Skip to the text
Ember
PT

Frydaie Nighte. Of the Paynes of Hell

THIS DAIE (WHEN THOV HAST MADE THE SIGNE OF the Crosse, and prepared thy selfe hereunto,) thou hast to meditate vpon the paines of hell: to the intent that aswell by meanes of this meditation, as by the former, thy sowle maye be the more confirmed in the feare of God, and abhorringe of sinne, as we haue there declared.

THESE paines, (as S. Bonauenture saieth) are to be conceiued vnder some such corporall formes,1 and similitudes, as the sainctes haue taught vs. Wherefore it shall doe well to imagin the place of hell (as he him selfe saieth) to be as it were an obscure and darcke lake vnder the earthe, or a passinge deepe pitt full of fire, or as a horrible and darcke Cittie wholie bourninge with terrible flames of fire, in which none other noise were there to be harde,2 but onely the furious raginge of hellysh tormentors, and ruethfull lamētations of damned persones tormented with continuall weapinge, and wailinge, and gnashinge of teeth.

Now in this cursed place there be two principall kindes of paines, the one, which the diuines calle, Poenam sensus: a sensible paine: And th' other, Poenam damni: the paine of the losse of all losses. As towchinge the first payne, to wit,3 the payne of sense: consider that there shalbe no sense, neither within nor without a man, but that it shall suffer his proper tormente.4 For like as the wicked haue offended almightie God with all their members, and senses, and haue made armour of them all to serue sinne: euen so will he ordaine, that they all shall there be tormented, each one of them with his peculiar torment, and paye accordinge to his desert. There shall the wanton and lecherous eies be tormented with the terrible vglie sight of diuells. The eares, with the confusion of such horrible cryes, and lamentatiōs as shall there be harde. The nose,5 with the intollerable stenche of that filthie and lothesome place. The taste,6 with a most rauenous honger, and thirste. The towchinge, and all the members of the bodie, with extreme colde, and fier.7 The imagination shalbe tormented with conceiuinge of the greifes present. The memorie, by callinge to minde the pleasures past. And the vnderstandinge, by consideringe what benefites are lost, and what miseries are to come.

Finally, there shall all the miseries and tormentes that possibly maie be imagined be heaped together vpon the damned person. For as S. Gregorie saieth. There shalbe colde intollerable, fire vnquencheable, the worme of conscience that can not die, and a most horrible stenche that cannot be abidden. There shalbe palpable darckenes: whippes of tormentors: vision of foule fiendes, and vglie diuels: confusion of sinnes: and desperation of all goodnes. Now tell me, I praie you, if the least of all these paines that are suffered here in this worlde though it were but for a verie smalle time, doe seeme notwithstandinge so intollerable a thinge, what shall it be, to suffer there at one time all these multitude of horrible tormentes, in all the members, and senses, both inwarde, and outwarde, and that not for the space of one night alone, nor of a thousande nightes, but for euer, and euer, duringe infinite worldes. What sense, what wordes, what iudgement is there in the worlde, that is able to cōceiue and expresse this matter as it is indede?

And yet this is not the greatest paine that is there suffered.8 For there is an other payne farre greater without anie comparison than all these: to witt, that paine which the diuines tearme Poenam damni: the paine of losse, or depriuation. Which is to be depriued of the sight of almightie God, and of his glorious companie, for euer, and euer. And albeit this paine be common to all the damned persons, yet shall it be much more grieuous vnto them, that haue had better meanes and oportunitie than others, whereby to enioye this felicitie: As namelie all Christians, to whom the Gospell hath bene preached, and espetially all naughtie religious persons, and preistes, who as they haue had greater meanes and prouocations to obteine this euerlastinge felicitie: euen so shall they be more vexed and greiued for the losse thereof.

These are the paines that doe generally appertayne to all the damned.9 But besides these generall paines, there be other particuler paines, which euerie one of them shall also suffer accordinge to the qualitie of his synne. For there shallbe one kinde of paine for the proude man, an other for the enuious: one for the couetous, and an other for the lecherous: and so in lyke maner for all other sinnes. In which punnishemente the wisedome and iustice of almightie God shall wonderfully appeare, in that emonge such an infinite nomber of synnes, and synners, he shalbe able to iudge verie perfectlie all the excesse of each one, and shall measure vnto them as it were in a ballance the paines proportionable to their synnes. As the Wiseman saieth:10 The iudgementes of our Lorde are by weight and measure. O what a dolefull thinge shall it be to the wicked, when they shall see how almightie God will then paye them home in the verie ioyntes.

And what a delighte shall it then be to the iust, when they shall see such a wonderfull iust proportion obserued, in allottinge paines, and tormentes, emonge such a great multitude of synnes.11 There shall the paine be taxed accordinge to the pleasure and delight receiued. And the confusion accordinge to the presomption, and pride: The nakednes accordinge to the superfluitie and aboundance. The honger and thirst accordinge to the gluttonie and delicate deyntie fare in their lyfe past. And in this wise did almightie God commande that naughtie woman to be punished, which is mē tioned in the Apocalips, who sat vpon the waters of the Sea, holdinge a Cuppe in her hande full of poisoned pleasures, and delightes. Against whom was thondered out from heauen that terrible sentence,12 which sayede: Looke how much she hath extolled her selfe, and enioyed her pleasures, and delightes. euen so proportionably geue her tormentes, and wailinge, and lamentation.

