A paraphrase and commentary upon all the epistles of the New Testament By Daniel Whitby, D.D. and chantor of the church of Sarum.

A Paraphrase & Comment ON THE Second Epistle of St. PAƲL TO THE THESSALONIANS.

CHAP. I.

Verse 1. PAUL and Silvanus, and Ti∣motheus (write) to the Church of the Thessalonians, (established) in (the know∣ledge and worship of) God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ver. 2. Wishing.] Grace to you, and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ver. 3. We are bound to thank God always for you, Brethren, as it is meet (for us to do,) because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all to∣wards each other aboundeth.

Ver. 4. So that we our selves glory in you, (or boast of you,) in the Churches of God, for your patience, and (for your) faith (which produceth this patience,) in all your persecuti∣ons and tribulations which you endure.

Ver. 5. Which (dispensation of Divine Wis∣dom appointing you to suffer, 1 Thess. 3.3. and permitting others thus to persecute you,) is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, (these Sufferings befalling you,) that you may be accounted worthy of the (Celestial) Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer, (and so are an assurance of a day when God will thus reward you.)

Ver. 6. Seeing it is a righteous thing, with (that) God (to whom belongeth recompense, Rom. 12.19. and who will avenge his Elect that cry unto him day and night, Luke 18.7.) to recompense tribulation to them that trou∣ble you.

Ver. 7. And to you who are troubled, (as we are) rest with us, (which rest we both com∣pleatly shall enjoy,) when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven, (attended) with his mighty Angels, (as he shall be at the last day, 1 Thess. 4.16. when he will come to give every one according to his works, Matth. 16.27. Mark 8.38. and gather all the Nations of the World before him, Matth. 25.32. Jude 14, 15.)

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of the righteous judgment of God, &c.] This place, saith(a) Aestius, proves against the Hereticks, that Life Eternal is not so to be ascribed to the Grace of God, as not to be attributed also to the worth and me∣rits of Men proceeding from the Grace of God.

But the true import of these words will be sufficiently contained in these following Par∣ticulars:

1. That the Justice of God obligeth him to recompense the Obedience and Sufferings of his faithful Servants, either in this, or in the Life to come; since were it otherwise, we could have no sufficient Motive to Perseve∣rance

in Obedience to him, or Suffering for his sake; and therefore this, by the Apostle, is laid as the Foundation of all the Service which we pay unto him, even the firm belief that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, Hebr. 11.6.

2. That since God doth not, and according to the nature of the thing he cannot recom∣pense them in this Life, who suffer all Cala∣mities and Loses they can endure here, and e∣ven Death it self for his sake, his Justice will oblige him to do it in the next. Hence the Apostle saith of himself, and all his fellow Sufferers, If in this Life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable, 1 Cor. 15.19. and puts the question thus, If the dead rise not at all—why stand we in jeo∣pardy every hour? v. 29, 30. But

3ly, That this Reward should be for kind so excellent, as is the Beatifick Vision, the be∣ing Heirs of God, joynt Heirs with Christ, the being like to him in glory; and for duration should be eternal; can never be on the ac∣count of that strict Justice which rendreth to every one his due, seeing there can be no pro∣portion betwixt a finite Action, or Passion, and an infinite Reward; and therefore the same Apostle who saith here, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, we for these Sufferings are accounted worthy of this Kingdom, doth elsewhere positively declare the Sufferings of this present Life, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not worthy of the Glory which shall hereafter be revealed, Rom. 8.18. Nor can the Grace of God vouchsafed to enable us thus to perse∣verance in Sufferings, enhance the Merit of those Sufferings, or make the Reward in ju∣stice due unto us; since if it be of Grace that we thus suffer, then is it not of Debt that we are thus rewarded; God being not in a strict justice obliged to reward his own free Gifts and Graces he confers upon us. But

4ly, Even this Eternal Recompense being promised to those who suffer for the sake of Christ, by him who hath said, Be thou faith∣ful to the death, and I will give thee a crown of life, Rev. 2.10. and propounded this as the chief Encouragement, thus to endure with pa∣tience to the end, because great is our reward in Heaven, Matth. 5.12. it may be said, by virtue of that Promise to be in justice due to them who do thus suffer for it, it being a part of justice to perform our Promises, and to be faithful to our Words. This therefore is a faithful saying, If we suffer with him, if we endure, we shall live, and reign with him. 2 Tim. 2.11, 12. And we may rest assured, that God the righteous Judge wil give this Crown of Righteousness to us at that day, 2 Tim. 4.8. that being approved, we shall receive that Crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him, James 1.12. But then God being not obliged in strict justice to pro∣mise so great a Recompense, he cannot be said to confer it ex dignitate, merito, aut aequalita∣te Rei, by reason of the dignity or worth of these our Sufferings, or because the Reward is only equal to the Merit of them, but only ex justitia pacti, because his Promise hath made it just and equal for him so to do.

Ver. 8. (When he shall come, I say,) in fla∣ming fire, taking vengeance on them (among the Heathens) who know not God, and (of those Jews and Gentiles) who (having heard) obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ver. 9. Who shall be punished with ever∣lasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, (from whose blissful presence they shall for ever be excluded, Matth. 25.41, 46.) and (and shall find that destruction inflicted on them) by the glory of his power, (this being the time when God will make known his power, upon the Vessels of Wrath fitted for destruction. Rom. 9.23.

Ver. 10. (And it is also a righteous thing with him then to recompense to you eternal rest,) when he shall come to be glorified in (his dealings with) his Saints, and to be admi∣red (for his great love) in (and by) all them that believe, (and particularly by you,) because our testimony was believed by you in that day.

Ver. 11. Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you wor∣thy (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, would make you worthy. v. 5.) of this calling (to his Kingdom and Glory,) and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness (in you,) and the work of faith with power.

Ver. 12. That the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, (by your conti∣nuance in your faith,) and ye in him, (or by him,) according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, (by which you are ena∣bled to continue in the faith, and fulfil the good pleasure of his will.)

A DISCOURSE BY WAY OF APPENDIX TO THIS CHAPTER, SHEWING That the Endless Miseries or Torments of the Wicked is well consistent, both with the Justice, and the Goodness of God.

THE Apostle in this Chapter seems plainly to assert that wicked Per∣sons shall be punished with everlast∣ing Destruction, and also to resolve this Punishment into the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or just Judgment of God.

Whereas it is pretended, That

it is contrary to the Justice of God to punish Temporary Crimes with Eternal Punishments, because Justice always observes a proportion be∣tween Offences and Punishments; but be∣tween Temporary Sins and Eternal Punish∣ments there is no proportion. And if it be hard to reconcile this with Divine Justice, it will be much more so to shew how it com∣ports with that great Goodness we suppose to be in God.

