The Existence of God and the Immortality of the Soul, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Two Arguments more to prove future recompenses. Tis not possible for civil Justice to dispence rewards aud punishments according to the good and evil actions of Men. All Nations agree in the acknowledgment of a future state. The innocent Conscience is supported under an unjust Sentence,Ch. XII. by looking to the superiour Tribunal. The courage of Socrates in dying, with the cause of it. The guilty Conscience terrifies with the apprehension of judgment to come. Tiberius his complaint to the Senate of his inward tortures. An answer to the objection that we have not sensible evidence of what is enjoyed, and what is sufferd in the next life. Why sin, a transient act, is punished with eternal death.
3. 'TIs not possible for humane Justice to distribute recompence exactly according to the moral qualities of actions, therefore we may rationally infer there will be a future Judgment. This appears by consideriug.
1. That many times those crimes are equally punisht here, that are not of equal guilt: because they proceed from different sources, that lye so low as the strictest inquisition cannot discover. And many specious actions done for corrupt ends, and therefore without moral value, are equally rewarded with those wherein is the deepest tincture of virtue. The accounts of civil Justice are made by the most visible cause, not by the secret and most operative and influential. Therefore a superior Tribunal is necessary, to which not only sensible actions, but their most inward principles are open, that will exactly judge of moral evils according to their aggravations and allays, and of moral good according to the various degrees that are truly rewardable.
2. No temporal benefits are the proper and compleat reward of obedience to God. Not the proper; for they are common to bad and good: but the reward of Holiness must be peculiar to it, that an eminent distinction be made between the obedient and rebellious to the Divine Laws, otherwise it will not answer the ends of Government. And they are not the compleat rewards of obedience. For God rewards his Servants according to the infinite treasures of his Goodness. The sensible World, a Kingdom so vast, so rich, so delightful, is enjoyed by his enemies. We may therefore certainly infer he has reserved for his faithful Servants a more excellent felicity, as becomes his glorious goodness.
3. The extreamest temporal evils that can be inflicted here, are not correspondent to the guilt of Sin. Men can only torment and kill the Body, the instrument and less guilty part, but cannot immediately touch the Soul, the principal cause, by whose influence humane actions are vicious, and justly punishable. From hence it follows, that supposing the Wicked should feel the utmost severity of Civil Laws, yet there remains in another World a dreadful arrear of misery to be endured as their just and full recompence.
4. In testimony of this Truth, that the Souls of Men are immortal to Rewards and Punishments, not only the wisest Men, but all Nations have subscrib'd. The darkest Pagans have acknowledged a Deity and a Providence, and consequently a future Judgment. Indeed this spark was almost drown'd in an Abyss of Fables: for in explicating the process and Recompences of the last Judgment they mixt many absurd fictions with truth: but in different manners they acknowledged the same thing, that there remains another life, and two contrary states according to our actions here. Of this we have a perfect conviction from the immortal hopes in good Men, and the endless fears in the wicked. The directive understanding that tells Man his duty, has a reflexive power, and approves or condemns with respect to the Supreme Court, where it shall give a full testimony. Hence it is that Conscience so far as innocent, makes an Apology against unjust Charges, and sustains a Man under the most cruel Sentence, being perswaded of a superiour Tribunal that will rectify the errors of Man's Judgement: But when guilty, terrifies the Offender with the flashes of Judgment to come, though he may escape present sufferings. Of this double power of Conscience I shall add some lively Examples.
