Chapter 16: Direct Arguments for the Endless Punishment of the Wicked

I am sensible that my book is already protracted to a considerable length. Therefore to relieve the patience of the reader, I shall endeavour to crowd this part into as narrow a compass as possible. Indeed if the answers already given to the objections to endless punishment, be sufficient, the less needs be said in way of direct proof.

The various texts always brought in discourses on this subject, come now with full force; in proof of this doctrine. As Matthew 18:8; It is better for you to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. Chapter 25:41; Then shall he say to them on the left hand, depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Verse 46; These shall go away into everlasting punishment. 2 Thessalonians 1:9; Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and the glory of his power. 2 Peter 2:17; To whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. Jude 13: To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Revelation 14:10-11; And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascends up forever and ever. Chapter 19:3; And again they said, Alleluia: and her smoke rose up forever and ever. Chapter 20:10; And the devil that deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and [they] shall be tormented day and night, forever and ever.

The [reconstructed: evasions] of these texts have been particularly considered, and it is hoped, sufficiently answered.

The Greek words used in these texts are, [in non-Latin alphabet] and [in non-Latin alphabet]. From an inspection of every text in which these words and phrases are used in the New Testament, it has been found, with regard to the first, that quite contrary to Doctor C's account, it is almost perpetually, that is, in the proportion of 66 to 2, used in the endless sense; setting aside the places in which it is applied to the punishment of the wicked. With regard to the other two phrases, it has been found, that they are without exception used in the endless sense. Nor does the Greek language furnish any word more determinately expressive of endless duration: and notwithstanding what Doctor C. says to the contrary, it appears that they do as properly and determinately express an endless duration, as the English words eternal and eternity. If therefore these words be explained away to mean a mere temporary duration, it is impossible that any words be used, which would not suffer the same treatment from the same hands.

The texts concerning the sin against the Holy Ghost still remain a clear proof of endless punishment. They are Matthew 12:31-32; The blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven to men — whoever speaks against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world neither in the world to come. Mark 3:29: He that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost, has never forgiveness; but is in danger of eternal damnation. Luke 12:10; To him that blasphemes against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.

So long as the gospel rejects every idea of the salvation of men without forgiveness, so long will these texts confute the salvation of all men.

To these I may add the following texts; 1 John 5:16; If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not to death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life, for them that sin not to death. There is a sin to death. I do not say that he shall pray for it. So that we are not to pray for those who sin to death. Why not? Evidently because their salvation is impossible. If their salvation be possible, I presume no sufficient reason can be given, why we should not pray for it. If it should be said that we are not to pray that the salvation of such should be immediately accomplished, but that it may be accomplished in due time: the answer is at hand, that we are not at liberty to pray that any man may be saved out of due time; and in this sense we are prohibited to pray for the salvation of any man.

Hebrews 6:4-6; For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; if they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance. Since it is impossible to renew such to repentance, it is according to Doctor C. as well as the scripture, impossible that they be saved. Of like import is Chapter 10:26-27; For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. If there remain no more or no longer a sacrifice for sins; then neither will the man whose character is here described, be able by his own sufferings to make a sacrifice of satisfaction for his sins, nor will the sacrifice of Christ be longer of any avail to him. And if the judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries, remain for him; he must suffer them without a possibility of escape, either by the sacrifice of Christ or in consequence of his own sufferings.

The woe denounced by Christ on Judas also seems to remain a demonstrative proof of endless punishment. Matthew 26:24, and Mark 14:21; Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed: good were it for that man if he had never been born. Let Judas suffer a temporary misery of ever so great duration, it must be infinitely less than an endless duration of happiness. So that if Judas were finally to enjoy endless happiness, he would be an infinite gainer by his existence, let the duration of his previous misery be what it might. It was therefore on the supposition of his final salvation, not only good, but infinitely good, that he had been born: which is a direct contradiction to the declaration of our Saviour.