Vnto all these paines and tormentes there is added an eternitie or euerlastingnes of sufferinge them.13 And this is as it were the seale and keye of them all. For all the rest were yet somewhat tollerable, if they might haue some ende. Forsomuch as nothinge is great that hath an ende. But to be tormented with most horrible paines that haue neither ende, nor ease, nor mitigation, nor declination, nor change, nor hope that euer they will finish, and haue an ende, neither the paines, nor he that geueth them, nor he that suffereth them, but to be as it were a perpetuall bannishement neuer to be remitted, this is a matter able to make a man besides him selfe, that shoulde consider it deepelie, and with good attention.

Of this eternitie and euerlastinge sufferinge of these paynes and tormentes in hell, commeth that horrible hatred, which the damned haue against almightie God, and those blasphemies which they shall vtter with great despitefull rage against him. For when they shalbe in vtter despaire of his amitie, and friendshippe, they shall knowe that they shall neuer be receiued againe into his grace, and fauour, and that none of all their most grieuous and horrible tormentes shall euer be deminished, or asswaged, againe, when they shall consider that almightie God is he, that doth thus tormente, and punishe them, and that it is he that fettereth them from aboue, and kepeth them prisoners in that fierie tormētinge chaine, they wilbe in such an exceedinge anger, and rage, against him, that they will neuer ceasse daie, nor night, blaspheminge his holie name.

THE FIFTE TREATISE. OF THE CONSIDERATION OF the paines of hell: Wherein the former meditation is…

THE consideration of the paines of hell is greatlie profitable for diuers and sundrie respectes. First,14 it moueth vs to susteine the labours and austeritie of penance. As we reade that it moued the blessed holie man S. Ierome, who saieth of himselfe, that by reason of the great feare he conceiued of the terrible paines and most greiuous tormentes of hell, he condemned him selfe to doe that austere penāce, which he writeth he did in the deserte.

It helpeth vs also to ouercome the temptations of the enemie,15 when at the first entrie of anie euill thoughte, we doe forthwith calle to minde the horror of these paines. For by this meane we doe quenche the flame of the delighte (before it burne) with the remembrā ce of the horrible flames of hell fier, which shall burne euerlastingly. Accordinge hereunto, it is written of one of those auncient fathers, that liued in the desert, that beinge vpon a time tempted by the enemie of mankinde with an euill thought, he laid his hāde vpō certaine burninge coles, to trie whether he coulde abide that litle heate, and perceiuinge that he was not able to abide it, he saied vnto him selfe: What? If I can not abide this litle heate for so shorte a tyme, how shall I be able to abide the horrible fier of hell, which shall endure for euer, and euer, worlde without ende?

This consideration helpeth also to prouoke and styrre vp in our hartes the feare of God,16 which is the beginninge of wisedome, and the originall of charitie: and nexte after charitie it selfe it is the greatest brydle we can haue to kepe vs from all synne, and wickednes. Aboue all this, this consideration helpeth verie much to make vs to be afraide of synne, consideringe what a miserable rewarde is ordeined for it, to witt,17 death euerlastinge. Wherefore it is much to be meruailed how the Christians that do both beleeue and openlie confesse this to be true, dare cōmit anie one deadlie synne against almightie God. Two great wonders haue happened in the worlde in these kinde of thinges. The one is, that whereas our Sauiour hath wrought so manie miracles as he did here emonge men, there be yet a nomber of men that doe not beleue in him. The other is, that of suche as be Christians, and doe beleue in him, there be yet neuertheles so many of them that dare offende him. Certainly it was a wonderfull matter, that when our Sauiour emonge other wonders had wrought that great miracle in raisinge vp Lazarus from death, when he had bene dead for the space of foure daies,18 yet there were manie of them that were there present at the doinge thereof, that woulde not beleue in him. And it is also wonderfull, that whereas men doe now beleeue by reason of his preachinge, that there is paine and glorie euerlastinge, (all this beleefe, and preachinge notwithstādinge) there be yet so manie Christians that dare offende him. It is a wonderful matter to see after so great miracles so great infidelitie. And it is no lesse wonderfull also, to see after so great faith such corrupt and wicked lyfe.

But because this proceedeth rather of the want of consideration, than of the want of faith, it is therefore a verie profitable exercise, to consider and weigh diligentlie those thinges that our faith telleth vs: to th'ende that by vnderstandinge the greiuousnes of the paines of hell, we maie liue more warily, and be the more afrayde to commit any deadlie synne, whereby to deserue such great and euerlasting paines.

Of two kindes of paines that are in hell. § I

AND although the paines in hell be innumerable, yet they all in conclusiō (as we haue saiede) are reduced to two. Which are, Poena sensus: and poena damni: 19 the paine of sense, and the paine of losse. The paine of sense, is that which tormenteth the senses and bodies of the damned. And the paine of losse, is to be depriued for euer of the sight and companie of almightie God. These two kindes of paines are answerable to two enormities, and disorders, that are in sinne: whereof one is the inordinate loue of the creature: and th'other is the contempte of the creator. Now vnto these two enormities doe answere these two kindes of paines in hell. To the loue and sensuall delight which is taken in the creature, doth answere the paine of sense: that like as the sense hath takē delighte against the commaundement of almightie God, euen so with the greife of the paine it maye make recompence for the enormitie of his offence. And to the contempte of God doth answere the leesinge of God for euermore. For seinge that mā doth first forsake God, reason it is, that he shoulde likewise be forsaken for euer of God. And because emonge these two euils, the last (which is the cōtempte of God) is without all comparison greater than the first, therefore the paine of losse, which is answerable to this iniquitie, is without all comparison farre greater than the paine of sense.

And to beginne now with the paines of the outwarde senses.20 The first paine is the horrible fier in hell, which is of such a great vehemente heate, and strengthe that (as S. Augustine saieth:21) This fier here in this worlde in comparison of it is as it were but a painted fier.