They who assert the Eternity of Future Torments inflicted on the Wicked, abiding in a state of Misery, attempt by several ways to answer this Objection. I shall begin with those Answers, which to me seem not satis∣factory, and briefly shew the Reasons why I think they are not so, and then return that Answer which I think fully clears the Justice and the Goodness of God in this Dispensation from the strength of this Objection. And

§ 1. 1st, Some make out the proportion thus, That

because Sin is infinite in respect of the Object against which it is committed, therefore it deserves an infinite Punishment, now because a finite Creature cannot suffer a Punishment which is infinite as to intention, therefore he suffers that which is infinite as to Extension or Duration.

But to this it is replied, That if all Sins be for this reason infinite as to demerit, then the demerit of all sins must necessarily be e∣qual, and so there must be equal reason for the pardon of all Sins; for the demerit of no Sin can be more then infinite. 2. Hence it will follow that God cannot render unto eve∣ry Man according as his works shall be, because though they commit innumerable sins, he can only lay upon them the Punishment due to one only, because he cannot lay upon them a Punishment which is more than infinite.

§ 2. 2ly, Others say, That

if wicked Men lived for ever in this World, they would sin for ever, and therefore they deserve to be punished for ever.

But

1. Who can be certain of this, since, whilst we live in this World, we are in a state of a trial, and so may be in a possibility of repent∣ing and growing better.

2. God hath expresly declared that Men

shall be judged hereafter, not according to what they would have done had they lived longer, but according to what they actually have done in this present Life, according to their Works done in the Body; and so he hath sufficiently declared, he doth not punish them for what they would have done had they li∣ved longer, but for what they actually had done whilst they lived. So that this Answer recoils thus, Wicked men, by God's declara∣ration, are only to be punished for what they did whilst they lived here; now they did not live here for ever in a state of Sin, therefore they are not to live for ever hereafter in a state of Punishment.

§ 3. 3ly, Others say, That

God having set before the Sinner Life and Death; and having so expresly forewarned him, this would be the certain Consequence of his Ini∣quity, he cannot charge God with Injustice in allotting to him the portion which he chose, and would incur after ail Admonitions to the contrary.

But though this may be sufficient to stop the Sinner's mouth, it will do little to stop the mouth of Infidels, because it seem∣eth not to answer the Objection arising from the disproportion between the Fault and the Punishment, for it renders not the Fault less finite, or the Punishment less infinite, and so it doth not render it less inconsistent with Di∣vine Equity and Goodness to threaten so to punish finite Crimes, and execute that Pu∣nishment upon the Sinner.

§ 4. A very great and learned Person hath attempted a Solution to this Objection from these Considerations.

First, That

the measure of Penalties is not to be taken from any strict proportion be∣twixt Crimes and Punishments, but from one great end and design of Government, which is to secure the Observation of whole∣some and necessary Laws, and consequently whatever Penalties are proper and necessary to this end, are not unjust.

Secondly, That

whosoever considers how ineffectual the threatning, even of Eternal Torments, is to the greatest part of Sinners, will soon be satisfied that a less Penalty then that of Eternal Suffering would, to the far greatest part of Mankind, have been, in all probability, of little or no force, and that if any thing more terrible could have been threatned to the Workers of Iniquity, it had not been unreasonable, because it would all have been little enough to deter Men effe∣ctually from sin.

But then he adds,

Thirdly, That

after all, he that threatneth hath still the power of Execution in his own hands; for there is this remarkable diffe∣rence betwixt Promises and Threatnings, that he who promiseth passeth over a Right to another, and thereby stands obliged to him in justice and faithfulness to make good his Promise; but in Threatnings it is quite o∣therwise, he that threatens keeps the Right of Punishing in his own hand, and is not obliged to execute what he hath threatned, any farther than the Reasons and Ends of Government do require; and he may with∣out any injury to the Party threatned, remit and abate as much as he pleaseth of the Pu∣nishment that he hath threatned; and be∣cause in so doing he is not worse, but better than his word, no body can find fault, or complain of any wrong or injustice thereby done to him.

Nor is this any impeachment of God's Truth and Faithfulness, any more than it is esteemed among Men a piece of Falshood not to do what they have threatned.

But here, with submission to better Judg∣ments, I conceive are many things propound∣ed which are not exactly true, or reach not the Objection, since that relates not to Gods Threats of Punishment, but to his Execution of the threatned Punishment.

And 1st, When it is said that what pro∣portion ought to be appointed betwixt Crimes and Penalties, is not so properly a considerati∣on of Justice, as of Prudence in the Law-giver; and thence inferr'd, that whatever the dispro∣portion may be between Temporary Sins, and Eternal Punishments, Justice cannot be said to be concerned in it;

It is owned, That by the Sanctions annex∣ed to his Laws, the Law-giver designs the preservation of his Laws from being violated, which is an effect of Prudence, but still of Prudence tempered with Equity, not unregard∣less of it, since it cannot be Prudence to threa∣ten what I know I cannot justly execute; for this in Humane Laws doth null the Penalty; and could it be supposed in Divine, would even frustrate the end of all God's Threats, since every Body would rest assured that a just God would never execute them.

But 2ly, The Execution of the threatned Judgment, which is the only thing against which the Objection lies, is certainly an act of distributive Justice, and is so represented in the Holy Scriptures, when it is said to be done according to our works, and according to our works shall be, Rom. 2.16. 2 Cor. 5.10. Rev. 22.12. Matth. 16.27. And when it is declared to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the just Judg∣ment of God, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 just with God to render this vengeance to those that obey not the Gospel, which consists in their everlasting destruction, 2 Thess. 1.6, 8, 9. So that though Prudence was properly con∣cerned in promulging the Penalty, because 'tis Prudence which directs us to choose the Means most proper to the End we aim at, yet seeing the primary end of the Law-giver, i. e. the preventing the transgressing of his

Law is wholly lost, and entirely defeated be∣fore this Punishment comes to be executed, Justice alone can be concerned in the Executi∣on of it; and if the continuance of the Sin∣ner under Misery for ever, be the Execution of the threatned Punishment, Justice a∣lone can be concerned in the subjection of the Sinner to that Punishment; so far is it from being true, that if Prudence be requi∣site for the proportioning Penalties to Crimes, Justice cannot be concerned in the dispropor∣tion that may be between them, and much less that it cannot be concerned in executing a Penalty which bears so great a disproportion to the Crime.

