That the punishment of the finally impenitent shall be eternal; or, That all men shall not be saved, attempted to be proved and illustrated in three sermons, preached at Malden, October, 1782. / By Peter Thacher, A.M. Pastor of the First Church of Christ in that town. ; [Four lines in Latin from Virgil]

THREE SERMONS, PREACHED AT MALDEN, OCTOBER, 1782.

ISAIAH lxvi. 24.

AND they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: far their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched: and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh.

THIS remarkable denunciation of divine vengeance concludes the prophecy of the princely Isaiah. He had the clearest views of any of the prophets, of the gospel dispensation; he delivered the promises and encouragements of the covenant of grace to believers in striking, and animating language, and at the same time denounced the judgments of Heaven against all the work|ers of iniquity.

The chapter whence our text is taken, contains both promises and threatenings; for it evidently refers to the days when all men, then upon the face of the earth, shall be made acquainted with the gospel of Christ, and submit truly unto it. And these shall know the misery of the men who, in times past, have rejected the counsel of God against themselves: they shall be made acquainted with this, to excite their gratitude to the great God, for saving them from such a ruin, to keep up a lively view of the infinite evil of sin in their minds, and perhaps to be a

means of preserving their integrity, and preventing them from desiring to return unto folly.

That the prophet was speaking in the text of the future punishment of the wicked, a punishment which should take place in a state different from the present, is evident by the quotation which our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ made of this very passage, Mark ix. 43, 44. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off; it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.

The text is metaphorical, and points out the future, endless misery of the impenitent, by the destruction which cometh upon the carcases of those who fall in battle, and are left unburied. The saints shall behold the misery, and ruin of those who die in their sins, as we behold, with a gloomy melancholy, the unburied carcases which cover a field of battle. The accusations of their consciences shall be to the wicked as a worm which gnaws without ceasing, and as a fire which no art, nor force can quench; their moral character shall be such as to render them an abhor|rence to all those who love, and delight in that which is good, in the same manner as a corpse, which is covered with filth, and infested with worms, is disagreeable, and abhorrent to those who behold it.

Thus is the misery of the finally impenitent represented by the text, in language metaphorical, it is true, but adapted to the design of the prophet, and elegantly ex|pressive of his meaning. The worm that dieth not, the fire that shall not be quenched, present us with a grand, but alarming idea, of the future state of the impenitent sinner.

That there shall be a state of punishment for the wicked beyond the grave, scarce any believer in revelation will doubt. But many scruple whether this punishment shall be eternal in its duration; they suppose that it shall last only for a limited time, and then, that all things, and all men shall be restored to a state of happiness. Many indulge to these scruples at the present day. The doctrine of the eternal punishment of the wicked is openly attacked. Many, and those men of eminence (and, we would hope, of virtue and goodness too,) patronize the opposers of

this doctrines and this consideration hath led me to make choice of the present subject.

This choice needs no apology. The doctrine before us is important, and interesting to every individual of us. If we are rational and accountable creatures; if we are made for immortality, and must be happy or miserable, through|out eternity, as we are righteous or wicked here, it be|comes us to know it; for the knowledge, one would think, must have a powerful effect upon our conduct.

The ministers of religion are set for the defence of the gospel. They are not at liberty to permit their private feel|ings, or their worldly interest, to restrain them from de|livering the whole counsel of God. However disagreeable their sentiments may be, to the pride or corruption of the human heart: however painful it may be to them to deliver truths, which will occasion uneasiness, and terror to their hearers; yet they must set their faces as flints; they must resolutely determine to deliver every part of divine truth, let it please, or displease whom it may.

It hath been observed, that men's principles in religion, were often formed by their natural disposition and habit; and that the doctrine of eternal punishment, was the pro|duct of a dark and gloomy mind. But that mind must be gloomy and malevolent indeed, which can delight in caus|ing needless terror to its fellow creatures: and the disposi|tion must be truly diabolical, which can take pleasure in reflecting upon human misery, capriciously or unjustly in|flicted. But if this doctrine is really true, it is a part of the warmest benevolence, and truest friendship, to warn men of their danger, and caution them to avoid it. What influence my natural temper may have upon my creed, I determine not; but this I know, that I believe fully, from the word of God, that those must be eternally miserable, who die in their sins. And therefore I feel, that I am per|forming an act of the truest kindness, when I am endea|vouring to convince you of this truth, and urging you to flee from the wrath to come.

