Sermons on Various Subjects Volume 1, Sermon 11
SERMON XI.
The ETERNITY of HILL-TORMENTS.
MATTH. xxv. 46.
Theſe ſhall go away into Everlaſting Puniſhment.
THE Excellency of the Goſpel …penſation is evidenced by nothing more, than thoſe Sanctions of Rewards and Puniſhments, which it offers to the Choice of all its Profeſſors, in order to invite or compel them to be obedient to its Precepts.—For it promiſes no leſs than Eternal Happineſs to the Good, and denounces no ſlighter a Puniſhment than Everlaſting Miſery againſt the Wicked. On the one Hand, it is a Savour of Life unto Life, on the other, a Savour of Death unto Death. And though one would imagine the bare mentioning of the former would be ſufficient to draw Men to their Duty, yet Miniſters in all Ages have found it neceſſary frequently to remind their People of the latter, and to ſet before them the Terrors of the LORD, as ſo many powerful Diſſuaſives from Sin.
But whence is it that Men are ſo diſingenuous?—Why, the Reaſon ſeems to be this.—The Promiſe of Eternal Happineſs on our Well-doing, is ſo agreeable to the Inclinations and Wiſhes of Mankind, that all that call themſelves Chriſtians, univerſally and willingly ſubſcribe to the Belief of it. But then there is ſomething ſo ſhocking in the Conſideration of Eternal Torments, and ſeemingly ſuch an infinite Diſproportion between an endleſs Duration of Pain, and a ſhort Life ſpent in Pleaſure, that Men (ſome at leaſt of them) can ſcarcely be brought to confeſs it as an Article of their Faith, that an Eternity of Miſery awaits the Wicked in a future State.
I ſhall therefore at this Time beg Leave, to inſiſt on the Proof of this Part of one of the Articles of our Creed; and endeavour to make good what our bleſſed LORD has here threatned in the Words of the Text, that Theſe, that is, the Wicked, ſhall go away into Everlaſting Puniſhment.
Accordingly, without conſidering the Words as they ſtand in Relation to the Context, I ſhall reſolve all I have to ſay into this one general Propoſition,—That the Torments reſerved for the Wicked hereafter are eternal.
But before I proceed to make good this, I muſt inform you that I take it for granted,
All here preſent ſtedfaſtly believe, They have ſomething within them, which we call a Soul, and which is capable of ſurviving the Diſſolution of the Body, and of being miſerable or happy to all Eternity.
I take it for granted farther, That you believe a Divine Revelation; that thoſe Books, emphatically called the Scriptures, were written by the Inſpiration of GOD, and that the Things therein contained, are founded upon Eternal Truth.
I take it for granted laſtly, That you believe, that the Son of GOD came down to die for Sinners; that there is but one Mediator between GOD and Man, even the Man CHRIST JESUS.
Theſe Things being granted (and they were neceſſary to be premiſed) proceed we now to make good the one general Propoſition mentioned before, and aſſerted in the Text, that The Torments reſerved for the … hereafter are Eternal.—Theſe, ſays … LORD, ſhall go away into Everlaſting Puniſhment.
The firſt Argument I ſhall advance to prove that the Torments reſerved for the Wicked hereafter are eternal (for I have taken it for granted, that you believe thoſe Books, emphatically called the Scriptures, were written by the Inſpiration of GOD, and that the Things contained therein are founded upon Eternal Truth) is, That the Word of GOD himſelf, aſſures us, Line upon Line, that it will be ſo.
To quote all the Texts that might be produced in Proof of this, would be endleſs,—Let it ſuffice to inſtance only in a few.—In the Old Teſtament, in the Book of Daniel, Chap. xii. ver. 2. we are told, that Some ſhall awake to Everlaſting Life, and others to Everlaſting Contempt.—In the Book of Iſaiah, it is ſaid, that The Worm of thoſe that have tranſgreſſed GOD's Law, ſhall not die, nor their Fire be quenched.—And in another Place, the Holy Prophet, ſtruck, no doubt, with Aſtoniſhment and Horror at the Proſpect of the Continuance of the Torments of the Damned, breaks out into this moving Expoſtulation, Who can dwell with Everlaſting Burnings?