Plato represents his admirable Socrates after an unjust Condemnation to Death,Phaed. in the Prison at Athens encompast with a noble circle of Philosophers discoursing of the Souls Immortality, and that having finisht his Arguments for it, he drank the Cup of Poison with‖Et quum poene manu sua mortiferum teneret poculum, loquitus est, ut non ad mortem rudi, verum in Coelum videretur ascendere. Ita enim c…ns…bat, ita que disseruit, duas …ss…vias, duplices que cursus animorum e corpore excedentium. Nam qui se humanis vitiis contaminassent, & se totos libidinibus dedissent, quibus caecati, vel domesticis vitiis & flagitiis se inquinassent, vel in republica violanda fraudes inexpiabiles concaepissent, iis devium quoddam iter esse seclusum à Concilio Deorum. Qui autem se integros Castosque servassent, quibusque suisset minima cum corporibus contagio, se que ab his semper se…ocassent, essentque in corporibus humanis vitam imitati Deorum, his ad illos à quibus essent profecti facilem reditum patere. Tull. de Socrat. lib. 1. Tusc. quaest. an undisturbed Courage, as one that did not lose but exchange this short and wretched life for a blessed and eternal. For thus he argued, That there are two ways of departing Souls leading to two contrary states, of felicity and of misery. Those who had defiled themselves with sensual Vices, and given full scope to boundless lusts in their private conversation, or who by frauds and violence had been injurious to the Common-wealth, are drag'd to a place of torment, and for ever excluded from the joyful presence of the blessed Society above. But those who had preserv'd themselves upright and chaste, and at the greatest distance possible from the contagion of the flesh, and had during their union with humane bodies imitated the Divine Life, by an easie and open way returned to God from whom they came. And this was not the sense only of the more vertuous Heathens, but even some of those who had done greatest force to the humane Nature, yet could not so darken their Minds, and corrupt their Wills, but there remain'd in them stinging apprehensions of punishment hereafter. Histories inform us of many Tyrants that encompast with the strongest Guards have been afrighted with the alarms of an accusing Conscience, and seized on by inward terrors, the forerunners of Hell, and in the midst of their luxurious stupifying pleasures have been haunted with an evil Spirit, that all the Musick in the World could not charm. The persons executed by their commands were always in their view, shewing their wounds, reproaching their cruelty, and citing them before the High and Everlasting Judg the righteous Avenger of innocent Blood. How fain would they have kill'd them once more, and deprived them of that life they had in their memories? but that was beyond their power. Of this we have an eminent instance in‖Tiberium non fortuna, non solitudines protegebant, quin tormenta pectoris suasque poenas ipse fateretur. Tacit. Tiberius, who in a Letter to the Senate open'd the inward wounds of his Breast, with such words of despair, as might have moved pity in those who were under the continual fear of his Tyranny. No punishment is so cruel as when the Offender, and Executioner are the same Person. Now that such Peace and Joy are the effects of conscious integrity, that such disquiets and fears arise from guilt, is a convincing Argument that the Divine Providence is concern'd in the Good and Evil done here; and consequently that the comforts of Holy Souls are the first fruits of eternal Happiness, and the terrors of the Wicked, are the gradual beginnings of sorrows that shall never end.
Before I finish this Discourse it will be requisit to answer two Objections that Infidels are ready to make. 1. They argue against the reality of future recompences; That they are invisible, & we have no testimony frō others who know the truth of them by experience. As Alexanders Souldiers after his victories in the East, refused to venture over the Ocean with him for the conquest of other Kingdoms beyond it, alledging, facile ista finguntur quia Oceanus navigari non potest. The Seas were so vast and dangerous that no ship could pass through them. Who ever returned that was there? who has given Testimony from his own sight of such rich and pleasant Countries? Nothing can be more easily feigned that it is, than that of which there can be no proof that it is not. And such is the Language of Infidelity: Of all that undertook that endless Voyage to another World, who ever came back through the immense ocean of the Air to bring us news of such a happy Paradise as to make us despise this World? do they drink the Waters of forgetfulness, so as to lose the memory of the Earth and its Inhabitants? If there were a place of endless Torments, of the millions of Souls that every day depart from hence, would none return to give advice to his dear friends to prevent their misery? Or when they have taken that last step, is the precipice so steep that they cannot ascend hither? Or does the Soul lose its wings that it cannot take so high a flight? These are idle fancies. And from hence they conclude, that none ever return, because they never come there, but finally perish in the dissolution of the Body, and are lost in the Abyss of nothing: when they cease to live with us, they are dead to themselves. And consequently they judg it a foolish bargain to part with what is present and certain for an uncertain futurity. Thus they make use of Reason for this end, to perswade themselves that men are of the same nature with the Beasts, without Reason.
