XXV sermons preached at Golden-Grove being for the vvinter half-year, beginning on Advent-Sunday, untill Whit-Sunday / by Jeremy Taylor ...

SERMON, III. Part, III. (Book 3)

3. IT remaines that we consider the Sentence it self, We must receive according to what we have done in the body, whe∣ther it be good or bad. Judicaturo Domino lugubre mundus immugiet, & tribus adtribum pectora ferient. Potentissimi quondam neges nudo latere palpitabunt: So St. Hierom meditates concerning the terror of this consideration.

The whole world shall groan when the Judge comes to give his Sentence, tribe and tribe shall knock their sides together; and through the naked breasts of the most mighty Kings you shall see their hearts beat with [ C] fearfull tremblings.

Tunc Aristotelis argumenta parum proderunt, cum venerit filius pauperculae quaestuariae judicare orbem terrae. Nothing shall then be worth owning, or the means of obtaining mercy, but a holy conscience; all the humane craft and trifling subtilties shall be uselesse, when the Son of a poor Maid shall sit Judge over all the world. When the Prophet Joel was descri∣bing the formidable accidents in the day of the Lords Judge∣ment, and the fearfull Sentence of an angry Judge, he was not able to expresse it, but stammered like a Childe, or an amazed imperfect person, A. A. A. diei, quia propè est Dies Domini; it * 1.1 is not sense at first; he was so amazed, he knew not what to say, [ D] and the Spirit of God was pleased to let that signe remain like Agamemnon's sorrow for the death of Iphigenia, nothing could describe it but a vail; it must be hidden and supposed; and the stammering tongue that is full of fear, can best speak that terror which will make all the world to cry, and shriek, and speak fear∣full accents, and significations of an infinite sorrow and amaze∣ment.

But so it is, there are two great days in which the fate of all the world is transacted. This life is mans day, in which man [ E] does what he please, and God holds his peace. Man destroys his Brother, and destroyes himselfe, and confounds Governments, and raises Armies, and tempts to sin, and delights in it, and drinks drunk, and forgets his sorrow, and heaps up great estates, and raises a family and a name in the Annals, and makes others fear

him, and introduces new Religions, and confounds the old, and changeth Articles as his interest requires, and all this while [ A] God is silent, save that he is loud and clamorous with his holy precepts, and over-rules the event; but leaves the desires of men to their owne choice, and their course of life such as they generally choose. But then, God shall have his day too; the day of the Lord shall come, in which he shall speak, and no man shall answer, he shall speak in the voyce of thunder and fearfull noyses, and man shall doe no more as he please, but must suffer as he hath deserved. When Zedekiah reigned in Jerusalem, and persecuted the Prophets, and destroyed the interests of Religion, [ B] and put Jeremy into the Dungeon, God held his peace; save onely that he warned him of the danger, and told him of the disorder; but it was Zedekiah's day, and he was permitted to his pleasure. But when he was led in chains to Babylon, and his eyes were put out with burning Basons and horrible circles of reflected fires, then was Gods day, and his voyce was the accent of a fearfull anger, that broke him all in pieces. It will be all our cases, unlesse we hear God speak now, and doe his work, and serve his interest, and bear our selves in our just proporti∣ons, that is, as such, the very end of whose being, and all our faculties is to serve God, and doe justice, and charities to our [ C] Brother. For if we doe the work of God in our own day, wee shall receive an infinite mercy in the day of the Lord. But what that is, is now to be inquired.

What wee have done in the body] But certainly this is the grea∣test terror of all. The thunders and the fires, the earthquakes and the trumpets, the brightnesse of holy Angels, and the horror of accursed Spirits, the voyce of the Archangel (who is the Prince of the heavenly host) and the Majesty of the Judge, in whose service all that Army stands girt with holinesse and obedience, [ D] all those strange circumstances which have been already reckoned, and all those others which wee cannot understand, are but little praeparatories and umbrages of this fearfull circumstance. All this amazing Majesty and formidable praeparatories are for the passing of an eternall Sentence upon us according to what we have done in the body. Woe and alas! and God help us all. All man∣kind is an enemy to God, his nature is accursed, and his man∣ners are depraved. It is with the nature of man, and with all his manners, as Philemon said of the nature of foxes.

