Men commonly set forth the torments of hell by fire, and the extremity of
corporeal afflictions, and describe hell in the same method that Mahomet
doth heaven. This indeed makes a noise, and drums in popular ears; but
if this be the terrible piece thereof, it is not worthy to stand in
diameter with heaven, whose happiness consists in that part that is best
able to comprehend it, that immortal essence, that translated divinity
and colony of God, the soul. Surely, though we place hell under earth,
the devil's walk and purlieu is about it: men speak too popularly who
place it in those flaming mountains, which to grosser apprehensions
represent hell. The heart of man is the place the devils dwell in. I
feel sometimes a hell within myself; Lucifer keeps his court in my
breast; Legion is revived in me. There are as many hells as Anaxagoras
conceited worlds. There was more than one hell in Magdalene, when there
were seven devils; for every devil is a hell unto himself. He holds
enough of torture in his own _ubi_, and needs not the misery of
circumference to afflict him. And thus, a distracted conscience here, is
a shadow or introduction unto hell hereafter. Who can but pity the
merciful intention of those hands that do destroy themselves? The devil,
were it in his power, would do the like; which being impossible, his
miseries are endless, and he suffers most in that attribute wherein he is
impassible--his immortality.
I thank God that (with joy I mention it) I was never afraid of hell, nor
never grew pale at the description of that place. I have so fixed my
contemplations on heaven, that I have almost forgot the idea of hell, and
am afraid rather to lose the joys of the one, than endure the misery of
the other--to be deprived of them is a perfect hell, and needs, methinks,
no addition to complete our afflictions. That terrible term hath never
detained me from sin, nor do I owe any good action to the name thereof. I
fear God, yet am not afraid of Him; His mercies make me ashamed of my
sins, before His judgments afraid thereof. These are the forced and
secondary methods of His wisdom, which He useth but as the last remedy,
and upon provocation; a course rather to deter the wicked, than incite
the virtuous to His worship. I can hardly think there was ever any
scared into heaven: they go the fairest way to heaven that would serve
God without a hell. Other mercenaries that crouch unto Him, in fear of
hell, though they term themselves the servants, are indeed but the slaves
of the Almighty.