The design of this, and some following discourses, is to shew,

DOCT.] That the punishment of the finally impenitent, (meaning those who die so) will be eternal in its duration; or, that all nun shall not be finally saved.

Those propositions are so closely connected with each other, as that the proof of one, necessarily confirms and establishes the other. We must be excused, therefore, for blending them together.

The doctrine before us, we will endeavour, first, to prove from scripture: and then we will answer, and attempt to invalidate, the objections and arguments of its opposers.

And here, we are ready to acknowledge, that this doc|trine depends entirely upon the testimony of revelation. We know little of the eternal world, of the nature or ex|tent of our existence there, by the light of reason, Life and immortality are brought to light by the gospel. We are indebted to revelation for the most which we know, concerning the invisible world, and those who do now, or shall hereafter, inhabit it. We are content, therefore, to wave the testi|mony of the heathen writers; to omit the opinions of their philosophers, upon the immortality of the soul; and to lay aside their descriptions of Elysium and Tartarus, which might possibly tend to prove, that they had an idea of the eternal happiness of the good, and the eternal misery of the wicked, in the future-world. But these testimonies would weigh but little; they are merely the effects of tradition, transmitted in a manner sufficiently dark and doubtful. We are much safer when we attend to the dic|tates of revelation. Here we may rest, with the utmost security. We know this will not deceive us.

I. Our first argument, to prove the doctrine we advance, is taken from the very great difference, which is made in the word of God, between the character, and end of the righteous and the wicked.

It is most certain, that, in every part of the word of God, there is a very plain, and express distinction, kept up between saints and sinners. The one are represented, as di|rectly opposite to the other, in disposition, in manners in character and end. The one are styled children of God: the other are represented as children of the evil one, at children of wrath, a generation of vipers, and the like. There is such a difference, in the character and state of the righteous and the wicked, as that the latter are told, that they must pass through a change, great as a natural birth, before they can be numbered with the former. Except a man be born

again, saith our Saviour, Joh. iii. 3. he cannot see the king|dom of God. The saints of God are styled his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto holiness and good works. It is said, that neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircum|cision, but the new creature. And good men are said to be born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

It is true, that regeneration is a metaphorical term; but still it means something, and tends to convey an idea some|what similar to that from which it is taken. The expres|sions we have but now quoted, must (if they mean any thing) serve to convey as much as this; that when men are brought to leave their sins, and turn to God, or, in scrip|ture language, are regenerated, the moral frame, and dis|position of their minds, are totally changed; their views of things become essentially different from what they were, and their conduct and behaviour are altered in consequence. It seems as if a metaphor, taken from a change so great as that, from non-existence to existence, could not convey less than this.

This change must pass upon men, while they are in a state of probation, while they are under the influence of those passions and affections, which, we have reason to think, are peculiar to the present state of existence. The scripture every where represents, the change made upon us by death, as essentially altering our situation, with respect to the things of eternity, and the concerns of our souls. The effects of this regeneration, are works of piety, charity and kindness, adapted to the present state of mankind only. Which things prove, that the idea of a regeneration, beyond the grave, is ridiculous in itself; and could be pro|duced, only by the necessity of getting rid of a powerful argument, which militated with a darling scheme.

The design and intention of the gospel ministry is said, Acts xxvi. 18. to be, to open men's eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins. Surely the apostle must here intend something important! He must mean to convey, that there is a very great alteration made, not only in the present state of men's minds, by the gospel, but also in their conditi|on with respect to eternity. It cannot be imagined that those

who have experienced the effects of the gospel, mentioned in this text, are, or will be ever, in the same situation with those, who are under the influence of darkness, and are in a state of death. But if all men are saved, they will be as truly, and as eternally happy, as any who submit to the gospel, and experience its transforming efficacy. The doctrine we are combating, then, hath a tendency to lead men to disregard the gospel, and to prevent their being so influenced by it, as to partake of its blessings.

