Of those infernall testimonies, which all men carry within themselues, to conuince them that doubt of the immortality of the soule, and of the iudgement to come which shall be in eternall happines for the good, and perpetuall torment for the euill: how the very Heathen acknow∣ledged as much by reason taken from the te∣stimonies of nature. Chap. 96.

ACHI. The manifold miseries & scourges of Gods wrath wherwith mē are daily oppres∣sed, should minister vnto thē iust occasiō to think, how odious their sins & wickednes Page  617 are to God, and that he will not leaue them vnpunished, neither in this life nor in the life to come. For as he giueth to his children of his goodnes, and of those good things which hee hath prepared for them in another life, by the benefits which he communicateth vnto thē in this: so he setteth before our eyes testimonies of his wrath and of his iudgement, and of those euils and torments which he hath prepared for the wicked in another life, by them wherewith he vseth to correct and punish them here in this world, But besides this, euery one hath within himselfe testimonies either of eternall blessings or curses to come: which may easily conuince them that will not receiue the authority of the Scriptures, nor any na∣tural reason to prooue the immortality of the soule. For they beare about them all their wit∣nesses and their owne condemnation: and therefore it will be an easie matter to conuince them, although not to confound them. I say to conuince them, because a man is then con∣uinced, when he is compelled to acknowledge in his conscience, that hee hath no reason * whereby hee is able to gain say and withstand the truth declared vnto him which condem∣neth him. But yet if he be obstinate, headstrong malicious and peruerse, he neuer ceaseth for all that to kick against the pricke, and to perseuere in his obstinacy and peeuish malice. For when reason faileth him, he armeth himselfe with impudency, like to a bold murderer, and to a shamelesse strumpet that cannot be made ashamed. But howsoeuer wicked men labour to blind their mind, and to harden their heart against the iudgement of God, yet the same is neuer declared vnto them, but they feele themselues pricked & pressed therewith, wil they, nill they: not that it fareth with them as it doth with Gods children, who are touched ther∣with vnto repentance, but as S. Paul speaking of the wicked and obstinate, saith, that God hath giuen them a pricking spirit, because they haue a bitter heart, which stirreth them to whet themselues as it were more and more against God, and to despite him, when they feele themselues pressed and vrged by his word and by his iudgements.

Now then God hauing created Angels and men, that they should know him and follow his will, gaue them a nature endued with vnderstanding, and hath set within them rules of * iudgement, and of certen knowledge, which are vnto them as lawes in nature, and hath also placed in them the will with the affections, as ministers & practisers of those rules and lawes. This selfe same diuine prouidence hath appointed also that the affection of ioy: should be naturally in men, which commeth vnto them by reason of some good which they receiue or looke for when they obey his lawes that commandeth them to do iust things, as contra∣riwise, he hath put in them the affection of sorrow and heauines to take vengeance of the re∣bellion against his lawes, & of the transgression of them. For as God hath decreed, that the nature of man should lead a ioyfull life, and should by this means of ioy be preserued in the knowledge of God his creator & in his obedience, & so rest in him: so also he hath appoin∣ted flames of wrath & griefe to destroy this nature, when it doth not conforme it selfe vnto the rule of his heauenly wisdome & will. Therefore we may wel say, that we cary about with vs, as it were our paradise and our Hell, & haue already in this world true beginnings of thē both. For so long as we conforme our selues to God and follow his wisdome and wil, so that we submit our will to his, and desire not to be wise but in him and by him, nor iudge any thing good or euill, but according to his iudgement, neither will any thing but that which he willeth, and take no pleasure but in obeying & pleasing him, we cannot be thus affected towards him, but we shall receiue an vnspeakeable ioy by that mutuall participation of loue * which is between him and vs, and by that tast which we receiue thereby of his goodnesse, bounty, grace, and fauour towards vs, which is the toppe of all happinesse. For as the na∣ture of men was created of God, to the end it might be conformable vnto him, so also it was ordained by him that it should liue, not to be extinguished and vndone through griefe, which is an euil that corrupteth and consumeth, as wel as diseases. Therfore if it were con∣formable to God, so that mens hearts agreed vnto reason and right iudgement, they should alwayes reioyce in well doing, both before and after the deed done: and so we should bee already as it were in Paradise. And although God be euery where in regard of his nature and diuine essence, which is infinite, neuerthelesse we meane according to the stile of the holy * Scriptures, that he is properly and specially there, where he sheweth himselfe good, gra∣cious, and fauourable. For this is more proper to his nature in regard of vs, and that which maketh him more louing and amiable to vs, and which is most necessary for vs, and in regard whereof he calleth himselfe properly our God and our Father. But as he kindleth the spar∣kles o• loue in their hearts that are vpright and sincere, that l•ue and