How Doctor Faustus bewayled to thinke on Hell, and of the miserable paynes
therein prouided for him. Chap. 61.
NOw thou
Faustus, damned wretch, howe happy wert thou if as an
vnreasonable beast thou mightest die without soule, so shouldest thou not feele
any more doubts': But nowe the diuell will take thee away both body and soule,
and set thee in an vnspeakable place of darkenesse: for although others soules
haue rest and peace, yet I poore damned wretch must suffer all manner of filthy
stench, paines, colde, hunger, thirst, heate, freezing, burning, hissing,
gnashing, and all the wrath and curse of God, yea all the creatures that God
hath created are enemies to mee. And now too late I remember that my Spirit
Mephostophiles did once tell mee, there was a great difference amongst
the damned; for the greater the sinne, the greater the torment: for as the
twigges of the tree make greater flame than the trunke thereof, and yet the
trunke continueth longer in burning; euen so the more that a man is rooted in
sinne, the greater is his punishment. Ah thou perpetuall damned wretch, now
art thou throwne into the euerlasting fiery lake that neuer shall be quenched,
there must I dwell in all manner of wayling, sorrow, misery, payne, torment,
griefe, howling sighing, sobbing, blubbering, running of eies, stinking at
nose, gnashing of teeth feare to the eares, horror to the conscience, and
shaking both of hand and foote. Ah that I could carry the heauens on my
shoulders, so that there were time at last to quit me of this euerlasting
damnation! Oh who can deliuer me out of these fearful tormeting flames, ye
which I see prepared for me': Oh there is no helpe, nor any man that can
deliuer me, nor any wayling of sins can help me, neither is there rest to be
found for me day nor night. Ah wo is me, for there is no help for me, no
shield, no defence no comfort. Where is my hold': knowledge dare I not trust:
and for a soule to God wards that haue I not, for I shame to speake vnto him:
if I doo, no answere shall be made me, but hee will hide his face from me, to
the end that I should not beholde the ioyes of the chosen. What meane I then to
complaine where no helpe is': No, I know no hope resteth in my gronings. I
haue desired that it should bee so, and God hath sayd
Amen to my
misdoings: for now I must haue shame to comfort me in my calamities.
