Imágenes de página
PDF
ePub

it Infinite, namely, that it is an Offence and Affront to the Infinite Majefty of God. Since therefore this Reafon of Sin's being ftyled Infinite is not Poffibly applicable to Punishment inflicted by Almighty God, or to any thing whatsoever be¬ fide Sin, 'tis in vain to urge any thing as by the fame Reafon; 'tis therefore Impoffible, that the case which this Author brings as Equivalent and palpably abfurd, or that any other inftance whatsoever fhould Really be Equivalent, and by confequence, that any fuch inftance fhould prove any thing at all against the Argument.

As for the first and Principal part of this Reflection, though there be fomething in it of that Clear and Eafy Thought and Expreffion which the Author of it was fo Eminent for, yet 'tis all Groundless and Miftaken. The Argument fets forth, that Everlasting mifery is the Juft punifhment of Sin; and here is a very formal poof produced, that there are Degrees in the demerit of Sin, and will be Degrees of Punishment in the World to come; from which 'tis infinuated, that

Sin

Sin cannot deserve Punishment in any fenfe Infinite, because Infinite does not admit of any Degrees. Now no body ever denied or doubted, that there are Degrees of demerit and will be Degrees of punishment in the World to come; but what is this to Infinite Duration, the only thing in question, and the only thing that this Reflection fhould have refer'd to? For the punishment of all Wicked men may be Infinite in Duration, and yet greater or lefs in Quality or Degree, more or lefs Sharp and Tormenting according to the Degrees of their Sins.

2ly, The fecond Argument is thus represented and thus replied to; It is said by others, that if Wicked men lived for ever in this world, they would fin for ever, and therefore they deferve to be punished for ever. But this hath neither truth nor reafon enough in it to give fatisfaction: For who can certainly tell, that if a man lived never fo long, he would never repent and grow better?

In anfwer to this, it feems fufficiently manifeft, from the Principles of the Gospel, by which alone we are to be guid

ed

ed and determined in this Matter, that no Man dies in a State of Impenitence, till he hath fo far provoked Almighty God. by his Sins, that the means of Grace are Juftly and Finally withdrawn from him: And I think it may safely be affirmed, that thofe, from whom God's Grace is Finally withdrawn, would be for ever disobedient, if they should be fuffer'd to live here for ever.

But 'tis further urged, that fuppofing this to be True, it is no Reason of God's inflicting Everlasting punishment, and that upon this account, That the Justice of God does only punish the Sins which men have committed in this life, and not those which they might poffibly have committed if they had lived longer.

But here the Argument is Mifapprehended, and the Reply very little or nothing to the purpose. For 'tis not supposed, that men will be punished for thofe Sins which they might poffibly have committed if they had lived longer. If this were alledged, it must be with respect, not to the Duration, but the Degrees of punishment, which are without question

to

to be determined and inflicted proportionably to the measures of guilt: And therefore that any man should fuffer the fame Degrees of punishment, as if he had Actually committed all thofe Sins which he might Poffibly have committed if he had lived longer, would be, according to our Notions of things, inconfiftent with God's Juftice. In this sense, and in this fenfe only, the observation is true, but does not at all affect the genuine purport and force of the Argument before us, which is grounded upon, and to be interpreted by, that Maxim of the Schoolmen, in this cafe, Duratio pone refpondet durationi culpe, non quidem ex parte Actus, fed ex parte Macule. The Duration of Punishment is proportionate to the Duration of Sin; where by Sin we are not to understand the Act of Sin, but the Pollution of it. And this is no Unintelligible nicety or fenfeless distinction, but the plain Truth, confonant to Reafon and Scripture; from both which we know, that fin * defiles a man, that

* Mat. xv. 20.

thereby

thereby defiled.

even the mind and Confcience is

We cannot indeed fo accurately and fully account for Spiritual pollution as we can for the objects of fense, because our notions of Spirit are lefs clear and perfect. But our knowledge of it is thus far certain, that the commiffion of fin withdraws our Affections from God, and fixeth them upon fuch things as are directly repugnant to his Purity and Holinefs; that Habitual Sinners do with abhorrence avoid that which is Good and with delight adhere to that which is Evil. Now if this be the cafe, as doubtless it is, of all those who die in a state of fin; and if the means of Grace do terminate with this life; if there be no Repentance, no Conversion, no Regeneration beyond the grave, (as there is not the least colour of reafon to believe or hope it) hence it neceffarily follows, that all habitual Sinners will be for ever alienated from the love of God, everlastingly subject to an Abhorrence of Goodness, and everlast

* Tit. i. 15.

« AnteriorContinuar »