honour him, which work•th in them so great ioy and consolation, that all other ioy and pleasure are nothing Page  618 vnto them in respect of that: so contrariwise, if we turne aside and separate our selues from him, opposing our selues against his wisdome and wil, as rebellious subiects to their Prince, violating all his lawes and statutes, he kindleth in vs fire-brands of his wrath and furie, which work in vs extreame griefs, so that we cannot beare them, but are consumed by them. For in this corruption and peruersenesse of nature, our heart burneth with the flames of this infernall fire with which it is kindled, and which striue against reason and right iudgement, * euen before it hath committed the fault: neither doth it feare afterwards to cōmit the same, how great and enormious soeuer it be. But forasmuch as it belongeth to the iustice of God, to destroy that nature which is disobedient vnto him, he hath established this order, namely, that sorrow and griefe (as it were the hangman) should punish and destroy them that are guilty, as criminall persons are punished by the appointment of iustice. Wherfore although wicked men are oftentimes blockish and lulled asleepe, and as it were voide of all sence and feeling, so that they feele not this griefe to the quick, neuerthelesse, in the end it is through∣ly felt of them, so that it vtterly destroieth them. For it is like to a fire which hauing beene couered or smothered, afterwards kindleth againe, and gathereth strength, when it is re∣coueretd and receiueth aire, if it haue matter whereupon it may worke. For besides that na∣turall griefe which hath this office. God addeth thereunto horrible feare and terror, where∣by he ouerwhelmeth the wicked, as if he thundred vpon them: so that euen here they feele their Hell, and the fire of Gods wrath taking hold of them, yea they carry about them their internall furies, which are vnto them in stead of Hangmen.

Thus we may learne, how we may carry about with vs the matter of two fires, the one celestiall and diuine, the other infernall and diuilish. Wherefore let vs consider well with * our selues, which of them we had rather haue kindled in vs, and which we ought to desire most, either that which giueth vs both light and heat, and preserueth vs in the hope of true life: or else that which burneth and consumeth vs and doth wholy depriue vs of that life. Now surely they are very wretched, who desire not that which is most agreeable to their owne nature, and vtterly detest and abhor the other. For as we delight in the fire, because it giueth vs light and warmeth vs: so we feare greatly to be burned and consumed by it. Now both these sorts of fire we find in God. For he is a fire to giue light and warmeth to them that approch and draw neere vnto him, and desire to walke in his light, but contrariwise he is a * consuming fire, ioyned with smoake and obscurity, to them who by rebellion and disobedi∣ence rush against him. For this cause the fire of hell and of Gods wrath, which is prepared for the diuell and for all the reprobate, is called eternall fire in the holy. Scriptures, that is neuer put out: and the pains and torments of the damned are likewise called darknes with∣out, where shalbe weeping and gnashing of teeth. And to the end we might know the na∣ture of this fire the better, God hath put sparkles therof within vs. Wherefore we are only to consider what matter we bring to kindle and encrease either the one or the other; either for the preseruation of our nature and life appointed vnto vs by God, or els for the ouerthrow and destruction therof. And by the sense and feeling, which we may haue hereof that ioy, gladnes and contentation, which the knowledge of God and obedience to his will brin∣geth to our hart, we may also iudge whether there be a paradise, and another life & other ioy besides this, which we receiue by corporall pleasures, as beasts doe. For this ioy that cometh to vs from such pleasures, is common to vs with them, and vsually it endeth in sorrow and sadnesse. But they haue no other that commeth vnto their soule, of which they may haue any apprehension as we haue. And by the same consideration, wee may also in some sort iudge of that happines in which we shall be in the other life, when this ioy shalbe perfect in vs wherof we haue here but a very smal tast, in respect of that we shal haue, when we shalbe fully reformed according to Gods image, so that both our vnderstanding, reason & wil shall be made conformable vnto him, because we shalbe wholy swallowed vp in his loue. Con∣trariwise if here we feele a Hell which we carry about vs, and which greatly tormenteth vs, * after we haue offēded the maiesty of God, especially when we haue cōmitted some horrible crimes, this also is another argument wherby we may iudge whether there bee not a Hel, & vengeance frō God to be executed vpon his enemie• in another life. For that sorrow, which our crimes committed doe breed in our hearts, is within vs as a brand of this fire of Gods wrath, which is daily kindled in vs more & more. Wherfore if there be in vs already such vehement heate therof, when as yet the Lord doth kindle but a little the fire brands of his wrath in our hearts, how great shall it then be, when all his wrath shalbe set on fire? certainly they are very dul that do not well consider & vnderstand it. Now we haue heard heretofore Page  619 how the heathen Philosophers concluded the immortality of mans soule by the nature thereof, affirming that it is not created or compounded of corruptible matter, but is of a ce∣lestiall and diuine nature, by reason of that knowledge which it hath, not only