Friday Night

OF THE PAINS OF HELL.

THIS DAY (WHEN THOU HAST MADE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS, and prepared thyself hereunto,) thou hast to meditate upon the pains of hell: to the intent that as well by means of this meditation, as by the former, thy soul may be the more confirmed in the fear of God, and abhorring of sin, as we have there declared.

        These pains, (as St. Bonaventure saith) are to be conceived under some such corporal forms, and similitudes, as the saints have taught us. Wherefore it shall do well to imagine the place of hell (as he himself saith) to be as it were an obscure and dark lake under the earth, or a passing deep pit full of fire, or as a horrible and dark City wholly burning with terrible flames of fire, in which none other noise were there to be heard, but only the furious raging of hellish tormentors, and ruthful lamentations of damned persons tormented with continual weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

            Now in this cursed place there be two principal kinds of pains. The one, which the divines call, Poenam sensus: a sensible pain: And the other, Poenam damni: the pain of the loss of all losses. As touching the first pain, to wit, the pain of sense: consider that there shall be no sense, neither within nor without a man, but that it shall suffer his proper torment. For like as the wicked have offended God with all their members, and senses, and have made armour of them all to serve sin: even so will he ordain, that they all shall there be tormented, each one of them with his peculiar torment, and pay according to his desert. There shall the wanton and lecherous eyes be tormented with the terrible ugly sight of devils. The ears, with the confusion of such horrible cries, and lamentations, as shall there be heard. The nose, with the intolerable stench of that filthy and loathsome place. The taste, with a most ravenous hunger, and thirst. The touching, and all the members of the body, with extreme cold, and fire. The imagination shall be tormented with conceiving of the griefs present. The memory, by calling to mind the pleasures past. And the understanding, by considering what benefits are lost, and what miseries are to come.

            Finally, there shall all the miseries and torments that possibly may be imagined be heaped together upon the damned person. For as St. Gregory saith. There shall be cold intolerable, fire unquenchable, the worm of conscience that cannot die, and a most horrible stench that cannot be abidden. There shall be palpable darkness: whips of tormentors: vision of foul fiends, and ugly devils: confusion of sins: and desperation of all goodness. Now tell me, I pray you, if the least of all these pains that are suffered here in this world though it were but for a very small time, do seem notwithstanding so intolerable a thing, what shall it be, to suffer there at one time all these multitude of horrible torments, in all the members, and senses, both inward, and outward, and that not for the space of one night alone, nor of a thousand nights, but for ever, and ever, during infinite worlds. What sense, what words, what judgement is there in the world, that is able to conceive and express this matter as it is indeed?

            And yet this is not the greatest pain that is there suffered. For there is an other pain far greater without any comparison than all these: to wit, that pain which the divines term, Poenam damni: the pain of loss, or deprivation. Which is to be deprived of the sight of almighty God, and of his glorious company, for ever, and ever. And albeit this pain be common to all the damned persons, yet shall it be much more grievous unto them, that have had better means and opportunity than others, whereby to enjoy this felicity: As namely all Christians to whom the Gospel hath been preached, and especially all naughty religious persons, and priests, who as they have had greater means and provocations to obtain this everlasting felicity: even so shall they be more vexed and grieved for the loss thereof.

            These are the pains that do generally appertain to all the damned. But besides these general pains, there be other particular pains, which every one of them shall also suffer according to the quality of his sin. For there shall be one kind of pain for the proud man, an other for the envious: one for the covetous, and an other for the lecherous: and so in like manner for all other sins. In which punishment the wisdom and justice of almighty God shall wonderfully appear, in that among such an infinite number of sins, and sinners, he shall be able to judge very perfectly all the excess of each one, and shall measure unto them as it were in a balance the pains proportionable to their sins. As the Wiseman saith: The judgements of our Lord are by weight, and measure. O what a doleful thing shall it be to the wicked, when they shall see how almighty God will then pay them home in the very joints!

            And what a delight shall it then be to the just, when they shall see such a wonderful just proportion observed, in allotting pains, and torments, among such a great multitude of sins! There shall the pain be taxed according to the pleasure and delight received. And the confusion according to the presumption, and pride: The poverty according to the superfluity, and abundance. The hunger and thirst according to the gluttony and delicate dainty fare in their life past. And in this wise did almighty God command that naughty woman to be punished, which is mentioned in the Apocalypse, who sat upon the waters of the Sea, holding a Cup in her hand full of poisoned pleasures, and delights. Against whom was thundered out from heaven that terrible sentence, which said: Look how much she hath extolled herself, and enjoyed her pleasures, and delights: even so proportionably give her torments, and wailing, and lamentation.

