The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 50

INTRODUCTION

lo shall not see

but the wrath of

life,

God abiding on him,"

this

must

be the only true standpoint. If we subscribe this awful statement, not having lost our way in the labyrinth of a so-called conditional immortality, which actually annihilates man, then

how can we dream

for the elect as long as the

worm

that dieth not?

hearts?

lost

Is there

no more love or compassion

Can we fancy ourselves

heaven's bliss while the

fire is

of a state of perfect bliss

ones are being tormented by the in our

moment enjoying

for a single

not quenched and no lighted torch

is

carried into the outer darkness?

To make Satan

the bliss of the elect the final end of

roars in the bottomless pit

all

things while

very thought of such bliss. Love suffers not only when a human being is in pain, but even when an animal is in distress how much more when an angel gnashes his teeth in torture, and that angel beautiful still

is

to annihilate the

;

And yet the very menfrom our hearts the burden of fellow pain, suffering, and compassion; for we feel immediately that the knowledge of Satan's suffering in the pit does not in the least appeal to our compassion. On the contrary, to believe that Satan exists but not in utter misery were a wound to our profound and glorious as Satan was before

his fall.

tion of Satan unconsciously lifts

sense of justice.

And

this is the point

:

to conceive of the blessedness of a soul

is unholy madness. No one but and no man can be blessed but he who is vitally Christ in him and he in Christ. Equally it is un-

not in absolute union with Christ Christ

is blessed,

one with Christ

—

man

holy madness to conceive of

or angel lost in hell unless he has

identified himself with Satan, having

The conception

become morally one with him.

of a soul in hell not morally one with Satan is the

most appalling cruelty from which every noble heart

recoils with

horror.

Every child able to him.

may

of

God

is

furious at Satan.

In his inward

Satan

man (however

is

simply unbear-

unfaithful his nature

be) there is bitter enmity, implacable hatred against Satan.

Hence

it satisfies

bottomless

pit.

our holiest conscience to

To encourage

know

that Satan

is in

the

a plea for him in the heart were

treason against God. Sharp agony may pierce his soul like a dagger for the unspeakable depth of his fall, yet as Satan, author of all that is demoniac and fiendish, who has bruised the heel of the Son of

God, he can never move our hearts.

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