The New Teſtament is ſtill fuller as to this Point, it being a Revelation which brought this and ſuch-like Particulars to a clear Light.—The Apoſtle Jude tells us of the profane Deſpiſers of Dignities in his Days, that for them was reſerved the Blackneſs of Darkneſs for ever.—And in the Book of the Revelations it is written, that The Smoke of the Torments of the Wicked aſcendeth for ever and ever—And if we believe the Witneſs of Men inſpired, the Witneſs of the Son of GOD, who had the Spirit given him, as he was a Mediator, without Meaſure, is ſtill far greater.—And he, in St. Mark's Goſpel, repeats this ſolemn Declaration three ſeveral Times. It is better for Thee to enter into Life maimed; that is, it is better to forego the Gratification of thy Luſt, or incur the Diſpleaſure of a Friend, which may be as dear to thee as a Hand, or as uſeful as a Foot, than having two Hands and Feet, that is, for indulging the one, or diſobeying GOD to oblige the other, to be caſt into Hell, where the Worm dieth not, and the Fire is not quenched.
And here again, in the Words of the Text, Theſe, that is, the Wicked, ſays he, ſhall go away into everlaſting Puniſhment.
I know it has been objected by ſome who have denied the Eternity of Hell Torments, That the Words Everlaſting and Ever and Ever, are often uſed in the Holy Scriptures, (eſpecially in the Old Teſtament) when they ſignify not an endleſs Duration, but a limited Term of Time.
And this we readily grant. But then we reply, That when the Words are uſed with this Limitation, they either manifeſtly appear to be uſed ſo from the Context—or are put in Oppoſition to ſome occaſional Types which GOD gave his People on ſome ſpecial Occaſions, as when it is ſaid, it ſhall be a perpetual or everlaſting Statute, or a Statute for ever, that is, a ſtanding Type, and not merely tranſient or occaſional, as was the Pillar of Cloud, the Manna, or ſuch like—Or laſtly, they have a Relation, to that Covenant GOD made with his ſpiritual Iſrael, which, if underſtood in a ſpiritual Senſe, will be everlaſting, though the Ceremonial Diſpenſation be aboliſhed.
Beſides, it ought to be obſerved, that, ſome of the Paſſages juſt now referred to, have neither of theſe Words ſo much as mentioned in them, and cannot poſſibly be interpreted ſo as to denote only a limited Term of Years.
But let that be as it will, it is evident even to a D…onſtration, that the Words of the Text however, will not admit of ſuch a reſtrained Signification, as appears from their being directly oppoſed to the Words immediately following, viz. That the Righteous ſhall go into Life eternal. From which Words, all are ready to grant, that the Life promiſed to the Righteous will be Eternal; and why the Puniſhment threatned to the Wicked ſhould not be underſtood to be Eternal likewiſe, when the very ſame Word in the Original, is uſed to expreſs the Duration of each, no Shadow of a Reaſon can be given.
But Secondly, There cannot be one Argument urged, why GOD ſhould reward his Saints with everlaſting Happineſs, which will not equally prove that he ought to puniſh Sinners with Eternal Miſery.
For, ſince we know nothing (at leaſt for a Certainty) how he will deal with either, but by a Divine Revelation; and ſince, as was proved by the foregoing Argument, he hath as poſitively threatned eternally to puniſh the Wicked, as to reward the Good; it follows that his Truth will be as much impeached and called in Queſtion, did he not inflict his Puniſhments, as it would be, if he did not confer his Rewards.
