USE SIXTH-USE AND APPLICATION.
Suppose a piece of timber a little
bedaubed with oil, and another that has been soaking in it many a year, which
of these two, think you, would burn fiercest? and from whence would the flaming
flame ascend highest, and make the most roaring noise? Suppose two vessels
filled with oil, one containing the quantity of a pint, the other containing
the quantity of a hogshead, and suppose that in one place they were both set on
fire, yet so that they might not intermix flames; nay, though they did, yet all
would conclude that the most amazing roaring flame would be upon the biggest
vessel, and would be the effect of the greatest quantity of oil; so it will be
with the wicked in hell. The lowest hell is for the biggest sinners, and theirs
will be the greater damnation, and the more intolerable torment, though he that
has least of this oil of sin in his bones, and of the kindlings of hell fire
upon him, will find he has hell enough, and will be weary enough thereof, for
still he must struggle with flames that are everlasting; for sin is such a
thing, that it can never be burned out of the soul and body of a damned sinner.
But again; having treated thus of hell,
we will now speak a word or two of sin, for that is it upon which hell fire
seizes, and so on the soul by that. Sin! it is the sting of hell—the sting of
death is sin (1 Cor 15:56). By 'death' in this place we must not understand
that which is natural, but that which is in hell, the second death, even
everlasting damnation; for natural death the saints die, yea, and also many
sinners, without the least touch of a sting from that; but here is a death that
has a sting to hurt, to twinge, and wound the sinner with, even then when it
has the utmost mastery of him. And this is the death that the saved are
delivered from; not that which is natural, for that is the end of them as of
others (1 Cor 15:55; Eccl 2:15, 16). But the second death, the death in hell, for
that is the portion of the damned, and it is from that that the saints have a
promise of deliverance—' He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second
death (Rev 2:11). And again, 'Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the
first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power' (Rev 20:6). It is
this death, then, that hath the chambers to hold each damned soul in: and sin
is the twining, winding, biting, poisoning sting of this death, or of these
chambers of hell, for sinners to be stricken, stung, and pierced with. 'The
sting of death is sin.' Sin, the general of it, is the sting of hell, for
there would be no such thing as torment even there, were it not that sin is
there with sinners; for, as I have hinted already, the fire of hell, the indignation, and wrath of God can fasten and kindle upon nothing but for or because of sin;
sin, then, as sin, is the sting and the hell of hells, of the lowest and upmost
hells.
Sin, I say, in the nature of it, simply
as it is concluded both by God and the damned to be a breach of His holy law,
so it is the sting of the second death, which is the worm of hell. But then, as
sin is such a sting in itself, so it is heightened, sharpened, and made more
keen and sharp by those circumstances that as concomitants attend it in every
act: for there is not a sin at any time committed by man, but there is some
circumstance or other attends it, that makes it, when charged home by God's
law, bigger and sharper, and more venom and poisonous to the soul than if it
could be committed without them; and this is the sting of the hornet, the great
sting. I sinned without a cause to please a base lust, to gratify the devil;
here is the sting! Again, I preferred sin before holiness, death before life,
hell before heaven, the devil before God, and damnation before a Saviour; here
is the sting! Again, I preferred moments before everlastings, temporals before
Eternals, to be racked and always slaying before the life that is blessed and
endless; here is the sting! Also, this I did against light, against
convictions, against conscience, against the persuasion of friends, ministers, and
the godly lives which I beheld in others; here is the sting! Also, this I did
against warnings, forewarnings, yea, though I saw others fall before my face by
the mighty hand of God for committing of the same; here is the sting!