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Every fox is crafty and mischievous, and if you gather a whole [ A] herd of them there is not a good natur'd beast amongst them all; so it is with man; by nature he is the child of wrath, and by his manners he is the child of the Devill; wee call Christian, and wee dishonour our Lord, and we are Brethren, but we op∣presse and murther one another; it is a great degree of sanctity now a-days not to be so wicked as the worst of men; and wee live at the rate as if the best of men did design to themselves an easier condemnation; and as if the generality of men consider'd not concerning the degrees of death, but did beleeve that in hell no man shall perceive any ease or refreshment in being tormented [ B] with a slower fire. For consider what we doe in the body; 12 or 14 years passe before we choose good or bad; and of that which remaines above halfe is spent in sleep and the needs of Nature; for the other halfe it is divided as the Stag was when the beasts went a hunting, the Lyon hath five parts of sixe: The businesse of the world takes so much of our remaining portion, that Religion and the service of God have not much time left that can be spar'd; and of that which can, if we consider how much is allowed to crasty arts of cousenage, to oppression and ambition, to greedy desires, and avaritious prosecutions, to the vanities of [ C] our youth, and the proper sins of every age, to the meer idle∣nesse of man and doing nothing, to his fantastick imaginations of greatnesse, and pleasures, of great and little devices, of imper∣tinent law-suites and uncharitable treatings of our Brother; it will be intolerable when we consider that we are to stand or fall eter∣nally, according to what we have done in the body. Gather it all together, and set it before thy eyes; Almes and Prayers are the summe of all thy good. Were thy prayers made in feare and holinesse, with passion and desire? Were they not made un∣willingly, weakly, and wandringly, and abated with sins in the [ D] greatest part of thy life? Didst thou pray with the same affecti∣on and labour as thou didst purchase thy estate? Have thy alms been more then thy oppressions, and according to thy power? and by what means didst thou judge concerning it? How much of our time was spent in that? and how much of our estate was spent in this? But let us goe one step further: How many of us love our enemies? or pray for, and doe good to them that per∣secute and affront us? or overcome evill with good, or turn the face again to them that strike us, rather then be reveng'd? or suffer our selves to be spoil'd or robbed without contention and uncharitable courses? or lose our interest rather then lose our [ E] charity? And yet by these precepts we shall be judged. I instance but once more. Our blessed Saviour spake a hard saying: Every * 1.2 idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof at the day of Judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and

by thy words thou shalt be condemned; and upon this account may [ A] every one weeping and trembling say with Jcb, Quid faciam cum * 1.3 resurrexerit ad judicandum Deus? What shall I doe when the Lord shall come to judgement? Of every idle word] O blessed God! what shall become of them who love to prate continually, to tell tales, to detract, to slander, to back-bite, to praise them∣selves, to undervalue others, to compare, to raise divisions, to boast? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; Who shall be able to stand upright, not bowing the knee with the intolerable load of the sins of his tongue? If of every idle word we must give account, what shall we doe for those malicious words that disho∣nor [ B] God, or doe despite to our Brother? Remember how often we have tempted our Brother, or a silly woman to sin and death? How often we have pleaded for unjust interests, or by our wit have cousened an easie, and a beleeving person, or given evill sen∣tences, or disputed others into false perswasions? Did we never call good evill, or evill good? Did we never say to others, thy cause is right, when nothing made it right, but favour and money, a false advocate or a covetous Judge? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, so said Christ, every idle word, that is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, so St. Paul uses it, every false * 1.4 word, every lie shall be called to judgement; or as some Copies [ C] read it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, every wicked word shall be called to judg∣ment. For by [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] Idle words, are not meant words that are unprofitable or unwise, for fooles and silly persons speak most of those, and have the least accounts to make; but by vaine the Jewes usually understood false; and to give their mind to va∣nity, or to speak vanity, is all one as to mind or speak falshoods with malicious and evill purposes. But if every idle word, that is, every vain and lying word shall be called to judgment, what shall become of men that blaspheme God, or their Rulers, or Princes of the people, or their Parents? that dishonour the Re∣ligion, [ D] and disgrace the Ministers? that corrupt Justice and per∣vert Judgment? that preach evill doctrines, or declare perverse sentences? that take Gods holy Name in vain, or dishonour the Name of God by trifling and frequent swearings; that holy Name by which wee hope to bee saved, and which all the Angels of God fall down and worship? These things are to be considered, for by our own words we stand or fall, that is, as in humane Judge∣ments the confession of the party, and the contradiction of him∣selfe, or the failing in the circumstances of his story, are the confidences or presumptions of law, by which Judges give sen∣tence; [ E] so shall our words be, not onely the means of declaring a secret sentence, but a certain instrument of being absolved or con∣demned. But upon these premises, we see what reason we have to fear the sentence of that day, who have sinned with our tongues so often, so continually, that if there were no other actions