I confess also, that in Humane Govern∣ments, Prudence may fitly be call'd in to de∣liberate, not whether it be lawful, but whe∣ther it be expedient to execute the threatned Penalty; as when the Government is feeble, and the Multitude, or Power of Offenders, may render it hazardous to do Justice on them; but nothing of this nature can hap∣pen in Theocracy, where there can neither be a want of Wisdom in appointing, or E∣quity in proportionating the Penalty to the Offences, and much less want of Power to execute what in his Equity and Wisdom he saw fit to threaten.

2ly, When it is said, That a less Penalty then Eternal Sufferings would not have been sufficient to deter Men from sin, and therefore it could not be unreasonable, but rather suta∣ble to Divine Prudence to threaten these E∣ternal Miseries.

I am not willing to admit that God should threaten what he knows he cannot, with con∣sistence to his Justice, or his Goodness, Exe∣cute; this being in effect to threaten in this wise, If you will do to me what you in justice ought not to do, I will execute upon you what I in justice ought not to do to you. 'Tis also to insinuate, that an All-wise God could not so well provide for Humane Government, or carry on his great Designs without abusing Mens credulity, and scaring them with dread∣ful Expectations of what he never did in∣tend to execute. Lastly, This seemeth even to insinuate, that Prudence in God may act without regard to Equity and Goodness, and even be separated from them, as it must be in appointing, and even proportionating those Penalties to Crimes, which it is not consistent with his Equity or Goodness to in∣flict.

3ly, When it is added, That God is not ob∣liged to execute what he hath threatned, any farther than the Reasons and the Ends of Go∣vernment do require, and that he may, with∣out any injury to the Party threatned, remit and abate as much as he pleaseth of the Pu∣nishment that he hath threatned, and that without any Impeachment of his Truth and Faithfulness.

This I allow of in the Case of Temporal Punishments in this World designed not for Excision, but the Amendment of the Sinner, because there may be a just ground for the Remission of such threatned Penalties, even the Repentance and Reformation of the Sin∣ner, by which the primary end of all God's Threats in some good measure is obtained. And also because these Threats, in what Ex∣pressions soever they are made, if they be only Threats, are still conditional, the mean∣ing of them being only this, I will inflict this Judgment if you repent not of your evil ways; For at what instant I shall speak, saith God, against a Nation, and concerning a Kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that Nation against which I have pronounced these things, turn from their evil ways, I will repent me of the evil which I thought to do unto them, Jer. 18.7, 8. And again, When I say unto the Wicked, O wicked Man, thou shalt surely die, if he do not turn from his way he shall die in his iniquity. Say therefore, to them, as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; wherefore turn your selves, and live ye, Ezek. 18.32. 33.8, 9, 11. 3ly, Because God threatneth Judgments, not that he takes any pleasure in his Punish∣ments, but rather to awaken and reform the Sinner: When therefore by his Comminati∣ons he hath wrought this good Effect upon him, it is not to be wondred that he doth not proceed to execute that Judgment which hath already done its work by being threat∣ned. And all this well comports, not only with Divine Justice, but also with his Im∣mutability and Truth, because this Refor∣mation and Repentance changes the subject of the Threat; the change in every instance of this nature being not in God, but Man. Thus v. g. we cannot charge God with Mu∣tability, because he doth not execute the threatned Judgment on repenting Nineveh, because it was impenitent, and not repent∣ing Niniveh he threatned; nor with Inju∣stice, because 'twas only her Impenitence which rendred her the proper Object of vin∣dictive Justice.

But then this Notion seems to be stretched too far when 'tis extended to God's Threats of Future and Eternal Punishments to be inflicted upon those who die in an impenitent and unreformed estate. For

1st. In all these Cases the Evil threatned hath entirely lost its first and salutary end upon them, and therefore must be threat∣ned to such Persons to no end, or else to shew the Justice of God in punishing th••se Vessels of his Wrath thus fitted for destruction. Thus v. g. when Christ saith, Except ye re∣pent, ye shall all perish, Luke 13.3, 5. that in the Day of Wrath, and Revelation of his

righteous Judgment, God will give to every one according to his works; to them that obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, in∣dignation, and wrath, Rom. 2.5, 6, 7, 8. to them that obey not the Gospel, everlasting destruction. These Threats are plainly made to those who die in their impenitence and disobedience, by that God who will judge e∣very Man according to his works, declaring that in the Day of the Revelation of his Wrath and righteous Judgment, they shall perish everlastingly, because through the hardness and impenitency of their hearts they have treasured up Wrath against the Day of Wrath, and rendred themselves Vessels of his Wrath, fitted for destruction. Can it be rea∣sonably said then, because God does them no injury if he do not execute this Wrath upon them, that though they do not repent, they may not perish; that Indignation and Wrath may not be the Portion of the Diso∣bedient, and that this righteous Judge may not give to them according to their Works? May we not rather say unto them, as doth this very Person in another place,(a) If thou continuest impenitent, however he may defer the execution of Temporal Evils, his Truth and Veracity is concerned to inflict Eternal Punishments upon thee?

2ly, God's Threats of Everlasting Miseries have for their Object the Impenitent, and therefore do exclude the Supposition of any change in them, which may induce God to remit, or to rebate the threatned Judgment: If then this Punishment may be remitted to them, either in part, or in whole, it must be either by a change in God, or by a secret in∣tention in him, not to inflict what he thus threatneth. That there was in God no such secret Intention, this learned Person thus de∣clares, by saying,(b) When God did threa∣ten, he spake what he did really purpose and intend, if something did not intervene to pre∣vent the Judgment threatned. And indeed, these Threats declaring what the righteous God will do, and what they who are finally impenitent and disobedient shall suffer, such a Secret will must plainly be repugnant to his revealed Will, and therefore must sup∣pose in God two contrary Wills. Moreover, to say that such a Secret Intention may be in God, notwithstanding these Declarations to the contrary, is in great measure to ener∣vate even the primary Intention of these Threats, viz. the deterring the Sinner, by the greatness and duration of them, from a continuance in his Sin; for this Intention, if it may be in God, it follows that it may be his Will not to inflict what he hath threat∣ned to the Sinner; now so much hopes as you give the impenitent Sinner that he may escape Eternal Punishment, so much encou∣ragement you give him to continue still in his Impenitence. Now(c) the belief of the Threatnings of God in their utmost extent, is of so great moment to a good Life, and so great a discouragement to Sin, saith this Reverend Person, that if Men were once set free from the fear and belief of this, the most pow∣erful Restraint from Sin would be taken a∣away.

