of a glowing,
melting fire, fierce enough to melt the very rocks and elements;
and also they shall eternally be full of the most quick and lively
sense

5 Apol. cap. 47-48.

6 De Civ. Dei, lib. xxi. cap. 2 4.

to feel the torments; not for one minute, nor for one day, nor for
one age, nor for two ages, nor for a hundred ages, nor for ten
thousands of millions of ages one after another, but for ever and
ever, without any end at all, and never, never be delivered." 7
Calvin says, "Iterum quaro, unde factum est, ut tot gentes una cum
liberis eorum infantibus aterna morti involveret lapsus Ada absque
remedio, nisi quia Deo ita visum est? Decretum horribile fateor."
8 Outraged humanity before the contemplation cries, "O God, horror
hath overwhelmed me, for thou art represented as an omnipotent
Fiend." It is not the Father of Christ, but his Antagonist, whose
face glares down over such a scene as that! The above diabolical
passage at the recital of which from the pulpit, Edwards's
biographers tell us, "whole congregations shuddered and
simultaneously rose to their feet, smiting their breasts, weeping
and groaning" is not the arbitrary exaggeration of an individual,
but a fair representation of the actual tenets and vividly held
faith of the Puritans. It is also, in all its uncompromising
literality, a direct and inevitable part of the system of doctrine
which, with insignificant exceptions, professedly prevails
throughout Christendom at this hour. We know most persons will
hesitate at this statement; but let them look at the logic of the
case in the light of its history, and they must admit the
correctness of the assertion. Weigh the following propositions,
the accuracy of which no one, we suppose, will question, and it
will appear at once that there is no possibility of avoiding the
conclusion.

First, it is the established doctrine of Christendom that no one
can be saved without a supernatural regeneration, or sincere faith
in the vicarious atonement, or valid reception of sacramental
grace at the hands of a priest, conditions which it is not
possible that one in a hundred thousand of the whole human race
has fulfilled. Secondly, it is the established doctrine of
Christendom that there will be a general day of judgment, when all
men will be raised in the same bodies which they originally
occupied on earth, when Christ and his angels will visibly descend
from heaven, separate the elect from the reprobate, summon th