to be accounted for, we have enough in this account to make us die, and yet have committed so many evill actions that if our [ A] words were wholly forgotten, wee have infinite reason to seare concerning the event of that horrible sentence. The effect of which consideration is this, that we set a guard before our lips, and watch over our actions with a care, equall to that fear which shall be at Doomes-day, when we are to passe our sad accounts. But I have some considerations to interpose.

1. But (that the sadnesse of this may a little be relieved, and our * 1.5 endevours be encouraged to a timely care and repentance) con∣sider, that this great sentence, although it shall passe concerning [ B] little things, yet it shall not passe by little portions, but by ge∣nerall measures; not by the little errors of one day, but by the great proportions of our life; for God takes not notice of the infir∣mities of honest persons that alwayes endevour to avoid every sin, but in little intervening instances are surprized; but he judges us by single actions, if they are great, and of evill effect; and by little small instances, if they be habituall. No man can take care concerning every minute; and therefore concerning it Christ will not passe sentence but by the discernible portions of our time, by humane actions, by things of choice and deliberation, and by [ C] generall precepts of care and watchfulnesse, this sentence shall be exacted. 2^ly. The sentence of that day shall be passed, not by * 1.6 the proportions of an Angell, but by the measures of a Man; the first follies are not unpardonable, but may bee recovered; and the second are dangerous, and the third are more fatall; but nothing is unpardonable but perseverance in evill cour∣ses. 3^ly. The last Judgement shall bee transacted by the same * 1.7 Principles by which we are guided here: not by strange and secret propositions, or by the fancies of men, or by the subtilties of uselesse distinctions, or evill perswasions; not by the scruples of [ D] the credulous, or the interest of sects, nor the proverbs of pre∣judice, nor the uncertain definitions of them that give laws to subjects by expounding the decrees of Princes; but by the plain rules of Justice, by the ten Commandements, by the first apprehensi∣ons of conscience, by the plain rules of Scripture, and the rules of an honest mind, and a certain Justice. So that by this restraint and limit of the finall sentence, we are secur'd we shall not fall by scruple or by ignorance, by interest or by faction, by false per∣swasions of others, or invincible prejudice of our own, but we shall stand or fall by plain and easie propositions, by chastity or [ E] uncleannesse, by justice or unjustice, by robbery or restitution: and of this wee have a great testimony by our Judge and Lord himselfe; Whatsoever yee shall bind in earth shall be bound in hea∣ven, and whatsoever yee loose shall be loosed there; that is, you shall stand or fall according to the Sermons of the Gospel, as the

Ministers of the Word are commanded to preach, so yee must [ A] live here, and so yee must be judged hereafter; yee must not look for that sentence by secret decrees or obscure doctrines, but by plain precepts and certain rules. But there are yet some more degrees of mercy. 4. That sentence shall passe upon us not after * 1.8 the measures of Nature, and possibilities, and utmost extents, but by the mercies of the Covenant; we shall be judged as Chri∣stians rather then as men, that is, as persons to whom much is pardoned, and much is pityed, and many things are (not acci∣dentally, but consequently) indulged, and great helps are mini∣stred, and many remedies supplyed, and some mercies extra∣regularly [ B] conveyed, and their hopes enlarged upon the stock of an infinite mercy, that hath no bounds but our needs, our capaci∣ties, and our proportions to glory. 5. The sentence is to be given * 1.9 by him that once dyed for us, and does now pray for us, and perpe∣tually intercedes; and upon soules that he loves, and in the sal∣vation of which himself hath a great interest, and increase of joy. And now upon these premises we may dare to consider what the sen∣tence it self shall be, that shall never be reversed, but shall last for ever and ever.