The righteous and the wicked are said to be treated differently by God in this world. The first are promised the light of his countenance, and communion and fellowship with him. It is engaged to them, that all things shall work together for their good; and they are said to possess all things: while it is declared, that there is no peace to the wicked—that they are poor and miserable, blind and naked. And a denun|ciation like this, is pronounced against them, Mal. ii. 2. If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you; and I will curse your blessings; yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.

The deaths of the righteous and wicked are represented, as essentially different: the wicked is driven away in his wickedness; but the righteous hath hope in his death. In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, Luke xvi. the beg|gar is said to have died, and to be carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich man also, we are told, died, and was buried; and in hell, goes on the history, he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. The death of the saints is de|clared, to be precious in the sight of the Lord; while the wicked are represented, as dying under his wrath and curse, and exposed to his everlasting displeasure.

In short, there is, through the whole of the word of God, a plain, and evident distinction made between the character, the situation, and circumstances of good and bad men. There are marks, and signatures pointed out to us, in the scriptures, by which we are to judge, whether we hear the one, or the other character. We are pressed ear|nestly, to examine ourselves as to this point; and are cau|tioned against deception. We are moreover assured, that

this distinction shall be kept up in the future, as well as the present world, in Mal. iii. 18. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked; between him that serveth God, and him that serveth him not. An examination of the context, will convince every man, that this declara|tion refers to the day of judgment; represented there, as the day when God makes up his jewels, and as the day that shall burn as an oven.

Now, my brethren, why is all this distinction made? Why are the characters, the state, and the ends, of good and bad men, represented as so entirely different, if there is a time coming, when they shall both stand upon the same footing, and both be equally acceptable to God, and happy in the enjoyment of him? Why is all this parade, in the word of God, concerning the necessity of a change of heart, the importance of faith, and the indispensable ne|cessity of holiness, in order to our seeing God in happi|ness, if we are all to do so, sooner or later, let us be ever so unholy, or unbelieving? Why are eternal life, and happi|ness, promised only to men, of a certain character, if men of all characters are finally to partake of them? Why is it said, without holiness no man shall see the Lord, if we shall all see him, sooner or later, whether we are holy or no? Why is it said, with so much solemnity, 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10. Know ye not, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with man|kind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God! Why is this declaration made, I say, if men of these characters, be they ever so vicious, though they may live and die in the love and constant, allowed, deliberate practice of every one of these vices, shall finally enter the kingdom of hea|ven? If the man, who wallows in blood, who breaks through every social, and moral obligation; who prevents and destroys the happiness of millions; who wantons in the misery and wretchedness of whole nations, and commu|nities of men: if this man, living and dying under the in|fluence, and government of these ferocious passions, is to be finally happy, and glorious to all eternity, what need is there of self-denial, and mortification? Why need we give

diligence to make our calling and election sure? Why should we study, and take pains to be saints, and conformed to the image of God? Surely, this is labour lost, and good men are in this life most miserable!

If the time is to come, when all men shall be admitted to the divine favour and happiness; then, surely, the dis|tinction, which is so carefully made in the scriptures of God, between good and bad men, is nugatory and vain! We need take no pains to become Christians, or to live and walk as they are directed to do. We may as well gratify our passions and appetites, as not do so; for throughout eter|nity, it will be the same thing to us, every distinction shall be levelled, and we shall all be happy alike! Perhaps there cannot be conclusions, more natural in themselves, or which will be more universally drawn by mankind, from the doc|trine we are opposing, than these. And can there be con|clusions, more fatal to the interests of virtue and holiness, or more pernicious to human society? To what purpose tend exhortations to saints, or alarms to sinners, if they are to meet at last, without distinction, in the same happy world? And what is there to prevent a believer in the doctrine of universal redemption, from committing any crime, which his interest, or his passions may dictate, if he can escape present shame and punishment?

