Mat. 13.42. —And shall cast them into a Furnace of Fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of Teeth.
WE are now drawing towards a Conclusion; it remains only, that we speak something concerning Hell, which is the Place prepared for the Damned, the Torment of whom is set forth by Fire, by a Furnace of Fire, and by utter Darkness. It hath been a long and ancient Controversy, whether Fire here is to be taken Properly or Figuratively? I shall not undertake to determine, whe∣ther it be real Fire or not: Doubtless the Torment of the Wicked, will be worse than 'tis to be cast into any Furnace of Elementary Fire. The Schoolmen affirm, that the least Torture in Hell, exceeds the greatest that can be devised by all the Men on Earth; even as the least Joy of Heaven, surpasseth the greatest Comforts of this World, &c. There is scarce any Pain here on Earth, but there is some hope of Ease, Mitigation, or Intermission; but in Hell, their Torments are easeless, endless, remediless, and they themselves left hopeless, help∣less, and pittyless. However, we will run a Parallel between a Furnace of Fire, and the Place of the Damned; for in some things there is a fit Resemblance.
A Furnace of Fire, hath been prepared as a place of Torment; the King of Babylon cau∣sed a Furnace to be heat exceeding hot, and that whosoever would not bow down to his Golden Image should be cast unto it: Hell is a place of Torment prepared for all Wicked and Ungodly Men,* 1.1 who live and dye in their Sins.
II. A Furnace of Fire that is heated exceeding hot, is very terrible and amazing to him, who for his wicked Deeds is told he must be cast therein: So Hell is a very terrible and an ama∣zing thing to think upon; how lamentable is the Thoughts of it to a guilty Sinner, that is awakened, that sees no Remedy, but thither he must go?
III. What Torment can be greater than to be cast into a burning fiery Furnace? So what Torments can be greater than the Torments of Hell?