This fier shall tormente not onely the bodies of the damned, but euen the sowles also. And it shall tormente them in such sort, that it shall not consume them. Which is so prouided, to the intente that the paine maie be euerlastinge, and continewe for euer and euer. The which euerlastinge cōtinuāce (as S.22 Augustine saieth) is wrought by a spetial miracle. For almightie God (who hath geuen to all thinges their naturall properties) hath geuen this spetiall propertie vnto the fier of hell, that it shall in such wise burne, and torment, that it shall not consume.

Consider then what an intollerable paine it shalbe to the damned, to be alwaies lyinge in such an horrible euerlastinge tormentinge bedde, as this is? And that thou mayst the better conceiue the same, imagin with thy selfe what a greiuous paine it woulde be vnto thee, if thou shouldest be cast into a great scaldinge caldron, when it boyleth most feruentelie, and is in greatest heat, or into some hotte glowinge ouen, such a one as that was, which Nabuchodonosor caused to be set a fier in Babilon,23 the flames whereof ascended fourtie and nine Cubites in height. And hereby shalt thou haue some kinde of coniecture and ghesse of that raginge hoate fier which is in hell. For if the fier here in this worlde which (as we haue saiede) is in comparison of that fier, but as it were a painted fier,) doe so sore burne, and torment, what shall that fier in hell doe, which is a verie liuelie tormentinge fier indede? Me thinketh it were not neidfull to passe any further in the consideration of the paines of hell, but euen to leaue here, if a man woulde staie him selfe a litle while in consideration of this point, and make a station here, vntill such time as he hath considered this matter, as the thinge it selfe requireth.

24 Vnto this paine is joyned an other directelie contrarie vnto it, although no lesse intollerable, that is, an horrible extreme colde, farre exceedinge without comparison all the colde in this worlde, which shalbe geuen as a miserable refresshinge vnto those that burne in that raginge fier. And they shall passe (as it is written in Iob) from the snowie waters,25 vnto the fierie heates: that there might be no kinde of tormentes whereof they shoulde not taste, that woulde be tastinge of euerie kinde of wanton pleasure and delighte.

And they shall not onely be tormented with extreme fier,26 and colde, but also by the very diuells them selues, which shall torment them with most horrible shapes of wilde beastes, and terrible monsters, wherein they shall appeare vnto them. And they shall with their most horrible and vglie lookes torment the adulterous and leacherous eies, and such as haue painted them selues with artificiall colours, to become the bewtifull snares, and nettes of Satan.

This paine of the horrible and vglie sighte of diuells, is farre greater than any man can imagine. For if it be euidentelie knowen vnto vs that some persons haue lost their wittes, and that some haue bene also stricken starcke dead by meanes of the dreadfull sight or imagination of fearfull thinges, yea, and that some times the verie suspition thereof alone hath caused manie men to tremble and quake in such sorte, that the verie heare of their heades did stare, and stand vp an ende: what shall the terrour and feare of that darcke lake be, which is full of so manie horrible fiendes, and dreadfull hellishe monsters, as there the damned persons shall beholde with their eies. And we maie the better cōsider, how vglie and horrible the forme of the diuell is, in that almightie God him selfe describethe him vnto vs by such terrible shapes in the holie scriptures. As in the boke of Iob he saieth thus:27 Who shall discouer the face of his garmēte? And who shalbe so hardie as to looke into his mouthe? And who shall open the gates wherewith his face is couered? His teethe are terrible rounde aboute. His bodie is as it were a sheild of steile couered all ouer with scales, and that so close riueted and ioyned together, that not so much as a litle aier can pearce throughe them. His neisinge is like a lighteninge of fier, and his eies are glowinge redde, lyke the eyelyddes of the morninge. He casteth out of his mouth flakes of fier, like burninge torches: and out of his noistrels reaketh smoke, as it were from a boylinge potte. With his breath he is able to sette coles a fier, and raginge flames doe issue out of his mouthe. Now what a terrible sight will this be to the damned persons in hell, to beholde such an horrible and vglie monster, as is here figured vnto vs by these similitudes.

28 Vnto the torment of the eies is added and other verie terrible paine for torment of the nose, to wit: an intollerable stenche, which shalbe there ordeined to punish carnall and worldlie persons, that vsed sweete sauours and perfumes superfluouslie here in this lyfe. And so doth almightie God threaten by his Prophet Esaie,29 sayeinge: Because the daughters of Sion are hautie, and walke with stretched out neckes, and with wanderinge eies, walkinge and minsinge as they goe, and makinge a tincklinge with their feete, because they make ostentatiō of their pompes and riches emonge the poore, and naked, therefore our Lorde will plucke of their heyre from their heades, with all their other prophane attyres, and geue them in stede of their sweit odours, horrible stenche: and in stede of their gorgious girdle, a rope: and in stede of their curled heyre, a balde scull: and in stede of their stomacher, a rough heyreclothe. This is the paine that is due vnto the odoriferous sauours, and gaye ornamentes of worldly men, and women.

That we maie the better conceiue somewhat of this kinde of paine, cōsider that terrible kinde of tormēt which a certain cruell Tyrant inuēted, to put men to death withall, who tooke a dead bodie, and caused it to be laid a longe vpon him that was liuinge, and bindinge the dead bodie ād the liuinge bodie verie fast together, he let them continewe both ioyned thus together, vntil such time as the dead bodie had killed the liuinge bodie with the filthie stēche, and vermin, that issued from it. Now if this seeme to thee so horrible a torment, what torment shall that be (trowest thou) that shall proceed from the stenche of all the bodies of the damned, and from that abhominable place, where the wicked shall remaine in a most horrible continuall stenche for euermore.30 There shall those wordes of Esaie be verified in euerie one of the damned: Thy pride sincketh downe into hell, and there fell thy dead bodie: the worme is spread vnder thee, and the crawlinge wormes doe couer thee.

