The reasonableness and certainty of the Christian religion by Robert Jenkin ...

CHAP. XIV. Of the Eternity of Hell Torments.

THere is nothing in Religion which has been thought by many, more liable to

Objections than the Eternity of Hell Tor∣ments: And yet I shall undertake to prove that they are plainly consistent, not only with the Justice, but with the Equity and Mercy of God.

I. I shall prove the Eternity of Hell Tor∣ments to be consistent with the Justice of God from these Arguments. 1. Because both Rewards and Punishments are alike proposed to our Choice. 2. Because the Rewards are Eternal as well as the Punishments. 3. Be∣cause it was necessary that the Sanction of the Divine Laws should be by Eternal Re∣wards and Punishments. (4) Because it is neces∣sary that Eternal Punishments should be infli∣cted upon the Wicked, according to this San∣ction.

1. Both Rewards and Punishments are a∣like proposed to our Choice. It is certainly consistent with Infinite Justice, to set before Men Life and Death, Blessing and Cursing, and then to deal with them according to their own Choice. And none will fall into a State of Everlasting Misery, but such as shall be convinced in their own Consciences of the Justice of God's Proceedings with them: And this conviction will prove one great part of their Punishment, when they shall consider that they Perish only by their own Fault, that they were wilful and obstinate to their own Ruine; that no Promises, no

Threats could reclaim them. And this is all that the strictest Justice can require, to deal with Men according to their own Choice, to let them chuse their own Condition of Hap∣piness or Misery, and to proceed in such a manner with Sinners, as that they shall be convinced themselves that there is no Inju∣stice done them.

2. The Rewards are Eternal as well as the Punishments. If the Rewards on the one hand had not born a just proportion to the Punishments on the other, the Cause had been different, and it had seemed hard to suffer Eternal Torments for a short Life of Sin, if there had not been Eternal Hap∣piness proposed to as short a Life of Ver∣tue and Righteousness. But since the Re∣wards and the Punishments are equal, it is not necessary that there should be an exact proportion between the Offence and the Pu∣nishment considered in it self, and without respect had to the Rewards; because the Re∣ward being Eternal, answers the opposite Pu∣nishment on the other Part. Thus Men are wont to set so much Less against so much Gain; and no Man pities him that might have gained as much as he has lost, if it had not been his own Fault, tho' the loss be never so great, and depended upon never so small and short a Tryal.

It may seem an hard Case, that a Man should lose his Life for but going out of a

City, when he could do no hurt by it, nor in∣tended to do any: and this was the Case of Shimei; but he had forfeited his Life before to David, who had spar'd; and he had been afterwards engag'd, it seems, in other ill Pra∣ctices, and had probably been concern'd with Joab and others in setting up Adonijah, (for it was another Shimei, the Son of Elah, of whom it is said, that he was not with Ado∣nijah. 1 Kings i. 8. iv. 18.) and David gives Solomon the same Direction concerning these two Men. 1 Kings ii. 5, 8. Solomon therefore sets him this Condition, and he was to expect to live upon no other Terms, but his keep∣ing within these Bounds, which by the Con∣fession of Shimei himself was a good saying. 1 Kings ii. 38. that is, he was glad of it, and could expect no kinder Usage. And if Solo∣mon had proposed some great Reward to him, upon Condition, that he had kept within the City, he had been not only just, but very gracious and bountiful to him in it. I am confident any condemn'd Malefactor would think so. The Case of Mankind is like this, but infinitely more gracious on God's part, and more provoking on ours. The very best of us were in Sin, and have often forfeited our Salvation to the Divine Justice; and God by his Sovereign Power and Authority over us might have proposed any Terms of Recon∣ciliation: But he has been pleased to appoint, that our everlasting State of Happiness or

Misery should depend upon the Moral Terms of Vertue and Vice, and to set everlasting Happiness against everlasting Misery; and no man shall be sen∣tenced to Hell Torments, but he might have been as happy as he shall find himself to be miserable.