Brethren, solemnly would I caution, and warn you all, as you expect to answer it another day, to remember, that the word of God makes a very great distinction, between the righteous and the wicked: that the one are to be happy, while the other are to be miserable: that it is, in this word, represented, as above all things necessary, to be believers in Jesus Christ, and to be sanctified by his holy spirit. Do not let any thing, any sentiment or doctrine, diminish your concern about the one thing that is needful; for the hour is hastening, when we shall every one find, that we could never take too much pains, nor bestow too much solicitude, upon the salvation of our immortal souls.

II. A second argument, to prove that the duration of the punishment of the impenitent, in the other world, shall be eternal; or that all men are not saved, arises from the na|ture of sin. However light some may esteem this, yet we are taught, by the word of God, to view it as an evil and a

bitter thing under the sun. It is there spoken of, in terms adapted to convey to us, the most formidable ideas of it; and in its consequences, it is said to bite like a serpent, and sting like an adder.

It is right for us to judge of the nature of an offence, from the dignity, situation, and circumstances of the per|son, against whom it is committed; and from the obligations, of the person committing it, to a contrary course of con|duct. We cannot arrive at a precise idea of the nature of an offence, without taking these into view; for they have an intimate connection and relation. An offence of a ser|vant against his master, of a subject against his king, is greater than the offence of either of them against an equal.

Sin is an offence committed against an infinite autho|rity, for it is a violation of the laws of an infinite God. He hath guarded the injunctions of his law, and the pre|cepts of his gospel, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 no less a sanction, than the whole weight of his infinite authority. This every sinner knows. But notwithstanding this knowledge, he goes directly in the face of this infinite authority. He commits sin, though the infinite, and eternal Jehovah forbids it.

The sinner is under the highest obligations to a contrary course of conduct. God is his creator, preserver, and be|nefactor. He hath the most powerful motives set before him, to excite him to his duty, and restrain him from sin. God is daily increasing the number of his benefits to him. But notwithstanding all this; notwithstanding all his light, knowledge, and advantages, he doth that which is entirely wrong—he may justly be charged, then, with an infinite offence.

An infinite offence, merits an infinite punishment. But man is a finite creature, he cannot be punished by a ven|geance infinite in its nature. His punishment, therefore, must be eternal in its duration, in order to its being ade|quate to the offence: and thus we shall find, that the scrip|tures of God represent it.

There is no one thing, which all the declarations, pro|mises, and threatenings of the word of God, hath a more direct tendency to shew us, than that God views sin as a most pernicious evil; that it is directly contrary to his na|ture, which is holiness itself; and hath the most pernicious

effects upon human happiness. The scriptures speak of it, as a great and horrible evil, as exceeding sinful, as that which God's soul hateth, that which separateth between God and man, and that against which his wrath is revealed.

The word of God leads us to view sin, as the cause of the death of Christ, and as that which produces every ca|lamity to which mankind are subject. We are warned against it, as our bane. We have every motive, and induce|ment set before us, to restrain us from it; and are directed to make use of every occurrence in providence, as a motive to take away sin. Every page of divine revelation furnishes more or less arguments, to restrain us from iniquity.

So directly contrary is sin represented to be to the pure nature of the divinity, and so subversive of human happiness, as that without repentance of it, and turning from it, we are expressly told, that we shall not enjoy the mercy of God. We read, Prov. xx•• 13. He that covereth his sins, shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them, shall have mercy. Without repentance of sin, which includes forsaking it, we are told, that we shall not enjoy eternal life. Except ye repent, saith our Lord, Luke xiii. 3. ye shall all likewise perish. At the same time that we are called upon to believe the gospel, Mark i. 15. we are di|rected to repent, which proves, that this is equally neces|sary to salvation, with faith in Jesus Christ.