That this cannot be expected by reason of any change in God, this excellent Person thus declares, and evinceth:(d)

Let but the Sinner consider what God is, and his unchangeable Nature must needs terrifie him; he is an Holy God, who therefore hateth all the Workers of Iniquity, A just God, who will by no means clear the guilty, nor let the Sinner go unpunished. He is also Omnipotent, and able to execute the Ven∣geance threatned against Sinners. And, which gives a sad Accent to all this, he that is thus Holy, and Just, and Powerful, continues ever the same; he will never cease to hate Iniquity, and to be an impla∣cable Enemy to all Impenitent Sinners.— Let (then) all obstinate Sinners hear this, and tremble; you cannot be more obsti∣nately bent to continue in your ways, than God is peremptorily resolved to make you miserable; if you be determined on a sin∣ful Course, God is also determined how he will deal with you; that he will not spare, but that his Anger and Jealousie shall smoke against you; and that all the Curses which are written in tlm Book shall light upon you. 'He hath sworn in his Wrath, that unbelieving and impenitent Sinners shall not enter into his Rest; and for the greater assurance of the thing, and that we may not think that there is any Condition implied in these Threatnings, he hath con∣firmed them by an Oath, that by this im∣mutable Sign, in which it is impossible for God to lie, Sinners might have strong Ter∣rors, and not be able to flie to any hopes of Refuge.

3ly, Either God may in Justice inflict upon the Wicked these Punishments which he hath threatned, or else it is unjust in God to ex∣ecute upon them the Judgment written, i e. the Punishment which he hath threatned to them in the Word of Truth. If it be said it is unjust in God to execute them on the Sinner dying in his Impenitence, either we cannot be

obliged to believe that Word in which these Threats are contained; or else an Obligation must lie upon us to believe that God will act unjustly. I••, to avoid this, it be said these Threats do not discover certainly what God will do, but only what the Sinner doth de∣serve to suffer, read them once more, and you will find that they expresly say of those who shall be at the Great Day condemned, That they shall go away into Eternal Punish∣ment, Matth. 25.46. That, they shall be pu∣nished with Eternal Destruction from the Pre∣sence of the Lord, 2 Thess. 1.8. And that they shall be tormented Day and Night for ever and ever, Rev. 14.10, 11.20.10.

Moreover, when our Saviour argues thus to induce Men to cut off their offending Hands, and pluck out their offending Eyes; 'tis better to enter into Life halt, and maim∣ed, then to be cast into Eternal Fire, or into Hell, where the Worm dieth not, and where the Fire is not quenched, Matth. 18.8, 9. doth he not sufficiently inform us there is an absolute necessity of doing the one, or suffer∣ing the other? When he saith, He that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost, shall ne∣ver be forgiven in this, or in the World to come, but shall be obnoxious to Eternal Judg∣ment, Matth. 12.32. Mark 3.29. doth he not insinuate, that he who never is forgiven, must be for ever subject to this Judgment? It is therefore certain, that our Judge hath expresly taught us, not only that the impeni∣tent Sinner doth deserve, but that he shall actually suffer the Worm that never dies, the Fire that shall not be quenched.

If God in justice may inflict upon the Wicked these Punishments which he hath threatned, then the Objection cannot need this Answer; yea, what can move him not to inflict what he by Threatning hath enga∣ged his Truth to do? what, I say, can move him to do it, but an Act of Mercy ex∣ercised to them, of whom the Scripture saith, they shall have Judgment without Mercy, Jam. 2.13. what but remission of that Sin, which, saith the Scripture, shall never be remitted? What but Mercy in the Day of Wrath and Judgment? What but Remission exercised to the impenitent without an Interest in the Blood of our Redemption? to which Imagi∣nations I conceive the Scripture give but little countenance.

Nor are we to conclude, That the Non-execution of these Threats lays no impeach∣ment on God's Truth and Faithfulness, because it is not esteemed among Men a piece of fals∣hood not to do what they have threatned. For Men may reasonably be moved to remit their Threatnings, because they oft are made in Passion, or may exceed the Rules of Justice; but these are things not incident to an All-perfect God; or because the Person threat∣ned repents, begs pardon, and returns unto his Duty, which the damned cannot be sup∣posed to do.

§ 5. It is farther said, in answer to this Objection, that macula peccati est aeterna, the stain of them who die in their Impeni∣tence, will be perpetual, and he that dies thus filthy, will be filthy still; now it seems equitable, that, is qui nunquam desinit esse malus, nunquam desineret esse miser, he who never ceases to be wicked, should never cease to be miserable. Now this, rightly explain∣ed, affords a clear and satisfactory Answer to the Objection, as shewing that the Sinner becomes for ever miserable, not by any posi∣tive Act of God inflicting everlasting Stripes upon him, or loading him perpetually with fresh Torments, but wholly from his own Sin, which renders him uncapable of the en∣joyment of an holy God, and so perpetually excluded from his blissful Presence, which to a Soul that is immortal, and can never die, must be the Source of Everlasting Tor∣ment, and, from the natural workings of its Faculties, will necessarily subject it to the Worm that never dies.

I own, and really believe, that positive Torments, such as the Schools call Poena sen∣sus, shall be inflicted on the Body; but then I have insinuated my present Notion of them to be this:

1st, That these Positive Torments on the Body are not to begin until the raising of the Body, when Christ shall come in flaming Fire to take vengeance on them who would not obey his Gospel, the World that now is being reserved to be set on fire, for the Day of Judg∣ment, and Perdition of ungodly Men. At which time I conceive the Righteous shall be snatch∣ed up into the Air, and be for ever with the Lord, 1 Thess. 4.17. and the Wicked shall be left to the devouring Flames. See for this, the Note on 2 Pet. 3.7.

2ly, I also do conjecture that this Fire may be called Eternal, not that the Bodies of the Wicked shall be for ever burning in it, and never be consumed by it, since this cannot be done without a constant Miracle; but be∣cause it shall so entirely consume their Bo∣dies, as that they never shall subsist again, but shall perish, and be destroyed for ever by it. In which sense Sodom and Gomorrah were set forth for an Example, suffering the Venge∣ance of Eternal Fire. See the Note on Jude v. 7. And if so, this Punishment being only temporary, the Objection doth not lye against it, God being no more obliged either in ju∣stice, or in goodness, to snatch the Wicked out of these Flames when they thus kindle on them, then he was to snatch the Wicked of the old World out of that Deluge which over∣whelm'd them. These I call my Conjectures, or my private Sentiments. But then I add, as certain matter of my faith,

1st, That the Soul, even from the time of its separation from the Body, in its impeni∣tency, shall find it self in such a dismal state, as shall then fill it with perpetual horror, and dreadful expectation of the Punishment which God hath threatned to the Wicked. And thus it shall be like those Devils which be∣lieve and tremble, James 2.19. as knowing that there is reserved for them a time of Tor∣ment, Matth. 8.29.