Whether it be good or bad.] I cannot discourse now the great∣nesse [ C] of the good or bad, so farre (I mean) as is revealed to us; the considerations are too long to be crouded into the end of a Sermon; onely in generall: 1. If it be good, it is greater then * 1.10 all the good of this world, and every mans share then, in every instant of his blessed eternity is greater then all the pleasures of Mankind in one heap.

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A man can never wish for any thing greater then this immorta∣lity, said Posidippus. 2. To which I adde this one consideration, * 1.11 that the portion of the good at the day of sentence shall be so great, that after all the labours of our life, and suffering persecu∣tions, and enduring affronts, and the labour of love, and the con∣tinuall feares and cares of the whole duration and abode, it re∣wards it all, and gives infinitely more; Non sunt condignae passio∣nes hujus saeculi; all the torments and evills of this world are not to be estimated with the joyes of the Blessed: It is the gift of God; a donative beyond the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the military stipend, it is [ E] beyond our work, and beyond our wages, and beyond the pro∣mise, and beyond our thoughts, and above our understandings, and above the highest heavens, it is a participation of the joyes of God, and of the inheritance of the Judge himselfe.

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It is a day of recompenses, in which all our sorrowes shall be turn'd into joyes, our persecutions into a crown, the Crosse into a Throne, poverty to the riches of God, losse, and affronts, and inconveniences, and death, into scepters, and hymnes, and rejoy∣cings, and Hallellujahs, and such great things which are fit for us to hope, but too great for us to discourse of, while we see as in [ B] a glasse darkly and imperfectly. And he that chooses to do an evill, rather then suffer one, shall finde it but an ill exchange, that he deferred his little to change for a great one. I remember that a servant in the old Comedy did chuse to venture the lash ra∣ther then to feel a present inconvenience, Quia illud aderat malum, istud aberat longiùs: illud erat praesens, huic erant dieculae: but this will be but an ill account, when the rods shall for the delay be turned into Scorpions, and from easie shall become intolerable. Better it is to suffer here, and to stay till the day of restitution for the good and the holy portion; for it will recompense both [ C] for the suffering and the stay.

But how if the portion be bad? It shall be bad to the greatest part of mankinde; that's a fearfull consideration; the greatest part of men and women shall dwell in the portion of Devils to eternall ages. So that these portions are like the Prophets figs in the vision; the good are the best that ever were, and the worst are so bad that worse cannot be imagined. For though in hell the accursed souls shall have no worse then they have deserved, and there are not there overrunning measures as there are in hea∣ven, and therefore that the joyes of heaven are infinitely greater joyes then the pains of hell are great pains, yet even these are a [ D] full measure to a full iniquity, pain above patience, sorrowes without ease, amazement without consideration, despair without the intervals of a little hope, indignation without the possession of any good, there dwels envie and confusion, disorder and sad remembrances, perpetuall woes and continuall shriekings, uneasi∣nesse and all the evils of the soul. But if we will represent it in some orderly circumstances, we may consider,

1. That here, all the troubles of our spirits are little participa∣tions * 1.13 of a disorderly passion; A man desires earnestly, but he hath [ E] not, or he envies because another hath something besides him, and he is troubled at the want of one, when at the same time he hath a hundred good things; and yet ambition and envie, impatience and confusion, covetousnesse and lust are all of them very great torments; but there these shall be in essence and abstracted beings;

the spirit of envie, and the spirit of sorrow; Devils, that shall in∣flict all the whole nature of the evill and pour it into the minds of [ A] accursed men; where it shall sit without abatement: for he that envies there, envies not for the eminence of another that sits a lit∣tle above him, and excels him in some one good; but he shall envie for all; because the Saints have all, and they have none; therefore all their passions are integral, abstracted, perfect passions; and all the sorrow in the world at this time, is but a portion of sorrow; every man hath his share, and yet besides that which all sad men have, there is a great deal of sorrow which they have not, and all the Devils portion besides that; but in hell, they shall have the [ B] whole passion of sorrow in every one, just as the whole body of the Sun is seen by every one in the same Horizon; and he that is in darknesse enjoyes it not by parts, but the whole darknesse is the portion of one as well as of another. If this consideration be not too Metaphysicall, I am sure it is very sad, and it relies upon this; that as in heaven there are some holy Spirits whose crown is all love; and some in which the brightest jewell is understanding; some are purity, and some are holinesse to the Lord: so in the re∣gions of sorrow, evill and sorrow have an essence and proper being, and are set there to be suffer'd intirely by every undone man that dies there for ever. [ C]