31 And if this paine be appointed for the nose with what paines shall the eares be tormented wherewith greater sinnes are cōmitted? The eares shalbe tormēted with hearinge of perpetual horrible cries, clamours, lamentations, and blasphemies, which shall sounde in that place. For like as in heauen there shalbe none other sounde harde, but onely a continuall Alleluia, and praises of almightie God: euen so shall there none other sounde be harde in this infernall howse of tormentors, but onely blasphemies, cursinges, and banninges of almightie God, and a disordered horrible melodie of infinit iarringe noises, roringe, cryinge, squeakynge, and howlynge, at the terrible sounde of the hammers, and strookes of the hellishe tormentors, wherein shalbe such confusion, and varietie of noyses, such great howlinges, and lamentations, emonge all that miserable pryson, that all the noyse that was made at the destruction of Troye, or burninge of Rome, was nothinge in comparison of that, which shalbe harde emonge the damned in hell.

And that thou mayst conceiue somewhat of this horrible paine, imagin with thy selfe that thou diddest passe by a verie greate deepe valley, that were full of an infinite nomber of prisoners, some hurte, some wounded, and some sicke, and that they were all cryenge, roringe, and howlinge, each one in horrible wise after his maner, both men, and women, yonge, and olde: tell me I praie thee, what wouldest thou thinke, of this so great roringe, and confusion? Now what maie we thinke of that most horrible cryenge and roringe in hell, of such an infinite nomber of damned persons, which shall doe nothinge els but crye, and rore, blaspheme, and renye almightie God and his Sainctes euerlastingly? What Galley is there in the worlde so full frayghte with renegates, and bonde slaues, as that horrible place of hell is? These are the mattins which there are songe. This is the miserable chappell of the prince of darcknes. These be his musitions, and singinge men. Of whose brotherhoode and fraternitie shall all sclanderers, and backebiters be, with all such as haue giuen eare to the lies of the enemie.

32 Neither shall the tongue and delicate tast faile of their tormentes in hell. For what a great thirste was that, which the riche glutton mentioned in the Gospell suffered emonge the flames of his tormentes? What dolefull cries and clamours did he make to the holie patriarke Abraham, requestinge of him but one onely droppe of water, to coole his tonge, that burned so terriblie?

Of the tormentes of the inwarde senses, and powers of the sowle. § II

ALL these paines of the outwarde senses of the bodie are certainly verie greiuous. But the paines of the inwarde senses of the sowle shalbe much more greiuous. For those inwarde senses shalbe more or lesse tormēted, accordinge as the sinners haue bene more or lesse negligent in this lyfe in eschewinge the occasions of synnes.33 First of all therefore the imagination shall there be tormented with such a vehement apprehension of those paines, that it shall not be able to thinke vpon any thinge els, but onely vpon the paines that they suffer. For if we see by experience, that whē a greife is verie intensiue, and sharpe, we be not able (thoughe we woulde) to seperate our cogitation from the same, because the verie greife it felfe occupieth the imagination so vehemently, that it can not thinke vpō anie other thinge, but onely vpon that which is the cause of our greife. How much more maie we assure our selues this to be true in hell, where the griefe and paine is without all cōparison much more intollerable, thā all the greifes and paines of this worlde? By this meane therefore shall the imagination cōtinuallie quicken and renewe the griefe: and likewise the greife the imagination: and so the tormente of the damned person shalbe renewed and increased on euerie side. These shalbe the continuall meditations of them, that woulde not (whiles they liued) calle to minde these paines. So as they that woulde not thinke vpon these paines here, and so by thinkinge vpon them bridle their affections in this lyfe, shall suffer them there as a punnishement for their offence.34

The memorie shall likewise tormente the damned persons, when they shall there calle to remembrance their olde felicitie, and prosperous state, and withall the pleasures and delightes of the lyfe past, for which they doe then abide such horrible tormentes. There shall they playnlie perceiue how dearlie they paie for their miserable gluttonie, and delicate bellye cheare, and what a sharpe sawce is ordeined for their daintie sugered morsels, which seemed before so sweite and delitefull vnto them. Emonge all kindes of aduersities, one of the greatest is (as a Wise man saiethe) to haue bene once in prosperitie, and afterwardes to falle into miserie. Now when the riche and mightie personages of this transitorie worlde doe looke backwarde, and calle to minde their former prosperitie, and abundance of their liues past: when they see how after that abundance there succeedeth such a great barrennes, and dearthe, that they shall not haue so much as one onely droppe of colde water geuen vnto them: when they see all their pleasures turned into paines, all their delicacies into miseries, all their sweite perfumes into lothsome stenches, all their musicke into lamē tation, what torment can be so great as the verie remembrance of these thinges shalbe, at that tyme vnto them.

35 Howbeit they shall yet haue a farre greater tormente, when they shall compare the continuance of their former pleasures past, with the continuance of their paines presente: when they shall see how their pleasures haue endured but a moment, where as their paines shall endure euerlastingly worlde without ende. Now what a terrible greife, and angwishe of minde shall that be vnto them, when by castinge their accompte they shall perceiue that all the whole time of their lyfe was but a meere shadowe of a dreame, and that for their wanton delightes, and pleasures, that were so quicklie at an ende, they shall suffer most horrible paines, and tormentes, that shall neuer haue an ende.