2ly, That when the final Sentance shall be past upon the Wicked, and they shall be for ever separated from the Presence of the Lord, their Souls shall be perpetually subject to the height of Misery, or to that Worm which never dies; and that this Misery will be the natural, and the perpetual result of such a Separation.

To explain this let it be considered,

1. That there is scarce any thing in which the Heathen Moralists so universally accord, as in this fixed Rule, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that an impure Soul can have no commerce with a pure God; and that it is not congruous to his Nature to admit such Souls into his Presence. And this Assertion is built upon a sure and incontestible Foundati∣on; for seeing God is absolute in Holiness, he cannot but retain the greatest hatred to, and abhorrence of all Actions, and Persons that are unrighteous, and impure; and since his Nature is immutable, his Holiness un∣changeable, he must for ever hate, with a most perfect hatred, whatsoever is unholy, and im∣pure; and therefore to suppose an interrupti∣on of his hatred of evil doers, is to imagine he can cease to be a pure and holy God. Con∣sider

2. That the Soul of wicked Men being immortal, must abide for ever, if it be not annihilated, and that God neither is obliged to annihilate it, nor hath he any where decla∣red that he will do so.

I say, he is not obliged to annihilate the Souls of wicked men, for then it must be so on this account, because he is obliged to put them out of that Misery which they have more brought upon themselves by their own folly, and rebellions; and if so, since this must cer∣tainly be an act, not of strict Justice, but of Grace and Favour, God must be bound to shew an act of Grace and Favour towards Men, purely because they have provoked and rebell'd against him, i. e. because they have done that which renders them the pro∣per Objects of his hatred, and his indignation, and be obliged to save Men from that Misery which by their stubborn disobedience to all his Calls, and Admonitions, his Exhotrations, and all the gracious Methods his Providence had used to preserve them from it, they wil∣fully have brought upon themselves. Where∣as indeed the riches of his goodness being de∣signed to lead Men to Repentance, or to en∣courage them in ways of Holiness and Piety, hath only for its proper Object such as are capable of being made the better by it, it can∣not therefore be the Goodness and Mercy of a God to shew kindness to Persons obstinately and incorrigibly wicked, because it cannot be the Goodness and Mercy of a Being infinitely just and holy; for seeing all the Divine Per∣fections must agree together, that cannot be a Divine Perfection which contradicts any o∣ther Perfection.

The original of our Mistakes in Matters of this Nature, seems to arise from our own Imperfection, which naturally leads us to consider of the Divine Attributes apart, and as it were in separation from each other, and by so doing, to frame such wide and large Notions of the one, as to exclude the other. Whereas indeed they ought to be considered as really they are in God himself, i. e Good∣ness and Mercy joyned with infinite Holiness and Justice; and as it is the Goodness and Mercy of a Law-giver, Governour, and Righ∣teous Judge, which never regularly can be ex∣ercised without some prospect of reclaiming, or doing good unto the Object of it. And thus 'tis well consistent with the Prayer of David, Be not thou mercifull to them that of∣fend of malicious wickedness, Psal. 59.5.

§ 6. I add, that God hath not declared in Scripture that he will annihilate the Souls of wicked Men, or that this is the Punishment which he designeth to inflict upon them; this is generally said to be the Doctrine of the Socinians; though(e) Crellius expresly says, Animas impiorum Deum post judicium annihilaturum nec Scriptura asserit, nec ratis evincit, That neither Reason doth evince, or Scripture assert it will be so. And

Object. 1. 'Tis certain that this follows not from any of those places of the Old Testa∣ment in which the Dead are said to be no more, or not to be; as v. g. Let the Sinners be consumed out of the Earth, and let the wick∣ed be no more, Psal. 104.35. Our Fathers have sinned, and are not, Lam. 5.7. I have made Esau bare—his Seed is spoiled, and he is not, Jer. 49.10. See Chap. 10.20.35.15.

For (1.) If any of these places speak of Annihilation, they must speak of such a one as was then pass'd already, and so is incon∣sistent with the future Judgment of those Per∣sons, because it is not said they shall not be, but they are not; they therefore cannot refer to any future Annihilation at the Day of Judgment.

2. Then must the Righteous be annihilated

as well as the Wicked; for of righteous E∣noch it is said, He walked before God, and was not, Gen. 5.24. of Joseph, One is not, Gen. 42.13. and David, prays thus for him∣self, O spare me a little that I may recover my strength, before I go hence and be not, Psal. 39.13. 'Tis therefore evident these places only were intended to import, those Persons were not in the Land of the Living.

Object. 2. But, 'tis objected, That the Wick∣ed after the Resurrection shall be punish'd with the second Death, wherefore they cannot in any proper sense be said to live, and to subsist, and to have sense of Pain, this being not consistent with a state of Death.

Answ. I answer, 1. That this second Death cannot consist in the annihilation of the Wick∣ed, or in their exemption from all sense of Punishment, because 'tis promised that He who overcometh shall not be hurt by the second Death, Rev. 2.11. whence it is manifest that they who die this second Death, shall be hurt by it; but were it to the Wicked, con∣demned to an Eternal Separation from God, and from all hopes of Happiness, a Conclusi∣on of their Being, and of all sense of Mise∣ry, it would be no more hurtful, but highly beneficial to them, as being a Conclusion of that Life which they must otherwise have spent in endless Misery. Moreover, those very Torments which the Damned suffer are declared to be the second Death, and wicked Men are therefore said to die the second Death, because they do endure Eternal Tor∣ments; for the fearful and unbelievers, &c. shall have their part in that Lake of Fire and Brimstone which is the second Death, Rev. 21.8. This Death then, when it is threatned as the final Punishment of the Wicked, cannnot import a State of Non existence, or Insensi∣bility, but only an unhappy miserable State, a Separation of the Soul from him who is the Fountain of our Life, and all our Com∣forts; an absolute Exclusion from that Feli∣city which only renders Life a Blessing, and a Life of Infelicity and Misery. To make this still more evident,

Consider 2ly, That this is a Jewish Phrase, used often by, and borrowed from the Anci∣ent Hebrews, with whom it doth import the Punishment of damned Persons in the Life to come. So Deut. 33.6. Let Reuben live, and not die the second death, saith the Targum of Onkelos; i. e. let him not die the death with the wicked: Die in the Age to come, saith the Targum of B. Uziel. Let him not die the se∣cond death which the wicked die in the Age to come, saith the Jerusalem Targum. Now that the death of the Wicked, in the Age to come, did really subject them to Eternal Tor∣ments, the Jews still thought, as is apparent not only from the plain Testimony of(f) Jo∣sephus, who saith the Pharisees assigned to the wicked 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, an Eternal Prison, in which they were to be tormented,(g) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, with Eternal Punishment; and from Philo, who saith, that some conceive Death to be the last of Punishments, whereas it scarce∣ly deserveth to be named the beginning of them, seeing the Punishment reserved for the wicked Person is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to live for ever in a dying state, and suffer such a death as hath no end; but also from the Apocryphal Books, which say, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, they shall feel them, and weep for ever, Judith 16.17. So again, Isa. 22.14. This sin shall not be forgiven till the second death; that is, saith Kimchi, till the Soul dieth in the World to come. And Chap. 65.5, 6, 15. of the same Persons it is said, God will kill them with the second death, and he will deliver them up to the punishment of Hell, where the fire burneth all the day.

