2. This house of hell is haunted with de- A'ils, Mat. XXV. 41. Anslem hath a saying, " I had rather endure all torments, than see the devil with bodily eyes." Such as go to hell must not only be forced to behold the devil, but must be shut up in the den with this lion ; they must keep the devil company ; the devil is full of spite against mankind ; this red dragon will spit fire in men's faces.
3. The torments of hell abide for ever, Rev. xiv. 11., " The smoke of their tor- ment ascendeth up for ever and ever," IMark ix. 44. Time cannot finish it, tears cannot quench it ; the wicked are salaman- ders, who live always in the fire of hell, and are not consumed ; after sinners have lain millions of years in hell, their punishment is as far from ending, as it was at the begin- ning. If all the earth and sea were sand, and every thousandth year a bird should come, and take away one grain of this sand, it would be a long time ere that vast heap of sand were emptied ; yet, if after all that time the damned might come out of hell, there was some hope; but this word EVER breaks the heart.
Quest. But how doth this seem to stand with God's Justice, for a sin committed in a moment to punish it with eternal torment ?
Ans. 1. Because there is an eternity of sin in man's nature. 2. Because sin is crimen Icesa mojestatis, — it is committed a- gainst an infinite majesty; therefore the sin is infinite, and proportionably the pu- nishment must be infinite. Now because a finite creature cannot bear infinite wrath, therefore he must be eternally satisfying what he cannot satisfy at once. Now then, if hell be such an house of bondage, what infinite cause have they to bless God, who arc delivered from it? 1 Thess. i. 10., "Je-
sus delivered us from the ^vrath to come." Jesus Christ suffered the torments of hell in his soul, that believers should not suffer them. If we are thankful, when we are ransomed out of prison, or delivered from fire, O how should we bless God to be pre- served from the wrath to come ! And that which may cause the more thankfulness, is because the most part go into this house of bondage, the most part go to hell ; there- fore to be of the number of those few that are delivered from it, is matter of infinite thankfulness. I say most go to this house of bondage when they die ; most go to hell. Mat. vii. 13., " Broad is the v/ay which leadeth unto destruction, and many there be that go in thereat." The greatest part of the world lies in wickedness, 1 John v. 19. Divide the world, saith Brerewood, into thirty-one parts, — nineteen parts of it are possessed by Jews and Turks, — seven parts by Heathens : so that there are but five parts of Christians, and among these Christians so many seduced papists on the one hand, and so many formal protestanta on the other, that we may conclude the major part of the world goes to hell. — 1, The scripture compares the wicked to bri- ars, Isa. X. 17. There are but few lilies in your fields, but in every hedge thorns and briars. — 2. To " the mire in the streets," Isa. X. 6. Few jewels or precious stones in the street, but you cannot go a step but you meet with mire. The wicked are as common as the dirt in the street. Look into the generality of people, how many drunkards for one that is sober? — how many adulterers for one that is chaste ? — how many hypocrites for one that is sin- cere ? — The devil hath the harvest, and God only a few gleanings. O then, such as are delivered from the house of bondage, hell, have infinite cause to admire and bless God ! How should the Aessels of mercy run over with thankfulness ? When most are carried prisoners to hell, they arc deli- vered from wrath to come.
Quest. How shall I know I am delivered from hell?
Ans. 1. Those whom Christ saves from hell he saves from sin. Mat. i. 21., " He shall save his people from their sins.** Hath God delivered you from the power
OF THE COMMANDMENTS.
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of corruption, from pride, malice, lust? If he hath delivcretl you from the hell of sin, then he hath delivered you from the hell of torment.
A. 2. If you have got an interest in Christ, — prizing, confiding, loving him, — then you are delivered from hell and dam- nation, Rom. viii. 1., " No condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." K you
are in Christ, then he hath put the garment of his rigliteousness over you, and hell-fire can never singe this garment. Pliny ob- serves, nothing will so soon quench fire as salt and blood ; the salt tears of repent- ance and the blood of Christ will quench the fire of hell that it shall never kindle upon you.
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OF THE COMMANDMENTS.
ExoD. XX. 3. TTiott shall have no other gods before me.
BEFORE I come to the commandments, 1 shall premise some things about the mo- ral law : viz, answer questions, and lay down rules.
Quest. 1. IVliat is the difference between the moral law and the gospel ?