can bring man. Our Lord sa}'s to his enemies, " If ye believe not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins."
These solemn words are invested with peculiar solemnity when we consider from whose lips they came. Who is this that speaks of men d}Ting " in their sins," unpardoned, unforgiven, unfit to meet God, — of men going into another world with all their sins upon them? He that says this is no other than the Saviour of mankind, who laid down His life for his sheep, — the loving, gracious, merciful, compas- sionate Friend of sinners. It is Christ Himself! Let this simple fact not be overlooked.
They are greatly mistaken who suppose that it is harsh and unkind to speak of hell and future punishment. How can such persons get over such language as that which is before us? How can they account for many a like ex- pression which our Lord used, and specially for such passages as those in which He speaks of the " worm that dieth not and the fire that is not quenched " ? (Mark x. 46.) They cannot answer these questions. Misled by a false charity and a morbid amiability, they are condemning the plain teaching of the Scripture, and are wise above that which is written.
Let us settle it in our minds, as one of the great foun- dation truths of our faith, that there is a hell. Just as we believe firmly that there is an eternal heaven for the godly, so let us believe firmly that there is an eternal hell for the wicked. Let us never suppose that there is any want of charity in speaking of hell. Let us rather main- tain that it is the highest love to warn men plainly of danger, and to beseech them to " flee from the wrath to come." It was Satan, the deceiver, murderer, and liar, who said to Eve in the beginning, " Ye shall not surely die." (Gen. iii. 4.) To shrink from telling men, that except they believe they will " die in their sins," may please the devil, but surely it cannot please God.