If God
should damn you for all eternity
(John Flavel, "The Fountain
of Life")
If the death of Christ was that which satisfied God
for all the sins of the elect, then certainly there is
an infinite evil in sin, since it cannot be expiated
but by an infinite satisfaction. Fools make a mock
at sin, and there are but few people who are duly
sensible of, and affected with--the evil of sin.
If God should damn you for all eternity,
your
eternal sufferings could not pay for the evil that is
in one vain thought! It may be you may think this is
harsh and severe--that God should hold His creatures
under everlasting sufferings for sin. But when you have
well considered, that the One against whom you sin is
the infinite blessed God, and that sin is an infinite evil
committed against Him; and when you consider how
God dealt with the angels that fell, for one sin--you
will alter your minds about it!
O the depth of the evil of sin! If ever you will see how
dreadful and horrid an evil, sin is, you must measure it
either by the infinite holiness and excellency of God, who
is wronged by it; or by the infinite sufferings of Christ,
who died to pay its penalty; and then you will have
deeper apprehensions of the evil of sin.