N13259:472
Sermons, on the following subjects
Sermons, on the following subjects; The manner in which salvation is to be sought. The unreasonableness of indetermination in religion. Unbelievers contemn the glory of Christ. The folly of looking back in fleeing out of Sodom. The warnings of Scripture in the best manner adapted to the awakening and conversion of sinners. Hypocrites deficient in the duty of prayer. The future punishment of the wicked unavoidable and intolerable. The eternity of hell-torments. The peace which Christ gives his true followers. The perpetuity & change of the Sabbath. / By the late Reverend Mr. Jonathan Edwards, president of the College of New-Jersey.
Hartford: printed by Hudson and Goodwin, 1780
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
JUST so if we saw a proportion between the evil of sin and eternal punishment, if we saw something in wicked men that should appear as hateful to us, as eternal misery appears dreadful; something that should as much stir up indignation and detestation, as eternal misery does terror; all objections against this doctrine would vanish at once. Though now it seem incredible; though when we hear of it and are so often •old of it, we know not how to realize it; though •hen we hear of such a degree and duration of torments, ⟨p. 176⟩as are held forth in this doctrine, and think what eternity is, it is ready to seem impossible, that such torments should be inflicted on poor, feeble creatures, by a creator of infinite mercy: yet this arises principally from these two causes, (1.) That it is so contrary to the depraved inclinations of mankind, they are so averse to the truth of this doctrine, they hate to believe it, and cannot bear it should be true. (2.) That they see not the suitableness of eternal punishment to the evil of sin; they see not that eternal punishment is proportionable and no more than proportionable to the demerit of sin.
HAVING thus shown that the eternal punishment of the wicked is not inconsistent with the divine perfections, I shall now proceed further, and undertake to show that it is so far from being inconsistent with the divine perfections, that those perfections evidently require it; i. e. they require that sin should have so great a punishment, either in the person who has committed it, or in a surety; and therefore with respect to those who believe not in the surety, and have no interest in him, the divine perfections require that this punishment should be inflicted on them.
THIS appears, as it is not only not unsuitable, that sin should be thus punished; but it is positively suitable, decent and proper.—If this be made to appear that it is positively suitable, that sin should be thus punished, then it will follow, that the perfections of GOD require it; for certainly the perfections of GOD require that that should be done, which is proper to be done. The perfection, and excellency of the nature of GOD require, that that should take place which is perfect, excellent and proper in its own nature. But that sin should be punished eternally is such a thing; which appears by the following considerations.