Object. It further is objected, That Eternal Life is said to be peculiar to the Saints in Bliss, whereas unto the Wicked it is threat∣ned that they shall not see Life, John 3.36.

Answ. To this I answer, That Life in Scrip∣ture, when it is mentioned as the End of our Faith, and the Reward of our Obedience, is not intended only to signifie our permanence in Being, but to assure us of our advancement to a state of Happiness, and is equivalent to Everlasting Life. So to the Lawyer asking, What good thing shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? our Saviour answers, Do this, and thou shalt live, Luke 10.25, 28. So Christ saith, He that eateth me shall live by me, John 6.57. i. e He shall live for ever, v. 58. I came that my sleep might have Life, John 10.10. I give unto them life eternal, v. 28. And that this is the Life denied to the Wicked, John 3.36 is evident from the precedent words of the same Verse, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; but he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life. This is a Phrase so known, and this use of it is so frequent, saith Maimonides, that hence our Masters say, The just are stiled living in their death, because they then are happy. And that the Phrase, Not to see Life, cannot import a state of Non-existence, or Insensibility, is evident, because 'tis said of them who do not see Life, that the Wrath of God abideth on them, they therefore must a∣bide under a sense of it.

Obj. 4. Lastly, It is objected, That the Wicked are in Scripture said to perish utterly, 2 Pet. 2.12. and to be punished with everlast∣ing destruction, now these Expressions seem to signifie a deprivation of all sense and being.

(h)

Answ. But nothing is more common, both in Greek and Latin, and in other Languages then to say, when we conceive our future Life is likely to be miserable, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, perij, I am undone, I perish. See the Note of(i) Taubman up∣on those words of Plautus, Qui per virtutem periit, is non interit. That only in this mo∣ral sense the damned are in Scripture said to perish, viz. by having all their hopes of fu∣ture Happiness destroyed, and being senten∣ced to those Torments which are exceedingly more heavy than the loss of Being, is evident, first, from the Scripture, which inform us, that to cast the Soul and Body into Hell fire, is to destroy them, as is apparent from these two Expressions, Fear him who can destroy both Soul and Body in Hell fire, Matth. 10.28. who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into Hell, saith St. Luke, Chap. 12.5. that is, into that place where the Worm dieth not, and where the Fire is not quenched. More∣over, the Devils put the question to our Sa∣viour thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, art thou come to destroy us before the time, Luke 4.34. and yet that to destroy is only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to torment them, is evident from the same question re∣cited by St. Matthew thus, Art thou come to torment us before the time, Chap. 8.29. And had the Devils thought, that at Christ's co∣ming they might have been reduced into the state of Non-existence, or Insensibility, they could have had no reason to dread, or depre∣cate so vehemently that Perdition which would so long ago have freed them from that Horror which they still endure.

Moreover, this Opinion is so far from be∣ing contained in the Holy Scripture, that it is plainly contrary to many things contained in Scripture: For, (1.) The Scripture plainly intimates, some in the other World shall suffer more, some less; for it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment then for Capernaum, Matth. 11.21-25. that some shall be be beaten with fewer, some with many stripes, Luke 12.47, 48. some shall receive greater damnation than others, Matth. 23.14. But if Annihilation only be the second Death, the Punishment, and Perdition threatned to Sinners in the o∣ther World, they must all suffer equally, be∣cause there no degrees of Annihalation, or not Being, then all will equally not be, or lose their Being, and nothing by Annihilati∣on can lose more. 2ly, It is said of the Wicked, that they shall be cast into the place where their Worm dieth not; of them that shall not see Life, that the wrath of God abi∣deth on them; of them that are cast out into utter Darkness, that there is weeping and wailing. Now that of the Schools is abso∣lutely true, that non entis nullae sunt affecti∣ones, that which is not, cannot be in Misery; that which abides not, cannot abide under the wrath of God, that which so dieth, as to cease to be, cannot be subject to a Worm that dieth not, whatever be the import of that Phrase. Consider

§ 7. 2ly, That we have two Passions of the Soul which are still conversant about Good present, and to come, viz. desire of the Good we want, and joy in that which we at pre∣sent have. When therefore we are in a state in which we cannot possibly enjoy the Good we above all things want, and naturally de∣sire, we must for ever lye under the torment of Dissatisfaction and Despair; and when we fall into that state in which we can enjoy no comfortable, or real Good, we never can have any joy. Again, we have two other Passions which are imployed about a present, or a future Evil; Fear that it may befal us, and Grief when it hath actually taken hold upon us. It therefore being natural to all Men to desire to be freed from an afflictive Evil, when they lye under it without all hopes or prospect of any end of, or delive∣rance from the worst of Evils, they must be swallowed up of Grief; and when their Guilt hath rendred them still obnoxious to the Di∣vine Displeasure, they must be subject to E∣ternal Fears. Consider

3ly, That the proper Action of the Soul is Thought, and that whilst she continues, she must be conscious to her self of her own A∣ctions; when then the Soul hath nothing comfortable to imploy its Thoughts upon, but an Eternal Scene of Misery, to which her wilful Sin and Folly hath everlastingly confi∣ned her, to be the doleful Subject of her con∣tinual Reflections, when she hath nothing to divert her from these rueful Thoughts, she must become an endless Torment to her self. Now from these three Considerations it will demonstrably follow, that the Soul which in this Life hath not been purged from the Dominion, or the Guilt of Sin, and there∣fore is execluded from a State of of Happi∣ness, and from Enjoyment of that God in whom its Happiness consists must be for ever miserable.