2. The evils of this world are materiall and bodily; the pres∣sing of a shoulder, or the straining of a joynt; the dislocation of a bone, or the extending of an artery; a bruise in the flesh, or the pinching of the skin; a hot liver, or a sickly stomach; and then the minde is troubled because its instrument is ill at ease; but all the proper troubles of this life are nothing but the effects of an uneasie body, or an abused fancy, and therefore can be no big∣ger then a blow or a cousenage, then a wound or a dream; only the trouble increases as the soul works it; and if it makes reflex [ D] acts and begins the evill upon its own account, then it multiplies and doubles, because the proper scene of grief is open'd, and sor∣row peeps through the corners of the soul. But in those regi∣ons and daies of sorrow when the soul shall be no more depen∣ding upon the body, but the perfect principle of all its actions, the actions are quick, and the perceptions brisk, the passions are extreme and the motions are spirituall; the pains are like the hor∣rors of a Devill, and the groans of an evill spirit; not slow like the motions of a heavie foot, or a loaden arme, but quick as an Angels wing, active as lightning; and a grief then, is nothing like [ E] a grief now, and the words of mans tongue which are fitted to the uses of this world, are as unfit to signifie the evils of the next, as person, and nature, and hand, and motion, and passion are to represent the effects of the Divine attributes, actions and sub∣sistence.

3. The evill portions of the next world is so great, that God [ A] did not create or design it in the first intention of things, and production of essences; he made the Kingdome of Heaven, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from the foundation of the world; for so it is observable, that Christ shall say to the Sheep at his right hand, * 1.14 Receive the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world; but to the Goats and accursed spirits, he speaks of no such primitive and originall design; it was accidentall and a consequent to horrid crimes, that God was forced to invent and to after create that place of torments.

4. And when God did create and prepare that place, he did not at all intend it for man, it was prepared for the Divill and his [ B] Angels, so saith the Judge himself, Go ye cursed into everlasting fire, * 1.15 prepared for the Devill and his Angels, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which my Father prepared for the Devill, so some copies read it: God intended it not for man, but man would imitate the De∣vils pride, and listen to the whispers of an evill spirit, and follow his temptations, and rebell against his Maker; and then God al∣so against his first design resolved to throw such persons into that place that was prepared for the Devill: for so great was the love of God to mankind, that he prepared joyes infinite and never [ C] ceasing for man before he had created him; but he did not pre∣determine him to any evill; but when he was forced to it by mans malice, he doing what God forbad him, God cast him thi∣ther where he never intended him; but it was not mans portion: he designed it not at first, and at last also he invited him to re∣pentance, and when nothing could do it, he threw man into ano∣thers portion, because he would not accept of what was designed to be his own.

5. The evill portion shall be continuall without intermission of evill; no dayes of rest, no nights of sleep, no ease from labour, no periods of the stroke, nor taking off the hand, no intervals be∣tween [ D] blow and blow; but a continued stroke, which neither shor∣tens the life, nor introduces a brawny patience, or the toleration of an oxe, but it is the same in every instant, and great as the first stroke of lightning; the smart is great for ever as at the first change, from the rest of the grave to the flames of that horrible burning. The Church of Rome amongst some other strange opinions hath inserted this one into her publick Offices; that the perishing souls in hell may have sometimes remission and refreshment like the fits of an intermitting feaver: for so it is in the Roman Missal printed [ E] at Paris, 1626. in the Masse for the dead; Ut quia de ejus vitae qualitate diffidimus, & si plenam veniam animaipsius obtinere non potest, saltem vel inter ipsa tormenta quae forsan patitur, refrige∣rium de abundantia miserationum tuarum sentiat: and something like this is that of Prudentius, Sunt & Spiritibus saepè nocentibus, * 1.16

Poenarum celebres sub Styge feriae, &c. The evill spirits have ease of their pain, and he names their holiday, then when the Resurrection [ A] of our Lord from the grave is celebrated:

Marcent suppliciis Tartara mitibus, Exultát{que} sui carceris otio Umbrarum populus liber ab ignibus: Nec fervent solito flumina sulphure.