To this I answer. First, though the evidence of the future state be not equal to that of sense as to clearness, yet 'tis so convincing, even by natural light, that upon far less Men form their Judgments, and conduct their weightiest affairs in the World. To recapitulate briefly what has been amplified before; Is there not a God the Maker of the World? is there no Counsel of Providence to govern it? no Law of Righteousness for the distinction of Rewards? Are there not moral Good and Evil? Are Reason, Vertue, Grace, names without truth, like Chimaeras of no real kind, the fancies of Nature deceived and deceiving it self? Are they only wise among Men, the only happy discoverers of that which is proper, and best, and the All of Man, who most degenerate to brutishness? shall we judg of the truth of Nature in any kind of beings, by the Monsters in it? What generation of Animals has any show of veneration of a Deity, or a value for Justice, either peace or remorse of Conscience, or a natural desire of an intellectual happiness in life, and an eternal after death? Is there not even in the present state some experimental sense, some impressions in the hearts of Men of the Powers of the World to come? These things are discernable to all unprejudiced minds. And can it be pretended that there is not a sufficient conviction that Men and Beasts do not equally perish?
2. There is a vail drawn over the Eternal World for most wise Reasons. If the Glory of Heaven were clear to Sense, if the mouth of the bottomless-Pit were open before Mens eyes, there would be no place for Faith, and Obedience would not be the effect of choice but necessity, and consequently there would be no visible descrimination made between the Holy and the Wicked. The violent inclinations to sin would be stopt as to the act, without an inward real change of the Heart. If the Blasphemer or false Swearer were presently struck dumb, if the Drunkard should never recover his understanding, if the unclean wretch should immediatly be consumed by a hidden Fire, or his sinning flesh putrifie and rot away; if for every vice of the mind, some disease that resembles it in the Body were speedily inflicted as a just punishment, the World indeed would not be so full of all kinds of wickedness, so contagious and of such incureable malignity. But though in appearance it would be less vicious, yet in truth and reality not more vertuous, For such a kind of goodness, or rather not guiltiness of the outward sinful act, would proceed not from a Divine Principle, a free Spirit of love to God and Holiness, but from a low affection, mere servile fear of Vengeance. And love to Sin is consistent with such an abstinence from it. As a Merchant that in a Tempest is forc'd to cast his Goods into the Sea, not because he hates them, for he throws his Heart after, but to escape drowning. Now that the real difference between the Godly and the Impious, the Just and Unjust, the sober and intemperate may appear, God affords to men such evidence of future things that may satisfie an impartial considering person, and be a sure defence against temptations that infect and inchant the careless mind, and pervert the will to make a foolish choice of things next the senses for happiness. Yet this evidence is not so clear, but a corrupt heart may by a secret, but effectual influence, darken the understanding, and make it averse from the belief of unseen things, and strongly turn it from serious pondering those terrible truths that controul the carnal desires.
3. How preposterous is this inference? Departed Souls never return, therefore they have no existence, therefore we are but a breath of wind that only so long remains in being, as it blows, a shadow that is onelyonly whiles it appears; let our hours then that are but few, be fill'd with pleasures; let us enjoy the present, regardless of hereafter, that does not expect us. Philosophy worthy of Brutes! But prudence will conclude if the condition of Souls that go hence be immutable, and in that place where they arrive, they must be for ever, it should be our cheifest care to direct them well: if upon our entrance into the next World Eternity shuts the door upon us, and the happiness and misery of it is not measur'd by time, but the one excludes all fear, the other all hope of Change, 'tis necessary to govern all our actions with a final respect to that state. This is to discourse as a Man according to the Principles of right Reason.
2. If it be objected that it seems hard that a transient sin should be punish't with Eternal Torments: a clear and just answer may be given.