To this alſo it has been objected, That though GOD is obliged by his Promiſe to give his Rewards, yet his Veracity could not be called in Queſtion, ſuppoſing he ſhould not execute his Threatnings, as he actually did not in the Caſe of Nineveh, which GOD expreſly declared by his Prophet Jonah, ſhould be deſtroyed in Forty Days; notwithſtanding the Sequel of the Story informs us, that Nineveh was ſpared.
But in anſwer to this Objection we affirm, That GOD's Threatnings, as well as Promiſes, are without Repentance.—And for this Reaſon, becauſe they are both founded on the eternal Laws of right Reaſon.—Accordingly we always find, that where the Conditions were not performed, on the Non-performance of which the Threatnings were denounced, GOD always executed the Puniſhment threatned.—The driving Adam out of Eden,—The Deſtruction of the old World by a Deluge of Water, and the Overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, are, and will be always ſo many ſtanding Monuments of GOD's executing his Threatnings when denounced, though, to our weak Apprehenſions, the Puniſhment may ſeem far to exceed the Crime.
It is true, GOD did ſpare Nineveh, and that becauſe the Inhabitants did actually repent, and therefore performed the Conditions upon which it was ſuppoſed by the Prophet's being ſent to warn them, the threatned Puniſhment ſhould be with-held.
And ſo likewiſe in reſpect to Goſpel Threatnings. If Men will ſo far conſult their own Welfare as to live … to the Goſpel Terms, GOD certainly will not puniſh them, but on the contrary confer upon them his Rewards,—But to … that HE will not puniſh, and that eternal … too, impenitent, obſtinate Sinners, according as he hath threatned, if they do not perform the Terms of the Goſpel, what is it, in Effect, but to make GOD like a Man, that he ſhould lie, or the Son of Man that he ſhould repent?
But the Abſurdity of ſuch an Opinion will appear ſtill more evident from
The next and Third Argument I ſhall offer to prove, that the Torments reſerved for the Wicked hereafter are eternal, viz. From the Nature of the Chriſtian Covenant.
And here I muſt again obſerve, that it was taken for granted at the Beginning of this Diſcourſe, that, You believe the Son of GOD came down to ſave Sinners; that there is but one Mediator between GOD and Man, even the Man CHRIST JESUS.
And here I take it for granted farther (unleſs you believe the abſurd and unwarrantable Doctrine of Purgatory) that you are fully perſuaded, that this Life is the only Time allotted by Almighty GOD for working out our Salvation, and that after a few Years are paſſed over, there will remain no more Sacrifice for Sin.
And if this be granted (and who dares deny it) it follows that if a wicked Man dieth in his Wickedneſs, and under the Wrath of GOD, he muſt continue in that State to all Eternity.—For, ſince there is no Poſſibility of his being delivered out of ſuch a Condition but by and thro' CHRIST; and ſince, at the Hour of Death, the Time of CHRIST'S Mediation and Interceſſion for him is irrecoverably gone; the ſame Reaſon that may be given, why GOD ſhould puniſh a Sinner that dieth under the Guilt of his Sins for a ſingle Day, will equally hold good, why he ſhould continue to puniſh him for a Year, an Age, nay, to all Eternity.
But I haſten to the Fourth, and laſt Argument, to prove, That the Torments reſerved for the Wicked hereafter are Eternal, viz. Becauſe the Devil's Puniſhment is to be ſo.
That there is ſuch a Being whom we call the Devil, that he was once an Angel of Light, but for his Pride and Rebellion againſt GOD was caſt down from Heaven, and is now permitted with the reſt of his ſpiritual Wickedneſſes, to walk to and fro, ſeeking whom they may devour.—That there is a Place of Torment reſerved for them, or, to uſe the Apoſtle's Words, that they are reſerved in everlaſting Chains under Darkneſs unto the Judgment of the Great Day, are Truths all here preſent were ſuppoſed to be convinced of, when it was taken fo… granted under the ſecond Propoſition at the Beginning of this Diſcourſe, that you believed the Holy Scriptures to be written by the Inſpiration of GOD, wherein theſe Truths are delivered.