They then thought that when the Paschall taper burn'd, the flames of hell could not burn, till the holy wax was spent: but because [ B] this is a fancy without ground or revelation, and is against the Analogie of all those expressions of our Lord, Where the worm dyeth not, and the fire is never quenched, and divers others, it is sufficient to have noted it without further consideration; the pains of hell have no rest, no drop of water is allowed to cool the tongue, there is no advocate to plead for them, no mercy belongs to their portion, but fearfull wrath and continuall burnings.

6. And yet this is not the worst of it; for as it is continuall during its abode: so its abode is for ever, it is continuall and eternall. Tertullian speaks something otherwise, Pro magnitudine cruciatus non diuturni, verùm sempiterni; not continuall, or the pains of [ C] every day, but such which shall last for ever. But Lactantius is more plain in this affair; The same divine fire by the same power and force shall burn the wicked, and shall repair instantly whatsoever of the body it does consume: Ac sibi ipsi aeternum pabulum submi∣nistrabit, and shall make for it self an eternall fuell.

Vermibus & flammis & discruciatibus aevum Immortale dedit, senio ne poena periret Non pereunte animâ— [ D]

So Prudentius eternall wormes, and unextinguished flames, and im∣mortall punishment is prepared for the ever-never dying souls of wicked men. Origen is charged by the ancient Churches for say∣ing that after a long time the Devils and the accursed souls shall be restored to the Kingdome of God; and that after a long time again they shall be restored to their state; and so it was from their fall and shall be forever; and it may be that might be the meaning of Tertullians expression, of cruciatus non diuturni sed sempiterni. Epiphanius charges not the opinion upon Origen, and [ E] yet he was free enough in his animadversion and reproof of him; but S. Austin did, and confuted the opinion in his books De civi∣tate Dei. However, Origen was not the first that said the pains of the damned should cease; Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Try∣phon expresses it thus. Neither do I say that all the souls do dye,

for that indeed would be to the wicked a gain unlooked for: What [ A] then? the souls of the godly in a better place, of the wicked in a worse, do tarry the time of Judgement; then they that are worthy shall never dye again; but those that are designed to punishment shall abide so long as God please to have them to live and to be punished: But I observe, that the primitive Doctors were very willing to believe that the mercy of God would finde out a period to the tor∣ment of accursed fouls; but such a period, which should be no∣thing but eternall destruction, called by the Scripture the second death: only Origen (as I observed) is charg'd by S. Austin to have said they shall return into joyes; and back again to hell by an eternall revolution. But concerning the death of wicked souls, [ B] and its being broke into pieces with fearfull torments and con∣sumed with the wrath of God, they had entertain'd some diffe∣rent fancies very early in the Church, as their sentences are col∣lected by S. Hierome at the end of his Commentaries upon Isay;

and Ireneus disputes it largely, that they that are unthankfull to God in this short life and obey him not, shall never have an * 1.17 eternall duration of life in the ages to come, sed ipse se privat in saeculum saeculi perseverantiâ, he deprives his soul of living to eter∣nall ages;

for he supposes an immortall duration not to be na∣turall [ C] to the soul, but a gift of God, which he can take away, and did take away from Adam, and restored it again in Christ to them that beleeve in him and obey him: for the other, they shall be raised again to suffer shame, and fearfull torments, and accor∣ding to the degree of their sins, so shall be continued in their sor∣rowes, and some shall dye and some shall not dye; the Devill and the Beast, and and they that worshipped the Beast, and they that were marked with his Character, these S. John saith shall be tormented for ever and ever; he does not say so of all; but of some certain great criminals; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, all, so long as God please, some for ever and ever, and some not so severely; And whereas the [ D] generall sentence is given to all wicked persons, to all on the left hand, to go into everlasting fire: it is answered, that the fire indeed is everlasting, but not all that enters into it is everlasting; but only the Devils for whom it was prepared and others more migh∣ty criminals (according as S. John intimates) though also ever∣lasting signifies only to the end of its proper period.