            Unto all these pains and torments there is added an eternity or everlastingness of suffering them. And this is as it were the seal and key of them all. For all the rest were yet somewhat tolerable, if they might have some end. Forsomuch as nothing is great that hath an end. But to be tormented with most horrible pains that have neither end, nor ease, nor mitigation, nor declination, nor change, nor hope that ever they will finish, and have an end, neither the pains, nor he that giveth them, nor he that suffereth them, but to be as it were a perpetual banishment never to be remitted, this is a matter able to make a man besides himself, that should consider it deeply, and with good attention.  

            Of this eternity and everlasting suffering of these pains and torments in hell, cometh that horrible hatred, which the damned have against almighty God, and those blasphemies which they shall utter with great despiteful rage against him. For when they shall be in utter despair of his amity, and friendship, when they shall know that they shall never be received again into his grace, and favor, and that none of all their most grievous and horrible torments shall ever be diminished, or assuaged, again, when they shall consider that almighty God is he, that doth thus torment, and punish them, and that it is he, that fettereth them from above, and keepeth them prisoners in that fiery tormenting chain, they will be in such an exceeding anger, and rage, against him, that they will never cease day, nor night, blaspheming his holy name.

THE FIFTH TREATISE. OF THE CONSIDERATION OF THE PAINS OF HELL: wherein the former meditation is declared more at large.

            The consideration of the pains of hell is greatly profitable for divers and sundry respects. First, it moveth us to sustain the labors and austerity of penance. As we read that it moved the blessed holy man St. Jerome, who saith of himself, that by reason of the great fear he conceived of the terrible pains and most grievous torments of hell, he condemned himself to do that austere penance, which he writeth he did in the desert.

            It helpeth us also to overcome the temptations of the enemy, when at the first entry of any evil thought, we do forthwith call to mind the horror of these pains. For by this mean we do quench the flame of the delight (before it burn) with the remembrance of the horrible flames of hell fire, which shall burn everlastingly. According hereunto it is written of one of those ancient fathers, that lived in the desert, that being upon a time tempted by the enemy of mankind with an evil thought, he laid his hand upon certain burning coals, to try whether he could abide that little heat, and perceiving that he was not able to abide it, he said unto himself: What? If I can not abide this little heat for so short a time, how shall I be able to abide the horrible fire of hell, which shall endure for ever, and ever, world without end?

            This consideration helpeth also to provoke and stir up in our hearts the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom, and the original of charity: and next after charity itself it is the greatest bridle we can have to keep us from all sin, and wickedness. Above all this, this consideration helpeth very much to make us to be afraid of sin, considering what a miserable reward is ordained for it, to wit, death everlasting. Wherefore it is much to be marveled how the Christians that do both believe and openly confess this to be true, dare commit any one deadly sin against almighty God. Two great wonders have happened in the world in these kind of things. The one is, that whereas our Savior hath wrought so many miracles as he did here among men, there be yet a number of men that do not believe in him. The other is, that of such as be Christians, and do believe in him, there be yet nevertheless so many of them that dare offend him. Certainly, it was a wonderful matter, that when our Savior among other wonders had wrought that great miracle in raising up Lazarus from death, when he had been dead for the space of four days, yet there were many of them that were there present at the doing thereof, that would not believe in him. And it is also wonderful, that whereas men do now believe by reason of his preaching, that there is pain and glory everlasting, (all this belief, and preaching notwithstanding,) there be yet so many Christians that dare offend him. It is a wonderful matter to see after so great miracles so great infidelity. And it is no less wonderful also, to see after so great faith such corrupt and wicked life.

            But because this proceedeth rather of the want of consideration, than of the want of faith, it is therefore a very profitable exercise, to consider and weigh diligently those things that our faith telleth us: to the end that by understanding the grievousness of the pains of hell, we may live more warily, and be the more afraid to commit any deadly sin, whereby to deserve such great and everlasting pains.

OF TWO KINDS OF PAINS THAT ARE IN HELL.