For it must be perpetually tormented with the Thoughts of its Eternal Separation from God's blissful Presence, and it's Exclusion from the State of Happiness which Saints made perfect do enjoy. Now, as an Heathen(k) Plutarch puts the question, Must it not be very sad to be deprived of the hope of ever∣lasting

Blessings, and be excluded from the com∣pleatest Happiness? Were the damned obnoxi∣ous to no other Punishments besides this loss, even this would beget in them such a Worm of Conscience, as would perpetually subject them to the worst of Miseries: As will be evident if we consider,

1. That the earnest and impetuous desire which is in all Men to be happy, is rooted in their very Nature, and therefore must conti∣nue as long as they retain that Nature, and yet it is impossible that this desire should in the least be gratified, when we are once con∣demned to an Eternal Separation from the Place and Object of our Happiness, there be∣ing no hopes that they should ever see his ••ace, who at the coming of their Judge shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. Now the Wise∣man tells us, that even hope deferr'd makes the heart sick, Prov. 13.12. Hope therefore irrecoverably disappointed must create in it an excess of torment. A wicked Cain ac∣counted it an unsupportable Calamity to be excluded from God's gracious Presence here on Earth; My punishment, saith he, is great∣er than I am able to bear, for from thy face shall I be hid, Gen. 4.13, 14. How dreadful therefore must that Sentence be, which doth eternally exclude us from his blissfui Presence, and force us to a continual despair of that which we most ardently desire? For as it is one great Ingredient of our future Happiness, that it is that which never can be lost, so must it be a signal aggravation of our future Mi∣sery, and loss of Happiness, to know it is ir∣reparable.

2. This loss will be enhansed from the great Change the other World will make in our Condition. The Terrors of an awake∣ned and guilty Conscience, even in this Life, are very grievous; but here we may be able to mitigate the gripings of it by the Society of others, or by the Pleasures of the World; we may deceive it with false Opinions, and flatter it with false Hopes and Promises of Reformation and Amendment; but when we are passed hence into another World, our vain Imaginations will be all confuted, our Hopes of Reformation will be at an end, and we shall be eternally deprived of all those Enjoyments in which we once placed our Happiness, and shall have nothing to divert us from our sad∣dest Thoughts: Now, what Condition can be more deplorable than this, viz. to be de∣prived of all those Comforts in which we placed our former Happiness, and find it ut∣uterly impossible to purchase the least glimpse of real Happiness, or to divert our Thoughts from a continual Remorse for our irreparable loss.

For 3ly, The Sinner's memory reflecting on this Punishment of loss, will create fresh and never ceasing Torments to him. It will tor∣ment him to remember what an inestimable Blessing he hath lost, in losing the Enjoyment of that God who is the chiefest Good, and of that Happiness which passeth Understand∣ing; for the greater still we apprehend the Good to be, the greater will the Trouble we endure be, when we have wholly lost the hopes of its Enjoyment. Again, It will add still to the Torment of the Sinner, to consider that he hath exchanged this exceeding, and eternal weight of Glory, for things of no in-intrinsick value and duration; that for the Pleasures of a moment, which are now turn∣ed into Sadness, he should forego those Pleasures which run at God's right hand for ever; that for a little fading Earth, which he soon left behind him, he should deprive himself of an Inheritance incorruptible, reser∣ved in the Heavens for him. It also will Tor∣ment him to consider in what a fair Capacity he was once placed of being happy; what frequent Calls and Invitations he hath had to be for ever so; what Importunity the God of Heaven used to bring him thither; and with what stiftness he resisted all these gracious Motions; These, and such like Considerati∣ons, will fill the miserable Soul with constant Matter of most sad Reflections. Now, saith the(l) Heathen Orator, suppose a Person subject to the extreamest 〈…〉〈…〉 be incident to Soul and Body, 〈…〉〈…〉 of the alleviation of this 〈…〉〈…〉 of any future Good, and what can be ima∣gined farther to compleat his Misery?

And now to answer the Objection, by re∣moving the foundation of it: Hence it is ea∣sie to demonstrate, that all these Evils which the Soul suffers after Death, may rather be esteemed the necessary Consequents, than po∣sitive and formal Punishments of Sin by an immediate Hand of God. For instance, that Souls departed are deprived of the Love of God, are Objects of his Wrath, and are ex∣cluded from his Presence, hapneth not meer∣ly because they are Souls separated from the Body; for pious Souls, after their Separati∣on, are entirely exempted from these Evils; but this ariseth from the natural Purity and Holiness of God, which renders it incon∣gruous to him to admit such only into his Presence, and the defilement and impurity which these unhappy Souls lye under, and by which they are rendred unable to converse with the God of Holiness. The Worm of

Conscience, the Desparation, the direful Ex∣pectations which follow from this sense of Loss, and the Divine Displeasure are also the natural Results of the Soul's Separation in an impure and unsanctified Condition, and therefore being filthy still. Moreover, it being natural to all Men, say the very(m) Heathens, to give good things to them they love, and in whom they delight, and to inflict evil things on those to whom they stand affect∣ed contrariwise, How can it be, but that the Soul thus conscious of those abominable things which the Lord hates, and which most justly have incensed this righteous Judge, should live under most dreadful Expectations of his Wrath? Now, true is that of the Tragae∣dian, Poenas dat qui expectat, qui autem me∣ruit expectat; He suffers whose Conscience tells him he deserves, and therefore cannot but expect to suffer. Lastly, That he is thus to be eternally a Torment to himself, ariseth from the Immortality of the Soul, which cannot cease to be without an immediate Dissolution from the Hand of God, and whilst it doth continue, cannot cease to be desirous of that Happiness from which it will for e∣ver be excluded, or cease to be tormented with the Thoughts of that stupendious Fol∣ly which did subject it to this heavy Doom.

And now what a poor comfort is it to the Sinner to laugh at what is said touching Hell fire, and a Lake of Brimstone, as unphiloso∣phical, and say that these are things impro∣per to torment a Spiritual Soul, if undenia∣bly it may be subject to the loss of all that is desirable to make it happy, to endless Grief, to remediless Remorse, and dreadful Expectations of the Wrath of God, and a perpetual Despair of being ever freed from these tormenting Evils, which, as the Hea∣then hath observed, are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, more violent and insupportable than any Pu∣nishment by Fire and Sword? What if the Fire in which the Bodies of the Wicked are to be tormented, should not be kindled till our Saviour come in flaming Fire to take ven∣geance on them? what Comfort will this yield the Sinner, if, from the Day of its de∣parture from the Body, his Soul will be ob∣noxious to this greater Misery? What, last∣ly, if that Fire of the damned, in which their Bodies are to be tormented, should only be Eternal in that sense in which St. Jude in∣form us that Sodom and Gomorrah, and the Cities round about them, have been set forth for an Example, suffering the vengeance of E∣ternal Fire, If this amazing Torment of the Soul, which in propriety of Speech is only capable of feeling torment, will be eternal in the highest and most entensive impo•••• of that word?

