N13259:491
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.
OF those who have held that the torments of hell are not absolutely eternal, there have been two sorts. (1.) Some suppose that in the threatenings of everlasting punishment, the terms used, do not necessarily import a proper eternity, but only a very long duration. (2.) Others suppose that if they do import a proper eternity; yet we cannot necessarily conclude thence, that GOD will fulfil his threatenings.
Therefore I shall,
FIRST, show that the threatenings of eternal punishment do very plainly and fully import a proper, absolute eternity, and not merely a long duration.
This appears,
1. BECAUSE when the scripture speaks of the wicked's being sentenced to their punishment, at the time when all temporal things are come to an end, it then speaks of it as everlasting, as in the text and elsewhere.—It is true that the term forever is not always in scripture used to signify eternity. Sometimes it means, as long as a man liveth. In this sense it is said, that the Hebrew servant, who chose to abide with his master, should have his ear bored, and should serve his master forever.—Sometimes it means, during the continuance of the state and church of the Jews. In this sense several laws which were peculiar to that church, and were to continue in force no longer than that