But then if we allow all this, and think it no Injuſtice in GOD to puniſh thoſe Glorious Spirits for their Rebellion, how can we think it unjuſt in him, to puniſh wicked Men for their Impenitency to all Eternity?
You will ſay perhaps, that they have ſinned againſt greater Light, and therefore deſerve a greater Puniſhment. And ſo we grant that the Puniſhment of the fallen Angles m… be greater as to Degree, than that of wicked Men. But then we affirm, it will be equal as to the Eternal Duration of it. For in that Day, as the lively Oracles of GOD inform us, ſhall the Son of Man ſay to them on his left Hand, Depart from me ye Curſed into Everlaſting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels.—Where we find that impenitent Sinners are to be caſt into the ſame Everlaſting Fire, With the Devil and his Angels,—And that too very juſtly.—For though they may have ſinned againſt greater Light, yet Chriſtians ſin againſt greater Mercy. Since CHRIST took not hold of, did not die for the fallen Angels, but of the …eed of Abraham, for Men and for our Salvation. So that if GOD ſpared not thoſe Excellent Beings, aſſure thyſelf, O obſtinate Sinner, whoever thou art, he will by no means ſpare thee.
From what then has been ſaid it plainly appears, that verily …he Torments reſerved for the Wicked hereafter are Eternal.—And if ſo, Brethren, how holy ought we to be in all Manner of Converſation and Godlineſs, that we may be accounted worthy to eſcape this Wrath to come!
But before I proceed to a practical Exhortation, permit me to draw an Inference or two from what has been ſaid.
And firſt, If the Torments reſerved for the Wicked hereafter are Eternal, what ſhall we ſay to thoſe, who make an open Profeſſion in their Creed to believe a Life Everlaſting, i. e. a …e of Happineſs as well as Miſery, and yet dare to live in the actual Commiſſion of thoſe Sins which will unavoidably, without Repentance, bring them into that Place of Torment? Thou believeſt the Puniſhments of the impenitently wicked in another Life, are Eternal: Thou doeſt well, The Devils alſo believe and tremble. But know, O vain Man, unleſs this Belief doth influence thy Practice, and makes thee bid Adieu to thy Sins, every Time thou repeateſt thy Creed, thou doeſt in Effect ſay, I believe I ſhall be undone for ever.
But Secondly, if the Torments reſerved for the Wicked hereafter are Eternal, then let this ſerve as a Caution to ſuch Perſons (and it is to be fear'd there are ſome ſuch) who go about to diſſuade others from the Belief of ſuch an important Truth. There being no ſurer Way, in all Probability, to encourage and promote Infidelity and Prophaneneſs, than the broaching or maintaining ſuch an unwarrantable Doctrine—For if the poſitive Threats of GOD concerning the Eternity of Hell Torments are already found inſufficient to deter Men from Sin, what a higher Pitch of Wickedneſs may we imagine they will quickly arrive at, when they are taught to entertain any Hopes of a Future Recovery out of them, or, what is ſtill worſe, that their Souls are hereafter to be annihilated, and become like the Beaſts that periſh?—But Woe unto ſuch blind Leaders of the Blind. No Wonder if they both fall into the Ditch.—And let ſuch Corrupters of GOD's Word know, that I teſtify unto every Man that heareth me this Day, that if any one ſhall add unto, or take away from the Words that are written in the Book of GOD, GOD ſhall take his Part out of the Book of Life, and ſhall add unto him all the Plagues that are in that Book.
