Fifteen Sermons, Sermon 12
SERMON XII.
THE ETERNITY OF HELL-TORMENTS.
MATTHEW xxv. 46.
Theſe ſhall go away into everlaſting Puniſhment.
THE excellency of the goſpel diſpenſation is greatly evidenced by thoſe ſanctions of rewards and puniſhments which it offers to the choice of all its hearers, in order to engage them to be obedient to its precepts. For it promiſes no leſs than eternal happineſs to the good, and denounces no ſlighter a puniſhment that everlaſting miſery againſt the wicked: on the one hand, It is a favour of life unto life; on the other, a favour 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? The reaſon ſeems to be this: the promiſe of eternal happineſs is ſo agreeable to the inclinations and wiſhes of mankind, that all who 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 threatened in the words of the text, 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 preſent do 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, That you believe, that the Son of God came down to die for ſinners; and 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 aſſerted in the text, That the torments reſerved for the wicked hereafter are eternal. Theſe 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, in line upon line, that it will be ….
To quote all the texts that might be produced in proof of this, would be endleſs. Let it ſuffice to inſtance only a few. In the old Teſtament, in the book of Daniel, chap. xii. verſe 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 who have tranſgreſſed God's law, and die impenitently, 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 burning?
The New Teſtament is ſtill fuller as to this point, it being a revelation which brought this and ſuch like particulars … 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 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 Mediator, without meaſure, is ſtill far greater: and in St. Mark's goſpel he repeats the ſolemn declaration th… 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 … feet, (that is, for indulging the one, or diſobeying God to oblige the other) to be … into … where the worm die… not, and the fire is not quenched.
And here again, in the words of the text, Th…ſe (the wicked) ſhall go away into everlaſting puniſhment.
I know it ha… been objected by ſome who have denied the eternity of hell-torment…, 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 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, and 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 demonſtration, that the words of the text will not admit of ſuch a reſtrained ſignification, as appears from their being directly oppoſed to the words immediately following, 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 threatened to the wicked ſhould not be underſtood to be eternal likewiſe, when the very ſame words in the original, is uſed to expreſs the duration of each, no ſhadow of reaſo… can be given.
But, ſecondly, There …anno… be …, why God ſhould reward his …ints 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 threatened 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 con… his rewards.
To this alſo it has been objected, That though God is obliged by promiſe to give his rewards, yet his veracity could not be called in queſtion, ſuppoſing, he ſhould not execute his threatenings, as he actually did not in the caſe of Nineveh; which God expreſsly 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 threatenings, 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 threatenings were denounced; God always executed the puniſhment threaten…. 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 threatenings when denounced, though a… our weak apprehenſions, the puniſhment may ſee… 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 threatened puniſhment ſhould be with-held.
And ſo in reſpect to goſpel-threatenings. If men will ſo far conſult their own welfare as to comply with the goſpel, God certainly will not puniſh them, but on the contrary, confer upon them his rewards. But to affirm that he will not puniſh, and that eternally too, impenitent, obſtinate ſinners, according as he hath threatened; 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 third argument I ſhall offer to prove, that the torments reſerved for the wicked hereafter are eternal, 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; and 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, 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 through 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, 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 the 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, at the beginning of this diſcourſe, you believing the Holy Scriptures to be written by the inſpiration of God, wherein theſe truths are delivered.
But then, if we allow all this, and thin… it no injuſtice in God to puniſh thoſe once glorious ſpirits for their rebellion; how can we think it unjuſt in him to puniſh wicked men for their impertinency 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 angels may 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 informs 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 tho' 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 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 the torments reſerved for the wicked hereafter, are eternal. And if ſo, brethren, how ought we to fly to Jeſus Chriſt for refuge; 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 o… 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, a life of miſery … happineſs, 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 that 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 doſt 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 feared 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 ſo unwarrantable a doctrine. For if the poſitive threats of God concerning the eternity of hell-torments, are already found inſufficient to deter men from ſin, 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 wo 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 art guilty of, in charging God with injuſtice? Shall the thing formed ſay to him that formed it, Why haſt thou made me thus? 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 though 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 threatenings here, they will be compelled ere long to own and feel them, when tormented by him hereafter.
But to come to a more practical application of what has been delivered.
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 rhetoric to perſuade any underſtanding perſon to avoid and abhor thoſe ſins, which, without repentance will certainly plunge him into this 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 might imagine, run the … of enduring eternal pain. But ſince the torments of the damned are not only poſſible, but certain, (ſince God himſelf, who cannot lie, has told us ſo) for men, notwithſtanding, to perſiſt in their diſobedience, and then flatter themſelves, that God will not make good his threatenings, is a … 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 died and roſe again, and told them what they muſt expect, if they 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 enjoyments 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▪ O that I had never hearkened to his beguiling inſinuations! O that I had rejected his very firſt ſuggeſtions with the utmoſt deteſtation and abhorrence! O that I had taken up my croſs and followed Chriſt! O that I had never ridiculed ſerious godlineſs; and out of a falſe politeneſs, condemned the truly pious as too ſevere, enthuſiaſtic, or ſuperſtitious! For I then had been happy indeed, happy beyond expreſſion, happy to all eternity, yonder in thoſe bleſſed regions where they ſit, clothed with unſpeakable glory, and chanting forth their ſeraphic hallelujahs to the Lamb that ſitteth upon the throne for-ever. But, alas! theſe reflections come 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 clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared ſumptuouſly every day, muſt it be here eternally confined, and made the mockery of inſulting devils! O eternity! that thought fills me with deſpair: 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 yourſeves, how racking, how inſupportable the never-dying worm of a ſelf-condemning conſcience will hereafter be to you. Think how impoſſible it will be for you to dwell with everlaſting burnings.
Come, all ye Chriſtians of a lukewarm, Laodicean ſpirit, ye Gallios 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 which made you believe any thing leſs than true faith in Jeſus, productive of a life o… 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 melancholy for me to dwell on, as well as for you to hear; and God knows, as puniſhing is his ſtrange work, ſo denouncing his threatenings is mine; but if the bare mentioning the torments of the damned is ſo ſhocking, 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 that the righteous, the believing, 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 adminiſtered 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, ſteadfaſtly 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 children's 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 us all through Jeſus Chriſt; 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, now and for evermore.