If it be still objected, That it seems 〈◊〉〈◊〉 consistent with Divine Goodness to have f••••∣med Man so, as that he should be miserable from himself, this at one blow cuts off both Heaven, and Hell; for it is to find fault with God, and represent him as less Good, for ma∣king any Beings capable of Vice, and Vertue. For all our Vertue in a state of Trial, conf•••••••• in chusing well when we had freedom, and some temptations to do otherwise; and all our Vice in chusing to do ill, when we had Laws directing us to avoid the Evil, and to chuse the Good, and had the highest Mo∣tives so to do. To say then, a good God could not create a Creature capable of Vice and Vertue, is in effect to say, 'tis inconsist•••••• with Divine Goodness to create such Crea∣tures as should be subject unto Government, since Government supposes Laws, and Laws must be attended with the Sanctions of Re∣wards and Punishments. Here then again the Mistake lyes in separating the Divine Goodness from his Holiness and Justice, whereas Justice and Holiness are as essential to the Notion of a God as Goodness; for 'tis impossible that Justice should belong to the Idea of God, if it were irreconcileable with the Divine Goodness to make such Creatures as may deserve well or ill, i. e. to be reward∣ed, or punished. And seeing the Holiness of God renders it necessary for him to retain the greatest hatred to, and abhorrence of in••••••∣gible Sinners, if it be inconsistent with Di∣vine Goodness to make any Creature which may deserve to be the Object of his h••••••ed, Goodness and Holiness cannot both belong to the Idea of God.

If lastly, it be still enquired why Divine Goodness and Mercy doth not still leave co••∣demned Sinners in a Capacity of that Repen∣tance and Reformation which might after •• season fit them for the Enjoyment of himself and thereby put an happy end to all their Mi¦sery?

I answer, That both the Christians and H••••¦thens do accord in this, that these Eternal Pu∣nishments shall only be inflicted(n), 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, on th••se that are incurably wicked. And they who shall hereafter be found thus confirmed in wicked∣ness, are by the(o) Heathens given up to Tor∣ments

without end. Yea,(p) Celsus dog∣matically says, That they judge rightly, who say, the just shall be happy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, But the unjust shall be ••••cays subject to eternal Evils. That this was the Opinion of the Heathens, as well as of the Christians, and that no Man ought ever to depart from it. Now that which ••••ply may render their state incurable, may be

1. That their Day of Grace is past, and turn'd into a Day of Wrath; their Time of Trial and Probation is expired, and they are come to the time of Retribution. For as the Christians teach that a Man cannot be truly good and holy without the assistance of the Holy Spirit, so did the(q) Heathens teach, That there was an absolute need of a Divine Afflatus or Good assisting Genius to preserve them from Sin, and to advance them to a vertuous Life. Now, why is it unjust with God to say, his Spirit shall not always strive with them who have so long resisted all his Motions, and hardned their Hearts a∣gainst him? whom all the riches of his Goodness could not lead unto Repentance, or preserve from treasuring up Wrath against the Day of Wrath. Either the Day of Grace must never end, or there must be a time when they that are filthy will be filthy still.

Moreover, To assert it is unjust with God, or inconsistent with his Goodness, to appoint a Day in which he will judge the World in Righteousness, and render to Men according to their Works; as it seems plainly to border on a Contradiction in the Terms, so it cuts off all future Judgment, it being certain God neither will nor can do what is inconsistent with his Goodness to do so; and, according to this Hypothesis, he must never pass the final and decretory Sentence upon wicked Men.

2ly, The Place and Company to which the Damned shall be sentenced, s••ems to render them incapable of growing b••tter; for when they are once given up to the Tormentor, and kept in Chains of Darkness, what expecta∣tion can there be they should grow better under this Enemy of God and Goodness? and yet that this is one Ingredient of their future state, is not the Sentiment of Jews and Christians only from the Holy Scripture, but also of the Heathens from the Tradition they had received, as is evident both(r) from their own words, and from their Adra∣stia, Nemesis, Alastores, Furies, their hurtful Daemons, and their Evil Genus's.

3ly, The Alteration of their Condition, and their State seems to exclude all place for Reformation, and for the exercise of Piety and Vertue. For the Sentence of Condem∣nation and Exclusion from God's blissful Pre∣sence being past upon them, they have no hope of being bappy, or of escaping the Misery to which they are exposed, and so can have no Motive to be better, nor can they be in a capacity to love that God from whom they can expect no good. There also seems to be no place for Vertue in a future State; no room for Temperance, where there is no capacity of enjoying Meats, or Drinks, or any Pleasures of the Flesh; no place for Justice, where there is no Meum and Tuum; no possibility to kill, or maim, or to be cru∣el to another, when none can be defamed to their prejudice and hurt in their Concerns. Lastly, No place for Charity, where there is either none that can want any thing, or none that can receive advantage by us.

Notes

• (a)

  Monstrat hic locus contra Haereticos, vitam aeternam quae in regno Dei intelligitur, non ita gratiae dei tribuendam esse, ut non etiam dignitati, & meritis hominum à gratia Dei profectis, retribuatur.
• (a)

  Sermon of the Truth of God, Vol. 6. p. 361.
• (b)

  Sermon on the Unchangeableness of God, Vol. 6. p. 110.
• (c)

  Serm. p. 4.
• (d)

  Sermon of God's Unchangeableness, p. 112, 113, 114, 115.
• (e)

  Solut. Problem. Tom. 4 p. 533.
• (f)

  Antiq. l. 18. c. 2.
• (g)

  De Bello Jud. l. 2. c. 12. p. 788. F.
• (h)

  De Praem. & Poenis, p. 713. D.
• (i)

  Captiv. Act. 3. § 5. v. 32.
• (k)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. L. non posse Sua riter, &c. p. 1106. D.
• (l)

  Statue aliquem confectum cunctis animi corporisque doloribus, quanti in hominem cadere maximi possunt, nullâ spe propo∣sità fore levius aliquando, nullâ praeteritâ, nec praesenti, nec expectatâ voluptate, quid eo miserius dici aut fingi potest? Tor∣quat. apud Cic. de finibus, L. 1. n. 33.
• (m)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Pythag. apud Jamblyc. c. 48. p. 89.
• (n)

  Orig. contr. Cels. p. 403.
• (o)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Plat. Georg. p. 357, 358.
• (p)

  Apud Orig. l. 8. p. 409.
• (q)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Jambl. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. p. 11. See the Note on Rom. 2.15.
• (r)

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Salust. de Diis, &c. c. 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, c. 18.