Theise are the paines that the damned persons shall suffer in the memorie by callinge to minde their former prosperitie.36 But the paines which they shall suffer in their vnderstandinge when they shall consider the euerlastinge glorie that they haue lost shalbe farre greater. Hereof commethe that worme that is alwaies gnawinge at their conscience: which (as the holie scripture doth so oftentimes threaten) shall lye daie and night bytinge,37 and gnawinge, and feedinge continually vpon the bowels of the damned persons. And as the worme breedeth in the woodde, and is alwaies eatinge the woodde, wherein it was bredde: euen so this worme of conscience proceedeth of synne, and is euermore striuinge and settinge it selfe against the same synne, whereof it was ingendered,

This worme of conscience is a certaine despite, and raginge repentance, which the damned shall haue for euer, and euer, when they consider what they haue lost, and what good opportunitie and meanes they haue had in this lyfe not to lose it. This opportunitie shall continuallye be before their eies.

This worme is alwaies gnawinge their bowels (howbeit in vaine,) and it causeth them to saie euermore: O what an infortunat wretche am I, that had tyme and opportunitie to gaine that so blessed state which the vertuous doe enioye in the kingdome of heauen, and woulde not vse the benefite thereof. Alas! a tyme there was when this felicitie was offered vnto me, and I was exhorted and desired to receiue it, yea it was franckly geuen me, and I woulde not accepte it. For the onelie confessinge and pronouncinge of my synnes with sorowe, and contrition, they had bene all forgeuen me. For the onelie askinge of forgeuenes of almightie God, it had bene graunted me. For the onelie geuinge of a cuppe of colde water to the poore, I had had lyfe euerlastinge graunted vnto me. And now alas!, cursed caytiffe that I am, I shall fast for euer: now shall I weipe and waile for euer: and repent me of that, which I haue done for euer: and all shalbe vtterlie without anie fruite. O how idlye and wickedlie hath my tyme passed awaie, which shall neuer retourne againe? What greate benefites receiued I of the worlde that mighte allure me to hazarde and lose the euerlastinge felicitie and blisse of heauen? Althoughe the worlde shoulde haue geuen me all the riche offices, mannors, lordshippes, kingdomes, pleasures and delightes that it had, although I might haue enioyed them so manie yeares as there be sandes in the Sea, all this were nothinge in cō parison of the least paine and tormente which I now here alas doe suffer. And whereas I haue not had the true fruition of anie of these thinges, but onely a little shadowe of a fugitiue vayne pleasure, for this must I nowe suffer euerlastinge horrible tormētes here in hel. O vnhappie pleasure! O cursed chaunge! O infortunat howre, and moment, wherein I thus blynded my felfe! O what a blinde bussarde haue I bene! O what a miserable wretche and villaynous caytife am I! O a thowsande, yea a hundreth thowsande times vnhappie, that haue so fondlie deceiued my selfe! Cursed be he that deceiued me. Cursed be he that shoulde haue corrected me, and did not. Cursed be my father, and mother, that so wantonlye brought me vp. Cursed be the milke that I sucked. Cursed be the bread that I did eate, and the lyfe that I haue liued. Cursed by my birthe, and my natiuitie. And cursed be all creatures, that were anie helpes or meanes to bringe me to anie beinge. O how happie and fortunate are they that had neuer anie beinge, and they that were neuer borne! Happie are the wombes that neuer conceiued: and happie are the brestes that neuer gaue sucke.

After this sorte shall the miserable damned wretches curse and banne all creatures, and cheiflie them that were the cause of their damnation. And so we read in the liues of the holie fathers, of a blessed holie man that sawe by reuelation a verie deepe well, full of great and horrible flames of fire, and in the middest of them were the father, and the sonne, both of them manicled together, and cursinge one an other, with great furious rage, and despite. The father saied vnto his sonne. Cursed be thou my sonne. For I to leaue thee wealthie, and riche became an vsurer, and for vsurie am I nowe here in hell damned. And the sonne saied likewise vnto his father: Cursed be thou my father, for that imagininge to enriche me hast bene the cause of my damnation: in that thou diddest leaue me euill gotten landes and goodes, and I for the wrongefull keepinge of them and not makinge dewe restitution to the righte owners am here now alas damned euerlastinglie.

38 Aboue all this, how great shall the paines and tormentes of the malitious and euil disposed will of the damned be? There shalbe in the will a continuall and outragious malitious enuie against the glorie of almightie God, and his electe, which shalbe euermore bytinge and gnawinge at their entrailes, no lesse than the worme of conscience, whereof we spake before.39 Of this paine saieth the Psalme: The sinner shall see and be angrie: he shall gnashe with his teeth, and consume. And the desire of the wicked shall perishe. 40 They shall haue also such a great abhorringe and hatred against almightie God, because he deteyneth and punisheth thē in that place, that like as a madde dogge stroken with a speare, tourneth againe in great furie to byte and gnawe it: euen so woulde the damned persons (if they might possibly) teare and rente almightie God in peeces, because they knowe that it is he, that pricketh them with his terrible speare, and that it is he, that striketh and tormenteth them from aboue with the dreadfull sworde of his iustice.41 They haue also a verie great obstinacie in wickednes, for they are not sorie either because they are wicked, or because they haue bene wicked, but rather they wishe that they had bene worse. And if they be sorie for their wicked lyfe, it is not for anie loue they beare vnto almightie God, but for the loue of them selues, that so they might haue escaped these horrible tormentes, if they had liued otherwise.42 Besides this, they haue also a perpetuall desperation. For they thinke so euill of almightie God, and of his mercie, that they haue no maner of hope therein, that euer he can perdō them, and also for that they knowe for certayne that their most grieuous paines and tormentes shall neuer haue anie mitigation, or ende. This is the cause of their so horrible blasphemies, and of their dispitefull raylinges against almightie God. For as they haue no hope in him, so doe they seike to be reuenged of him as much as they can with their outragious and malitious raylinge tonges.

