Of the Signification in Scripture of Eternal Life, Hell, Salvation, the World to Come, and Redemption
The maintenance of civil society depending on justice, and justice on the power of life and death, and other less rewards and punishments, residing in them that have the sovereignty of the commonwealth; it is impossible a commonwealth should stand, where any other than the sovereign hath a power of giving greater rewards than life, and of inflicting greater punishments than death. Now seeing “eternal life” is a greater reward than the “life present”; and “eternal torment” a greater punishment than the “death of nature”; it is a thing worthy to be well considered of all men that desire, by obeying authority, to avoid the calamities of confusion and civil war, what is meant in Holy Scripture by “life eternal,” and “torment eternal”; and for what offences and against whom committed, men are to be “eternally tormented”; and for what actions they are to obtain “eternal life.”