Eternal Punishment.

We take up our pen to write on one of the most solemn truths taught in the Word of God. And before we began, we turned to the Lord and earnestly sought that wisdom and grace which we are conscious we sorely need; making request that we might be preserved from all error in what we shall write, and that nothing may find a place in these pages which shall be displeasing to that Holy One, "whose we are—and whom we serve." O that we may write in the spirit of One who said, "Who can comprehend the power of Your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear You deserve!" (Psalm 90:11).

The subject before us is one that needs stressing in these days. The great majority of our pulpits are silent upon it, and the fact that it has so little place in modern preaching is one of the signs of the times, one of the many evidences that the Apostasy must be near at hand. It is true that there are not a few who are praying for a world-wide Revival—but it appears to the writer, that it would be more timely, and more scriptural, for prayer to be made to the Lord of the harvest—that He would raise up and thrust forth laborers who would fearlessly and faithfully preach those truths which are calculated to bring about a revival.

While it is true that all genuine revivals come from God—yet He is not capricious in the sending of them. We are sure that God never relinquishes His sovereign rights to own and to bless—where and as He pleases. But we also believe that here, as everywhere, there is a direct connection between cause and effect—and a revival is the effect of a previous cause. A revival, like a genuine conversion, is wrought by God by means of the Word—the Word applied by the Holy Spirit, of course. Therefore, there is something more needed (on our part) than prayer—the Word of God must have a place, a prominent place, the prominent place. Without the Word and prayer—there will be no Revival, whatever excitement and activities of the emotions there may be.

It is the deepening conviction of the writer, that what is most needed today, is a wide proclamation of those truths which are the least acceptable to the flesh.

What is needed today, is a scriptural setting forth of the character of God—
His absolute sovereignty,
His ineffable holiness,
His inflexible justice,
His unchanging veracity.

What is needed today, is a scriptural setting forth of the condition of the natural man—
his total depravity,
his spiritual insensibility,
his inveterate hostility to God,
the fact that he is "condemned already"
and that the wrath of a sin-hating God
is even now abiding upon him!

What is needed today, is a scriptural setting forth of the alarming danger which sinners are in—the indescribably awful doom which awaits them, the fact that if they follow only a little further their present course, they shall most certainly suffer the due penalty of their iniquities!

What is needed today, is a scriptural setting forth of the nature of that dreadful punishment which awaits the lost—
the awfulness of it,
the hopelessness of it,
the unendurableness of it,
the endlessness of it!

It is because of these convictions, that by pen as well as by voice, we are seeking to raise the alarm. It may be thought that what we have said in the above paragraph stands in need of qualification. We can imagine some of our readers saying, Such truths as these may be needed by the lost—but surely you do not wish to be understood as saying that these subjects ought to be pressed upon the Lord's people! But that is exactly what we do mean and do say. Re-read the Epistles, dear friends, and note what place each of these subjects has in them! It is just because these truths have been withheld so much from public ministry to the saints, that we now find so many backboneless, sentimental, lop-sided Christians in our assemblies. A clearer vision of the awe-inspiring attributes of God—would banish much of our levity and irreverence. A better understanding of our depravity by nature—would humble us, and make us see our deep need of using the appointed means of grace. A facing of the alarming danger of the lost sinner—would cause us to "consider our ways" and make us more diligent to make our "calling and election sure." A realization of the unspeakable misery which awaits the lost (and which each of us fully merited) would immeasurably deepen our gratitude, and bring us to thank God more fervently—that we have been snatched as brands from the burning and delivered from the wrath to come! It would also make us far more earnest in our prayers as we supplicate God on behalf of the unsaved.

Moreover, scriptural and searching addresses along these lines would, in some cases at least, lay hold of those who have a form of godliness but who deny the power thereof. They would have some effect on that vast company of professors who are "at ease in Zion." They would, if God were depended upon, arouse the indifferent, and cause some who are now careless and unconcerned to cry, "What must I do to be saved?" Remember that the ground must be plowed—before it is ready to be sowed: and the truths mentioned above are needed to prepare the way for the Gospel.