Thirdly and Laſtly, if the Torments reſerved for the Wicked hereafter are Eternal, then this may ſerve as a Reproof for thoſe who quarrel with GOD, and ſay it is inconſiſtent with his Juſtice, to puniſh a Perſon to all Eternity, only for enjoying the Pleaſures of Sin for a Seaſon. But ſuch Perſons muſt be told, that it is not their thinking or calling GOD unjuſt, will make him ſo, no more than a condemned Priſoner's ſaying the Law or Judge is unjuſt, will render either duly chargeable with ſuch an Imputation.—But knoweſt thou, O Worm, what Blaſphemy thou are guilty of, in charging GOD with Injuſtice?—Shall the Thing formed ſay to him that formed it, Why haſt thou made me thus? And wilt thou preſume to arraign the Almighty at the Bar of thy ſhallow Reaſoning? And call him unjuſt, for puniſhing thee Eternally, only becauſe thou wiſheſt it may not be ſo? But hath GOD ſaid it; and ſhall he not do it? He hath ſaid it: And let GOD be true, tho' every Man be a Liar.—Shall not the Judge of all the Earth do right? Aſſuredly he will. And if Sinners will not own his Juſtice in his Threatnings here, they will be compell'd e'er long to own and feel them when tormented by him hereafter.
But to come to a more practical Application of what has been deliver'd.
You have heard, Brethren, the Eternity of Hell-Torments plainly proved, from the expreſs Declarations of Holy Scriptures, and Conſequences naturally drawn from them.—And now there ſeems to need no great Art of Rhetorick to perſuade any underſtanding Perſon to avoid and abhor thoſe Sins, which without Repentance will certainly plunge him into thi… Eternal Gulph.—The Diſproportion between the Pleaſure and the Pain (if there be any Pleaſure in Sin) is ſo infinitely great, that ſuppoſing it was only poſſible, though not certain, that the Wicked would be everlaſtingly puniſhed, no one that has the Reaſon of a Man, for the Enjoying a little momentary Pleaſure, would, one would imagine, run the Hazard of enduring Eternal Pain.—But ſince the Torments of the Damned are not only poſſible, but certain, (ſince GOD himſelf, who cannot lye, has told us ſo) for Men, notwithſtanding to perſiſt in their Diſobedience, and then flatter themſelves that GOD will not make good his Threatnings, is a moſt egregious Inſtance of Folly and Preſumption.
Dives himſelf ſuppoſed, that if one roſe from the Dead, his Brethren would amend their Lives; but Chriſtians, it ſeems, will not repent, though the SON OF GOD has died and roſe again, and told them what they muſt expect, if they ſtill continue obſtinate in Evil Doing.
Would we now and then draw off our Thoughts from ſenſible Objects, and by Faith meditate a while on the Miſeries of the Damned, I doubt not but we ſhould, as it were, hear many an unhappy Soul venting his fruitleſs Sorrows in ſome ſuch piteous Moans as theſe.
O Wretched Man that I am, who ſhall deliver me from this Body of Death! O fooliſh▪ Mortal that I was, thus to bring myſelf into theſe never-ceaſing Tortures, for the tranſitory Enjoyment of a few ſhort-lived Pleaſures, which ſcarcely afforded me any Satisfaction, even when I moſt indulged myſelf in them.—Alas! are theſe the Wages, theſe the Effects of Sin?—Are all the Grand Deceiver's inviting Promiſes come to this?—O Damned Apoſtate! Firſt to delude me with pretended Promiſes of Happineſs, and after ſeveral Years Drudgery in his Service, thus to involve me in Eternal Woe.—Oh that I had never hearkened to his beguiling Inſinuations! Oh that I had rejected his very firſt Suggeſtions with the utmoſt Deteſtation and Abhorrence! Oh that I had taken up my Croſs and followed CHRIST! Oh that I had never ridiculed ſerious Godlineſs; and out of a falſe Politeneſs, condemned the truly Pious, as too Severe, Enthuſiaſtick, or Superſtitious! For I then had been happy indeed, happy beyond Expreſſion, happy to all Eternity yonder in thoſe bleſſed Regions where they ſit, cloathed with unſpeakable Glory, and chanting forth their Seraphick Hallelujahs to the Lamb that ſitteth upon the Throne, for ever.—But, alas! theſe Reflections come now too late: Theſe Wiſhes now are vain and fruitleſs. I have not ſuffered, and therefore muſt not reign with them.—I have in Effect denied the LORD that bought me, and therefore juſtly am I now denied by him.