        And although the pains in hell be innumerable, yet they all in conclusion (as we have said) are reduced to two. Which are, Poena sensus: and Poena damni: the pain of sense, and the pain of loss. The pain of sense, is that which tormenteth the senses and bodies of the damned. And the pain of loss, is to be deprived for ever of the sight and company of almighty God. These two kinds of pains are answerable to two enormities, and disorders, that are in sin: whereof one is the inordinate love of the creature: and the other is the contempt of the creator. Now unto these two enormities do answer these two kinds of pains in hell. To the love and sensual delight which is taken in the creature, doth answer the pain of sense: that like as the sense hath taken delight against the commandment of almighty God, even so with the grief of the pain it may make recompence for the enormity of his offence. And to the contempt of God doth answer the leesing of God for evermore. For seeing that man doth first forsake God, reason it is, that he should likewise be forsaken for ever of God. And because among these two evils, the last (which is the contempt of God) is without all comparison greater than the first, therefore the pain of loss, which is answerable to this iniquity, is without all comparison far greater than the pain of sense.

            And to begin now with the pains of the outward senses. The first pain is the horrible fire in hell, which is of such a great vehement heat, and strength, that (as St. Augustine saith:) This fire here in this world in comparison of it is as it were but a painted fire.

            This fire shall torment not only the bodies of the damned, but even the souls also, And it shall torment them in such sort, that it shall not consume them. Which is so provided, to the intent that the pain may be everlasting, and continue for ever, and ever. The which everlasting continuance (as St. Augustine saith) is wrought by a special miracle. For almighty God (who hath given to all things their natural properties) hath given this special property unto the fire of hell, that it shall in such wise burn, and torment, that it shall not consume.

            Consider then what an intolerable pain it shall be to the damned to be always lying in such an horrible everlasting tormenting bed, as this is. And that thou mayest the better conceive the same, imagine with thyself what a grievous pain it would be unto thee, if thou shouldest be cast into a great scalding caldron, when it boileth most fervently, and is in greatest heat, or into some hot glowing oven, such a one as that was, which Nabuchodonosor caused to be set a fire in Babylon, the flames whereof ascended forty and nine Cubits in height. And hereby shalt thou have some kind of conjecture and guess of that raging hot fire which is in hell. For if the fire here in this world which (as we have said is in comparison of that fire, but as it were a painted fire,) do so sore burn, and torment, what shall that fire in hell do, which is a very lively tormenting fire indeed? Me thinketh it were not needful to pass any further in the consideration of the pains of hell, but even to leave here, if a man would stay himself a little while in consideration of this point, and make a station here, until such time as he hath considered this matter, as the thing itself requireth.

            Unto this pain is joined an other directly contrary unto it, although no less intolerable, that is, an horrible extreme cold, far exceeding without comparison all the cold in this world, which shall be given as a miserable refreshing unto those that burn in that raging fire. And they shall pass (as it is written in Job) from the snowy waters, unto the fiery heats: that there might be no kind of torments whereof they should not taste, that would be tasting of every kind of wanton pleasure, and delight.

            And they shall not only be tormented with extreme fire, and cold, but also by the very devils themselves, which shall torment them with most horrible shapes of wild beasts, and terrible monsters, wherein they shall appear unto them. And they shall with their most horrible and ugly looks torment the adulterous, and lecherous eyes, and such as have painted themselves with artificial colors, to become the beautiful snares, and nets of Satan.

            This pain of the horrible and ugly sight of devils, is far greater than any man can imagine. For if it be evidently known unto us, that some persons have lost their wits, and that some have been also stricken stark dead by means of the dreadful sight or imagination of fearful things, yea, and that some times the very suspicion thereof alone hath caused many men to tremble and quake in such sort, that the very hair of their heads did stare, and stand up an end: what shall the terror and fear of that dark lake be, which is full of so many horrible fiends, and dreadful hellish monsters, as there the damned persons shall behold with their eyes. And we may the better consider how ugly and horrible the form of the devil is, in that almighty God himself describeth him unto us by such terrible shapes in the holy scriptures. As in the book of Job he saith thus: Who shall discover the face of his garment? And who shall be so hardy as to look into his mouth? And who shall open the gates wherewith his face is covered? His teeth are terrible round about. His body is as it were a shield of steel covered all over with scales, and that so close riveted, and joined together, that not so much as a little air can pierce through them. His sneezing is like a lightning of fire, and his eyes are glowing red, like the eyelids of the morning. He casteth out of his mouth flakes of fire, like burning torches: and out of his nostrils reeketh smoke, as it were from a boiling pot. With his breath he is able to set coals a fire, and raging flames do issue out of his mouth. Now what a terrible sight will this be to the damned persons in hell, to behold such an horrible and ugly monster, as is here figured unto us by these similitudes.

