Of Eternal Judgment. Chap.III. ( 1.) The Perfetl:ions of :he Law~iver who is infinite!'( above us. One Act of Sin is Rebel lion againfl God, and mcludes m tt the contempt of Ius Majelly, before whom the highert Angels cover their Faces with Reverence and Adoration, as unworthy to behold his Glory;. and ' li'l!".thtir Feet, as unworthy that he lhould behold them, Jfa. 6. 2, 1· the contradttl:ton ol Ius Hohnefs that IS hts pecuhar Glory ; the dental of htS Ornnifcience and Omniprefence, as if he were eonfin'd to the fuperior World, 'Job 22. 14. and bufy in regu. la ring the harmonious Order of the Stars, aod did not difcern and obferve what is done below; the defiance of his Eternal Power, and provoking him to 'Jealotljj, as if we were jiro~ger t~anhe. ( 2.) If we confider the Obligations of the reafonable Creatures to obey his Commands the guilt of Sinl'ifes prodigioufly. They were made by his Power, with this fpecial cha~ · ratter of Excellency, according to his Image: they were happy in his Love: they were endowed w)th intellectual Faculties capable to underftand and confider tl]eir Obligations to thetr bountiful Lord. From hence it appears that Sin is the mort unnatural Rebellion againft God, and in it there is a concurrence of Impiety, Ingratitude, Pcrfidioufnefs, and whatever may inhance a Crime to an excefs of Wickednefs. ( 3.) The meanncfs of the Motives that induce Men to prefer the pleafing their depraved Appetites before Obedience to his facred Will, extremely aggravates the Offence. Of th is we have a convincing Inftance in the firrt Sin committed upon Earth. Deceitful Cu. riofity, Aattering Pride, a fecrer pleafure of acting according to h is Will, join'd with the low attt·actives of .Senfe, blinded and tranfported .Adam to eat the Mortal Fruit, againft the exprefs Command of God. And ever fincc, the vanifhing 01adows of Honour, or Gain, or Plea~ure, are the only perfwali~cs to Sin. And what _can ~c more provoking, than for a Tnfleto tranfgrefs the Law of God, and equally defptfe Ius Favour and Drf. plcafurc? Can any Puni01ment lefs than Eternal, expiate fuch Impieties? The Rules of HumaneJuflice may difcover to us the Equity of the Divine Juftice. 'Tisordained by the wifert States, that many Crimes which may be done in a few Minutes, fl1all be punifh'd with Death, and the Oflendcr be depriverl of his natural Life for ever. And is it not mort juft that Treafon againll the Great and Immortal King, lhould be revenged with EverlartingDeath? (4.) That which farther clears the Divine Juftice in punilhing Sin with He!~ is this, That God by his inlalhble Promife alfures us, that all who fincerely and uniformly obey him, floall be rewarded with Heaven for ever: a Blelfednefs mort worthy the Greatnefs and Love of the Eternal God to beftow on his Servants : a Blelfednefs that furpalfes our mort comprehenfive Thoughts. Now if Everlafting Glory be defpifed, what remains but eildlefs Mifery to be the Sinners Portion? The Confequence is remedilefs. If Sin with an eternal Hell in its Retinue be chofen ~nd em~rac'd1 is It noc equal that the rational Creature lhould inherit his own choice? How )Urt is tt that thofe who are the Slaves of the Devil, :~~~fe~~~~~a~~~whfoJ~:~:ke ~~~~ig2:;,ul~e~~~~{r~~i~s~!~0Te}r~C:o;~~~!1 k~~~;~;· :J~hJ ,J,~:~ lhould hear the dreadful Depart fromme mto everlaj/111g Fm? As there will be no vain boarting in Heaven, where the Reward is the Gift of pure Bounty; fo there will be no righteous Complaint againft God in Reil, where the Punifhment is inAicted by powerful J ullice. He that voluntarily fins, by confequcnce chufes the Punifhment due to tt. ( S·) Theertimation of an Offence is taken fi·om the difpofition of him that does it. When 'tis done with pleafure and obrtmacy, there IS no place for Favour. Now final Impenitence alone ma kes Sin actually and eternally damning to the Sinner. Thofe that, notwithftanding all gracious Means, live continually in Rebellion againft God ; thofe that impenitently die in their Sins ; thofe that defire to live here for ever, that they might enjoy their fweet fins; thofe that are fo hardned and naturalized in their Vices, that if they were revived and brought again into thiS World of Temptations, would certainly return ra:n• •q"'· to the Pleafures of Sin ; is it not righteous that their incorrigible Obrtmacy lhould be pu· ht:1s non nude nifb'd forever? Is it not Jllft that thofe who would continue under the domimon of Sm, f~~~~ri~~s fl1o~ld for~e it all their clain: to t~e Divine Mercy? ~or if we coz:tfider them a~ unrepentant & mcnfuris, and trreclaunable from thetr Wtckednefs, there are m them the JUft provocations and true ~~~fi~:~~ caufes of God's ?nal reje_Etion and h~tred: ~ndif wec?nfider ~odas reveal_ed in his Word voto ejus CJLti and Works, h1s effent1al Properties, Wtfdom, Punty, Jufbcc, ncceffanly work upon <ldiqui<. G"'· fuch Objects in fuch a manner. How zealous an Indignation did the Son of God exprefs againft the obdurate Pharifecs? You Serpents, yott Generation of Vipers, how jbould JON ef cap< the Damnation of Hell? Mat. 2 3· 33· They in defpiteof all his Miracles, the equal E xpreffions of his Goodnefs and Power, refifted hts Aurhomy, blafphemed hts Perfoo, and llighted his Salvation. Now rho other Sins are of an inferiour nature, and weaker Evt· ~et~cc, yet Obftinacy add~d to them, makes a Perfon unworthy and U)lcapable of ~;~~
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=