In connection with this passage, I shall introduce the following; (Luke 6:24): Woe to you that are rich: for you have received your consolation. On the supposition of the salvation of all men, the rich do by no means receive in this life their consolation; but they are to receive infinitely the greatest consolation in the future life. (Psalm 17:14): From men of the world, who have their portion in this life; plainly implying that they are to have no portion in the future life. (Luke 16:25): Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things. If all shall be saved, the rich and the men of the world in no other sense have their portion in this life, than the rest of men. They have some good things in this world, but infinitely the greatest part of their happiness is to be enjoyed in the world to come, and what they enjoy here, is nothing in comparison with what they are to enjoy hereafter. More than this, cannot be said of any man.

(Mark 9:43–49): If your hand offend you, cut it off: it is better for you, to enter into life maimed, than having two hands, to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. And if your foot offend you, cut it off: it is better for you to enter halt into life, than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched; where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. And if your eye offend you, pluck it out: it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God, with one eye, than having two eyes, to be cast into hell-fire: where their worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched. (Matthew 3:12): Whose fan is in his hand, and he shall thoroughly purge his floor; and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

(John 3:36): He that believes on the Son, has everlasting life: and he that believes not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abides on him. If all are to be saved, then all will see life and enjoy it. Should it be said, that the meaning of this text is barely, that he that believes not, shall not see life, while he remains an unbeliever; it may be observed, that this sense of the text will admit the idea, that unbelievers may all become believers, at death, or at some future time in life; as it holds forth no more, than that a man while an unbeliever, shall not be admitted to life; and says nothing but that all unbelievers may become believers in this life, or at death; and therefore may attain to life and salvation in heaven, just as soon as those, who are now believers. But can any man bring himself to believe, that this text was not designed to teach us, but that unbelievers will attain to the life and salvation of heaven as soon as believers? If that be the true sense, this text teaches us no more concerning unbelievers, than is true concerning all saints in this state of imperfection. It may on this supposition be said, with equal truth, and in the same sense, that no imperfect saint shall see life, as that no unbeliever shall see life. It is plain, that this text was meant to exhibit some privilege on the believer above the unbeliever. But if the construction, now under consideration, be the true one, and universal salvation be true, what is that privilege? The believer has the promise of an endless life; so has the unbeliever in common with all mankind. The believer cannot perhaps be admitted to the inheritance of that promise, within less than ten or twenty years. Within the same time the unbeliever may be admitted to the same inheritance, whether he be admitted to it at death, or in consequence of some discipline in hell, by which he is led to repentance and faith. The believer has the present comfort of anticipating his future happiness; there is on the plan of universal salvation, abundant foundation for the same anticipation to the unbeliever. It is true, the unbeliever is not yet prepared for the possession of heavenly happiness: neither is the believer during his present imperfection.

(Luke 16:26): And besides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you, cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from there. (Matthew 6:15): If you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Chapter 23:34-35): And his Lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due to him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also to you, if you from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. (Hebrews 6:8): That which bears thorns and briers, is rejected, and is nigh to cursing; whose end is to be burned. How is the end of any man to be burned, if all shall finally be saved? (Luke 14:24): For I say to you, that none of those men who were bidden, shall taste of my supper. (Chapter 13:25-27): When once the master of the house is risen up, and has shut to the door, and you begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not, from where you are — I tell you, I know you not, from where you are, depart from me, all you workers of iniquity. (Revelation 22:11-12): He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be. These last words, with verse tenth, determine this text to refer to the general judgment. The words of the tenth verse are, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book; for the time is at hand. But a period ages of ages after the general judgment cannot be said to come quickly, and to be at hand.