            Unto the torment of the eyes is added an other very terrible pain for torment of the nose, to wit: an intolerable stench, which shall be there ordained to punish carnal and worldly persons, that used sweet savours and perfumes superfluously here in this life. And so doth almighty God threaten by his Prophet Isaias, saying: Because the daughters of Sion are haughty, and walk with stretched out necks, and with rolling eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet, because they make ostentation of their pomp and riches among the poor, and naked, therefore our Lord will pluck of their hair from their heads, with all their other profane attires, and give them in steed of their sweet odors, horrible stench: and in steed of their gorgeous girdle, a rope: and in steed of their curled hair, a bald skull: and in steed of their stomacher, a rough haircloth. This is the pain that is due unto the odoriferous savours, and gay ornaments of worldly men, and women.

            That we may the better conceive somewhat of this kind of pain, consider that terrible kind of torment which a certain cruel Tyrant invented, to put men to death withal, who took a dead body, and caused it to be laid a long upon him that was living, and binding the dead body and the living body very fast together he let them continue both joined thus together, until such time as the dead body had killed the living body with the filthy stench, and vermin, that issued from it. Now if this seem to thee so horrible a torment, what a torment shall that be (trowest thou) that shall proceed from the stench of all the bodies of the damned, and from that abominable place, where the wicked shall remain in a most horrible continual stench for evermore. There shall those works of Isaias be verified in every one of the damned: Thy pride sinketh down into hell, and there fell thy dead body: the worm is spread under thee, and the crawling worms do cover thee.

            And if this pain be appointed for the nose, with what pains shall the ears be tormented wherewith greater sins are committed? The ears shall be tormented with hearing of perpetual horrible cries, clamors, lamentations, and blasphemies, which shall sound in that place. For like as in heaven there shall be none other sound heard, but only a continual Alleluia, and praises of almighty God: even so shall there none other sound be heard in this infernal house of tormentors, but only blasphemies, cursings, and bannings of almighty God, and a disordered horrible melody of infinite jarring noises, roaring, crying, squeaking, and howling, at the terrible sound of the hammers, and strokes of the hellish tormentors, wherein shall such confusion, and variety of noises, such great howlings, and lamentations, among all of that miserable prison, that all the noise that was made at the destruction of Troy, or burning of Rome, was nothing in comparison of that, which shall be heard among the damned in hell.

            And that thou mayest conceive somewhat of this horrible pain, imagine with thyself that thou didst pass by a very great deep valley, that were full of an infinite number of prisoners, some hurt, some wounded, and some sick, and that they were all crying, roaring, and howling, each one in horrible wise after his manner, both men, and women, young, and old: tell me I pray thee, what wouldst thou think of this so great roaring, and confusion? Now what may we think of that most horrible crying and roaring in hell, of such an infinite number of damned persons, which shall do nothing else but cry, and roar, blaspheme, and renye almighty God and his Saints everlastingly? What Galley is there in the world so full fraught with renegades, and bond-slaves, as that horrible place of hell is? These are the matins which there are sung. This is the miserable chapel of the prince of darkness. These be his musicians, and singing men. Of whose brotherhood and fraternity shall all slanderers, and backbiters be, with all such as have given ear to the lies of the enemy.

            Neither shall the tongue and delicate taste fail of their torments in hell. For what a great thirst was that, which the rich glutton mentioned in the Gospel suffered among the flames of his torments? What doleful cries and clamors did he make to the holy patriarch Abraham, requesting of him but only one drop of water, to cool his tongue, that burned so terribly?

OF THE TORMENTS OF THE INWARD SENSES, and powers of the soul.

        All these pains of the outward senses of the body are certainly very grievous. But the pains of the inward senses of the soul shall be much more grievous. For those inward senses shall be more or less tormented, according as the sinners have been more or less negligent in this life in eschewing the occasions of sins. First of all therefore the imagination shall there be tormented with such a vehement apprehension of those pains, that it shall not be able to think upon any thing else, but only upon the pains that they suffer. For if we see by experience, that when a grief is very intensive, and sharp, we be not able (though we would) to separate our cogitation from the same, because the very grief itself occupieth the imagination so vehemently, that it can not think upon any other thing, but only upon that which is the cause of our grief: how much more may we assure ourselves this to be true in hell, where the grief and pain is without all comparison much more intolerable, than all the griefs and pains of this world? By this mean therefore shall the imagination continually quicken and renew the grief: and likewise the grief the imagination: and so the torment of the damned person shall be renewed and increased on every side. These shall be the continual meditations of them, that would not (whiles they lived) call to mind these pains. So as they that would not think upon these pains here, and so by thinking upon them bridle their affections in this life, shall suffer them there as a punishment for their offence.