Concerning this Doctrine of theirs so severe, and yet so mode∣rated, there is lesse to be objected then against the supposed fan∣cy of Origen: for it is a strange consideration to suppose an eter∣nall [ E] torment to those to whom it was never threatned; to those who never heard of Christ; to those that liv'd probably well, to heathens of good lives; to ignorants and untaught people; to people surprised in a single crime; to men that dye young in their naturall follies and foolish lusts; to them that fall in a sudden

gaiety and excessive joy; to all alike; to all infinite and eternall, [ A] even to unwarned people; and that this should be inflicted by God who infinitely loves his creature, who dyed for them, who pardons easily, and pities readily, and excuses much, and delights in our being saved, and would not have us dye, and takes little things in exchange for great: it is certain that Gods mercies are infinite, and it is also certain that the matter of eternall torments cannot truly be understood; and when the School-men go about to reconcile the Divine justice to that severity, and consider why God punishes eternally a temporall sin or a state of evill, they speak variously, and uncertainly, and unsatisfyingly. But that in this que∣stion [ B] we may separate the certain from the uncertain;

1. It is certain that the torments of hell shall certainly last as long as * 1.18 the soul lasts; for eternall and everlasting can signifie no lesse but to the end of that duration, to the perfect end of the period in which it signifies. So Sodom and Gomorrah, when God rained down hell from heaven upon the earth (as Salvian's expression is) they are said to suffer the vengeance of eternall fire: that is, of a fire that con∣sumed them finally, and they never were restored: and so the ac∣cursed souls shall suffer torments till they be consumed; who be∣cause they are immortall either naturally or by gift, shall be tor∣mented [ C] for ever, or till God shall take from them the life that he restored to them on purpose to give them a capacity of being miserable; and the best that they can expect is to despair of all good, to suffer the wrath of God, never to come to any minute of felicity, or of a tolerable state, and to be held in pain till God be weary of striking. This is the gentlest sentence of some of the old Doctors.

But 2. the generality of Christians have been taught to beleeve * 1.19 worse things yet concerning them; and the words of our blessed Lord, are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, eternall affliction or smiting; [ D]

Nec mortis poenas mors altora finiet hujus, Hora{que} erit tantis ultima nulla malis.

And S. John, who well knew the minde of his Lord, saith; The * 1.20 smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night: that is, their torment is continuall, and it is eternall. Their second death shall be but a dying to all felicity, for so death is taken in Scripture; Adam dyed when he eat the forbidden fruit; that is, he was lyable to sicknesse and [ E] sorrowes, and pain and dissolution of soul and body: and to be miserable, is the worse death of the two; they shall see the eter∣nall felicity of the Saints, but they shall never taste of the holy Chalice. Those joyes shall indeed be for ever and ever; for im∣mortality is part of their reward, and on them the second death

shall have no power; but the wicked shall be tormented horridly and insufferably till death and hell be thrown into the lake of fire, and [ A] shall be no more, which is the second death. But that they may not * 1.21 imagine that this second death shall be the end of their pains, S. Iohn speaks expresly what that is; Rev. 21. 8. The fearfull and unbe∣leeving, the abominable and the murderers, the whoremongers and sorcerers, the idolaters and all lyars shall have their part in the lake wich burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death; no dying there, but a being tormented, burning in a lake of fire, that is the second death. For if life be reckoned a blessing, then to be destitute of all blessing is to have no life, and therefore to be in∣tolerably [ B] miserable is this second death, that is, death eternall.

3. And yet if God should deal with man hereafter more merci∣fully and proportionably to his weak nature, then he does to An∣gels, and as he admits him to repentance here, so in hell also to a period of his smart, even when he keeps the Angels in pain for ever; yet he will never admit him to favour, he shall be tormen∣ted beyond all the measure of humane ages, and be destroyed for ever and ever.