Both the (a) Jews and (b) Heathens had a Notion of eternal Rewards and Punishments, as well as Christians; and the eternity of the latter was the great Impediment, which Epi∣curus endeavour'd to remove out of the way, to the free Enjoyment of Men's Lusts. For whatever some have said in behalf of Epicu∣rus, his own word produced (x) by Tully, too plain to be evaded, shew, that he did place all Happiness in sensual Pleasures, only he was willing to enjoy them as quietly and securely as he could, and for this Reason laid down divers Rules by way of expedient to keep the Mind in Peace, void of all Auxiety in this Life, and of all Hopes or Fears of a future State: The prevailing Belief of the eternal Punishments of wicked Men after Death was enough to ruine all his Philosophy; and there∣fore this was by all means to be removed, which yet he was never able to effect. So that this was a thing sufficiently known to make all men sensible of what they must ex∣pect would be the consequence of Sin. And what God has threatned so long before, and has given Men time, and Opportunity, and Abi∣lity to avoid, they cannot fall under, but thro' their own Wilfulness and Misbehaviour, and

can have no reason to complain, when it comes upon them.

3. It was necessary that the Sanction of the Divine Laws should be by eternal Rewards and Punishments. The Sanction of all Laws is by Re∣wards and Punishments, and the Design of ap∣pointing Punishments is to affright Men from Sin, as the end of Rewards is to invite them to Obedience. The only true Measure and just Proportion therefore between the Crime and the Punishment, is the suitableness of the Punishment to enforce Obedience to the Law, and cause it to be duly observed. For if the Law be good and necessary, and cannot be so well and so effectually obeyed without a very severe Punishment to enforce it; the Severity of the Punishment is so far from Cruelty, that it is a just and wise Provision to secure Obedi∣ence to the Law, and procure all the Good de∣sign'd by it. Thus we always judge in Hu∣mane Laws: A man is condemn'd to lose his Life for taking from another that, which he perhaps could very well spare; but we are all agreed in the Justice of making such Examples, because we find that Men can scarce be secure in their Lives and Estates, notwithstanding the Severity of such Laws. And if the Ter∣rors of everlasting Torments will not frighten Men from Sin, what effect would a less Punish∣ment denounced have had upon them? If men can but once perswade themselves that the Torments of Hell are not so terrible, they free∣ly

give themselves up to all Licentiousness; and we know how fond Men of wicked Lives are of such Doctrines. God therefore perfect∣ly understanding the Temper and Inclination, the Stubborness and Perverseness of Mens Hearts, so prone to Vice, and so backward to all that is good; foresaw that a less Punishment threatned would not prevail with Men to for∣sake their Sins, and get to Heaven.

And with what Face can that Man object that the Torments of Hell are too great and in∣tolerable, who, as terrible as they are, lives still secure and undisturb'd in his Sins? If they are so great that he complains of them, as unjust, Why doth he not leave his Sins? If he doth not forsake his Sins, they are not too great, since they have not attained that End upon him, for which the Punishment is de∣nounced, viz. his Repentance and Amend∣ment of Life! But if he doth not believe their Eternity, and therefore continues in his Sins, this shews, how necessary the Denouncing, and how necessary the Belief of eternal Pu∣nishments is. Out of thine own Mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked Servant: Thou knewest that I was an austere Man, wherefore then didst thou not do as thou wast commanded?

4. It is necessary that eternal Punishments should be inflicted upon the Wicked accord∣ing to the Sanction of the Divine Laws by ••∣ternal Rewards and Punishments. We find by sad Experience, how little offect the Pu∣nishments

now threatned have upon too ma∣ny Men, and if they were less dreadful they would be so much the less regarded. So that it appears, that the appointment of eternal Punishments was but necessary to keep Men from Sin, and what God's Wisdom saw necessary to appoint, his Justice and Truth will make it necessary for him to inflict: For what he has so often and so solemnly decla∣red, he can never depart from, but will cer∣tainly execute it. The Promises and Threat∣nings relating this Life are conditional, and are expresly declared to be so, Jer. xviii. 7, 8, 9, 10. because in this Life Men are change∣able from Good to Bad, or from Bad to Good; but the Threatnings as well as the Promises concerning the other Life must be absolute and unconditional, because they relate to an unchangeable sinal State, which will admit of no alteration either in the Wicked or the Righteous. It is not therefore because God can recede from his Threatnings rather than from his Promises; that Nineveh was spared, but because all Threatnings belonging to the State of this Life imply a condition of Re∣pentance, upon which they are not to be in∣flicted, as Jonah and the Ninevites themselves well understood: but then all Promises too, which concern this Life are under the like condition, and are not to be performed upon the Disobedience of those, to whom they are made, as we are assured by God's express Declaration. But