            The memory shall likewise torment the damned persons, when they shall there call to remembrance their old felicity, and prosperous state, and withal the pleasures and delights of the life past, for which they do then abide such horrible torments. There shall they plainly perceive how dearly they pay for their miserable gluttony, and delicate belly cheer, and what a sharp sauce is ordained for their dainty sugared morsels, which seemed before so sweet and delightful unto them. Among all kinds of adversities, one of the greatest is (as a Wise man saith) to have been once in prosperity, and afterwards to fall into misery. Now when the rich and mighty personages of this transitory world do look backward, and call to mind their former prosperity, and abundance of their lives past: when they see how after that abundance there succeedeth such a great bareness, and dearth, that they shall not have so much as one only drop of cold water given unto them: when they see all their pleasures turned into pains, all their delicacies into miseries, all their sweet perfumes into loathsome stenches, all their music into lamentation, what torment can be so great as the very remembrance of these things shall be at that time unto them.

            Howbeit they shall yet have a far greater torment, when they shall compare the continuance of their former pleasures past, with the continuance of their pains present: when they shall see how their pleasures have endured but a moment, whereas their pains shall endure everlastingly world without end. Now what a terrible grief and anguish of mind shall that be unto them, when by casting their accompt they shall perceive that all the whole time of their life was but a mere shadow of a dream, and that for their wanton delights, and pleasures, that were so quickly at an end, they shall suffer most horrible pains, and torments, that shall never have an end.

            These are the pains that the damned persons shall suffer in the memory by calling to mind their former prosperity. But the pains which they shall suffer in their understanding when they shall consider the everlasting glory that they have lost shall be far greater. Hereof cometh that worm that is always gnawing at their conscience: which (as the holy scripture doth so oftentimes threaten) shall lie day and night biting, and gnawing, and feeding continually upon the bowels of the damned persons. And as the worm breedeth in the wood, and is always eating the wood wherein it was bred: even so this worm of conscience proceedeth of sin, and is evermore striving and setting itself against the same sin, whereof it was engendered.

            This worm of conscience is a certain despite, and raging repentance, which the damned shall have for ever, and ever, when they consider what they have lost, and what good opportunity and means they have had in this life not to lose it. This opportunity shall continually be before their eyes.

            This worm is always gnawing their bowels, (howbeit in vain,) and it causeth them to say evermore: O what an unfortunate wretch am I, that had time and opportunity to gain that so blessed state which the virtuous do enjoy in the kingdom of heaven, and would not use the benefit thereof! Alas! Alas! A time there was when this felicity was offered unto me, and I was exhorted and desired to receive it, yea it was frankly given me, and I would not accept it. For the only confessing and pronouncing of my sins with sorrow, and contrition, they had been all forgiven me. For the only asking of forgiveness of almighty God, it had been granted me. For the only giving of a cup of cold water to the poor, I had had life everlasting granted unto me. And now alas cursed caitiff that I am, I shall fast for ever: now alas shall I weep and wail for ever: and repent me of that which I have done for ever: and all shall be utterly without any fruit. O how idly and wickedly hath my time passed away, which shall never return again! What great benefits received I of the world that might alure me to hazard and lose the everlasting felicity and bliss of heaven? Although the world should have given me all the rich offices, manors, lordships, kingdoms, pleasures, and delights that it had, although I might have enjoyed them so many years as there be sands in the Sea, all this were nothing in comparison of the least pain and torment which I now here alas do suffer. And whereas I have not had the true fruition of any of these things, but only a little shadow of a fugitive vain pleasure for this must I now suffer everlasting horrible torments here in hell. O unhappy pleasure! O cursed change! O unfortunate hour, and moment, wherein I thus blinded myself! O what a blind buzzard have I been! O what a miserable wretch and villainous caitiff am I! O a thousand, yea a hundredth thousand times unhappy, that have so fondly deceived myself! Cursed be he that deceived me. Cursed be he that should have corrected me, and did not. Cursed be my father, and mother, that so wantonly brought me up. Cursed be the milk that I sucked. Cursed be the bread that I did eat, and the life that I have lived. Cursed by my birth, and my nativity. And cursed be all creatures that were any helps or means to bring me to any being. O how happy and fortunate are they that had never any being, and they that were never born! Happy are the wombs that never conceived: and happy are the breasts that never gave suck.