This conceit in Men proceeds from a superficial deceitful view of sin in the disguises of a temptation, as it flatters the senses, without a sincere distinct reflection on its essential malignity. From hence they judge of their sins, as light spots, inevitable accidents, lapses that cannot be prevented by humane frailty, errors excusable by common practice. Thus the subtilty of Satan joyned with the folly of Men represents great sins as small, and small as none at all, to undervalue and extenuate some, and to give full license and warrant to others. And thus deceived, they are ready to think it disagreeing to the Divine Goodness to punish sin so severely as 'tis threatned. But did they with intent and feeling thoughts look through the pleasing surface into the intrinsick evil of Sin, as it is rebellion against God, and the progeny of a will corrupted by its own perversness and pernitious habits, they would be convinc'd, that God acts in a manner worthy of his Nature, in the ordaining and inflicting eternal punishment on impenitent sinners. And 'tis observable that most dangerous effects follow by separating these two in the minds of Men. For if they consider eternal death without respect to the merit of Sin, they easily conceive of God as incompassionate, an enemy to his Creature, that is pleased with its misery. And such fearful conceits, such black melancholy vapours congeal the heart and stupefy its active powers, and cause a desperate neglect of our duties, as if God would not accept our sincere endeavours to please him. But if on the other side, they regard their Sins abstracted from the dreadful punishment that ensues, they form the notion of a Deity soft and careless, little moved with their faults, easie and indulgent to pardon them. Thus the sensual presumer becomes secure, and incorrigible in his wickedness. But we must consider these two Objects as most strictly joyn'd; the Judgment of God with respect to Sin that alwayes precedes it, and Sin with respect to the punishment that follows it, in the infallible order of Divine Justice. And thus we shall conceive of God becoming his perfections: that he is gratious and merciful, and loves the work of his hands; but that he is Holy and Just, and hates Sin infinitely more than Men love it. These are the two principal ideas we should form of God, with respect to his moral Government, and are mainly influential on his Subject. For the correspondent affections in us to those Attributes, are a reverent love of his Goodness, and a tender apprehension of his displeasure, the powerful motives to induce us to the practice of Holiness, and avert us from sin.
Now that the Divine Law is not hard in its Sanction, forbidding Sin upon the pain of Eternal Death, will appear by a due representation of the essential evil of Sin. This is discovered by considering,
1. The Glorious Object against whom it is committed. 'Tis a Rule universally acknowledged, that from the quality of the person offended, the Measure and Weight is taken of the offence. Now as the Nature and Perfections of God, so his Dignity and Majesty is Infinite, and from hence the transcendent guilt of Sin arises. The formalis ratio of Sin is disobedience to the Divine Law, and the least breach of it, even a vain thought, an idle word, an unprofitable action, is in its proper nature a rebellious contempt of the Authority of the Wise and Holy Law-giver. Now that a poor Worm should dare to rebel against the Lord of Heaven and Earth, and if it were possible dethrone him, what understanding can conceive the vastness of its guilt? No finite sufferings in what degrees so ever are equal reparation for the offence. After the revolution of millions of years in a state of misery the sinner cannot plead for a release; because he has not made full payment for his fault, the rights of Justice are not satisfied.
If it be objected, that this will infer an equality between all Sins.
I answ. Though there is a great disparity in Sins with respect to their immediate Causes, Circumstances, complicated Nature and Quality, by which some have a more odious turpitude adhering to them, yet they all agree in the general nature of Sin, relating to the Law of God, and consequently in their order to Eternal Death. The least disobedience has as truly the formality of Sin, as what is so in the Supreme degree. This may be illustrated by a comparison. As the Parts of the World compared with one another, are of different elevation and greatness; the Earth and Water are in the lowest place, and but as a point to the Celestial Orbs, that are above the highest regions of the Air; yet if we compare them with that infinite space that is without the circumference of the Heavens, they are equally distant from the utmost extent of it, and equally disproportioned to its immensity. For greater or less, higher or lower, are no approaches to what is Infiniter. Thus there are several degrees of malignity in sins, compar'd one with another, but as they are injurious to the infinite and incomprehensible Majesty of God, there is the same kind of malignity, and so far an equality between them. Rebellion in the least instance, is as the sin of Witchcraft, and stubbornness in the smallest matters is as Idolatry; that is, the least Sin is as truly repugnant to the Divine Law, as those that in the highest manner are opposit to the Truth and Glory of the Deity. And from hence their proportion to punishment is not distinguish'd by temporal and eternal, but by stronger or remisser degrees of Torment, by suffering the Rods or Scorpions of Justice in that endless duration.
'Tis a vain excuse to say that God can receive no hurt by Sin, as will appear in a case of infinitely a lower nature. The counterfeiting of the Broad-Seal does no hurt to the Person of the King, but 'tis injurious to his Honour and Government, and the Offender incurs the guilt of High-Treason, and is punish'd accordingly.