But muſt I live for ever tormented in theſe Flames?—Muſt this Body of mine which not long ſince lay in State, was cloathed in Purple and fine Linnen, and …red ſumptuouſly every Day, muſt this be h…e eternally confin'd, and made the Mockery of inſulting Devils? Oh, Eternity! that Thought fills me with Deſpair. I cannot, will not, yet I muſt be miſerable for ever.
Come then, all ye ſelf-deluding, ſelf-deluded Sinners, and imagine yourſelves for once in the Place of that truly wretched Man I have been here deſcribing.—Think, I beſeech you by the Mercies of GOD in CHRIST JESUS, think with yourſelves, how racking, how unſupportable the never dying Worm of a ſelf-condemning Conſcience will hereafter be to you. Think how impoſſible it will be for you to …well with everlaſting Burnings.
Come, all ye Chriſtians of a Lukewarm Laodicean Spirit, ye Gallio's in Religion, who care a little, but not enough for the Things of GOD, O think, think with yourſelves how deplorable it will be to loſe the Enjoyment of Heaven, and run into endleſs Torments, merely becauſe you will be content to be almoſt, and will not ſtrive to be altogether Chriſtians.—Conſider, I beſeech you, conſider, how you will rave, and curſe that fatal Stupidity, that made you believe any Thing leſs than a Life of ſtrict Piety, Self-Denial, and Mortification, can keep you from thoſe Torments, the Eternity of which I have been endeavouring to prove.
But I can no more—Theſe Thoughts are too melancholly for me to dwell on, as well as for you to hear, and GOD knows, as Puniſhing is his ſtrange Work, ſo denouncing his Threatnings is mine. But if the bare mentioning the Torments of the Damned is ſo ſhocking, Good GOD! how terrible muſt the enduring of them be!
And now are not ſome of you ready to cry out, Theſe are hard Sayings, who can bear them?
But let not ſincere Chriſtians be in the leaſt terrified at what has been delivered. No, for you is reſerved, a Crown, a Kingdom, an Eternal and exceeding Weight of Glory. CHRIST never ſaid the Righteous, the Upright, the Sincere, but the Wicked, Mercileſs, negatively good Profeſſors before deſcribed, ſhall go into Everlaſting Puniſhment. For you, who love him in Sincerity, a new and living Way is laid open into the Holy of Holies by the Blood of JESUS CHRIST. And an abundant Entrance will be adminiſtred unto you, at the great Day of Account into Eternal Life. Take heed therefore, and beware that there be not in any of you a Root of Bitterneſs ſpringing up of Unbelief. But, on the contrary, ſtedfaſtly and heartily rely on the many precious Promiſes reached out to you in the Goſpel, knowing that he who hath promiſed is faithful, and therefore will perform.
But let no obſtinately wicked Profeſſors dare to apply any of the Divine Promiſes to themſelves. For it is not meet to take the Childrens Bread and give it unto Dogs, No, to ſuch the Terrors of the LORD only belong. And as certainly as CHRIST will ſay to his true Followers, Come, ye bleſſed Children of my Father, receive the Kingdom prepared for you from the Beginning of the World, ſo he will unalterably pronounce this dreadful Sentence againſt all that die in their Sins, Depart from me, ye Curſed, into everlaſting Fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels.
From which unhappy State may GOD of his infinite Mercy deliver …s all through JESUS CHRIT; to whom with Thee, O FATHER, and Thee, O HOLY GHOST, Three Perſons and One Eternal GOD, be aſcribed, as is moſt due, all Honour, Power, Might, Majeſty, and Dominion, … and for evermore.