            After this sort shall the miserable damned wretches curse and banne all creatures, and chiefly them that were the cause of their damnation. And so we read in the lives of the holy fathers, of a blessed holy man that saw by revelation a very deep well, full of great and horrible flames of fire, and in the midst of them were the father, and the son, both of them manacled together, and cursing one an other, with great furious rage, and despite. The father said unto his son. Cursed be thou my son. For I to leave thee wealthy, and rich became an usurer, and for usury am I now here in hell damned. And the son said likewise unto his father: Cursed be thou my father, for that imagining to enrich me hast been the cause of my damnation: in that thou didst leave me evil gotten lands, and goods, and I for the wrongful keeping of them and not making due restitution to the right owners am here now alas damned everlastingly.

            Above all this, how great shall the pains and torments of the malicious and evil disposed will of the damned be? There shall be in the will a continual and outrageous malicious envy against the glory of almighty God, and his elect, which shall be evermore biting and gnawing at their entrails, no less than the worm of conscience, whereof we spake before. Of this pain saith the Psalm: The sinner shall see and be angry: he shall gnash with his teeth, and consume. And the desire of the wicked shall perish. They shall have also such a great abhorring and hatred against almighty God, because he detaineth and punisheth them in that place, that like as a mad dog stroken with a spear, turneth again in great fury to bite and gnaw it: even so would the damned persons (if they might possibly) tear and rent almighty God in pieces: because they know that it is he, that pricketh them with his terrible spear, and that it is he, that striketh and tormenteth them from above with the dreadful sword of his justice. They have also a very great obstinacy in wickedness: for they are not sorry, either because they are wicked, or because they have been wicked, but rather they wish that they had been worse. And if they be sorry for their wicked life, it is not for any love they bear unto almighty God, but for the love of themselves, that so they might have escaped these horrible torments, if they had lived otherwise. Besides this, they have also a perpetual desperation: For that they think so evil of almighty God, and of his mercy, that they have no manner of hope therein, that ever he can pardon them: and also for that they know for certain that their most grievous pains and torments shall never have any mitigation, or end. This is the cause of their so horrible blasphemies, and of their despiteful railings against almighty God. For as they have no hope in him, so do they seek to be revenged of him as much as they can with their outrageous and malicious railing tongues.

OF THE PAIN, WHICH IS TERMED by the divines, Poena damni: that is, the pain of loss of almighty God.

        Who would think that after all these pains here before rehearsed there were yet more to be suffered? And yet nevertheless it is certain that all these pains in comparison of that which we have now to speak of, are as it were nothing. Consider then what a wonderful pain this is like to be, seeing that such horrible torments as we have before mentioned may be termed nothing, if they be compared with this torment. For all the pains that we have hitherto spoken of, appertain for the most part to the pain of the sense. But besides all these, there is yet an other pain called the pain of loss (which we touched before) the which without all comparison is far greater than all the other, as it may well appear by this reason. For pain is nothing else, but only a privation of some good thing that was either had, or in hope to be had. Now the greater this good thing is, the greater pain and grief we have when it is lost. As it appeareth plainly in the loss of temporal things, the which the greater they are in value, the greater is the grief that they cause. Now then, considering that almighty God is an infinite good thing, and the greatest of all good things, it followeth necessarily that the wanting of him shall be an infinite misery, and the greatest of all miseries.

            Besides this, almighty God is the center of the reasonable soul, and the place where it hath his perfect rest. And thereof it cometh that the separation of the soul from almighty God is the most grievous and painful separation of all that may possibly be devised. And therefore St. Chrysostom saith: That if a thousand fires of hell were joined together in one, they should never be so great a pain to the soul, as it is to the soul to be separated in this wise for ever from almighty God.

            It is not possible for any man to express by words the exceeding greatness of this grief. That separation that is wont to happen in time of war, when the sucking babes are taken from their mothers breasts, is nothing in comparison of the perpetual division, and separation, which shall be from the fruition of almighty God. And that thou mayest understand somewhat hereof, consider what a horrible kind of death that was, which certain tyrants caused some of the martyrs to be put unto. They caused two tops or great boughs of two great trees to be bowed down violently to the ground, and at the two ends of them they commanded the feet of the holy Martyr that should suffer death to be bound, this done, they commanded that the two boughs should suddenly be loosed with all violence, that when they should recoil and mount up again to their natural places, they should hoise up the body on high, and so rent and tear it asunder in the air, each one of the boughs carrying with it that part of the body, that was bound unto it.

