.BookIV. HELL A FURNACE oF FIRE; PLACE or THE DAMNED. 953 To fum up all in a few Words, there is no Joy here comparable to that in Heaven ; a11 our Mirth here, to that is but Penfivenefs ; all our Pleafures here, to that is but Hcav.inefs ; all our Sweecnefs here, to that is but Bicternefs; even Solomon in all his ·Glory and Royalty, to that was but as a Spark in the Chimney, to the Sun in the 'Fir· >mament; yea, how little, how nothing are the poor and temporary F.njoyment.s of this Life, to thofe that the Heirs of Promife fhall enjoy in the Life that is to come? IH. Other Crowns fade away, the Prince is in a Moment gone from that, or that is gone from him : But this Crown abideth. It is incorruptible, and undejiled, and fadetiJ .not away, referved in Heaven for you, &c. 1 Pet. i. 4· IV. Other Crowns are gotten many times by Ufurp>tion: But the Saints fhall have :the Crown in a juft and righteous Way; it is a Crown of Righteouf.oefs, of which Saints are true and lawful Heirs; this Crown is purchafed for them by Chrift, and given ro .them by the free Donation 'of the Father; beGdes they are born Heirs wit by the Spi– .rit. If Children, then Heirs, Heirs of God, .and Joint-Heirs with Cbrifl, &c. Rom. viii. 17. 1 N F E R E N C E ~ ~. WE may ·infer from hence, that God's Children are not fuch Fools, as they are accounted by the ungodly World; .they have made a good Choice, in pre– ferring Heaven above Earth. What is rhe Glory of this World to the World w come ? Yea, Paradife, -or .the Garden of Eden, was but a Wildernefs compared with this Pa– >radife. And indeed, if the Gates of the City be of Pearl, and the Streets of Gold, 'vhat then .are the inner Rooms, and lodging Chambers of the Great Monarch of Hea– ven and Earth, at whofe Right-hand are Pleafures for evermore ? !I. Let not t.he Saints grow weary, nor faint in d1eir Minds. when Heirs of a Crown .of Glory ·that fadeth not away; methinks they may be contented to undergo fome Troubles in this Life, fince by fuffering thefe Things for Chrifl's lake, they fhall be ·crowned with Glory, Honor, and ev.erJa!\ing Life; They }hall receive the Crown of Life, &c. ]am. i. 12. HELL A FURNACE oF FIRE; THE PLACE oF THE DAMNED. ·-And }hall cnft them into a Furnace of Fire, there fhal! be wailing and gnajhing of Teeth, Matt. xiii. 42. WE are now drawi-ng towar-ds a Conclufion; it remains only, that we fpeak famething concerning Hell, which is the Place prepared for the Damned, the Tor– ment .of whom is fee ronh by Fire, by a Fmnace of Fire, and by Utler Darknefs. It <!1oth been a long and antier.t Controverfy, whether Fire here is to be taken properly or ifiguratively? I fhall not undertake to determine, whether it be real Fire or not: Doubtlefs the Torment of the Wicked, will be worfe than it is to be caft into any Fur– nace of elemtntary Fire. The Schoolmen affirm, that the leait Torture in Hell, ex– ceeds ,.he greattfl: that can be devifed by all the Men on Earth; even as the leaft Joy of Heaven, furpaffeth the greateft Comforts of this World, & c. There is fcarce any l'ain here on Earth, but there is fome H ope of Eafe, Mirigation, or lntermiillon; but in Hell, their Torments are eafelefs, "ndlefs, remedilefs, and they themfelves left hope– lefs, helplefs, and pitylefs. However, we will run a Parallel between a Furnace of Fire, and the Place of the Damned; for in fome Things there is a fit Rcfemblance. . P A R A L L E L ~ I. A Furnace of Fire, hath been prepared as a Place of Torment; ·the King of Ba– by/on caufed a Furnace to be heat exceeding hot, and that whofoever would not bow down to his o-o!den Image fhould be caft mro 1t: Hell IS a Place of Torment prepared for all wick~d and ungodly Men, who live and die in their Sins, Rev. xxi. S. Jl. A Furnace of Fire that is heated exceeding hot, is very 1errible and amazing to him, who .for .his wicked Deeds is told he muft be caft therein: So Hell is a very terrible and an amazin"' Thing to think upon; how lamentable is the Thoughts of it to a ouilty Sinner, tha~ is awakened, that tees no Remedy, but thither he muft go? I! f. What Torment can be greater than to be eait in to a burning fiery Furnace? So •vhat Torments can be greater rhan the Torments of Hell { · 11 K D IS P A-
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