans had a sense of a Nemesis, or a Vindictive Justice which terrified them. And it was the dread of this, which kept them so close to the Task of Sacrificing; yea, the Dread of it brought them even to Humane Oblations. Our common Adversary took such advantage thereof, as to push them upon such Horrid Oblations; To make them do like the King of Moab in his Anguish; To make them offer up no less than, The Fruit of their Body for the Sin of their Soul. A Desire to pacify the Vindictive Justice of GOD; This is the Origin of all the Severe Penances wherewith so many Superstitious People in the World have mortified themselves. The Belief of this Vindictive Justice; Oh! It has a strange Force on the minds of Men! Sinner, Thou canst not shake it off: It will haunt thee, as long as thou art in the World; It will seize thee in all the dire ⟨p. 10⟩