            Now if this cruel separation of the parts of a mans body one from an other seem so great a torment, what a torment think ye shall that be, when the soul shall be separated from almighty God, which is not a part but the whole of our soul, especially seeing the separation and torment must endure, not only for so small a time, as whilst the bough of a tree may ascend from the ground up on high, but so long as God shall be God, which is for ever, and ever, world without end.

OF THE PARTICULAR PAINS OF THE DAMNED IN HELL.

        Besides all these pains before rehearsed, there be yet divers and sundry others. For these pains are general, and common unto all the damned in hell, but over and besides these, there are certain other pains that be particularly and especially appointed and proportioned to every damned persons, according to the quality of his sin. As the Prophet Isaias signified when he said. Measure shall be given against measure, for so hath our Lord determined in his hard heart, in the day of his heat. This heat signifieth the enkindling and fury of the wrath of almighty God. The hard heart signifieth the terribleness of his sentence, that shall punish temporal offences with everlasting pains. The measure against measure shall be the quantity and proportion of the pain, answerable to the quality of the offence. For therein shall the beauty, and order of gods justice wonderfully shew itself, when he shall give to every one of the damned his desert, according to the quality of his sin.

            After this sort (as a holy father saith) The covetous shall there be punished with miserable necessity. The slothful and negligent shall be pricked with burning hot bodkins, and needles. The gluttons shall be tormented with passing great hunger, and thirst. The lecherous, and licentious livers shall be wrapped in flames of stinking brimstone. The envious shall howl and cry like mad dogs, with most inward pains, and griefs. The proud and presumptuous shall be full of perpetual shame, and confusion: and so in like manner of all the rest.

            Wherefore O ye Idolators of the world! O ye lovers of honor, and promotion! O ye greedy purchasers and scrapers together of lands, and riches! O ye devisors of new fashioned garments, and of strange meats, pastimes, and delights! O thou wicked and miserable City of Babylon, Who will now weep, and bewail thy case! Who will lament again thy miserable state with such pitiful tears, as our Savior did, saying: Si cognovisses et tu: etc. If thou knewest now, etc. O that thou knewest how dearly these dainty delicate morsels will cost thee, and what fierce tormentors these same Idols that thou now adorest, will be there unto thee! If a man do eat fruit before it be ripe, it must needs set his teeth on edge. And in like manner forsomuch as worldly men will now enjoy ease and rest before their time, and have their paradise here in this place of banishment, certainly the day will come, when their dainty morsels will set their teeth sore on edge: According as almighty God hath threatened by his Prophet: saying: Whosoever will eat sour grapes before they be ripe, let him be well assured, that they shall be bitter unto him. Now that man eateth grapes before they be ripe, that will prevent and taste before hand here in this life the delights that are to be enjoyed in the life to come: who afterwards shall feel the bitterness of that morsel, when by the just judgement of almighty God he shall be punished, because he would be so hasty to enjoy rest and delights before his time.

OF THE ETERNITY of all these pains before rehearsed.

        Now if all these pains be of themselves so grievous, and so passing great, how much greater and more grievous shall they appear, if unto the greatness and grievousness of all these pains we join also the eternity, and everlasting continuance of them, and that they shall never have an end. When ten thousand years be gone, and past, there shall be added unto them a hundred thousand years, and after those hundred thousand, there shall succeed so many thousand millions of years as there be stars in the Sky, and sands in the Sea, and after all these numbers of years are past, and gone, then shall the damned begin to suffer afresh and so shall the everlasting wheel of their most horrible torments go continually turning about for ever, and ever, world without end. The valley of Tophet (saith Isaias) is prepared long since as yesterday, it is prepared at the kings commandment, and it is very deep, and large. The nutriment thereof is fire, and much wood: and the blast of our Lord being as it were a running flood of brimstone doth enkindle it. This valley is the bottomless pit of hell, prepared as yesterday, (to wit, from the beginning of the world,) for the punishment of the wicked. The nutriment thereof is fire, which burneth, and never consumeth. And the matter that preserveth this fire can never possibly end, nor consume, nor be diminished with any continuance of time. And that the damned may be assured that this horrible fire shall never be quenched, the devils have always in charge to blow it, and to keep it continually burning, who as they be immortal, so shall they never cease, or be weary of blowing therein. And though they should be weary, yet is there the blast of the almighty and eternal living God, which shall never be weary. Surely it should be to great purpose, and very much it were to be wished, that men had some understanding of the continuance and eternity of these most horrible grievous torments, in such sort as they be indeed. For undoubtedly this would be a great bridle for our life. And therefore it shall not be from our purpose, if we bring here some examples of like things, to the intent that thereby we may have some understanding thereof.