If to these texts it should be said, that they mean no more, than that they cannot as yet be saved, though they will be saved in proper time; I answer, (1) That there is no appearance in the texts themselves, of such a sense; (2) That if that were the true sense, they would mean no more, than might be said, mutatis mutandis, of all real saints, who are not about to die immediately; (3) That that sense would imply, either that the future punishment of the wicked is a mere wholesome discipline, or that those who die impenitent do not deserve endless punishment. If they pass the great gulf as soon as they repent, their punishment is a mere wholesome discipline: but that it is not a mere wholesome discipline, I have endeavored to show in Chapter 2 and 3. If they suffer the full punishment, which they deserve, and then come out, they are saved without forgiveness, and they never deserved an endless punishment, the contrary to which I have endeavored to prove in Chapter 6. To those chapters I beg leave to refer the reader, for what might be said here in further answer to this objection. If because the damned cannot pass the great gulf at present, it be said, There is a great gulf fixed, so that they cannot pass from there to heaven, then because a saint is not about to die at present, it might with propriety be said, there is a great gulf fixed between him and heaven, so that he cannot pass it. If those scriptural expressions, "Let him be unjust still," — Great gulf fixed, so that they cannot pass, — "Depart, I know you not," "Shall not taste of my supper," — etc., mean no more, than that they shall remain unjust etc., for the present: why may not the following expressions — Shall not come into condemnation, — "Are justified from all things," — Is passed from death to life — etc., mean no more, than that the saints shall not come into condemnation for the present, or for some time to come? Are for the present justified from all things? Is for the present passed from death to life?

Revelation 3:5; He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life; but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Does not this text plainly hold forth, that the names of all who do not overcome, shall be blotted out of the book of life; and that Christ will not confess their names before the Father, and before his angels? Chapter 13:8; And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are written in the book of life of the Lamb, slain from the foundation of the world. Chapter 21:27; And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defiles, neither whatever works abomination, or makes a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Psalm 69:27-28; Add iniquity to their iniquity, and let them not come into your righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous. Now will any be saved, whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life? In the quotation from Revelation 21:27, it is expressly asserted, that no one who defiles, works abomination, or makes a lie, shall enter the heavenly city; but they only who are written in the Lamb's book of life. Therefore not only will not all men be saved, as some will be excluded the heavenly city; but some men have not their names written in the Lamb's book of life, and this is a further evidence, that all will not be saved.

It is said, that sinners shall not stand in the congregation of the righteous (Psalm 1:5), and the representation in the parables of our Lord, is, that after the general judgment, the tares and chaff shall be no more mixed with the wheat; nor the good with the bad fish. Nor is there any intimation that the tares or the chaff will become wheat, or the bad putrid fish become good; but the contrary is plainly implied in the parables themselves. Besides, the judgment is said to be eternal [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], doubtless with respect to the endless and unchangeable consequences. But if the judgment be strictly eternal with respect to its consequences, the punishment of the damned will be without end.

The parables before mentioned further prove endless punishment, as they represent, that the bad fish are cast away; that the tares and chaff are burnt up. How is this consistent with their final salvation and happiness?

All those texts which declare, that those who die impenitent shall perish, shall be cast away, shall be rejected, be destroyed, be lost, etc., disprove universal salvation; as 1 Corinthians 1:18; The preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness; but to us who are saved, it is the power of God. 2 Peter 2:12; These shall utterly perish in their own corruption. Luke 9:25; For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away. Hebrews 6:8; "That which bears thorns and briers is rejected." 2 Corinthians 4:3; If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost. 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction. Matthew 21:44; On whoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder; etc. Now with what truth or propriety can those be said to perish, be cast away, be rejected, destroyed, lost; who are all finally saved? Perdition, destruction, etc., are ever in scripture set in opposition to salvation, and are represented to be inconsistent with it. But where is the opposition, if those who perish, be saved too?

Acts 3:21; Whom the heaven must receive until the times of the restitution of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. This text which has been often quoted as a proof of universal salvation, is, I conceive, a clear proof of the contrary. The heaven will receive and retain our Lord Jesus Christ, until the time shall come when all those things shall be restored, which God, by the mouths of all his prophets, has declared [⟨ in non-Latin alphabet ⟩], shall be restored, which things doubtless comprehend all things which ever shall be restored. But our Lord Jesus Christ will not be retained in heaven longer than till the general judgment. After that time therefore, nothing will be restored. But it is granted on all hands, that after that time the wicked will be in misery. Therefore they shall never be recovered from that misery.