Of the paine, wich is tearmed by the diuins, Poena damni: that is the paine of losse of almightie…

VHO woulde thinke that after all these paines here before rehearsed there were yet more to be suffered.? And yet neuerthelesse it is certaine that all these paines in comparison of that which we haue now to speake of, are as it were nothinge. Consider then what a wounderfull payne this is like to be, seinge that such horrible tormentes as we haue before mentioned maie be termed nothinge if they be compared with this tormente. For all the paines that we haue hitherto spoken of, appertaine for the most parte to the paine of the sense. But besides all these, there is yet an other paine called the paine of losse, (which we touched before) the which without all comparison is farre greater than all the other, as it maie wel appeare by this reason. For paine is nothinge els, but onely a priuation of some good thinge that was either had, or in hope to be had. Now the greater this good thinge is, the greater paine and greife we haue when it is lost.43 As it appeareth plainly in the losse of temporall thinges, the which the greater they are in vallewe, the greater is the greife that they cause. Now then, consideringe that almightie God is an infinite good thinge, and the greatest of all good thinges, it followeth necessarily that the wantinge of him shalbe an infinite miserie, and the greatest of all miseries.

44 Besides this, almightie God is the center of the reasonable sowle, and the place where it hath his perfect rest. And thereof it commeth that the separation of the sowle from almightie God is the most grieuous and painfull separation of all that maie possibly be deuised. And therfore S. Chrisostome saieth: That if a thousande fiers of hell were ioyned together in one, they shoulde neuer be so great a paine to the sowle, as it is to the sowle to be separated in this wise for euer from almightie God.

It is not possible for anie man to expresse by wordes the exceydinge greatnes of this greife. That seperation that is wont to happen in time of warre, when the suckinge babes are taken from their mothers breastes, is nothinge in comparison of the perpetuall diuision, and separation, which shalbe from the fruition and separation, which shalbe from the fruition of almightie God. And that thou mayst vnderstande somewhat hereof, consider what a horrible kinde of death that was, which certaine tyrantes caused some of the martirs to be put vnto. They caused two toppes or greate boughes of two great trees to be bowed downe violentlie to the grownde, and at the two endes of them they commaunded the feete of the holie Martyr that shoulde suffer death to be bounde, this done, they commaunded that the two bowghes shoulde sodēly be losed with all violence, that when they shoulde recoyle and mounte vp againe to their naturall places, they shoulde hoyse vp the bodie on highe, and so rente and teare it a sonder in the aier, each one of the bowghes carienge with it that parte of the bodie, that was bounde vnto it.

Now if this crewell separation of the partes of a mans bodie one from an other seeme so great a tormente, what a torment thinke ye shall that be, when the sowle shalbe separated from almightie God, which is not a parte but the whole of our sowle, espetially seinge the separation and tormente must endure, not onely for so smalle a time, as whilest the bowghe of a tree maie ascēde frō the grownde vpon highe, but so longe as God shalbe God, which is for euer, ād euer, worlde without ende.

Of the particuler paines of the damned in hell. § IIII

BESIDES all theise paines before rehearsed, there be yet diuers and sundrie others. For these paines are generall and common vnto all the damned in hell,45 but ouer and besides these, there are certaine other paines that be particularly and espetially appointed and proportioned to euerie damned person, accordinge to the qualitie of his synne, As the Prophet Esaie signified when he saied. Measure shalbe geuen againste measure, for so hath our Lorde determined in his harde harte, in the daie of his heate. This heate signifieth the enkendelinge and furie of the wrathe of almightie God. The harde harte signifieth the terriblenes of his sentence, that shall punnishe temporall offences with euerlastinge paines. The measure against measure shalbe the quantitie and proportion of the paine, answerable to the qualitie of the offence. For therein shall the bewtie, and order of gods iustice wounderfullye shewe it selfe, whē he shall geue to euerie one of the damned his deserte, accordinge to the qualitie of his synne.

After this sorte (as a holie father saiethe) The couetous shall there be punished with miserable necessitie.46 The slouthefull and negligente shalbe pricked with bourninge hoat bodkins, and needels. The gluttons shalbe tormented with passinge great honger, and thirste. The lecherous, and licentious liuers shalbe wrapped in flames of stinckinge brimstone. The enuious shall houle and crie like madde dogges, with most inwarde paines, and greifes.47 The proude and presumptuous shalbe full of perpetuall shame, and confusion: and so in like maner of all the rest.

Wherefore ô ye Idolators of the worlde! O ye louers of honor, and promotion! O ye greedie purchasers and scrapers together of landes, and riches! O ye deuisers of newe fashoned garmentes, and of straunge meates, pastimes, and delightes! O thou wicked and miserable Cittie of Babilon, who will now weepe, and bewaile thy case, who will lamente againe thy miserable state with such pittiefull teares, as our Sauiour did, sayeinge:48 Si cognouisses & tu: &c. Yf thou knewest nowe, &c. O that thou knewest how dearly these daintie delicate morsells will cost thee, and what fierce tormentors these same Idols that thou nowe adorest, wilbe there vnto thee! If a man doe eate fruit before it be rype, it must needes set his teethe on edge. And in like maner forsomuche as worldie men will now enioye ease and rest before their time,49 and haue their paradise here in this place of bannishement, certaynlye the daye will come, when their deintie morsells will set their teethe sore on edge: Accordinge as almightie God hath threatned by his Prophet: sayeinge: Whosoeuer will eate sower grapes before they be rype, let him be well assured, that they shalbe bitter vnto him. Now that man eateth grapes before they be rype, that will preuente and tast before hande here in this lyfe the delightes that are to be enioyed in the lyfe to come, who afterwardes shall feele the bitternes of that morsell, when by the iust iudgemente of almightie God he shalbe punnished, because he woulde be so hastie to enioye rest ād delightes before his time.