            Consider then with thyself that so horrible kind of torment, that is used in some countries, where malefactors be burned alive, and the greater their offences are, the less is the fire wherewithal they are burned, which is done in this wise, that their torment may be the longer prolonged. But what is the longest time ordinarily that the torment of a man may continue, that is thus executed by this artificial cruelty? Truly it can scarcely continue one whole natural day. Well then, tell me I pray thee, if this be so terrible and so horrible a kind of torment that endureth not one whole day, the fire being also but small, what an exceeding horrible torment shall that be in hell, that shall endure everlastingly, for ever, and ever, with such an extreme great and fervent fire as that is? Is there any man in the world so well skilled in the Mathematical sciences, that he can declare by any demonstration how far the one exceedeth the other? Now if a man to escape that torment would not stick to put himself to all dangers, labors, and pains, be they never so great, what then ought all we to do, to escape this most horrible extreme torment of hell fire?

            Consider also what a terrible kind of torment that was, which Phalaris that cruel Tyrant invented, of whom it is written, that he used when he would put men to death, to cause them to be enclosed within the belly of a bull made of metal, and then caused a fire to be made underneath it, and this cruel manner of punishment he devised, that the miserable man by the heat of the iron should burn within the same by little and little, and not be able to escape, nor defend himself, nor have any other remedy, but only to burn, and roar, and tumble, and toss himself within that strait place, until he were dead. What heart can hear of this cruelty, but that his flesh will tremble, and quake, only in thinking of it? Wherefore tell me now (O thou Christian) what is all this in comparison of that most grievous and horrible torment which we here treat of, but only a mere dream, or shadow? Now if the very imagination and thinking of these horrible pains of hell do make us afraid, what shall it be, not to think of them only, but even to suffer them in very deed? Certainly it is so horrible a matter to suffer pains and torments everlastingly, that although there were but one alone among all the children of Adam, that should suffer in hell in this wise, it were enough to make us all to tremble, and quake. There was but one among Christs disciples, that should sell his master, and yet when Christ said: One of you shall betray me: all began to be afraid, and wax sad, for that the matter was of so great importance. Now then why do not we much more tremble, and quake, knowing certainly: That the number of fools is infinite: and that the way unto life everlasting is very narrow, and strait: and that hell hath enlarged her mouth without any limit, to receive the multitudes that go into it? If we believe not this, where is our faith? If we do believe and confess it, where is our judgement, and reason? And if we have both judgement, and reason, why do we not publish and preach this matter in the open streets, and market places? Why go we not into the deserts, (as many of the Saints have done) there to do penance for our sins, and to live an austere life among beasts, that we may escape these most horrible and everlasting torments? How is it, that we can sleep in the night? Yea, how happeneth it, that we be not quite out of our wits, when we do think attentively, and consider of so strange a peril as this is, seeing less dangers than these have been able not only to fright and bestraught men out of their wits, but also to bereave them of their lives.

            This is the greatest pain that the miserable damned persons have in hell, to understand that almighty God and their most grievous torments shall be of one like continuance: and therefore their misery can have no comfort, because their pain hath no end. If the damned persons could be persuaded that after a hundred thousand millions of years their pains should have an end, even that persuasion alone would be a great comfort unto them. For then all their torments (albeit it were very long) would yet at the length come to an end. But assured they are that their pains shall have no end at all. For as St. Gregory saith. There the wicked have death without any death, an end without any end, and a defect without any defect. For their death always liveth, their end always beginneth, and their defect never faileth. And for this cause the Prophet saith: They are in hell as it were sheep, and death feedeth upon them. The herb that is there fed upon is not wholly plucked up, because the root is alive, which is the beginning of life: and this causeth the herb to spring again, that it may still be fed upon. And therefore the pasture of those fields is immortal, forsomuch as it is always eaten, and always reviveth again. Now after this sort shall death feed upon the damned persons: and as death cannot die, so shall it never be filled with this kind of food, nor ever be weary in doing this office, neither shall it ever make an end of devouring this morsel. For that death shall evermore have somewhat in them to devour, and they shall evermore minister somewhat unto death to be devoured: so as the damned in hell shall suffer their most horrible pains and torments for ever, and ever, without any end.