2 Peter 3:9: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise (as some men count slackness) but is longsuffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance, also has been quoted to prove universal salvation. It is however impertinent to that purpose, but upon the supposition that the word perish means endless perdition. Not even any universalist will say, that God is unwilling that those who die in impenitence should perish for a while, until they are brought to repentance, or until they shall have suffered the just punishment of their sins. But if perish in this passage means endless perdition, it doubtlessly means the same in all those texts in which the wicked are positively said to perish, as 1 Corinthians 1:18, For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.

Luke 20:35: But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage. Some then will not obtain that world, and therefore will not be saved. John 17:9: I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which you have given me, for they are yours. But are any to be saved, for whom our Lord does not make intercession? Hebrews 12:15: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God. Some then will fail of that grace.

Proverbs 1:26-29: I also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear comes: when your fear comes as desolation, and your destruction comes as a whirlwind: when distress and anguish come upon you. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early but they shall not find me. If God shall never answer their calls, and they shall never find God; they will never be saved. Psalm 112:10: "The desire of the wicked shall perish." Job 8:13-14: The hypocrite's hope shall perish: whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web. Proverbs 10:28: The expectation of the wicked shall perish. Chapter 11:7: When a wicked man dies, his expectation shall perish, and the hope of unjust men perishes. Chapter 29:1: He that being often reproved hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. If all men are to be saved, the hope and expectation of the wicked are not cut off, do not perish, in any other sense than that in which the hope and expectation of the righteous perish and are cut off. The wicked may expect to obtain happiness before they are sufficiently disciplined, or before a certain period. So may the righteous expect to make their transition to heaven before it will come. This expectation of both will be cut off. But the expectation which the wicked have of final happiness, will never according to Doctor C's system, be cut off. Nor, according to the same system, can it be true, that the wicked shall be destroyed without remedy. Proverbs 14:32: the wicked is driven away in his wickedness; but the righteous has hope in his death. But according to the universal system, the wicked has in his death as real and well-founded a hope as the hope of the righteous. Job 11:20: "Their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost." Chapter 27:8: For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained, when God takes away his soul? Philippians 3:19: Whose end is destruction. But if all men be finally saved, the end of no man is destruction. Hebrews 6:8: Whose end is to be burned. 2 Corinthians 11:15: Whose end is according to their works. This is said of the ministers of Satan, whose works are certainly evil. Their end therefore being according to their works must be evil too. How then can they be FINALLY saved? If it should be said, that these texts do not mean the last end of the wicked; this would be a mere assertion. As well might we say that Romans 6:22: You have your fruit to holiness and the end everlasting life, means not the last end of the righteous.

The scripture represents, that at the end of this world, all things are brought to an end. 1 Peter 4:7: "But the end of all things is at hand," [in non-Latin alphabet]. Surely this cannot mean that the end of all things will take place after ages of ages to succeed the end of this world. A period so distant is never in scripture said to be at hand; nor could this with propriety, be said of such a period. Matthew 24:14: This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness to all nations: and then [in non-Latin alphabet], shall the end come. But when all things shall have come to their end, they will be in a fixed, unalterable state, and after that, there can be no passing from hell to heaven. Nor can there be any such passing after Christ shall have delivered up the kingdom to the Father. To this Doctor C. agrees. But I have already given my reasons for believing that Christ will deliver up the kingdom to the Father, at the end of this world; and for believing that 1 Corinthians 15:24, must be understood in this sense, and that according to Doctor C's explanation of that text, it cannot be reconciled with Matthew 13:40-44, and other passages of scripture.

2 Corinthians 6:2: Behold now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Hebrews 3:7: Today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. But if the greater part of mankind shall be saved out of hell, and the means of repentance in hell be far more conducive to the end, than the best means used in this world, it should have been said, In the future state is the accepted time, and in hell will be the day of salvation.

2 Corinthians 4:18: The things which are seen, are temporal; but the things which are not seen, are eternal. If all the unseen things of the future state be eternal, the punishment of the damned is eternal. And eternal, [in non-Latin alphabet], must in this instance mean endless: otherwise all opposition with regard to duration, between things seen, and things unseen, is lost; and things unseen are as truly temporal, as things seen. At most, on Doctor C's principle of construing scripture; the apostle's proposition comes to this merely: The things which are seen, are temporal, but the things which are unseen are to continue for an age. But this is true of many present seen things.

