Sinfulness of sin - Venning - IV - Section 2 concluded

Required reading
Sinfulness of sin by Ralph Venning (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example).  Read to the end of Section Two: the whole point that 'Sin is against the good of man in the life to come'.

My summary
Now that Venning has established that sin is against man's good in this life, he now proceeds to show how sin is against man's good in the next life.

Venning divides his description of hell into two parts, privative and positive damnation: ' 1. Privatively as a punishment of loss (poena damni). 2. Positively as a punishment of sense (poena sensus). We have an instance of both of these in Matthew 25.41: 'Then shall he say to them on the left hand, Depart from me'--there is privative damnation--'into everlasting fire'--there is positive damnation. As sin is negatively not doing good and positively the doing of evil, so damnation is a denial of good to, and an inflicting of evil upon, sinners. Salvation is ademptio mali, the taking away of evil, and adeptio boni, the obtaining and enjoying of good. It is expressed in both ways in John 3.16: 'God so loved the world that he gave his Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish'--there is negative salvation--'but have everlasting life' --there is positive salvation. Similarly the damnation of sinners is negative and positive.'

What grabbed me
What a gripping section to read!  I don't think I've read such a comprehensive description of the horrors of hell.  Maybe the book club readers do?  If so please let me know in the comments.

Also, if you're not reading this book but still following the club for another book, I urge you to consider reading today's section.  I have no doubt it will do great profit to your soul.  Go here and then do a search for the words 'It has brought on man that eternal death, damnation' and read to the end of the page.

The most vivid part for me was when Venning describes sinners appealing to God for mercy when it is too late: 'To comment on this briefly, it is as if sinners should say to God in the day of judgment, Lord have mercy upon us! Have mercy upon you! says God. No, I will have no mercy on you. There was a time when you might have had mercy without judgment, but now you will have judgment without mercy. Depart! Depart! If they should then beg and say, Lord, if we must depart, let it be from thy throne of judgment but not from thee. No, says the Lord, depart from me; depart from my presence in which is joy. Depart and go to Hell. Lord, they say, seeing we must be gone, bless us before we go so that thy blessing may be upon us. Oh no, says God, go with a curse; depart, ye cursed. Oh Lord, if we must go from thee, let us not go into the place of torment, but appoint some place, if not of pleasure, then of ease. No, depart into fire, burning and tormenting flames. Oh Lord, if into fire, let it be only for a little while; let the fire soon be out or us soon out of it, for who can dwell in everlasting burnings? No, neither you nor the fire shall know an end; be gone into everlasting fire. Lord, then let it be long before we go there. No, depart immediately; the sentence shall be immediately put in execution. Ah! Lord! let us at least have good company who will pity us though they cannot help us. No, you shall have none but tormenting devils; those whom you obeyed when they were tempters you shall be with as tormentors.'

What an awful predicament to be in!  Listen to Isaiah and 'Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.' (Isaiah 55:6)

Next week's reading
Begin Section Three by reading points 1 (God himself bears witness against sin) and 2 (Angels bear witness against sin).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.