of particular * and corporall things, as the soule of beasts hath, but also of vniuersall and spirituall things, and namely, of God, of numbers, of order, of the difference between vertue and vice, and be∣tween honest and dishonest things. For the knowledge of all these things is so naturall to mens soules, that they are within them, albeit they haue not receiued them from without, either by doctrine or instruction. Whereby a man may easily iudge, yea it followeth neces∣sarily, that they are created of a more excellent nature then is that of the elemēts, of a nature that is incorruptible and perpetuall. Wherfore it is very euident, that this knowledge, thus naturall to mens soules, is a certaine testimony, that they are not borne at all aduenture, but are created by great art, and by a wonderfull prouidence of that diuine and eternall nature, by which they haue their being, namely God their Creatour, for which cause also the know∣ledge of him shineth in vs. So also we may well iudge, that God hath not in vaine placed in our nature the knowledge of the differēce, that is between vertue and vice, between things honest & dishonest, and that griefe which is to take vengeance in vs of those vices & crimes of which we feele our selues guilty. And therefore the Heathen themselues concluded, that there was not only a diuine iustice and nature which discerned good men from euill, but also that there was another life after this, in which this iudgement should be made. For they con∣sidered what great torments the wicked feele in their heartes and conscience, after they haue committed horrible crimes: and that there is none so audacious and obdurate, not the greatest mocker and contemner of God and of his iudgments that can be, who can alwaies exempt himselfe from this dolour and paine, notwithstanding he labour with all his might to the contrary. For there is alwaies a certaine secret vertue of Gods iustice, which goeth be∣yond them all, and euermore punisheth the wicked. Now it is certen, that these things come not thus to passe at all aduenture.

In like manner it is not possible, that this knowledge which men haue to discerne ver∣tues * from vices should be a causual thing, and come thus to passe at aduenture, without the certaine prouidence of God. For if it were so, that there were no punishment appointed for vices, and no more benefit or ioy prepared of God for the good then for the euill, it should follow that all this knowledge should bee giuen to man in vaine. For it should doe him no more good then if he were without it as brute beasts are. Moreouer, seeing all the wicked are not punished in this life, it followeth necessarily, that there is another life wherin they shall be punished, and in which also God will acknowledge the iust, and cause them to enioy that good which he hath prepared for them. For God cannot be God, but he must be all good, all iust, and almightie. If he be good, he cannot hate the good or them that doe it, but loue them so, as that he cannot do otherwise. For how should he not loue his like? And as he can∣not hate goodnes or good men, so he cannot loue euill, nor the wicked that follow after it, but hateth them necessarily as contrary to his nature. Now Loue is of that nature, that it * cannot but desire and procure the good and honor of him whom it loueth: as contrariwise, hatred cannot but desire and procure the the hurt and dishonour of him whom it hateth. It followeth then necessarily, that God being good and iust, loueth good and iust men, de∣siring and procuring their honour and their good: and contrariwise, that hee hateth vniust and wicked men desiring and procuring their confusion and ruine. And if he haue this de∣sire and this will, no doubt but he can easily and doth also execute the same, seeing hee is all iust and almightie. Truely this conclusion cannot seeme to bee ill grounded, and those Heathen Philosophers, who thereupon haue concluded the immortality of soules, and the iudgement of God in another life, had good reason so to doe. For it is taken not on∣ly from the nature of man and from the image of God after which he was created, but also from the very nature of God. So that whosoeuer gain-saieth the same, hath no more reason then if he said, that there is no God, and that God is not God, & that man is not man, & that he differed in nothing from a beast, neither God from the diuell. And so not onely all na∣ture should be ouerthrowne, but God also, the authour and Creator therof. For we see almost vsually, that the wickedst men haue the greatest honors in this world, & liue most at their ease, as we haue already shewed. If then there be a God, and any prouidence and iustice in him (now who can so much as think there is none, but he may also perswade himselfe with∣all that there is no world nor any creature, and that himselfe is not the same he is?) it must * I say, of necessitie follow that if God be, there is also another life in which that iustice shalbe Page  620 performed, which is not here executed, and in which both iust and vniust shall receiue euery one the reward of his iustice or iniustice. For it is impossible, that God who is so good and so iust a nature, should create mankinde in that sort, as if hee had created the best and iustest part thereof, onely to misery and wretchednes, and the worst to ioy and happinesse. Now continuing our discourse of those internal testimonies, which euery one of vs beareth within him of the immortality of the soule, we will speake tomorrow of conscience, which presseth men to stand in awe of God and of his iudgements. It is your part, ASER, to in∣treate of this matter.