THE ETERNAL DURATION. OF [DTSC. RITT. sins are equal, and will require equal punishment," for there are no different degrees of infinity, or in things which are infinite. But our Saviour has taught us, that there are certain various degrees of punishment as well as of sin : He assures us, " that it shall be more tolera- ble for the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrha, in the day of judgment, than it shall be for Capernaum and Bethsaida," where he had preached and wrought his won- ders; Luke x. 1 e-15. and the reason is plain, viz. be- cause the sins of Sodom were less than theirs. And it is very easy to answer this pretence or objection about the equality of all sins, for sins may have different degrees of guilt and aggravation as to the act, where the object is the same, whether this object be finite or infi- nite ; as the murder of a father or a king, is a much greater crime than a reproach or slander east on the same persons. So the wilful hatred of God and blas- phemy against him, with continued malice and public violent opposition to his name, or law, or gospel, are far greater sins than a single neglect of his daily worship for fear of persecution, or a distrusting his providence, though both have the same infinite being, that is, God, for their' object; and in this sense, there is a sort of infi- nity in each of the crimes. And accordingly punishments may be proportioned to every crime, for they may differ greatly in the degree of severity and torture, though they may be all equal or eternal in the duration. Sodom and Gomorrha, Caper- naum and Bethsaida,. may all suffer infinite or everlasting sorrow, and yet the degrees of their pain may be exceed- ing different all the while. They may have the same infinity of duration, though very different as to the in- tenseness or degree of the pain. Argument III. If the iniquities committed in this life were not punished with torment which is everlasting, yet the damned in hell areever sinning 'against God, and there- fore they provoke the vengeance of God to continue his punishing handupon themfor ever. The lawofGod in all its demands of duty, its prohibitions ofsin, as well as in its sanctions ofpunishment, continues for ever in force in heaven, and earth, and hell, and we see not how it can be abrogated where it arises from the very nature of God and a creature : " And cursed is he that continues not
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