N13259:474
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.
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.
1. IT is suitable that GOD should infinitely hate sin, and be an infinite enemy to it. Sin, as I have before shown, is an infinite evil, and therefore is infinitely odious and detestable▪ It is proper that GOD should hate every evil, and hate it according to its odious and detestable nature. And sin being infinitely evil and odious, it is proper that GOD should hate it infinitely.
2. IF infinite hatred of sin be suitable to the divine character, then the expressions of such hatred are also suitable to his character. If it be suitable that GOD should hate sin, then it is suitable he should express that hatred. Because that which is suitable to be, is suitable to be expressed: that which is lovely in itself, is lovely when it appears. If it be suitable that GOD should be an infinite enemy to sin, or that he should hate it infinitely, then it is suitable that he should act as such an enemy. No possible reason can be given why it is not suitable for GOD to act as such an one, as it is suitable for him to be. If it be suitable that he should hate and have enmity against sin, then it is suitable for him to express that hatred and enmity, in that to which hatred and enmity by its own nature tends.—But certainly hatred in its own nature tends to opposition, and to set itself against that which is hated, and to procure its evil and not its good: and that in proportion to the hatred. Great hatred naturally tends to the great evil, and infinite hatred to the infinite evil, of its object.