Concerning the eternal punishment of the wicked there are few, it seems, who realize the vital importance of a ringing testimony to this truth—and fewer still who apprehend the deep seriousness of what is involved in a denial of it. The importance of a clear witness to this doctrine may be seen by noting what a prominent place it holds in the Scriptures; and contrariwise, the seriousness of denying it is evidenced by the fact that such denial is a rejection of God's truth.

The need of giving this solemn subject a prominent place in our witness is apparent, for it is our bounden duty to warn sinners of their fearful peril—and bid them flee from the wrath to come! To remain silent is criminal; to substitute anything for it—is to set before the wicked a false hope. The great importance of expounding this doctrine, freely and frequently, also appears in that, excepting the Cross of Christ, nothing else so manifests the heinousness of sin, whereas every modification of eternal punishment, only serves to minimize the evil of sin.

The final portion of the wicked will be beyond the creature's power of resistance. "Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder!" (Matthew 21:44). There are many who now say, "If at the end I find myself in Hell, I will bear it as well as I can;" as if by strength of will and firmness of mind they shall, in measure at least, be able to support themselves. But alas! Their resolutions will count for nothing.

It is common with men in this world to shun calamities—but if they find this is impossible, they set themselves to bear it: they fortify their spirits and resolve to support themselves under it as well as they can. They muster up all their courage and resolution in the determination to keep their hearts from sinking. But it will be utterly vain for sinners to do this in the Lake of Fire. What would it help a worm which was about to be crushed by some great rock, to collect its strength and endeavor to set itself to bear up against its weight, and so seek to prevent itself from being crushed? Much less will a poor damned soul be able to support itself under the weight of the wrath of Almighty God! No matter how much the sinner may now harden himself, in order to endure the pains of Hell, the first moment he shall feel the flames, his heart will melt like wax before the furnace, "Can your heart endure—or can your hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with you? I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it" (Ezekiel 22:14).

If such then be the case with impenitent sinners, that they can neither escape their punishment, nor deliver themselves from it, nor bear up under it—what will become of them?

"His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear his threshing floor, gathering His wheat into the barn—and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire!" Matthew 3:12

"They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth!" Matthew 13:42

"Then He will also say to those on the left—Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels!" Matthew 25:41

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell—where the fire never goes out!" Mark 9:43

"He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire!" Luke 3:17

"I am in agony in this fire!" Luke 16:24

"Those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire!" Jude 1:7

"To help your conception of what hell is—imagine yourself to be cast into a fiery oven—or into the midst of a great furnace, where your pain would be as much greater than that occasioned by accidentally touching a coal of fire—as the heat is greater. Imagine also, that your body were to lie there for a quarter of an hour, full of fire, as full as a bright coal of fire, all the while full of quick sense. What horror would you feel at the entrance of such a furnace! And how long would that quarter of an hour seem to you! If it were to be measured by the hour-glass, how long would the glass seem to be running! And after you had endured it for one minute, how unbearable would it be to you—to think that you had yet to endure the other fourteen minutes!

"But what would be the effect on your soul—if you knew you must lie there enduring that torment, to the full for twenty-four hours! And how much greater would be the effect, if you knew you must endure it for a whole year! And how vastly greater still, if you knew you must endure it for a thousand years! O then, how would your heart sink, if you thought, if you knew—that you must bear it forever and ever! That there would be no end—that after millions of millions of ages, your torment would be no nearer to an end, than it ever was; and that you would never, never be delivered!

"But your torment in Hell will be immeasurably greater than this illustration represents! How then will the heart of a poor creature sink under it! How utterly inexpressible and inconceivable, must the sinking of the soul be in such a case! (Jonathan Edwards)

"If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire!" Revelation 20:15

Such, in brief, is the portion awaiting the lost—
eternal separation from the Fount of all goodness;
everlasting punishment;
torment of soul and body;
endless existence in the Lake of Fire,
in association with the vilest of the vile;
every ray of hope excluded;
utterly crushed and overwhelmed by the
wrath of a sin-avenging God!

And let us remember in Whose Word these solemn statements are found! They are found in the Word of Him who is faithful—and therefore has He written in plain and positive language so that none need be deceived! They are found in the Word of Him who cannot lie, and therefore He has not employed the language of exaggeration. They are found in the Word of Him who says what He means—and means what He says; and therefore the writer, for one, dares do nothing else than receive them at their face value. We turn now to:

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