2. Consider Man's relation to God as the Creator and Preserver, who gives him life and innumerable benefits, who conferrs on him the most shining marks of his favour, and this unspeakably inhances the guilt of Sin against God, by adding Ingratitude to Rebellion, the abuse of his Goodness to the ignominious affront of his Majesty. The degrees of Guilt arise in proportion to our Duty and Obligations. For Man then to turn Enemy against his Father and Sovereign, to deprave and pervert his Gifts, to deface his Image, to obscure his Glory, justly provokes his extream Anger. If in the Judgement of Mankind some heinous Offenders, as Parricides, the Assassinates of Kings, the Betrayers of their Countrey, contract so great a guilt as exceeds the most exquisite Torments that the Criminal can endure, and no less than Death, that for ever deprives of all that is valuable and pleasant in this natural life, is an equal punishment to it; What temporal Sufferings can expiate sin against God? For besides the transcendent excellence of his Nature, infinitely rais'd above all other beings, there are united in him in an incomparable degree, all the Rights that are inherent in our Parents, Princes, or Country, for benefits received from them. And may he not then justly deprive ungracious Rebels for ever of the comforts of his reviving Presence?
3. The necessity of Eternal Recompences to excite a constant fear in Men of offending God, makes the Justice of them visible. For (as it has been proved before) whiles they are cloathed with flesh and blood, the disposition inclining from within, and the temptation urging from without, if the punishment of sin were not far more terrible, than the pleasures of it are alluring, there would be no effectual restraint upon the riots of the carnal appetite. Now if civil Justice, for the preservation of society, wisely decrees such penalties for offences as are requisite to maintain the honour of Laws that are founded in equity, either by preventing, or by repairing the the injury done to them; Is it not most righteous that the Supreme Lord of the World should secure obedience to his most holy Laws, by annexing such penalties as are necessary to induce a reverence of them in his Subjects, and to execute the sentence in full severity upon presumptuous Transgressors? without this the Divine Government would be dissolved.
4. Eternal Life, and Eternal Death are set before Men, to encourage them to obedience and deter them from Sin, so that none dies but for wilful impenitence. And can there be the least aspersion of unjust rigour cast on God's proceedings in Judgment? If it be said, 'tis so contrary to the most inviolable inclinations of Nature, that no Man can choose his own destruction: to that a full answer may be given. 'Tis true Man cannot devest Reason and Sense so as to choose directly and intentionally Eternal Misery, but vertually and by consequence he does. For the deliberate choice of Sin as pleasant or profitable, though damnable in the issue, is by just interpretation a choosing of the punishment that attends it. And to make it clear, that sinners are in love with perishing, let us consider,
1. The inestimable reward of Obedience they refuse. 'Tis a felicity worth as much as the enjoyment of God himself, and as durable as Eternity. Now what is put in the Ballance against Heaven? Only this World that passes away, with the lusts thereof. And it argues a violent propension in the will to carnal things, when the little fleeting pleasures of Sense (how empty, how vanishing!) outweigh in the competition the substantial everlasting Blessedness of the Spirit. And what a vile contempt is it of the Perfections of God, that such base things, such trifling Temptations should be chosen before him? Were it not visibly true, Reason would deny the possibility of it. 'Tis as if the Wife of a Prince should prefer in her affections before him a diseased deformed Slave. Or, as if one should choose the food of Beasts, Hay, Acorns or Carrion, before the provisions of a Royal Table. This is no Hyperbole, no Exaggregation, but the reality, infinitely exceeds all Figures. And is it not perfectly reasonable that sinners should inherit their own option?
2. This rejecting of Eternal Life by sinners, is peremptory against the best and often renewed means to induce them to accept of it. They are allured by the sweetest Mercies, urged by the strongest terrours, to forsake their beloved lusts and be happy. And till the riches of goodness and forbearance are dispised, they are not past hopes. For though the sentence of the Law be decisive upon the first act of sin, yet 'tis not irrevocable but upon impenitence in it. But when sin has such an absolute Empire in the Will, that no obligations, no invitations can prevail with it, 'tis manifest, that obstinacy is an ingredient in the refusal of Heaven. And is it not most just that an obstinate aversation from God should be punish'd with an everlasting exclusion from his Glory? This will clearly vindicate Divine Justice, and render sinners excuseless in the day of accounts. God will overcome when he judges, and every mouth be stopt. This will be a fiery addition to their misery, and feed the never dying Worm. For by reflecting upon what they have irrecoverably lost, and what they must for ever suffer, and that by their own wretched choice, the awakened Conscience turns the most cruel fiend against it self. In Hell there is weeping and gnashing of Teeth. Extreme Misery and extreme Fury, Despair and Rage, are the true Characters of Damnation.