Sinfulness of sin - Venning - IX- Section 4 commenced

Required reading
Sinfulness of sin by Ralph Venning (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example).  Begin Section Four by reading points 1 (Sin is the Worst of Evils) and 2 (Inferences from the Sinfulness of Sin against God).

My summary
Venning begins a new section about the application and usefulness of the doctrine of sin's sinfulness.

Firstly, Venning shows that sin is the worst of evils by looking at what it is worse than:
(i) Suffering;
(ii) Death
(iii) The Devil;
(iv) Hell;

Secondly, Venning looks at the inferences from the sinfulness of sin against God.  Sin shows that:
(1) The patience and long-suffering of God with sinners is wonderful;
(2) The judgments of God are just;
(3) How precious a mercy is the forgiveness of sin!;
(4) Sin is not to be committed on any account whatsoever;
(5) How transcendently and incomparably beautiful a thing is holiness!

What grabbed me
So much good material in today's reading.  Such as the parts about sin being worse than suffering and also the statement that refutes the popular statement that God hates the sin but loves the sinner: 'It is not only sin (Proverbs 6.19) but sinners that God hates, and that for sin. It is said of God that he hates the workers of iniquity (Psalm 5.5); not only the works of iniquity, but the workers of it.'

But the part that grabbed me most were the two reasons given why it is not unjust of God to eternally punish man for sin:
'2. Consider the nature of sin. It is Deicide, God-murder. Thus it is just for God to do with sinners what they would unjustly do with him, that is, take away from them all good and glory, displease and destroy them, because they would do so to him. If we consider the person who is sinned against, and that the aim of sin is to ungod God, what punishment can be thought bad enough? The Schools rightly tell us that objectively sin is infinite. What punishment then can be too great for so great an evil? If its deed had answered its intention and will--horror of horrors!--God would have been no more. As none but infinite power can pardon it, so none but infinite power can punish it sufficiently. Just as its aim is infinite, so is its desert. Therefore, though its punishment is also infinite, it is but just. Seeing sin contains all evil, it is not strange that its punishment should be answerable and proportionate. That all sin should undergo all misery is not unjust; God renders sufferings to man only according to his doings (Jeremiah 17.10).

3. Consider the impenitent state in which sinners die. Thereby they treasure up this wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Romans 2.5). They who die impenitent continue as they die; consequently they sin and are impenitent for ever. Is it unreasonable that everlasting sinning should be everlastingly punished?'

It is a reasonably common problem for Christians to explain why man should be punished for eternity.  But I think Venning's answers are very helpful:
(i)  If the sin of man went unpunished, it would have eternal consequences as it would be the death of God;
(ii) Man continues to sin eternally in hell.

Next week's reading
Continue reading Section 4 by reading Point 3, 'Inferences from the contrariety of sin to the good of man'.

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