0A.13. Chapter III.
Chapter III. Eternal Damnation is Wisely and Justly Ordained to be the Punishment of Sin.
It is the wisdom of the Lawgiver to appoint such a punishment as might over-poise all temptations to break the law.
It is just to make a proportion between the quality of the offence, and the degrees of punishment.
Sin is a contempt of God’s majesty which is truly infinite. The obligations of reasonable creatures to the Creator, extremely increase the guilt of sin. The baseness of the motives that induce men to sin, aggravates the offence. The despising of eternal life, and the choosing the pleasures of sin, with Hell in its retinue, makes the punishment to be justly inflicted on them. The obstinate and incurable lusts of men, justly make them objects of revenging justice forever.
We are next to consider the sanction of the law that enforces obedience; and it will appear that God is not extreme, but wisely and justly ordained eternal death to be the punishment of sin. This will appear by considering:
1. The end of the sanction is to preserve the authority of the law in its full vigor, to render it most solemn. Consequently it is the wisdom of the Lawgiver to ordain a punishment so heavy, as to overpoise all temptations that might otherwise induce the subjects to transgress its precepts.
Therefore to Adam, the first and second death was threatened upon his disobedience; and fear, as a sentinel, was planted in his bosom, that no guilty thought, no irregular desire, no deceitful suggestion should enter to break the tables of the law deposited therein. Now since, notwithstanding the threatening, man was so easily seduced by the insinuations of the tempter to break the law, and disorder the government of God in the world—it is evident that such a restraint was not over vigorous to secure his obedience.
I shall not insist on what is sadly visible since the first apostasy, that there is in mankind such a prodigious propensity to sinful things, that without the fear of Hell, no arguments are strong enough to prevent the bold violation of the divine law.
2. It is consented to by common reason, that there ought to be a proportion between the quality of the offence, and the degrees of the punishment. Justice takes the scales into its hand, before it takes the sword. Sin against God is of such an immense guilt, that an eternal punishment is but equivalent to it. This will appear by considering,
(1.) The perfections of the Lawgiver who is infinitely above us. One act of sin is rebellion against God, and includes in it the contempt of his transcendent majesty, before whom the highest angels "cover their faces" with reverence and adoration, as unworthy to behold his glory; and "cover their feet," as unworthy that he should behold them. The contradiction of his holiness, which is his peculiar glory; the denial of his omniscience and omnipresence, as if he were confined to the heavenly world, and busy in regulating the harmonious order of the stars, and did not discern and observe what is done below; the defiance of his eternal power, and "provoking him to jealousy, as if we were stronger than he."
(2.) If we consider the obligations of the reasonable creatures to obey his commands, the guilt of sin rises prodigiously. They were made by his power, with this special character of excellency, according to his image; they were happy in his love; they were endowed with intellectual faculties capable to understand and consider their obligations to their bountiful Lord. From hence it appears that sin is the most unnatural rebellion against God, and in it there is a concurrence of impiety, ingratitude, perfidiousness, and whatever may enhance a crime to an excess of wickedness.
(3.) The baseness of the motives that induce men to prefer the pleasing their depraved appetites before obedience to God’s sacred will, extremely aggravates the offence. Of this we have a convincing instance in the first sin committed upon earth. Deceitful curiosity, flattering pride, a secret pleasure of acting according to his will, joined with the base attractives of sense, blinded and transported Adam to eat the deadly fruit, against the express command of God. And ever since, the vanishing shadows of honor, or gain, or pleasure—are the only persuasives to sin. What can be more provoking, than for a trifle to transgress the law of God, and equally despise his favor and displeasure? Can any punishment less than eternal, expiate such impieties? The rules of human justice may reveal to us the equity of the divine justice. It is ordained by the wisest states, that many crimes which may be done in a few minutes, shall be punished with death, and the offender be deprived of his natural life forever. And is it not most just that treason against the "great and immortal King," should be revenged with everlasting death?
(4.) That which farther clears the divine justice in punishing sin with Hell, is this: that God by his infallible promise assures us, that all who sincerely and uniformly obey him, shall be rewarded with Heaven forever; a blessedness most worthy the greatness and love of the eternal God to bestow on his servants; a blessedness that surpasses our most comprehensive thoughts. Now if everlasting glory is despised, what remains but endless misery to be the sinner’s portion? The consequence is remediless.
If sin with an eternal Hell in its retinue is chosen and embraced, is it not equal that the rational creature should inherit his own choice? How just is it that those who are the willing slaves of the devil, should have their recompense with him forever? That those who "now say to the Almighty, Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of your ways," should hear the dreadful "depart from me into everlasting fire?" As there will be no vain boasting in Heaven, where the reward is the gift of pure bounty; so there will be no righteous complaint against God in Hell, where the punishment is inflicted by omnipotent justice. He who voluntarily sins, by consequence chooses the punishment due to it.
(5.) The estimation of an offence is taken from the disposition of him who does it. When sin is continued with pleasure and obstinacy—only divine judgment can be expected. Final impenitence alone makes sin actually and eternally damning to the sinner. Those who, notwithstanding all gracious means, live continually in rebellion against God; those who impenitently die in their sins; those who desire to live on earth forever, that they might enjoy their sweet sins; those who are so hardened and established in their vices, that if they were revived and brought again into this world of temptations, would certainly return to the pleasures of sin—is it not righteous that their incorrigible obstinacy should be punished forever? Is it not just that those who willingly continue under the "dominion of sin," should forfeit all their claim to the divine mercy? For if we consider them as unrepentant and irreclaimable from their wickedness, there are in them the just provocations and true causes of God’s final rejection and hatred. And if we consider God as revealed in his word and works, his essential properties, wisdom, purity, justice, necessarily work upon such objects in such a manner.
How zealous an indignation did the Son of God express against the obdurate Pharisees? "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how shall you escape the damnation of Hell?" Mat 23:33. They in despite of all his miracles, the equal expressions of his goodness and power—resisted his authority, blasphemed his person, and slighted his salvation. Now though other sins are of an inferior nature, and weaker evidence—yet obstinacy added to them, makes a person unworthy and incapable of mercy. From hence the misery of the damned is without remedy, without hope, without allay forever!