The promises of the gospel in general afford an argument in favor of endless punishment — (Revelation 2:11): He that overcomes, shall not be hurt of the second death. I presume all will grant, that this promise implies, that all who do not overcome, shall be hurt of the second death. Therefore, by parity of reason, when it is promised in the same chapter, To him that overcomes, I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God; it implies, that those who do not overcome, shall never eat of that tree. To him that overcomes, will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, etc., implies, that he who does not overcome, shall never eat of the hidden manna, shall never receive the white stone, etc. Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out, implies, that he who does not overcome, shall not be a pillar in the temple of God. To him that overcomes, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, implies, that he who does not overcome, shall never sit in Christ's throne. These I give as a specimen only of the promises, and of the argument which they afford.

Finally, if all shall be saved, why have not Christ, and those who wrote by the inspiration of his spirit, been explicit in the matter? Why have they used so many expressions, which in the literal sense assert the contrary doctrine? And which apparently obscure the truth, and blind the eyes of the readers of the New Testament? Especially, if, as Doctor C. holds, universal salvation be so glorious to God, the main subject of the gospel, and so necessary to vindicate the divine character? Surely this of all doctrines ought to have been indisputably revealed, and not one hint given to the contrary.

Besides these arguments drawn directly from texts of scripture; I shall mention one drawn from the general nature of the gospel, or from the particular doctrines of the gospel, acknowledged by both parties in this controversy.

Those who die impenitent, deserve an endless punishment. The proof of this has been attempted, Chapter 6. It is briefly this: If endless punishment be not the penalty threatened in the law, and justly deserved by the sinner, no account can possibly be given of the penalty of the law. It cannot be the temporary punishment actually suffered by the damned; because then the damned would be finally saved without forgiveness. It cannot be a temporary punishment of less duration, than that which is suffered by the damned; because on that supposition the damned are punished more than they deserve. It cannot be a temporary punishment of longer duration, than that which the scriptures abundantly declare the damned shall suffer; because no such punishment is threatened in the law, or in any part of scripture. It must therefore be an endless punishment. This endless punishment threatened in the law, is not annihilation, but endless misery; because if it were annihilation, none of the damned, on supposition, that they are all finally saved, will be punished with the curse of the law, or which is the same, with the punishment which they justly deserve. But both the scripture and Doctor C. abundantly hold, that the damned will be punished as much as they deserve, as has been shown Chapter 3. But for the full proof, that the punishment of hell is not annihilation, I must refer the reader to Chapter 5. If the endless punishment threatened in the law, and deserved by the wicked, be not annihilation, it must be endless misery. But whatever punishment the wicked justly deserve, they will in fact suffer; they will have to pay the uttermost farthing; they will suffer judgment without mercy. Therefore, they will suffer not only an endless punishment, but an endless misery, or torment.

The same argument is a little differently stated thus; Doctor C. allows, that if the punishment of the damned be intended to satisfy justice, it is impossible all men should be saved. He also holds abundantly, that it is impossible, that any sinner should be justified or saved "on the foot of law." He equally holds this with regard to the moral law, "the law written in men's hearts," "the natural law," and the law promulgated in the gospel by Jesus Christ and his apostles, as with regard to the "Mosaic law." He also holds, that the law of God is a perfect rule of righteousness. Now if it be impossible that any sinner be justified by the moral law, then every sinner is, and must be condemned by it, and from that condemnation he can never be acquitted by the law. If it be impossible that any sinner be saved by that law, then on the footing of that law, every sinner must be excluded from salvation.

But this law is "a perfect rule of righteousness." Therefore perfect righteousness, or strict distributive justice, will never admit of the salvation of any sinner; but every sinner justly deserves to be endlessly excluded from salvation. Again, a punishment which satisfies justice, is one which is perfectly just and deserved by the sinner. Therefore, if the sinner be punished according to his desert, he can never be saved. But both the scriptures and Doctor C. hold, that the damned will be punished according to their deserts; therefore they will never be saved.