for that is a thing the proportion of Earth to Heaven cannot bear: but
that wee should beleeve them there, indefinitely, where those men are,
on whom God inflicted that Exemplary punnishment.
The Congregation Of Giants
Again, because those mighty men of the Earth, that lived in the time
of Noah, before the floud, (which the Greeks called Heroes, and the
Scripture Giants, and both say, were begotten, by copulation of the
children of God, with the children of men,) were for their wicked life
destroyed by the generall deluge; the place of the Damned, is therefore
also sometimes marked out, by the company of those deceased Giants; as
Proverbs 21.16. "The man that wandreth out of the way of understanding,
shall remain in the congregation of the Giants," and Job 26.5. "Behold
the Giants groan under water, and they that dwell with them." Here
the place of the Damned, is under the water. And Isaiah 14.9. "Hell is
troubled how to meet thee," (that is, the King of Babylon) "and will
displace the Giants for thee:" and here again the place of the Damned,
(if the sense be literall,) is to be under water.
Lake Of Fire
Thirdly, because the Cities of Sodom, and Gomorrah, by the extraordinary
wrath of God, were consumed for their wickednesse with Fire and
Brimstone, and together with them the countrey about made a stinking
bituminous Lake; the place of the Damned is sometimes expressed by
Fire, and a Fiery Lake: as in the Apocalypse ch.21.8. "But the timorous,
incredulous, and abominable, and Murderers, and Whoremongers, and
Sorcerers, and Idolators, and all Lyars, shall have their part in the
Lake that burneth with Fire, and Brimstone; which is the second Death."
So that it is manifest, that Hell Fire, which is here expressed by
Metaphor, from the reall Fire of Sodome, signifieth not any certain
kind, or place of Torment; but is to be taken indefinitely, for
Destruction, as it is in the 20. Chapter, at the 14. verse; where it is
said, that "Death and Hell were cast into the Lake of Fire;" that is
to say, were abolished, and destroyed; as if after the day of Judgment,
there shall be no more Dying, nor no more going into Hell; that is, no
more going to Hades (from which word perhaps our word Hell is derived,)
which is the same with no more Dying.
Utter Darknesse