what is threatned or promised to Men to be∣fall them after this Life, is promised or threat∣ned to befall them, when they shall be in a fixt unalterable State, and therefore must be uncapable of any Condition or Reserve to be implied in it. For when Men continue the same they were at the time when God's Pro∣mises and Threatnings were declared to them, his Promises and Threatnings always take place in this World according to the full extent and importance of the Words in which they were delivered; and therefore they must thus take place in the next World, into which, when Men are once entred, they must for ever continue equally fit Objects either of the Divine Promises or Threat∣nings, as they were at the time of their Death. The Point is, that God never changes, but Men are changeable in this Life; and both his Promises and Threatnings, which concern Men here, suppose them such, and therefore Re∣wards are with-held, or Punishments remitted in this World, as Men fall into Wickedness, or become reclaim'd from it. But in the other World, where the State of Men is unalterable from good or bad, vertuous or vicious, both the Promises and Threatnings of God must be punctually fulfilled, and can admit of no Con∣dition or Reservation. God has sworn that those, who will not believe and obey him, shall not enter into his Rest. Heb. iii. 1i. and what he has once sworn is irrevocable. Heb.

vi. 17. If we believe not, yet be abideth faith∣ful, he cannot deny himself. 2 Tim. ii. 13. And it is not only threatned that the Wicked shall suffer eternal Punishment, but it is likewise expresly foretold, that the wicked shall be sen∣tenced to everlasting fire at the Day of Judg∣ment, and that they shall go away into everlast∣ing Punishment. Matth. xxv. 41, 46. To leave no room for hopes of any End or Abatement of the Punishment, we have our Saviour's ex∣press Declaration, that the Sentence shall be past according to the Threatning, and that the everlasting Punishment which is threat∣ned, shall be certainly executed upon the wicked. Our Judge has beforehand declar'd, what Sentence he will pass, the Terms where∣of are therefore as unalterable, as if it were already pronounc'd. He has declared that the Punishments of the wicked, as well as the Rewards of the righteous shall be eternal, as directly and possitively as he has said any thing else relating to the last Judgment, or concerning any other part of his Gospel, and we have as little reason to imagine that his express and repeated Affirmation is capable of a reserved Meaning in this particular, as in any other matter whatsoever.

Some of the Benefits and Advantages which are consequent to the Punishments of this World are precedent to those of the next: Here Men are punished for their own Amend∣ment, or for the Advantage and Security of

others or for both: In the next World the actual inflicting of Punishments is not for these ends, but they were threatned for these, and they must be inflicted when they have been once threatned and declared by God, who cannot lye. It is for the Repentance of Sinners, and for the Benefit of Good Men in preserving them in the ways of Vertue, and securing them from the Pride and Malice of the Wicked that Hell should be threatned; but because it is the final and eternal State of the Wicked, it cannot be for their Amend∣ment after the Execution of its Torments up∣on them, and Good Men being once out of the Power of Temptations, and placed be∣yond the Malice of the Wicked, can no lon∣ger have any Protection or Advantage from the Punishments dehounced against impeni∣tent Sinners; but whether the Advantages a∣rising from Punishments be before or after the inflicting of Punishments, there is the same necessity for the appointing, and conse∣quently for the inflicting them, viz. The Good of Mankind in keeping Men from Sin, and leaving those without excuse who will not be restrained from it, and work out their own Salvation. But another end of Punishment is, that Satisfaction for the violation of the Laws may be made to the supreme Authority which is despised and affronted by it: And the vin∣dication of God's Honour and Authority, and of his Truth and Holiness in his Hatred and

Detestation of Sin, and his indignation a∣gainst Sinners, is manifested by the actual Pu∣nishments of the Damned, and it would be an Argument of the contrary to all this, if they were threatned and not inflicted.

