A 06 The Sentence passed upon the wicked

VI. The Sentence passed upon the wicked indiscriminately, forbids the idea of discipline in future punishment.

AMONG the impenitent at death and in eternity there is, of course, great variety of character. If the object of future punishment be to reclaim them, the wise and considerate methods of earthly discipline seem to be utterly discarded after death. We hardly need to be reminded how indiscriminate are the threatenings which are said to be inflicted on the wicked. The last sentence evidently regards none of them as probationers; there is no forbearance in it towards the more hopeful; they are all addressed as “ye cursed.” We are considering the testimony of the Scriptures.

What evidence do they afford of any discrimination in the treatment of the finally impenitent, notwithstanding the vast variety which must exist among them? I answer, Not any. But the following passages, among others, teach plainly that the doom of the wicked will be, indiscriminate, without regard to hopeful diversities of character.

“ And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the book, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works.” Then follows this declaration: 'And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” Some say, death and hell are annihilated. But this is not the idea intended, unless the wicked also are then to be annihilated; for the next verse, concluding the subject, says, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” The obvious meaning is. Death and hell, whatever they represent, will then be added to the lake of fire, whatever that is, as new ingredients, and to constitute “ the second death,” and as a final gathering together of all the elements of sorrow and pain, with all the wicked, into one place. With this passage agree the words of Daniel: “ And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” The parables of Christ relating to the end of the world recognize only two great divisions of men at the last day.

Wheat and tares only are to be in the ''field;” good and bad only, in the “net.” The wheat is saved, the tares are burned; ''the good” in the net are gathered into vessels; “the bad” are none of them dismissed for amendment, or growth, but are “cast away.” And Christ tells us that every human being will stand at his right hand, or left hand, “blessed,” or “cursed.”

Now, when we call to mind the justice of God, and reflect that undue severity, or the laying on man more than is meet, would alienate the confidence of the good from the Most High, and when we consider the declaration of Christ, that sins of ignorance shall receive but “ few stripes,” and we still perceive that the human race are evidently to fall at last into two divisions, which will include the whole, with their countless diversities and degrees as to character in each division, we infer that no provision is made for a more hopeful class to enjoy a further trial. All upon the left hand are doomed alike.

If there is to be a new probation after death, the Bible surely does not teach it.