How unscriptural must that doctrine be, then, which tells us, that how many soever infinite offences against God we may be guilty of, and how long or obstinately soever we may persist in them; though we may live disobeying the divine authority, and die blaspheming, and cursing the name, the nature, and the works of the great and dreadful God; persisting in our hatred and opposition to him; yet we shall be happy at last: yea, that the time will come, when we shall be as really, and truly glorious and happy, as those who have been ever so penitent for their offences against God, and ever so desirous of conformity to him! Is that doctrine agreeable to scripture, which saith, that whether a man repents and forsakes sin or no, yet he shall be happy at last? Is it not, on the contrary, reprobated by every page of the gospel?

It is most certain, that our partiality in our own favour,

renders us apt to excuse, and justify ourselves. Our crimes do not appear so heinous to us, as they are in themselves; neither do we think that they deserve a very heavy pu|nishment. Let a man, who hath been guilty of the most capital and atrocious crime, judge of the punishment which ought to be inflicted upon him, and we know that it will not be very heavy. Our partiality in our own favour, leads us to suppose, that we cannot deserve any great suffering, for such trifling offences, as natural men are ready to esteem their sins to be. We ought always to take this thought into view, when we are judging upon ourselves, and en|deavouring to find the light in which we stand, with re|spect to our Maker.

III. A third argument, in support of our doctrine, is drawn from the plain, and positive declarations of the word of God.

The whole scope of revelation appears to be, to lead us to a view of this truth; and to shew us the great and asto|nishing difference, which there is, in this world, and which there will be in the next, between those who are subjects of the grace of God, and those who remain in their sins and iniquities. And declarations to this purpose, are in|terspersed in every part of the scriptures.

We shall begin with that remarkable declaration of our Lord, concerning the man who betrayed him, Mark xiv. 21. Good were it for that man, if he had never been born. The plain meaning of which is, that it would have been far better for Judas never to have had existence at all, than▪ by his own folly and wickedness, to have exposed himself to everlasting ruin and destruction.

Now, if the time will come, be it after ever so many ages, wherein Judas shall be happy and glorious, this declaration cannot be true. The felicity of heaven is so exquisitely great, as to counterbalance every pain, which we can, in this world, or in the Limbus patrum of the pious church of Rome, undergo. Surely, infinite glory, which can never know an end; which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive of; this glory, enjoyed eternally, will render it far better for Ju|das to have been born, than not to have been so. He must bless God, to all eternity, for his existence in such glory,

let him before have endured ever so much anguish, and distress; and it will be better for him to have been born, in exact proportion, between a finite, and infinite duration.

But, surely, that doctrine, which admits Judas Iscariot, the covetous defrauder of his master in life, and the base, treacherous betrayer of him to death; whom Jesus Christ himself calls, the son of perdition; and who was so filled with horror and despair, at his own vileness and guilt, as to put an end to his life, with his own hands: this doctrine, I say, must be friendly to abandoned characters; and must serve to make every man's conscience easy, let him live and die ever so wickedly.

If it is declared, in the word of God, that there is one sin, which never shall be forgiven to a man: then it follows, that any one, nay, all, who are guilty of this sin, shall fall short of eternal life, and of consequence be eternally mi|serable: for no one will be so absurd as to say, that men shall be saved, and glorified, without having their sins for|given them: but our Lord himself hath said, Matt. xii. 31, 32. Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sin and blas|phemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. This is the plain language of scripture; and there are other parts of it consentaneous to this. Now, we cannot suppose, that such a denunciation should be made against a sin, of which mankind never can be guilty; because this would be trifling with the most important concerns of mankind, and would serve only to excite useless terrors. Could no man then, had no man before, and should no one after, be guilty of this offence, we have every reason to think, that nothing would have been said concerning it. But if there is a sin, which never shall be forgiven, either in this world, or the other; and any one man, either here|tofore hath, or hereafter shall, be guilty of it; then there is one man who shall not be saved, and of consequence the parade made by our adversaries, with their universal ap|pellations, appears to be groundless. Thus much, at least, is demonstrable, that the fear of being utterly denied for|giveness,

either in time or eternity, is held up as a motive to restrain us from sin; which would not have been done, had this motive no existence in reality. Divine revelation deals not in fictitious terrors.