And the Number of Persons to be thus Punished doth not alter the Case, but only shews that many are concerned in it; and if the case be the same, the Justice must be the same too, tho' the Persons be never so many upon whom it is executed. That which is Just towards one, or Merciful towards one, is Just or Merciful towards never so many Thousands. For Justice and Mercy consist in the Nature of things, not in the greater or lesser Number of Persons to whom they are extend∣ed. And tho' Multitudes of Criminals are apt to move compassion in Men; yet this proceeds partly from the Sympathy and Frail∣ty of Human Nature, which is mightily sway∣ed by Number and Multitude to do either Good or Evil; partly from the Nature of Hu∣man Affairs: For to destroy Multitudes would depopulate Cities and Countries, and would be an Affliction to Multitudes of Inno∣cent Persons, their Friends and Relations. But it is not so in the present Case; there will be no want of Numbers in Heaven, and the Righteous shall be Everlastingly happy, and shall perceive no diminution of their Happi∣ness by reason of the Damnation of such as were never so dear to them in this World.

And Mercy and Pity is not a Passion in God as it is in Men, but a Perfection, it is the highstest Reason and Equity; and therefore tho' the Misery of Sinners be never so severe, and the number of the Miserable never so great; yet when the Equity and reasonableness of the case doth not require it, there is nothing to move God for their Relief, because he acts by the standing Rules of Reason and Wisdom, not by any Fondness and Weakness of Pas∣sion.

2. I come now to shew the Mercy of God in his inflicting Eternal Torments upon Sin∣ners. Strict Justice has a severe Aspect, and it may seem hard for frail Man to abide the Sentence, that he may in strictness of Justice deserve. But from the Justice of God it is natural for us to appeal to his Mercy, and thither he allows us to appeal, but not so, as to expect that he should be so merciful as not to be just, or should forget that he is the Supreme Governour of the World, whilst he extends his Mercy to the Offending and Criminal part of it. Punishment is necessary to all Government, and God as Governour of the World must inflict Punishments, and what these are to be, it belongs to his Sovereign Wisdom to appoint.

And Eternal Torments were appointed for the Punishment of Sin, not only out of a ve∣ry just, but even out of a gracious Design, be∣cause nothing less than the Threatnings of them

would keep Men from Sin, and from that Mi∣sery which is the unavoidable consequence of it, and so bring them to Heaven. It is an Antient and true Observation which (c) St. Chrysostom has made, that there is Mercy e∣ven in the threats of Eternal Vengeance, because nothing less could have brought ma∣ny Men to Heaven. For there is no doubt to be made but many will be there, who shall have cause to thank God for this, as the thing which first opened their Eyes, and moved them to Repentance, and thereby brought them to Bliss and Glory. And the same Mer∣cy was extended to those that Perish, and would not make the same use of it, which if they had done they had never perished: Tho' Heaven and Hell (d) says St. Chrysostom; be contrary to each other, yet they both aim at the same end, the Salvation of Mankind, the Joys of Heaven invite Men to it, and the Fear of Hell forces those to Heaven, who o∣therwise would be regardless of their own Happiness.

God has used the most proper and prevail∣ing Means to convince Sinners of their Dan∣ger, and to perswade them to escape it, and obtain Salvation. We have everlasting Re∣wards and everlasting Punishments proposed to our Choice; We are exhorted with the greatest Earnestness, and mov'd and assisted with the continual Influences and Aids of Grace, to avoid the Punishments, and are as

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earnestly invited, and as sufficiently enabled to obtain the Rewards. God hath no pleasure in the Death of the Wicked: but that the wicked turn from his way and live, as he solemnly and with an Oath declares by his Prophet, Ezekiel xxxiii. 11. It is His principal Intention and Desire, that all Men should be saved: He has proclaimed Himself to be the Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping Mercy for Thousands, forgiving Iniquity, and Trans∣gression, and Sin; but then it is added, that he will by no means clear the guilty, that is, the ob∣stinate and impenitent Sinner. Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7. He exhorts, he invites, he promises, he threatens; he promises eternal Happiness, and threatens eternal Misery, to give all the Dis∣couragement to Vice, and all the Enducement to Religion and Vertue which is possible. Last of all, he has sent his Son to instruct us in our Duty, and to confirm all this to us, and to purchase our Redemption with his own Blood.

