Fire and brimstone from heaven, from earth, in hell, or, Three discourses I. Concerning the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah formerly, II. Concerning the burning of Æetna, or Mount Gibel more lately, III. Concerning the burning of the wicked eternally, with fire and brimstone / by Thomas Vincent ...

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

SUch of you as are Righteous through the perfect Righteousness of Chri•…•… made yours by Faith, without the imputation o•…•… which (what ever righ∣teosness you may have within you, because imper∣fect) it is impossible you should escape the damna∣tion of Hell; you that are clothed with the white Robes of Christ's Righteousness, under which all your iniquities are covered; and withall have the Spirit of Christ given unto you, to work you into a conformity unto the Image of Christ in your rege∣neration and Sanctification, which are inseparably joyned unto justification by Faith; you may take comfort in this Doctrine, which is matter of such terrour unto the wicked and Ungodly. As in Sampsons Riddle out of the strong and feirce Lion, came forth Honey and sweetness: So this Doctrine which looks with such a feirce aspect upon those which are out of Christ, yet will yeild sweetness unto you which are in him, because there is no condemna∣tion unto them which are in Christ Iesus, Rom. 8. 1. Be∣cause Iesus 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 threatnings of temporal punishment, which can reach no farther then the body, when you are delivered from condemnation to the eternal pu∣nishment of Soul and Body in the Lake, which

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 con∣sideration 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; when they shall go with fighing to Hell, and everlasting horrour in their hearts, and all mirth and joy shall flee away from them for ever; ye shall come with singing to Heaven, and ever∣lasting joy in your hearts, and all sorrow and mourning shall flee away and never any more be found.