Of the eternitie of all these paines before reheresed. § V

NOw if all these paines be of them selues so grieuous, and so passinge greate, how much greater and more greiuous shall they appeare, if vnto the greatnes and greiuousnes of all these paines we ioyne also the eternitie, and euerlastinge continuance of them, and that they shall neuer haue an ende. When tenne thowsande yeares be gone, and past, there shalbe added vnto them a hundered thowsande yeares, and after those hundered thowsande, there shal succeide so manie thowsande millions of yeares as there be starres in the Skye, and sandes in the Sea, and after all theise nombers of yeares are past, and gone, then shall the damned beginne to suffer a freshe, and so shall the euerlastinge wheile of their most horrible tormentes goe continually turninge about for euer, and euer, worlde without ende.50 The valley of Tophet (saieth Esaie) is prepared longe since as yesterdaye, it is prepared at the kinges commaundemente, and it is verie diepe and large. The nutrimente thereof is fier, and much woode: and the blast of our Lorde beinge as it were a ronninge floude of brimstone doth enkendle it. This valley is the bottomles pit of hell, prepared as yesterdaye (to wit, from the beginninge of the worlde,) for the punnishement of the wicked. The nutrimente thereof is fier, which burneth, and neuer consumeth. And the matter that preserueth this fier can neuer possibly ende, nor consume, nor be diminished with anie continuance of tyme. And that the damned maie be assured that this horrible fier shal neuer be quenched, the diuelles haue alwaies in charge to blowe it, and to kepe it continuallye burninge, who as they be immortall, so shall they neuer ceasse or be wearie of blowinge therein. And thoughe they shoulde be wearie, yet is there the blast of the almightie and eternall liuinge God, which shall neuer be wearie. Suerlie it shoulde be to greate purpose and verie much it were to be wished that men had some vnderstādinge of the cōtinuāce and eternitie of these most horrible grieuous tormentes, in such sort as they be indeede. For vndoutedlie this woulde be a greate brydle for our lyfe. And therefore it shall not be from our purpose, if we bringe here some examples of like thinges, to the intent that thereby we maie haue some vnderstandinge thereof.

Consider then with thy selfe that so horrible kinde of tormente, that is vsed in some countreis, where malefactors be burned aliue, and the greater their offences are, the lesse is the fyer wherewithall they are burned, which is done in this wise, that their torment maye be the longer prolonged. But what is the longest time ordinarily that the tormente of a man maie continewe, that is thus executed by this artificiall crueltie? Trulie it can scarcely continewe one whole naturall daie. Well then, tell me I praie thee, if this be so terrible and so horrible a kinde of tormente that endureth not one whole daie, the fyer beinge also but smalle, what an exceidinge horrible tormente shall that be in hell, that shall endure euerlastinglie, for euer, and euer, with suche an extreme great and feruente fier as that is? Is there anie man in the worlde so well skilled in the Mathematicall sciences, that he can declare by anie demonstration how farre the one exceedeth the other? Now if a man to escape that tormente woulde not sticke to put him selfe to all daungers, labours, and paines, be they neuer so great, what then ought all we to doe, to escape this most horrible extreme tormente of hell fyer?

Consider also what a terrible kinde of tormente that was, which Phalaris that cruell Tyrante inuented, of whom it is written, that he vsed when he woulde put men to death, to cause them to be inclosed within the bellie of a bull made of mettall, and then caused a fier to be made vndernethe it, and this cruell maner of punnishemente he deuised, that the miserable man by the heate of the yron shoulde burne within the same by litle and litle, and not be able to escape, nor defende him selfe, nor haue anie other remedie, but onely to burne, and rore, and tumble, and tosse him selfe within that strait place, vntill he were dead. What harte can heare of this crueltie, but that his fleashe will tremble and quake, onely in thinkinge of it? Wherefore tell me now (ô thou Christian) what is all this in comparison of that most greiuous and horrible tormente which we here treate of, but onely a meere dreame, or shadowe? Now if the verie imagination and thinkinge of these horrible paines of hell doe make vs afraide, what shal it be, not to thinke of them onelie, but euen to suffer them in verie deede? Certainlie it is so horrible a matter to suffer paines and tormentes euerlastinglye, that althoughe there were but one alone emonge all the children of Adam, that shoulde suffer in hell in this wise, it were enoughe to make vs all to tremble, and quake. There was but one emonge Christes disciples, that shoulde sell his master, and yet when Christ saied: One of yow shall betraie me: 51 all beganne to be afraide, and waxe sad, for that the matter was of so great importance. Now then why doe not we much more tremble, and quake, knowinge certainlie:52 That the nomber of fooles is infinite: and that the waie vnto life euerlastinge is verie narrowe, ād strait: ād that hel hath enlardged her mouthe without anie limitte, to receiue the multitudes that goe into it? If we beleeue not this,53 where is our faith? If we doe beleeue and confesse it, where is our iudgemē mente, and reason? And if we haue both iudgement and reason, why doe we not publishe and preache this matter in the open streates and market places? Why goe we not into the desertes, (as manie of the Sainctes haue done) there to doe penance for our synnes, and to liue an austere lyfe emonge beastes, that we maie escape these most horrible and euerlastinge tormentes? How is it that we can sleepe in the night? Yea how happeneth it, that we be not quite out of our wittes, when we doe thinke attentiuelie and consider of so straunge a perill as this is, seinge lesse daungers than these haue bene able, not onelie to frighte and bestraught men out of their wittes, but also to bereue them of their liues.

