2. Others tell us, That if they should live here for ever, they would sin for ever; therefore God taking the will for the deed, punisheth them for ever. They die eternally for sin, who would have lived eternally in sin. Vellet sine fine vivere ut posset sine fine peccare, Greg. Man would live here for ever, if he had his will, that he might sin for ever. Scotus and Aquinas tell us, Peccant in aeterno suo & puniuntur in aeterno Dei: They sin in their eternity, and God punisheth them in his eternity. If God would ⟨p. 87⟩give them an eternal abode on Earth, they would employ it in disobeying and dishonouring him eternally. And because they would sin for ever, therefore they shall suffer for ever; Jer. 8.5. The Children of Israel are slidden back with a perpetual back-sliding; they hold fast deceit, and refuse to return. How loath are they to forsake their Lusts: 1. They hold them fast. As a Fountain sendeth forth water, so doth the Sinner send forth wickedness, Jer. 6.7. Now a Fountain sendeth forth water freely without constraint, and constantly without cessation. What any thing doth naturally, it doth easily and unweariedly. The Sun shines naturally, and he shines without any pains or tiresomeness. The Fountain sends forth water naturally, and doth it with ease and constancy. So the Sinner sins naturally, and doth it delightfully and unweariedly. When the Body and its members, the instruments of sin, are tired and worn out, and unable to execute the lusts of the flesh, the body of sin is still fresh and vigorous in plotting and conspiring evil, and in embracing and cherishing evil motions: whence it appears, ⟨p. 88⟩that man sinning naturally would (if he lived) sin eternally, and thence say they, He is tormented for ever. But,
2. Others tell us, That if they should live here for ever, they would sin for ever; therefore God taking the will for the deed, punisheth them for ever. They die eternally for sin, who would have lived eternally in sin. Vellet sine fine vivere ut posset sine fine peccare, Greg. Man would live here for ever, if he had his will, that he might sin for ever. Scotus and Aquinas tell us, Peccant in aeterno suo & puniuntur in aeterno Dei: They sin in their eternity, and God punisheth them in his eternity. If God would ⟨p. 87⟩give them an eternal abode on Earth, they would imploy it in disobeying and dishonouring him eternally. And because they would sin for ever, therefore they shall suffer for ever; Jer. 8.5. The Children of Israel are slidden back with a perpetual back-sliding; they hold fast deceit, and refuse to return. How loath are they to forsake their Lusts: 1. They hold them fast. As a Fountain sendeth forth water, so doth the Sinner send forth wickedness, Jer. 6.7. Now a Fountain sendeth forth water freely without constraint, and constantly without cessation. What any thing doth naturally, it doth easily and unweariedly. The Sun shines naturally, and he shines without any pains or tiresomeness. The Fountain sends forth water naturally, and doth it with ease and constancy. So the Sinner sins naturally, and doth it delightfully and unweariedly. When the Body and its members, the instruments of sin, are tired and worn out, and unable to execute the lusts of the flesh, the body of sin is still fresh and vigorous in plotting and conspiring evil, and in embracing and cherishing evil motions: whence it appears, ⟨p. 88⟩that man sinning naturally would (if he lived) sin eternally, and thence say they, He is tormented for ever. But,
