Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

Head VI. in Hell. 579
obtain on Earth, fo the Punifliments 'of Hell muft
be greater, than any earthly Torments whatfoever;
not only in Refpeft of the Continuance of them,
but alfo in Refpeft of Vebemency and Exquiftte-
nefs.
Secondly, Why are the Things of the other
World reprefented to us, in an earthly Drefs, in
the Word; but that the Weaknefs of our Capa¬
cities in luch Matters (which the Lord is pleafed
to condefcend unto) does require it ; it being al¬
ways fuppos’d, that thefe Things of the other
World are in their Kind more perfeft, than that
by which they are reprefented ? When Heaven is re¬
prefented to us under the Notion of a City, with
Gates of Pearl, and the Street of Gold ; we look
not to fine Gold and Pearls there, which are fo
mightily priz’d on Earth, but fomcthing more ex¬
cellent than thefe fineil and moft precious Things
in the World : When therefore we hear of Hell-Fire,
’tis necelfary we underftand by it fomething more
vehement, piercing, and tormenting, than any Fire
ever feen by our Eyes. And here ’tis worth con-
fidering, that the Torments of Hell are held forth
under feveral other Notions than that of Fire Am¬
ply : And the Reafon of it is plain; namely, that
hereby, what of Horrour is wanting in one Noti¬
on of Hell, is fupply’d by another. Why is Hea¬
ven’s Happinefs reprefented under the various
Notions of a freafure, a Paradife, a Feaft, a Reft,
&c. but that there is not one of thefe Things fuffi-
cient to exprefs it ? Even fo Hell Torments are re¬
prefented under the Notion of Fire, which the
Damn’d are call into. A dreadful Reprefentation
indeed ] Yet not fufficient to exprefs the Mifery of
the State of Sinners in them. Wherefore we hear
O o 3 alfo