God deals with Men in the plainest and most condescending manner, He lays their Duty before them with the Rewards and Pu∣nishments annex'd, and both eternal, the bet∣ter to secure them in their Obedience, and force them to be happy: and then he takes Men at no Advantage, but makes all reasonable Allowances, in consideration of the frailty of Humane Nature, and in condescension to their

Infirmities; He exacts not absolute Perfection, nor any impossible Obedience, but requires, that, tho' we cannot live without Sin, yet we should not sin wilfully and obstinately; that we should not allow and indulge our selves in Sin, and should repent if we have done so; He requires a faithful and sincere Diligence in all the Parts of our Duty, which is no more than what every Father and Master expects from his Children and Servants: When Men have sinned, God admits of their Repentance, and if after Repentance they sin again, yet still they shall be accepted upon a renew'd Repentance: nay, after a long course of Sin, a sincere Repentance may reconcile them to God, and no Repentance can be too late, that is sincere. It is extreamly dangerous indeed to defer our Repentance for one Moment, because our Lives are so uncertain, and we may provoke God to that degree, that he will no longer afford us an Opportunity to repent, nor bestow that Grace upon us, which is necessary to Repentance. But this is after repeated Pro∣vocations, and an obstinate rejecting of the Goodness of God, which leads Men to repen∣tance: And these are the Terms of the Go∣spel, that when the wicked Man turneth away from his Wickedness that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his Soul alive. There is Great Joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth, and the return∣ing Prodigal is received with the greatest Fa∣vour

and Tenderness. If we will be obedient, we have the Assistance of God's Grace, and if we have done amiss, yet His grace is offered us to bring us to Repentance, and we may be pardoned upon sincere Resolutions of Obe∣dience for the future. But if Men either dis∣believe or disregard all these things, if they neither care for God's Promises, nor fear his Threatnings; if they trample under foot the Blood of his Son, and grieve his blessed Spirit; if all the Methods of his Mercy and Goodness be lost upon them, there remains no other Remedy, but Justice must have its course. If when they are told so long beforehand, what danger they are in, Men will continue obsti∣nate in their Disobedience, after so many In∣vitations and Encouragements to Repentance, and after so great Importunity and Forbear∣ance; they can have no reason to complain of the Severity of that Sentence, which they have been so often threatned with, and have as often despised.

Since the Rewards are eternal on the one hand, and the Punishments on the other, the Rewards being proportionable to the Punish∣ments, the Terms are on both sides equal; and since it is in our Power by the Help of the Divine Grace to avoid the Punishments and obtain the Rewards, the Condition is such, as that any wise Man would be thankful for it, and would be glad that such a Prizee is put into his hands; so far would he be from com∣plaining,

that the Terrors of Punishments are join'd to the Encouragement of Rewards; that all Motives concur to make him happy, and that God has used all means both inward by his Grace, and outward by his Promises and Threatnings to bring us to Salvation.

I repeat it again, for God himself often re∣peats it in the Holy Scriptures; God hath no Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked, but hath used all means to prevent it, he hath provided Heaven for us, and threatned Hell, if we will not be perswaded to go to Heaven. If Men will neglect the Means of their Salvation, and will not repent and turn to him, notwith∣standing all his most loving and compassionate Exhortations, and the Death of his own Son for them, if neither Heaven can invite, nor Hell frighten them from their Sins, they must thank themselves only for that Destruction, which they bring upon themselves. The Ap∣peal which God so long ago made to the House of Israel, may at the last Day be alledg'd to Sinners. Ye have said, that the way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O ye Sinners, Is not my way equal, have not your ways been unequal? And the ways of God shall then appear so equal, and the ways of wicked Men so unreasonable and perverse, that their own Consciences shall bear Witness against them; and He that died to save them will pronounce the Sentence of eternal Damnation upon them.

Notes

• (a)

  Isa. xxxiii. 14. lxvi. 24. Dan. xii. 2.
• (b)

  Plat. in Phed. Lucret. lib. i. v. 112. Drog. La∣ert. in Py∣thag. Cels. Hist. Na∣vigat. in Brasil. c. 16. Lerij apud Ori∣gin. l. viii. Abr. Ro∣ger de la vie & des Moeurs des Bre∣mines. c. 21.
• (x)

  Tusc. Qu. lib. iii.
• (c)

  Chrys∣ad Stagir. lib. 1. Tom 6. Sav. E∣dit.
• (d)

  Chrys. ad ••op. An∣tioch. de S••••tuis Hom. 7.