It concerns us all who hear and beleeve these things, to do as our blessed Lord will do before the day of his coming; he will call [ C] and convert the Jews and strangers: Conversion to God is the best preparatory to Dooms-day: and it concerns all them who are in the neighbourhood and fringes of the flames of hell, that is, in the state of sin, quickly to arise from the danger, and shake the burning coals off our flesh, lest it consume the marrow and the bones: Exuen∣da est velociter de incendio sarcina, priusquam flammis supervenien∣tibus concremetur. Nemo diu tutus est periculo proximus, saith S. Cy∣prian, No man is safe long, that is so neer to danger; for sudden∣ly the change will come, in which the Judge shall be called to Judgement, and no man to plead for him, unlesse a good con∣science [ D] be his Advocate; and the rich shall be naked as a condem∣ned criminall to execution; and there shall be no regard of Prin∣ces or of Nobles, and the differences of mens account shall be for∣gotten, and no distinction remaining but of good or bad, sheep and goats, blessed and accursed souls. Among the wonders of the day of Judgement our blessed Saviour reckons it, that men shall be marry∣ing and giving in marriage, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 marrying and crosse marrying, that is, raising families and lasting greatnesse and huge estates; when the world is to end so quickly, and the gains of a rich purchase so very a trifle, but no trifling danger; a thing that can give no security to our souls, but much hazards and a great [ E] charge. More reasonable it is, that we despise the world and lay up for heaven, that we heap up treasures by giving almes, and make friends of unrighteous Mammon; but at no hand to enter into a state of life, that is all the way a hazard to the main inte∣rest,

and at the best, an increase of the particular charge. Every degree of riches, every degree of greatnesse, every ambitious im∣ployment, [ A] every great fortune, every eminency above our brother, is a charge to the accounts of the last day. He that lives tempe∣rately and charitably, whose imployment is religion, whose af∣fections are fear and love, whose desires are after heaven and do not dwell below; that man can long and pray for the hastning of the coming of the day of the Lord. He that does not really de∣sire and long for that day, either is in a very ill condition, or does not understand that he is in a good. *I will not be so severe in this meditation as to forbid any man to laugh, that beleeves him∣self [ B] shall be called to so severe a Judgement; yet S. Hierom said it, Coram coelo & terrâ rationem reddemus totius nostrae vitae; & tu rides? Heaven and earth shall see all the follies and basenesse of thy life; and doest thou laugh? That we may, but we have not reason to laugh loudly and frequently, if we consider things wise∣ly, and as we are concerned: but if we do, yet praesentis temporis ita est agenda laetitia, ut sequentis judicii amaritudo nunquam recedat à memoriâ: so laugh here that you may not forget your danger, lest you weep for ever. He that thinks most seriously and most frequently of this fearfull appearance, will finde that it is better staying for his joyes till this sentence be past; for then he shall [ C] perceive whether he hath reason or no. In the mean time won∣der not that God who loves mankinde so well, should punish him so severely: for therefore the evill fall into an accursed portion, because they despised that which God most loves, his Son and his mercies, his graces and his holy Spirit; and they that do all this, have cause to complain of nothing but their own follies; and they shall feel the accursed consequents then when they shall see the Judge sit above them angry and severe, inexorable and terrible; under them an intolerable hell; within them, their consciences cla∣morous [ D] and diseased; without them, all the world on fire; on the right hand, those men glorified whom they persecuted or despised; on the left hand, the Devils accusing; for this is the day of the Lords terror, and who is able to abide it?

Seu vigilo intentus studiis, seu dormio, semper Iudicis extremi nostras tuba personet aures.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ioel 1.
• * 1.2

  Mat. 12. 36.
• * 1.3

  Iob 31. 14.
• * 1.4

  Eph. 5. 6.
• * 1.5

  1.
• * 1.6

  2.
• * 1.7

  3.
• * 1.8

  4.
• * 1.9

  5.
• * 1.10

  1.
• * 1.11

  2.
• * 1.12

  Xenoph.
• * 1.13

  1.
• * 1.14

  Mat. 25. 34.
• * 1.15

  41.
• * 1.16

  Hymn. 5. lib. Cathemer.
• * 1.17

  Lib. 2. cap. 65.
• * 1.18

  1.
• * 1.19

  2.
• * 1.20

  Rev. 14. 11.
• * 1.21

  Rev. 20. 14.