This is the greatest payne that the miserable damned persons haue in hell, to vnderstande that almightie God and their most greiuous tormentes shalbe of one lyke continuance: and therefore their miserie can haue no comfort, because their paine hath no ende. If the damned persons coulde be perswaded that after a hundered thowsande millions of yeares their paynes shoulde haue an ende, euē that persuasion alone woulde be a great comfort vnto them. For then all their tormētes (albeit it were verie lōge) woulde yet at the lengthe come to an ende.54 But assured they are that their paines shall haue no ende at all. For as S. Gregorie saieth. There the wicked haue death without anie death, an ende without anie ende, and a defecte without anie defecte. For their death alwaies liueth, their ende alwaies beginneth, and their defecte neuer faileth. And for this cause the Prophet saieth:55 They are in hell as it were sheepe, and death feideth vpon them. The herbe that is there fed vpon is not wholie plucked vp, because the roote is aliue, which is the beginninge of lyfe: and this causeth the herbe to springe againe, that it maie still be fed vpon. And therefore the pasture of those feildes is immortall, forsomuch as it is alwaies eaten, and alwaies reuyueth againe. Now after this sorte shall death feede vpon the damned persons: and as death cannot dye, so shall it neuer be filled with this kinde of foode, nor euer be wearie in doinge this office, neither shall it euer make an ende of deuowringe this morsell. For that death shall euermore haue somewhat in them to deuoure, and they shall euermore minister somewhat vnto death to be deuoured: so as the damned in hell shall suffer their most horrible paines and tormentes for euer, and euer, without anie ende.

Footnotes

  1. How we must imagin the place of hell to be. ↩

  2. Of two principall kindes of paynes in hell. ↩

  3. Paena sensus. ↩

  4. Eeach parte of the bodie of damned persons shall be tormented with his peculiar tormente. Eies. Eares. ↩

  5. Nose. ↩

  6. Taste. Towchinge. ↩

  7. Imagination. Memorie. Vnderstandinge. ↩

  8. Paena dāni, to wit, the payne to be depriued for euer of the sighte of almightie God. ↩

  9. In hell besides the generall paynes, there be also particular paynes, proportionable to the qualitie of euerie synnes, not forgiuen in this lyfe. ↩

  10. Prou. 16.11. ↩

  11. The payne in hel shalbe taxed accordinge to the pleasure and delight receiued in this worlde. ↩

  12. Apoc. 18.7. ↩

  13. The eternitie of the paynes in hell. ↩

  14. The consideration of the paynes of hell moueth vs to susteyne the labours and austeritie of penaunce. ↩

  15. The consideration of the paynes of hell, helpethe vs to ouercome the temptation of the diuell. ↩

  16. The consideration of the paynes of hell, helpeth vs, to styrre vp in our hartes the feare of God. ↩

  17. The consideration of the paynes of bel, helpethe verie much to make vs afrayde of synne. ↩

  18. Ioan. 11.45.46. ↩

  19. The payne of sense, and the payne of losse. ↩

  20. Of the horrible fier in hell. ↩

  21. S. Augustine. ↩

  22. The fier of hell shall burne and tormente, and neuer consume. ↩

  23. Daniel. 3. ↩

  24. Of the extreme colde in hell. ↩

  25. Iob. 24. ↩

  26. The diuelles shall tormente the damned persons with appearinge vnto them in most horrible ād vglie shapes of wilde beastes and monsters. ↩

  27. Iob. 41. ↩

  28. The nose shalbe tormented with an intollerable stenche. ↩

  29. Esa. 3. ↩

  30. Esa. 14.11. ↩

  31. The eares shalbe tormented, with hearinge perpetuall horrible cryes, lamētations, and blasphemies. ↩

  32. The tonge and delicate taste, shalbe likewise tormented in hell. Luc. 16. ↩

  33. The Imagination. ↩

  34. The memorie. ↩

  35. The pleasures of this lyfe continewe but a smalle time: but the paynes of hel contynewe euerlastingelie. ↩

  36. The vnderstandinge. ↩

  37. The worme of conscience. ↩

  38. The euill disposition of the will of the dā ned againste the glorie of God and of his Sainctes. ↩

  39. Psal. 111.10. ↩

  40. The malice […]nd hatred of the dā ned againste almightie God. ↩

  41. The greate obstinacie of the dā ned in their wickednes. ↩

  42. The perpetual desperation of the dāned. ↩

  43. To loose almightie God is the greatest losse: for that he is an infinite good thinge. ↩

  44. Almightie God is the centre of the reasonable sowle. S. Chrisostome. ↩

  45. Certaine peculiar paynes are also particularlie appoynted vnto euerye dāned person, accordinge to the qualitie of his synne. Esa. 27.8. ↩

  46. The couetous. The slouthefull. The glutton. The leacherous. The enuious. ↩

  47. The proude. ↩

  48. Luc. 19. ↩

  49. we must not seeke to enioye ease and rest in this lyfe, but expecte the same in the lyfe to come. Ierem. 31.30. ↩

  50. Esa. 30.33. ↩

  51. Math. 26.21. ↩

  52. Eccles. 1.15. Math. 7.14. Esa. 5.14. ↩

  53. If a Christian did cōsider the euerlastinge continuance of the horrible paynes of hell, it woulde make him loke better to the dewe framinge of his lyfe. ↩

  54. S. Gregorie. ↩

  55. Psal. 48.15. ↩

Chapter 19 of 29